Hi All,
Masonic Lodge, which is located in Hollywood Forever is one of the most unique spaces we’ve ever performed in. We really appreciate all of you who made it out that night, and here are some of the audience questions we didn’t get to.
Sara
Q: Do you think you'd be where you are today if you hadn't won Battle of the Bands?
A: I believe that we were so driven that, win or lose, we would have continued. (Tegan was, and it would have been impossible to stop her!) We were writing songs, playing gigs around Calgary, building a fanbase, and instinctively knew we wanted to reach record labels and managers. Losing might have changed the pace, but I believe we would have still drawn attention from local industry people, which is exactly the fictional story we explore in Crush: the characters don’t win but are interesting enough to draw focus to their band and music.
Q: After live action, graphic novels, and documentaries, are you going to try out animation?
A: I’ve been working on a pitch for an animated show for a few years now. Animation has been fun and such a learning experience, but it’s incredibly tricky. I’m not sure if it’ll ever get made, but who knows. Now with a kid living in my house, I imagine I’ll be watching a lot of animation in the coming years!
Q: What’s your favorite book that you’ve read?
A: It’s almost impossible to answer! I find it easier to cite authors whose work I love. Jonathan Franzen, Jonathan Lethem, Rachel Cusk, Zadie Smith, jump out to me because I enjoy their fiction and non-fiction writing so much. Here’s a list I recently published which highlights some of the books I’ve read these past two decades.
Q: Would you consider adapting Junior High into a show or cartoon? Also, any word on High School Season 2?
A: Though scripts were written, and we loved them, Amazon decided not to renew us for a second season. It’s disappointing, but we’re grateful that Season 1 got made and that it can live on in the digital space. As for Junior High and Crush, we’d be open to adaptations, though we aren’t actively pitching them. We’re currently exploring opportunities to help others tell their stories.
Q: What was your biggest failure?
A: I don’t really see any career moves as failures. We've taken risks, and while some things didn’t work out, I see each experience as a learning opportunity. Relationships—business, romantic, or friendships—that ended didn’t feel like failures either. They each taught me something valuable. This does not mean I didn’t feel awful, regretful, or lay in bed in the fetal position for months on end. Not to mention the hours of therapy I’ve done. That’s part of the process sometimes too!
Q: Are you ever upset that Tegan’s name is first in the band and on the books?
A: No, not at all. We made that decision together, and I still think it was a great branding choice. I did argue for our names being alphabetized on our memoir but that felt appropriate for the medium.
Q: What inspired you to write Junior High and Crush?
A: The journey started in 2018 during a series of meetings in New York. We discussed telling stories about ourselves that hadn't been told in long form, and this evolved into our memoir High School, Junior High, Crush, and eventually our Amazon series based on High School. It was a productive, creative time, and each of these projects emerged from those initial brainstorms. I’ve loved revisiting that period of our lives.
Q: You mentioned "boomerangs"—can either of you throw one?
A: I’ve tried, and it didn’t go well! They make boomerangs seem foolproof, but they definitely aren’t.
Q: I've been a fan since I was 15 and am now 31. What do you say to fans who've grown with you?
A: It’s wonderful! I’m incredibly proud that fans have stuck with us over the years. We’ve built a connection with people who seem invested in each of our projects. It gives us the freedom to be creative and explore new avenues, which is an incredible gift. As I’ve entered middle age and felt a pull back to the music, films, tv, and books that inspired me as a young person I’ve come to appreciate the way fans have drifted and returned to our music. It's an honor to imagine that we can be a new discovery to some, and part of the distant past for others.
Q: Who was your middle school crush, and do you have a current one?
A: In middle school, I mostly had celebrity crushes, probably because I was afraid to acknowledge what I was feeling for girls. Weirdly, these celebrity crushes were often boys likely because I wanted to be like them and envied their attention from girls. My first real crush was my best friend, Krista, in grade nine. Now, my “crush” is my son. Everything I listen to, share, or create at home is for him.
Q: What’s your writing process like? Who’s involved, and how do you work through blocks?
A: For me, writing has always been about habit and discipline—just sitting down and working through it. However, I haven’t sat down to write for years, given how busy we have been. It’s hard to tell if this is a creative block or just being busy, but I’ll keep you updated!
Q: With your music, TV series, books, and even a documentary, what’s next—a Broadway show?
A: I doubt we’ll make a Broadway show about Tegan and Sara, but we’re exploring new ways to share our songs and a musical would be incredible!
Q: Where do your book ideas come from, and how do you know they’ll sell?
A: Most of our ideas come from our own experiences. As for how we know they’ll sell, we trust that our fanbase has a continued interest in our stories but it’s not the end goal, however much it might seem like it. It’s always exciting to think that a new project might reach new audiences or resonate with them in unexpected ways. Of course, it is our job, and we do have bills to pay! But I just love creating.
Q: Was it difficult to come up with ideas that you both agreed on for Crush and Junior High?
A: There wasn’t much discussion because these books are based on our true story, which we both know well. This is not always the case, and admittedly, working on fiction has already proven to be a substantial challenge.
Q: What other creative ventures do you want to explore outside of music and writing?
A: I’m focused on refining and growing our music and writing projects more so than developing new ventures. (right now)
Q: Did any comics or manga influence Crush and Junior High?
A: I’m sure everything I’ve consumed subconsciously filters into our work. One series I thought about a lot was Ariel Schrag’s books about her time in High School. They’re amazing.
Q: Which decision did you feel 100% confident making?
A: I don’t know if we ever feel 100% about anything but we’re good at weighing pros and cons and often consult trusted friends and colleagues before making decisions. “Listen to your gut,” might sound oversimplified, but that is a huge part of our decision making too.
Q: How does the writing process for a graphic novel compare to a memoir or song? Which process is the loneliest, and which makes you feel most alive?
A: Writing anything is inherently solitary. Solitude is a necessity for me to go deeper into my work, so I don’t see it as lonely but rather as essential for creation.
Thanks again for reading, and if you weren’t at the event and didn’t get a chance to hear our awesome moderator, Jen Wang, or pick up one of her books…please do!
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