Blog Tour: The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch (Interview + Giveaway!)

Happy Tuesday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE SKY BLUES! I’m so excited because today I have an interview with Robbie Couch to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I’m so so excited to for you to find out more about it, PLUS enter for a chance to win a print copy!

The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch
Published on April 6, 2021 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Contemporary, YA, Queer
Pages: 336
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Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram

Sky’s small town turns absolutely claustrophobic when his secret promposal plans get leaked to the entire school in this witty, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful debut novel for fans of What if it’s Us? and I Wish You All the Best.
Sky Baker may be openly gay, but in his small, insular town, making sure he was invisible has always been easier than being himself. Determined not to let anything ruin his senior year, Sky decides to make a splash at his high school’s annual beach bum party by asking his crush, Ali, to prom—and he has thirty days to do it.
What better way to start living loud and proud than by pulling off the gayest promposal Rock Ledge, Michigan, has ever seen?
Then, Sky’s plans are leaked by an anonymous hacker in a deeply homophobic e-blast that quickly goes viral. He’s fully prepared to drop out and skip town altogether—until his classmates give him a reason to fight back by turning his thirty-day promposal countdown into a school-wide hunt to expose the e-blast perpetrator.
But what happens at the end of the thirty days? Will Sky get to keep his hard-won visibility? Or will his small-town blues stop him from being his true self?

What would you do if you spent the day with sky? Where would you go to eat, hang out, relax, etc.?

Ahh! I’m obsessed with this question. I would have so much fun hanging with Sky in northern Michigan. I’d take him to eat pasta at (fictional) Bella’s in Traverse City because I love Italian food (also, I had a great time writing the Bella’s scene in the book). Then we’d go to the movies, because Sky is a big film buff and no great day is complete without a trip to the local cinema (let’s pretend Covid doesn’t exist during our day, okay?). Then we’d go take in a sunset on Lake Michigan. Because Lake Michigan sunsets are the best. Hands down. Period. Game over. 

If sky were to hang out with characters from other YA books, who would they be and why?

INTERESTING. I’m smiling from ear to ear thinking about this question. I bet Sky would be good friends with Simon Spier because they’re both equal parts awkward, earnest, and fun. Sky would also hit it off with Lara Jean Covey. She writes dramatic love letters to her crushes while Sky comes up with elaborate promposal ideas. They’d definitely get along, right? Also, Luna Lovegood. Sky would appreciate her goofiness and eccentricities. 

Would you rather be a superhero or a supervillain? And what would your powers and name be?

Supervillain! They are so much more fun and often misunderstood. My power would be the ability to breathe underwater. How amazing would our lives be if we could explore the depths of the ocean (without scuba gear) and befriend freaking fish? My supervillain name: Sofa Swimmer. Get it? Because my last name? ….. Couch?

What does own voices queer representation mean to you?

It means speaking your truth, loud and clear, no matter how many feathers get ruffled or eyebrows are raised. It’s critical LGBTQ+ people (and especially young people) can see themselves in the stories we tell. And those stories are all the more impactful and authentic when they’re told through an own voices lens. 

What was your favorite bit of research you ended up not using?

There’s a drive Sky takes north right along the coast of Lake Michigan. When I first wrote the chapter, I got super detailed about the exact route, looking up maps of Grand Traverse Bay and the Leelanau Peninsula, just to make sure my scenic descriptions were accurate. While my intentions were good, I realized I was getting waaaaay too into the weeds and needed to dial it back. So most of that unnecessary detail got cut. But now I know a lot about the shoreline of the northwest corner of Michigan’s lower peninsula! So who’s the geography nerd now? (Me, it’s always me.) 

What is your favorite quote, scene, or moment from The Sky Blues?

Well, this is an impossible question to answer without giving away a major spoiler, so I’ll just say this: my favorite scene is when the countdown strikes zero the day of the Beach Bum Party. Truly a chapter YEARS in the making. I was so happy to celebrate the moment with Sky and his friends.  

Enter here for a chance to win a print copy of THE SKY BLUES by Robbie Couch!

(US Only!!!)

What do you think about The Sky Blues? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!