Don’t Forget to Remember Me by ANNIE DRUM is a heartfelt coming-of-age novel about first love, identity and the value of true friendship.

Read on for a Q&A with the author.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Thirteen-year-old Starling ‘Star’ Cooney lives with her grandfather, Roy, in Rocky Point. She has not made any friends that is, until new student Bronte arrives. Then Roy disappears, and Star must decide who to trust as she searches for her mum.

Just as things seem to be changing for the better, Roy stops taking his medication and starts behaving strangely. It is not the first time this has happened and Star knows the consequences only too well. When Roy disappears Star must decide who to trust as she sets out on a search for her mum – and for a solution that might be just as unstable.

MEET ANNIE DRUM

What inspired you to write Don’t Forget to Remember Me?

I had an idea for a story about three ‘misfits’ who discover they have more in common than expected.

Could you tell us a little bit more about Star? Why does she find it difficult to make friends?

Star has been to quite a few schools but never long enough to form connections. When she is removed from her mum’s care and placed with her grandfather Roy, she’s not really sure how to make friends at all. She is shy, feels different to kids her age, and also has no access to social media.

How would you describe Star and Bronte’s dynamic? What do they find in each other that draws them together?

Star and Bronte bond over a sense of being different. Bronte is handsome and wears the right gear but has been sent to live with his Aunty to ‘sort himself out.’ He accepts Star as she is, and she begins to learn what friendship really is.

You have a background working in child protection and student counselling, so how have your experiences shaped this book, and what is the most important lesson you’ve learned from all those years?

For some young people the pressure to fit in with peers can lead to anxiety and mental health struggles, and it is crucial that they are able to access support. What I have learned over the years is that the struggle between conformity and self-acceptance looks the same for young – and older people – across every demographic and culture.

Who is your favourite character in Don’t Forget to Remember Me and why?

Roy. This character came to me like a gift; an eccentric guy who takes on the responsibility of caring for a child in a uniquely awkward, genuine, but not entirely reliable way. Roy’s character is not overdrawn and he remains a bit of an enigma – even to me!

As this is your first YA novel, what was it like writing for a young audience? Were there any unexpected challenges?

I have worked with young people for many years and felt confident that I could create a convincing world. Getting the language right was a bit of a test, and I had to run particular phrasing past some students and they soon put me straight!

What do you hope your readers walk away thinking or feeling after they finish your story?

That we all have something to offer. That we are all loveable – and valuable.

You mentioned that the “landscape and the birdlife” are like friends to Star, so do you have a favourite bird that features in this book?

The Moorhen. They are clever, beautiful, and possess a self-assurance that we can all learn from.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annie Drum lives in central Victoria and her short fiction and poetry appear in anthologies and on the Memoria podcast. She is a member of Writers Victoria and her debut collection, Like Trees (Pomonal Publishing, 2016), was launched at Clunes Booktown. She has undertaken a writing retreat in The Netherlands, and a mentorship with renowned author Toni Jordan. Her years as a social worker with families and young people inform her storytelling.

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