The really fun part was painting a picture of the Texas Hill Country. Barons Creek is a fictional town but it’s based on Fredericksburg, Texas.
Kristine Rudolph – 9 June 2026
The Back Flap
Every year, spring in Texas means two very different things to sixth grader Cassaty Greene: her beloved Barons Creek High School soccer team, the Battling Billies, will contend for the state title, and the anniversary of her twin brother’s death will plunge her family into a deep, unspoken grief. But this year, the script changes when the Battling Billies’ star midfielder goes missing right before the playoffs begin. Presented with this mysterious disappearance, Cassaty seizes the chance to heroically bring the missing girl home—and hopefully, in doing so, help fill the hole her brother’s death left in her family so many years ago.
About the book
What is the book about?
The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar is about a middle school kid named Cassaty Greene who is obsessed with soccer. She’s a superfan of the local high school women’s team, especially their standout midfielder Katey Korey. When Katey goes missing, Cassaty and her friends launch an investigation to find her before the upcoming state tournament game.
But The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar is also a book about grief. It’s about how a family copes with loss over years and how patterns of behavior become integrated into daily life. Cassaty doesn’t just want to find Katey, she wants to fill the hole in her family’s heart she’s convinced she’s responsible for creating.
When did you start writing the book?
Oh, goodness. At least ten years ago?
How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft took about nine months but it has been through many subsequent edits and polishes since then.
Where did you get the idea from?
Most of my novels begin with a ‘what if?’ question. This one started with wondering what would happen to a young superfan if her high school idol let her down. That it plays out in the context of soccer was only natural. I have three kids – a boy and two girls – and both my girls are soccer players. My husband was also a soccer player. I’ve watched a lot of soccer games. I mean, I actually understand the offside rules.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Of course! There were many. One notable issue was balancing the levity of the romp through the Texas Hill Country with the very deep, important issues of grief and loss. Layer on to that that my audience is meant to be 10-12 years old and, as you can imagine, it was challenging.
What came easily?
The really fun part was painting a picture of the Texas Hill Country. Barons Creek is a fictional town but it’s based on Fredericksburg, Texas. I have family in Fredericksburg and have made some of my best memories there. It’s a really unique part of the state and I was able to bring that out in the descriptions of the homes, the use of a legendary dance hall and a cow. (A longhorn, of course.)
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The characters are mainly fictitious but informed by my proximity to two little girls who play soccer. My girls are four years apart, so close to the age spread between Cassaty and Katey.
The only direct link to a real-world person is John Russell and Russell Hall. Russell Hall is based on the famous Texas dance halls like Gruene Hall but more directly to Luckenbach, Texas which is located just outside Fredericksburg. John Russell is mentioned in the novel, but he died before our story begins. He is based on John Russell “Hondo” Crouch who made Luckenbach famous. Hondo was my aunt’s father.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Kate DiCamillo. In a 2018 essay in Time titled “Why Children’s Books Should Be a Little Sad,” DiCamillio asked, “How do we tell the truth and make that truth bearable?” That singular line has been my writing touchstone ever since.
Do you have a target reader?
The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar target audience is a 10-12 year old reader.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
As I said above, I begin every novel with a “what if” question. I write in an extremely linear way, and I always have some sort of an outline before I ever open Scrivener. Think a yellow legal pad with chicken scratch all over it. (Seriously, sometimes I can’t read my own outline.) That being said, I am very flexible with my outline. Sometimes you get to know your characters and they aren’t who you imagined them to be at first.
After I have a first draft, I print the manuscript and do a few rounds of reading with pen in hand. Eventually it goes to my amazing critique partner, book coach Monica Cox. I am a beta reader for The Spun Yarn and so I often send my manuscripts to them as well. Then it’s loads of editing and polishing. I leverage expert and authenticity readers as well. For this novel, I really wanted to nail the characters of Priya and Simran who are Indian and Hindu living in a small, largely Christian town. Two of my kids’ friends, whose family hails from southern India, did an authenticity read for me. Their feedback was terrific and they loved getting paid to read a book!
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
As I mention above, I always use some sort of an outline. It’s normally pretty spare and dynamic, mainly working through the main story arc and subplots. I also make pages for character sketches so I can remember the attributes I’ve given each person and almost always create a family tree complete with birth dates.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I always wait until I have a first draft. This is a big change I’ve made since I first started writing fiction. I’ve learned that my creative writing mind doesn’t need my critical editing mind getting in the way.
Did you hire a professional editor? (
For this novel I used authenticity readers and took advantage of the editing opportunities provided through my publisher.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Nothing with words! Otherwise, I would probably type out the song lyrics. If I am in public, then I usually play classical music. But if I am at home then it’s silent, save for the very loud snores of a really cute French bulldog named for President Jimmy Carter.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did. I even had an agent for a few years. But I went on sub right as COVID hit and, seeing as all my books explore grief, it was not my time. She and I parted ways when she decided to no longer represent my genre.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
After the experience of having my work “owned,” if you will, by an agency for about four years and never selling on sub, I felt a strong urge to have more control over my manuscripts. That is challenging, though, for middle grade writers. Working with Brooke and SparkPress meant I would have high level, demanding professionals helping me ensure this was a solid product. Once I learned the book would be distributed through Simon & Schuster, it was an easy decision.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The team at SparkPress handled that. I wrote a detailed cover memo that included images of the Texas Hill Country and provided music that fit the vibe I was going for (Kacey Musgraves!) and their team did the rest. They absolutely nailed the cover. I love it.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I hired a publicity firm which, I know is not the same as marketing, but it takes a huge load off me.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Indie publication varies wildly according to genre. For me, writing for kids, I did not see a clear path to indie publishing until I found SparkPress. Their professionalism assured me I would produce a high-quality product and their distribution channels were key.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in both Florida and Tennessee but spent most of my summers in the Texas Hill Country, where this book is set.
Where do you live now?
I split my time between Atlanta, Georgia and Austin, Texas.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I have a tremendous amount of respect for children, and I hope that shows in my work.
What are you working on now?
I have three projects I am actively shopping to agents and small presses, all middle grade novels. As for my work-in-progress, I have pressed pause on the actual writing while I decide whether it needs to be middle grade or YA. It involves politics, religion, friendship and authenticity and is set in contemporary Atlanta.
I also blog about parenting through transition at “Becoming Selene,” and I send out a newsletter (almost) every Friday. Both can be found at my Linktree along with a fun playlist for the novel.
My website:
My Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/kristinerudolph
End of Interview:
Get your copy of The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar from Amazon US.
