Q&A with Bryan Kromm, Author of Young and Hungry

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Youth is brazen, experience is prudent, and wisdom often lives somewhere in between. In Young and Hungry, Bryan Kromm brings these forces together through an unexpected, parable-like adventure that questions how we learn, grow, and decide what kind of life is worth living.

Buy the book here.

Book Description:

An aspiring teen journalist (whose curiosity is outshone only by her bravery and dedication) and an adventurer with one last wish on his bucket list team up to uncover the mystery behind “The Boy in the Shadows”– a long-forgotten prodigy of the successful authors Mr. and Mrs. Paradise. 

The unusual pair becomes an even stranger triad when the teen’s explorer uncle joins the quest, hoping to bring wisdom and experience into the wild exuberance of youthful adventure.

Mr. and Mrs. Paradise grew up in hard knock lives, each wounded by their past while also overcoming the odds to mold themselves into successful authors, lauded in the literary world and toasted by the elite. Finding enduring love in each other, the couple built a life around their child. “A genius” in the vein of their own lauded success, they proclaimed, shielding the boy from a childhood of pain and struggle, providing him every advantage they themselves had lacked. Years later, what had become of this child, the offspring of giants in their field, given every opportunity for success?

Young and Hungry is a modern parable of the triumphs and follies of parenthood, the motivations of becoming and being, and the wisdom of living a full spectrum life, each character an archetype found among our own peers and within ourselves.

Author Bio: Bryan Kromm grew up in Penticton, British Columbia, and is a dual citizen of both America and Canada. He has spent time in both countries. Bryan was a collegiate athlete and now coaches hockey for a living and writes in his free time.

1. Young and Hungry features a cast of wildly different characters, from overspoiled know-it-alls to dedicated workaholics to daredevil adventurers. What was it like writing such archetypal characters, and what was your inspiration for each character?

It was definitely fun playing around with the characters and having such contrasting personalities interact with each other. The goal of each was to use them as a means to an end, and there weren’t necessarily specific people who inspired character transformation. It was often a ‘if this happened, how would each specific character react depending on their personality’ question I had to answer when I was writing.

2. Did you pull on any personal experience when writing your characters, or were they all completely fictional?
   

As a person who grew up with sports and now coaches, there are interactions that I have taken with me and projected into the story. To say all characters were fictional is certainly true, but there are aspects of people and experiences in my life that inspired some of the character development.

3. Were there any books, films, or real-life experiences that influenced the world of Young and Hungry?

I’m inspired by those ‘rags to riches’ stories, which played a role in some of the plotlines and settings. Growing up surrounded by the mountains of British Columbia, and their sometimes-mythical presence, I pictured Paradise Manor to be located somewhere within the province. And then to finish with some of the features of the property, I liked to imagine one of those James Bond villain hideaways with all the military-grade security measures.

4. Was it challenging to develop fully fleshed-out characters and a complete storyline in such a short format? Did you come across any difficulties, or did writing concisely come naturally to you?
   

It was actually quite seamless once I got into the flow of writing the story. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to create, and once I had completed that, the story naturally concluded. I hope the readers feel like they get full closure once they finish it, with a little bit of a cliffhanger at the end.

5. You’ve mentioned exploring the question, ‘Would you rather be someone who does everything once or someone who reads about everything but never experiences it?’ Could you expand on this and what it means to you in terms of your characters?
   

It’s clear that the Boy in the Shadows and Alfred are complete opposites, and it was my goal for them to represent each end of the spectrum for this specific question. It feels like an oxymoron when you examine the question, and I think that in reality, we wouldn’t want to be either. Both types of people never learn anything about life. And this is where we bring in Bruce and Jessica to have some balance and clarity. They both represent the value of growth and learning, and the progression from young to old within people who stick with the process and commit to something. I’ve always found it intriguing to compare students to workers, one learning from theory, and the other learning from experience. Both have flaws if you have one without the other.

6. “The Boy in the Shadows” is given every opportunity by his wealthy and successful parents and never experiences rejection, which stunts his growth. Could you discuss how this upbringing shapes his character and influences the choices he makes throughout the story?

The Boy in the Shadows becomes sheltered from reality because he is never told he is wrong. He believes he is above all judgment. And when nobody agrees with him, he isolates himself until he is only surrounded by the people he pays; the only thing he has learned is to throw money at his problems. It becomes impossible for him to comprehend that he is living in a false reality because of the barriers he and his parents have created.

7. How did you come up with the unlikely trio who set out to investigate the ‘Boy in the Shadows,’ and what does each character represent to you?

It made sense to have Alfred represent ‘the person who has done everything once’ and hence have him be the leader of the adventure. I then wanted to have the balance of Jessica, who is young enough to chase her dreams but old enough to know that it takes time and effort, and that she will need to learn from her mistakes to find success, a contrast with the Boy in the Shadows. Bruce came along as I was writing—I felt like it would have been strange for Jessica to go on a random adventure with a complete stranger, almost twice her age. It turned out better than I expected because I could use Bruce as the ‘voice of reason’ within the reader’s head, confirming things that seemed ridiculous or outlandish.

8. This novella reads like a modern parable. How did you adapt this storytelling style for a contemporary audience?

I tried to use a lot of the dialogue to make the story seem more relatable. My narration tone and style can feel old-school or nostalgic, not like a typical novel for our present time, so I felt like the actions of the characters were a way to modernize the story.

9. Young and Hungry repeatedly explores the theme of youth versus experience. What drew you to this theme, and how does it influence the story as a whole?
   

It’s always interesting to see how people act as they age. Their patience seems to wear thin because of their experiences—they know what works and what doesn’t. A lot of the time, people lose their zeal. I wanted to explore some of the reasons why people slow down and really challenge some ideas. We get a glimpse through the characters of what experience looks (or doesn’t look) like, and how having youthfulness can push us into new experiences.

10. Did you have a specific audience in mind when writing?
    

I wanted to have a story that could be read by all, anywhere from teens to adults. I feel like the message within the story is simple enough to understand, even by kids, yet also has an impact on the oldest of us. I wanted there to be something in it for everybody.

11. The ending of the story was surprising and unexpected for me as a reader. When you were writing, did you always know how it would end, or did you stumble upon the conclusion during the process?

I thought about a lot of different ways to end the story (or keep it going), but it seemed fitting for it to end the way it did. I think the ending adds to the mystery of the story and makes us wonder about a lot of things. There was an extra paragraph that we left out at the end for that reason—we wanted the readers to draw their own conclusions.

12. What do you hope is a major takeaway for readers of Young and Hungry?

I hope the readers take away that we are always learning, growing, and getting better. “Life is a train, get on board.”