Julie Murphy Talks Texas, Dolly Parton, and Dumplin’s Place in Fat Girl YA

Dumplin’ has rapidly become sort of the champion book for fat girls before it’s even officially released. What is it about Willowdean and the book itself that you think particularly resonates in a way people haven’t been seeing in YA?

First, thank you! Those are some big words to live up to. You know, I think (and hope!) that everyone relates to Willowdean for different reasons, but I know that what resonates with me is the roller coaster of emotions she has in regard to her body. There are days when I wake up and feel A-MAZING and 100% unstoppable. Then there are mornings when just the idea of wearing a sleeveless shirt bruises my ego. I think a lot of us want to love ourselves, but we don’t always know how and that is Willowdean’s journey.

On a related note, how would you like to see the narrative of fat girl YA evolve?

This is my favorite question ever. We have so much ground to cover for fat protagonists. First and foremost, I think we’ve got to let go of the idea that a fat character’s weight loss must be tied to their character arc. I want to see more books like Nimona where the character is so much more than fat. I want to see books where fat is as normal as having freckles. I want to see fat characters of color. We need fantasy books and action adventure books. We need romance and thrillers. And this is the case with all forms of diversity. Diverse books that are about diversity are always great and necessary, but what really resonates with me is when diverse characters seep into all kinds of books–and not just as supporting cast members.

Dolly Parton love is fabulously sprinkled throughout the book. For teens who didn’t grow up in an area where she reigned supreme, what do you think gives her a universal power? And what Dolly song would you rec for total newbies?

What I love about Dolly is that she lives life on her own terms. She is the mistress of her body, her life, and her career. She calls the shots, despite all the assumptions it’s easy to make about her based on her appearance. For a newbie, you’ve got to start with “Jolene,” but “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That?” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” and “Little Sparrow” are all close seconds.

Bo is a sucker for…well, suckers. What treats are your favorite comfort food? 

I’m a big fan of gourmet marshmallows and dark chocolate. And pie. And cake. And macarons. And gelato. Um, as you can tell, I don’t really discriminate when it comes to comfort foods.

I love the way Texas is such a living, breathing part of the story, and obviously you know it well. What are some “must-know” facts a writer’s got to understand about your home state in order to write about it?

I think the biggest and most important thing to remember is that Texas is so much more than the stereotype the rest of the country is led to believe. I won’t lie to you: 50% of the people in Texas are exactly what you would expect: Conservative, church-going, deer season-loving white people. But we have huge diverse communities from all different walks of life. And hey! Sometimes there’s some overlap between your stereotypical Texans and the rest of us. Texas is really such a unique place, but most of all it’s my home. It’s hard not to be protective of it when I read books set here.

If you and Willowdean were doing an event together, what one matching outfit would you buy for the two of you?

Well, we both look pretty great in red, so I’d have to go with a classic red dress (with pockets!) and some seriously teased hair.

Alice from your debut, Side Effects May Vary, and Will seem like such different leading ladies. What was your favorite part of writing each? What was the most challenging? And are there ways in which they don’t seem to you that different at all?

I love them both so much, and it’s a weird thing, because I know that for so many readers Willowdean will be easier to love, but that doesn’t stop me from loving and being proud of what I created in Alice. What I really dug about writing Alice was that she never lied about who she was and yet writing her left me feeling a little raw, like I’d just witnessed humanity at its most primal. Willowdean was a joy to write, because for the most part, her headspace was a nice place to be. She’s witty and confident, but it was a little difficult when she began to doubt herself. It was hard not to doubt myself in the same way. Really, though, the two have quite a bit in common. They’re both stubborn and headstrong. They’re both selfish, incredibly self aware, and pretty fierce. At the end of the day, those are all things I relate to in a very really way. What I think is most important here is that we understand there is room for both of these type of girls. The Willowdeans (Gryffindors!) of the world don’t make the Alices (Slytherins!) any less valuable.

What’s your pageant talent?

Online shopping? Does that count as a talent? Seriously. I am gifted.

You had such great marketing campaigns with this book, between having people send in shots in the Dumplin’ pose and sending out portable Dumplin’s for people to photograph on vacation… What responses stuck out the most to you?

The response has been so much more incredible than I ever anticipated. I love it all, of course, but nothing sticks me in the feels like a picture of someone doing the Dumplin’ pose in their swimsuit. It’s so fearless and hugely inspiring.

We love talking about other books here on the B&N Teen Blog, as you might’ve noticed. What’s on your radar for the coming fall?

I absolutely loved Kate Scelsa’s Fans of the Impossible Life. I was also blown away by E.K. Johnston’s A Thousand Nights. I’m currently reading Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows and I think it might be my favorite of hers so far, which is saying a lot. Books I’m still looking forward to include I Crawl Through It by A.S. King, Cut Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian, and All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.