Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Offsides by Lori Z. Scott (Give.away)

1/26/2024

Danielle Stephens expected her senior year to be challenging, with her final season of soccer, a strained friendship, and a new crush. But she didn’t expect to uncover a human trafficking ring in her town. When an older man seems to be grooming her young neighbor, Dani is determined to keep the girl safe. Little does she know, but there is more at stake than one life. And if Dani doesn’t watch her back, she could be the next victim.

Offsides is like a Christian version of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder but set on the soccer field.

Genre: Contemporary YA fiction
Release Date: October 19, 2023

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Lori

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
For Offsides, my inspiration came from my critique group and the news. I had originally outlined a different plot. However, my editor said they already had a book in line to publish that had a similar story—could I come up with something new? I talked with my critique group, and one of the girls brought up human trafficking. I wasn’t comfortable with that topic and immediately said no. But it kept coming up in the news, and the pull, the conviction that I should tackle this topic wouldn’t go away. And I noticed that there were books in the Christian arena that talk about this growing issue to the people who are actually targets of traffickers–teens. I knew it would be hard to write, but I set out to do it anyway. I started with research. The more I learned, the more I became convinced that this book could make a difference in someone’s life. That it could be more than just a sports story. Gathering information, talking to people involved in trafficking ministries, and reading articles online helped me build a foundation for the plot. But it was the main character who made the story work. She was smart, athletic, and funny, but painfully introverted.

#2. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
When I returned to writing in 2018 after taking around 7 years off to deal with family issues, I visited the local bookstore to see what was popular and to look for gaps in the market. I had a pretty good feel for the recent trends anyway since I’m a schoolteacher and have a whole classroom full of students who are excited about certain genres or authors. Then I started thinking about topics I know a lot about since people always say to write what you know. I checked for sports books and found a few shelves dedicated to this niche. But I also found that very few stories starred female athletes as the main protagonist. I decided to write a series for this audience; the first book, Inside the Ten-Foot Line was released in 2022 and it was a Carol Award semi-finalist in the YA category.

#3. Do you have a favorite character(s) in this book?
Yes, the main character, Danielle Stephens, is my favorite. She loves sports and she’s pretty witty, but she’s also painfully introverted. In Offsides, we not only see her desire to fit in but how awkward it is for her to connect with others. That push and pull of conflicting emotions is something many people understand. Readers who have reached out to me say they also resonated with the authenticity of Dani. One reader asked, “How were you able to capture the anxiety and isolation of an introvert so accurately? I didn’t think anyone understood.” And, choking back tears, she admitted, “That was me. In high school. I was Dani.”

I think it’s the struggle Dani goes through that makes me love her most. And the fact that despite her feelings of isolation and vulnerability, she never gives up on the hope of connection.

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
Awareness—of the people around us who may be struggling or feeling isolated, and awareness of the dangers posed by trafficking predators.
Hope—for readers to understand they are not alone in their feelings and that together we can support and encourage each other.
Prayer—it is powerful.

#5. How did you name your characters?
I wish I had a better method, but I often use the names of people I know. And I know a lot of cool names because I’m a teacher. Even so, the character himself is never like the real person whose name I borrowed. For example, I named the main character in Offsides after my dear friend’s daughter. However, the real Danielle is extroverted and confident whereas my fictional Dani is extremely introverted. Whenever I borrow the name of a family member, a coworker, or a student, they seem to get a kick out of it. It’s like the whole story is packed with Easter eggs only my closest friends will notice.

The one exception I’ve made to this random approach is a character in a speculative fiction story I hope to one day publish. I named him Justin because the driving force in his life was seeking justice. But who knows? When I finally pitch it, I may end up changing Justin to Crew or Mayuk, two of my second grade cherubs with rockstar names.

#6. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 30:21, New International Version
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
I also enjoy the story of the boy with five loaves of bread and some fish found in John 6:1-14. If you recall, the disciples wanted Jesus to feed a large crowd, but the only food they could scrounge up was the boy’s meager offering. And yet Christ took the lunch, blessed it, and then blessed others with it. I can relate to the boy. I feel like I have so little to offer, but I still bring my skills and lay them at Christ’s feet. Jesus can make a feast out of my crumbles. With Offsides, it’s my hope that I can raise human trafficking awareness and eventually partner with Christian organizations that support victims.

More from Lori

Let’s start with the why behind the series in general. In the early 2000s, I published a bestselling chapter book series—sort of like the Christian version of Junie B. Jones. Then, because of some unexpected life circumstances, I stopped writing for about 7 years. After encouragement from my mom and my daughter and a phone call with an editor from Pockets Magazine, I decided to return to writing. But I wanted to try something new.

I thought about the things I love that I could write about. Sports came to the top of the list since I competed in volleyball, track, swimming, softball, and basketball and my children played soccer. I went to the library to see what was out there and found some great sports novels, many by Mike Lupica. He tackled interesting themes—characters dealing with real-life issues that readers could relate to whether or not they were part of a team.

However, the book offerings for women athletes? Very slim pickings. I mean… there were a few. But they didn’t have the depth I craved in a book. And, as my daughter always says, “Mom, you’re a writer. If you can’t find the book you want, write it yourself.”

So that’s how the series in general was born. I envisioned a story for each sport that reached beyond the court to encompass a broader audience. Stories that grappled with universal emotions, dreams, and challenges. The first book in the series, Inside the Ten-Foot Line, did well with critics. It won the Golden Scroll Award for youth fiction book of the year, an Illumination Book Award, was a semi-finalist for the Carol Awards, and a finalist for the Director’s Choice Award. I figure that’s a promising start!

Now, more specifically—the inspiration behind the story Offsides.

Okay, big breath for me here, because I felt God’s nudging to write it, and I told Him no. Just outright no. But… who tells God no? I mean, based on my writing journey, I trusted that He knew best the paths I should take. Always. So why did I say no?

Let me give you a little history. In 2022, End Game Press invited me to write Offsides, the second book in my series. However, when I submitted my detailed plot, they came back and said it was too similar to another book they planned on publishing and asked me to develop something different. I took the problem to my critique group, and one of the girls who works with her church to recover victims of human trafficking suggested that I write a story where the characters must confront this issue.

I got sick to my stomach just thinking about it. And I dismissed the idea. Like, immediately.

And I had good excuses to say no. No, I didn’t know enough about the problem. No, human trafficking was too horrifying to research. No, what teenager wants to read about this sick topic? And my biggest objection–No! I wrote humor.

But God kept pressing me on this idea. And pressing me. And pressing me. News reports. Conversations at work. Ads on T.V. Social media posts. The idea would bubble up in my prayers and haunt me when I went to bed.

So, I finally said yes and wrote the book. Not surprisingly, in the process, I discovered a yes for every no I’d voiced.

I didn’t know enough about the problem, but, yes, I learned. The research was horrifying, but yes, I also found hope, especially within Christian organizations who help recover victims.

Yes… teens should read about human trafficking to make themselves aware of the danger and to take steps to protect themselves and their friends. And yes, talking about human trafficking could be done in an age-appropriate way. Best of all, as heavy as the topic was, the story still contained humor. Because high school is like that—serious, but also fun and entertaining.

I really like the relationships between the characters too. There’s something powerful about their interactions. The protagonist, Dani, is a huge introvert, and her social anxiety plays into how the plot unfolds. Her character resonated with a lot of my beta readers who also experienced struggles with feelings that they don’t quite fit in.

One teary-eyed reader asked me how I was able to tap into Dani’s emotions so deeply and accurately. I was like—hey, I’m a teacher. I see insecurities in people all the time. And at some point, we’ve all been there—even me. In the lonely. In the awkward. In the search for belonging. In the hurt. We need each other. And we need faith.

Anyway, that’s how Offsides was born. With a nudge that turned into a pressing need to tell a story. About a difficult topic, true. But even more valuable because of that. The book ended up being a little bit like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder but set on the soccer field.

If any readers want to use Offsides for a book club, I have a study guide I can email them for free. I also have a free collection of ten devotions for athletes for interested readers. To get either one or both, DM me on my Instagram account at @Stories.by.Lori

Lori Z. Scott

Wheaton College graduate Lori Z. Scott accidentally wrote the 10-book bestselling Meghan Rose series. On purpose, she wrote more than 200 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions for magazines like Brio and Focus on the Family. She has also contributed to 15 books, including Writing and Selling Children’s Books in the Christian Market.
As has been her practice for over 25 years, Lori is fully invested in teaching elementary students during the day. However, most nights you can find her typing away behind the keyboard. She figures that makes writing her superpower… especially since she knows how to use a delete key.

In 2022, Lori introduced an award-winning novel, Inside the Ten-Foot Line, the first installment in her new young adult series.
In addition, she has led writing workshops for local ACFW and SCBWI chapters, conducted school visits, served as a guest speaker
for Story Embers podcasts, and presented at virtual writing conferences. She’s never really sure if the crowd is impressed by her
interactive presentations or by the fact that she can write and draw forwards and backwards with both hands at the same time.