We're talking about NYT bestseller 13 REASONS WHY on readergirlz this month, and welcoming author Jay Asher. Here are a few things you might not know about Jay:
On his nightstand: A really thick biography of Charles Schulz
Favorite drink while he writes: Coffee with cream and sugar
Favorite bookstore: Vroman's
Favorite library: San Luis Obispo Public Library (and not just because I work there)
Pet: I haven't owned a pet since Dodger (a beagle)
Place to write: Linnaea's Café
Inspiration: People watching
Writer-buddies: Robin Mellom & Eve Porinchak (we blog together as The Disco Mermaids)
Cures for writer's block: Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream (it solves nothing, but it makes me forget there was a problem)
Favorite outfit: Pajama bottoms and a T-shirt
Long-hand or laptop? Laptop (but I often brainstorm long-hand)
Stilettos or Uggs? If it counts, I've worn stilettos for a costume
Author idols: Stephen King & Ray Bradbury
YA novels he recommends:
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway Vegan, Virgin, Valentine by Carolyn Mackler Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Ypulse.com, a rich online resource and one of my regular must-read blogs, was founded by Anastasia Goodstein, author of TOTALLY WIRED and nationally renowned expert on American tweens, teens and early twentysomethings.
Yesterday Ypulse.com announced the launch of Ypulse Books, a blog and newsletter that covers books for children and young adults, providing insight on what children and young adults read, the latest trends in how books are marketed to youth, and efforts to increase youth literacy.
And if you're planning to be in the Bay Area on July 14th, don't miss the Ypulse Books/Publishing Preconference at the 2008 Ypulse National Mashup conference.
"For a lot of us, we eat, sleep, and breath, young adult literature, but we know it's changing every day," said Alli Decker, Editor of Ypulse Books. "It will be so exciting to exchange information, resources and especially ideas about the new developments on the YA horizon."
Thanks to a tip via the YALSA listserv and a quiet weekend, I visited the POC (People of Color) Carnival of YA Lit and followed the links there. (I'm sure how I feel about the label "People of Color," but that's for another day.)
Get yourself to the carnival, friends -- it's your gateway to thought-provoking posts about Jacob Black, the Quileute character in Stephenie Meyer's vampire novels, "beauty" thanks to Disney princesses, and how race can disappear when a story travels from book to screen.
The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) announced the winners of the 2007 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature, one of the few ethnic book awards that aren't based on the race of the author but on the content in the book. The prizes promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and are awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The Fire Escape is pleased to present the winners for illustration in children's literature and young adult literature along with the committees' annotations.
Illustration in Children Literature Winner
Crowe, Ellie. Surfer of the Century. Illustrated by Richard Waldrep. New York: Lee and Low, 2007. This book tells the story of "the Father of Modern Surfing," Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, from his childhood on Waikiki Beach, to his participation in five Olympics, through his lifelong promotion and development of surfing, and to his becoming the official State of Hawai'i Ambassador of Aloha. Each page of text describing his life has an opposite full-page painting-style illustration that shows the progression of his successes in spite of discrimination and his achievements through his creed of Aloha. The final two pages in the book are a timeline of Duke Kahanamoku's life and legacy and a world map showing the major cities of his lifetime accomplishments. The author includes a bibliography of her sources on the back of the title page.
Illustration in Children Literature Honorable Mention
Barasch, Lynne. Hiromi's Hands. New York: Lee and Low, 2007. This first-person narrative tells the story of Hiromi's breaking away from the Japanese tradition in the male dominated sushi culinary and becoming an itamae san, professional sushi chef. The author vividly depicts two generations, beginning with her father's long and grueling training as an apprentice before emerging as a successful sushi chef in a Tokyo restaurant. Hiromi is very enthusiastic in learning about fish as she goes to the fish market with her father in New York. At thirteen, she wants to know how to make sushi. Her father, a man receptive to American ideas, says, "And this is America. Girls can do things here that they cannot do in Japan." So begins the sushi career for Hiromi. The story spans two cultures, Japanese and American. The quiet style of narration complemented by the soft ink and watercolor drawings of two fish markets in Tokyo and Manhattan, the New York subway, and an array of sushi convey authenticity.
Young Adult Literature Winner
Easton, Kelly. Hiroshima Dreams. New York: Dutton, 2007. Hiroshima Dreams portrays the family dynamics of three generations living under one roof: a grandmother adjusting to life in America, a mother who has let go of her roots, and two sisters, one quiet and shy, the other defiant. The struggles and joys of growing up in an interracial family and coping with loss are important issues in the book. The focus of the story is the relationship between the grandmother, Obaachan, and granddaughter, Lin. Both are resistant to change-Lin to her grandmother's presence at home and her grandmother with her longing for Japan-but they soon find themselves inseparable and share the gift of seeing the future. Obaachan's guidance allows Lin to apply Japanese beliefs and meditation to help her overcome her fears. Through touches of mysticism, careful observation, and reflection, Lin learns to accept and understand the changes and consequences of one's actions. The wisdom of Obaachan is explained with meaningful, descriptive examples that create a sense of calmness and security for Lin.
Young Adult Literature Honorable Mention
Sheth, Kashmira. Keeping Corner. New York: Hyperion, 2007. Keeping Corner provides an enriching and eye-opening view of the cultural and social dynamics within a family and community in India during the early 20th century. As a daughter in a high-ranking Brahman family, Leela is overindulged and carefree of worries. Married at the age of nine, Leela, now twelve, prepares for her move to her husband's home. Her world is turned upside down when her husband dies, and instead of donning a silk wedding sari, she is given a chidri, a coarse widow's sari. She is confined to her house for a year, thus "keeping corner." Tradition holds her to having a shaved head, no hope of remarrying, and being viewed and shunned as a burden. Leela's growth and her frustrations of being a child-widow is portrayed in a heartfelt and realistic way. She is able to overcome her confinement by continuing her studies, reading, and journaling. The social reform ideologies of Gandhi and Narmad take hold in her heart, and with the help and permission of her family, she is determined to become a voice in society. The imagery and sensory perceptions are told so vividly that it creates in the reader a sense of familiarity and longing to be a part of that time period. Sheth's usage of Indian words flows well, and she provides good, short explanations and a glossary. This is definitely a fascinating read.
Such youthful glam is probably why Laurie's also a movie star (apparently she made a cameo as a lunch lady spooning out mashed potatoes in the film version of SPEAK.) She just finished the draft of WINTERGIRLS, a novel coming out in 2009, and to celebrate and replenish, she did some jam'n, as they say in teenspeak (or used to say, can't keep up to speed.) By jam'n, I mean literally (see video posted below.)
Check out a few of the questions asked by teens, authors, divas, and other fans, along with Laurie's answers at the forum.
Q. What is the easiest thing about writing for teens? The hardest?
Easiest: getting into the mindset of teen humor. This is easy because I am an incredibly immature middle-aged woman. Hardest: some scenes really throw me for a loop (suicide contemplation in TWISTED, the rape in SPEAK, the death in CATALYST) and really hurt me. My next YA comes out in MAY 2009. It has been the most painful book I have written, so far.
Q. Do you like writing under contract or does it add pressure?
It sucks either way. Without a contract, you have the luxury of time. With a contract, you have the luxury of an advance. We have four kids (just finished putting 2 of them through college), so I’ve been choosing contracts, because the bill collectors don’t like it when I say "But I’m blocked! Give me another month!"
Q. What was your defining moment in becoming a writer?
It happens every morning, about 5:30 am. I put my cereal bowl in the dishwasher, I pour a second mug of tea, and I sit down to write. The conscious, mindful decision to write every day makes me a writer.
Q. If you could meet anybody in the world, who would it be?
I was frustrated by the ungodly pressure put on gifted kids to succeed academically, often at the expense of their souls.
Q. In TWISTED, what made you decide to write about a guy? Was it harder than writing a female point of view?
I wanted to write from a male POV because I like a good challenge. It was harder, obviously, but I had a lot of fun with it. I came away with more respect for men and boys.
SPEAK is 10% my life in high school, 90% fiction. I have a lot of experience with depression — that definitely went in the book ... Inspiration had a lot of threads — part was my own adolescent pain, part was my frustration with the world of high school, which seems uniquely tailored to damage children.
Q. What was it like having a movie be made of SPEAK? What kind of say (if any) in the process did you have? Were you happy with the end result?
They asked me to write the screenplay of SPEAK and I said no because I was busy with another book. I love the movie. I think the director did a great job and stayed very true to the story. Except the end of the movie which is it’s own story.
Q. Has anybody optioned PROM for a movie?
No — I wish!!! Feel free to pass it one to anyone you know in Hollywood!
Q. Are you writing any more picture books? I loved, loved, loved THANK YOU, SARAH!
I just published a new one with the same illustrator as THANK YOU, SARAH. The new one is called INDEPENDENT DAMES and features almost 90 kick-butt girls and women who participated in the American Revolution. And there will be more in the future!
Q. What about novels?
CHAINS is my next novel. It is historical fiction, set in 1776 in New York City. I have been working on it for a long time (pre-Octavian Nothing, I’d like to point out) and I can’t wait until the world gets to read it.
PUBLICATION DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2008
Which I guess is just about 4 months away.
Gulp.
Q. Does CHAINS feature a male or female protagonist?
CHAINS has a female protagonist named Isabel. S&S liked the book so much, they’ve asked me to do two more with the same characters. The next one will have a male protagonist, Isabel’s friend from CHAINS. His name is Curzon.
Q. Curzon ... ooooh!!! Which sounds like corazon ... which makes me wonder, is this a love interest?
All will be revealed in the fullness of time.
Q. Wow! That's fantastic. Then it will be a historical fiction trilogy. Did you have to do a lot more research for the subsequent books?
Oh, yeah! TONS! Our house is sinking into the ground under the weight of all these books, plus I have a bunch of research trips this summer. I am loving every minute of it!
Q. Are you enjoying the creation of far-reaching story arcs, both in time and over the course of multiple books?
Yes, actually, I am loving it. I have a little experience in this because I wrote the series for younger readers called VET VOLUNTEERS (originally published as WILD AT HEART). I loved figuring out the various arcs and making sure the story threads wove together properly.
Q. In CHAINS, I’m assuming you’re writing about African and African American characters. I am a strong believer in no apartheid in storytelling, but I know some people will wonder how a suburbanish white woman had the nerve to cross the racial divide in storytelling. How would you answer them?
Yep. Isabel in CHAINS is a slave from Rhode Island and the book looks at the plight of African Americans during the Revolution. (The PATRIOT movie is NOT good history.)
I have felt called to explore the sin of American racism and its roots in our slave-holding past, for decades. Particularly because I am a white woman who had benefited enormously from the color of her skin.
I finally decided that I could tell this story, not because I am white, but because I am American. This is an American story — our story. I believe that as an artist, I have the obligation and skills to empathize with people of all backgrounds, of all conditions, of all times.
The easiest characters for me to inhabit are those who are like me. And I owe it to my country and my readers to be obsessive and relentless about research. My editor is African American, and we had a number of historian of several ethnicities review the manuscript.
Think of it this way — if an artist/writer cannot figure out how to tell stories outside of her race, what hope is there for America? How will we ever learn to love, honor, and respect all of our peoples?
I have no doubt the issue will be raised often with me. I am looking forward to the discussions that can grow out of this. Not everyone will agree with my point of view, but that is one of the glories of this country; room at the table for all.
Thank you, Laurie, for your generous spirit and your unflinching courage in confronting suffering for the sake of your readers. Next month we're hosting author Jay Asher over at readergirlz, and featuring his New York Times bestseller THIRTEEN REASONS WHY. And don't forget — we're throwing a party on June 27th, at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST at the forum. It's the rgz Summer Sizzle with E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle. Mark your calendars, rgz!
Please spread the word that Laurie Halse Anderson will be chatting live on the MySpace readergirlz forum this Thursday, June 19th. The chat will start at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour. We're featuring Laurie's book PROM (US cover on left, UK cover on right) in this month's issue but the discussion goes in every direction. To whet your appetite, here are a few things we've found out about Laurie:
On your nightstand: Flashlight, notebook, pen (all for middle of the night ideas) and my inhaler.
Favorite drink while you write: Tea or coffee
Favorite bookstore: River's End Bookstore, Oswego, NY
Favorite library: Mexico Public Library, Mexico, NY
Pet: Kezzie (my German Shepherd)
Place to write: The loft of our house
Inspiration: My readers
Dream book tour: One that includes Paris, Edinburgh, and Tokyo
Author-buddies: Sarah Dessen, Chris Crutcher, Holly Black
Cure for writer's block: Run 5 miles
Favorite outfit: Jeans and hoodie sweatshirt, sneakers
Long-hand or laptop? Laptop
Stilettos or Uggs? Uggs!!!
Author idol: Francesca Lia Block
Next up: Chains (Fall 2008), Wintergirls (Spring 2009)
Dad and I have always been tight. He taught me how to relish a habanero chili, hit a topspin lob, and tease Mom without getting in trouble. In my book Rickshaw Girl, one of the easiest parts to write was Naima's sweet relationship with her father.
In honor of Dad and all the other fathers about to eat burned toast in bed on June 15th, here's a baker's dozen of books featuring the special relationship between fathers and daughters, ranging from picture books to middle readers to books for young adults. Thanks for your suggestions, and feel free to add more titles in the comments below.
PICTURE BOOKS
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny take a trip to the neighborhood Laundromat. But the exciting adventure takes a dramatic turn when Trixie realizes somebunny was left behind.
A Place To Grow by Soyung Pak. As a father and daughter work together in their garden, he explains what a seed needs to flourish and the reasons their family immigrated to a new country--looking for hope, like sunlight, and peace, like good earth.
Night Shift Daddy by Eileen Spinelli. When the narrator of this rhyming story is sleepy, her daddy reads to her, tucks her in, and switches off the light. Then he goes to work on the night shift. When he returns, the next morning, the same bedtime routine is repeated--but this time the daughter puts Daddy to bed.
Don't Let Go! by Jeanne Willis. Megan is nervous about learning to ride her bike. What if the bike goes too fast and she falls? Daddy is patient and encouraging, letting her know she can wait until she's ready. And then it's time -- Daddy lets go and Megan is off. Now Daddy is the nervous one. What if Megan doesn't come back?
My Father's Hands by Joanne Ryder. A father working in his garden finds a delicate worm, a beetle in shining armor, and a leaf-green mantis and shares these treasures with his daughter.
Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson. As a little girl and her grandmother get ready for visiting day, her father, who adores her, is getting ready, too. The community of families who take the long bus ride upstate to visit loved ones comfort each other.
TWEEN BOOKS
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket -- and comes out with a dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive.
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown. When her mom runs away from home, Rachel is left behind with her father and many questions she cannot answer. Over time, she learns the truth about her mom. But, it's only when she learns the truth about her dad, the rock -- always there for her to lean on--that Rachel can move toward understanding.
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban. Ten-year-old Zoe Elias has perfect piano dreams. She can practically feel the keys under her flying fingers; she can hear the audience's applause. All she needs is a baby grand so she can start her lessons, and then she'll be well on her way to Carnegie Hall. But when Dad -- who is scared to leave the house -- ventures to the music store and ends up with a wheezy organ instead of a piano, Zoe's dreams hit a sour note.
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate, and "father" her kittens.
TEEN BOOKS
Squashed by Joan Bauer. As sixteen-year-old Ellie pursues her two goals--growing the biggest pumpkin in Iowa and losing twenty pounds herself--she strengthens her relationship with her father and meets a young man with interests similar to her own.
Midnight Hour Encores by Bruce Brooks. When Sib asks her Dad to take her to meet her mother for the first time, she knows it might mean breaking away from the man who has raised her. Yet as she and her dad wind their way across the country to San Francisco, Sib learns more about the man she thought she knew, and finds out it's not simply her music that makes her special, but also the love from the parent she might have to leave behind.
Going for the Record by Julie Swanson. Seventeen-year-old Leah Weiczynkowski, about to begin her senior year of high school, is on the brink of realizing her dream — playing soccer for the under-eighteen national team, her gateway to the World Cup and the Olympics. She can't wait to tell her dad, her biggest fan and faithful chauffeur to games and practices. Unfortunately, her dad has news of his own. And it's not good.
EXTRAS
I only gave myself room to offer a baker's dozen in the original post, but I'll add additional titles suggested by Fire Escape visitors as I receive them. Here they are:
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (Picture Book)
Monkey Soup by Louis Sachar (Picture Book)
Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban (Picture Book)
The Summer Night by Charlotte Zolotow (Picture Book)
Father Bear Comes Home by Else Holmelund Minarik (Easy Reader)
Ramona And Her Father by Beverly Cleary (Tween)
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Tween)
Beige by Cecil Castelluci (Teen)
And here's one last bonus -- a grownup non-fiction book showcasing the bond between dads and daughters:
Daughters of Men: Portraits of African-American Women and Their Fathers. Author Rachel Vassel has compiled dozens of photographs and personal essays about African-American women and their fathers. Whether it's a father who mentors his daughter's artistic eye by taking her to cultural events or one who unwaveringly supports a risky career move, the fathers in this book each had his own unique and successful style of parenting. Daughters of Men provides an intimate look at black fatherhood and the many ways fathers have a lasting impact on their daughters' lives.
Sal Bose getting choked up as he watches daughter Mitali during her television debut. Photo taken by his grandson ... on the sly.
We were treated to the humor and heart of Shannon Hale, author of BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS, during her featured month at readergirlz. Here are a few questions from teens, authors, divas, and other fans, along with Shannon's answers during her chat at the forum:
Q. Was BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS based on a specific fairy tale?
(It's) based on Maid Maleen, and obscure but (to me) fascinating Grimms brothers tale ... The story is so strange and yet has such amazing detail and depth, but it was the maid that caught me. After spending 7 years in a tower, she’s dropped from the narrative entirely half way through. That neglect really bothered me. I wanted to hear her voice, loud and strong, speaking up from the dust. I also chose it because of its similarity to The Goose Girl but very profound differences. I loved the dialog the two tales created with each other.
Q. Do you think of BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS as fiction or as sci-fi/fantasy?
I think of all my books as fantasy, and I think of them all as realism. And I’m slightly kooky.
Q. You donated a part of the profits to - what was it - the Heifer Foundation?
I didn’t want to mention that in the acknowledgments because it seemed so self-congratulatory, but then I thought it would give that wonderful organization more attention. My only regret is that you can’t buy people a yak. But water buffaloes are cool, too.
Q. Will there be a sequel to BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS?
I have a book outlined that takes place in the Eight Realms after B1000, though it’s not technically a sequel. That said, I have notes on lots of books. And so little time lately...I hope you’ll enjoy it in 2018.
Q. Do you plan on writing a sequel for PRINCESS ACADEMY?
I had considered doing a PA sequel. I know what happens next, but I decided against it for lots of reasons. Other stories were (and still are) more insistent in my brain I kept getting emails requesting a sequel and then describing to me what should happen in it--and it was almost always exactly what I’d intended to write. Which tells me if a reader can already imagine a sequel, it’s better left in her brain without having the author come in and intrude. I really like that particular story standing alone.
And yes, after I’d decided not to, PA did extremely well in paperback and I had the thought, "I could make some good money if I wrote a sequel." So now I won’t. If I think about the money a book could make, I’m dooming the project. It’s not really superstition so much as practicality. If I’m doing it for the money, then the story is bound to be less good than if I’m doing it because I can’t bear not to tell that story.
Q. What is it like being stunningly beautiful? ;)
It’s really, really hard. But I get by. [ ... :) ] Too bad we’re not doing video chat ... because I look FAB today. Mascara smeared under eyes, hair fleeing a rubber band, no shower in two days. I’ve swept the kitchen floor three times today and I still have to brush stuff off the bottom of my bare feet whenever I walk across it. LIFE OF GLAMOR, that’s me.
Q. Would you ever write a novel in collaboration with another author? One you aren’t related to? Like Libba Bray? ’Cause your two woman (book tour) was quite awesome.
I talked to Libba about that! And I’ve talked to Stephenie (Meyer) too. And we’re all so busy. Co-writing is more work than writing alone. But maybe someday...
Q. Read anything great lately?
Right now I’m reading THE HOST. Just read Richard Peck’s fantastic A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO. The TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY was so funny. BIG FAT MANIFESTO was a great read and really thought provoking.
Q. I heard a rumor that you might be writing a YA sci-fi trilogy. Is this true?
The rumor is true, though I’m mortally afraid of revealing anything before I’ve begun to write it. I think I can say that it’s called Daisy Danger Brown, it’s contemporary, first person, and superhero/scifi. I’m very eager to start on it. Especially right now when Bayern 4 isn’t cooperating.
Q. Does it feel strange stepping out of the fairy tale world into sci-fi?
I get bored easily, so I love to move around to new places and new kinds of storytelling. My adult books and graphic novels have been a wonderful stretch for me, too.
Q. When do you find the time to write (especially now that you’re a mum)?
I find very little time, but I’ve got a babysitter coming over three mornings a week this summer! Wahoo!
Q. Would you share your writing process?
I think about a book for at least a year, often more, taking notes whenever they occur to me. If I don’t write it down, it’s gone. Then I organize the notes and start in on a first draft of whichever story is yelling at me the loudest ... I ABHOR first drafts. Actually, more accurately, I fear them with great tremblings ... I rewrite about a dozen times over about a year and a half. And I weep and declare that I’ve lost it, I can’t be a writer anymore, I’m washed up, it’s over. And my husband rolls his eyes.
Q. What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Finding that perfect sentence. And meeting people who didn’t like to read until they read one of my books, and have gone on to read many books. I don’t feel like it was me who did either of those things, but they both rock.
Thank you, Shannon! This month we're hosting author Laurie Halse Anderson over at readergirlz, and featuring (it's June, people, so what else?) her novel PROM. Stay tuned for more ...
Before we start, though, I have to confess a bit of personal history related to this interview. Françoise Bui, editor of Secret Keeper, my forthcoming book from Random House, called recently. Just before we ended the conversation, she shared that she'd read a novel with some similar themes to my own. It was called CLIMBING THE STAIRS. Apparently, Padma and I had both featured an Indian girl who moves into her joint family's home, created a romantic interest with a boy upstairs, and delved into the loss of a father. "But they're very different stories," Françoise told me.
Despite those editorial reassurances, I began Padma's novel with trepidation, worried that our books might be too similar. And hers came out first, darn it. And got bundles of starred reviews, too. Would I have to convince the gatekeepers that my book was done and off to press before I read CLIMBING THE STAIRS? Would I become the next South Asian American writer accused of plagiarism? How similar were the two books, anyway?
I'm relieved to tell you that I (a) immediately forgot about comparisons as I lost myself in a superbly crafted story, and (b) was reminded anew that when it comes to fiction, even with some here-and-there similarities in plot, two authors can produce completely different novels thanks to the unique soul prints with which we mark characters, themes, and conflicts. I absolutely loved this brilliant novel, and would consider it high praise if people notice any similarities with mine. (I hope Padma agrees!)
Okay, now are you ready for some enlightening Q & A with Padma? Here goes.
You were born in India and lived there until you were 19 years old. Now you’ve lived here for __ years, and you’re becoming an American. So, tell us, Padma, where is “home” for you?
I am certainly American – as you can tell by my leaving that second blank blank…I’m a lot older than people guess when they see me! I became a citizen just over a year ago – when people ask me why, I tell them it’s because America has the best Public Library system in the world. I mean it, too. Where else can you find so many wonderful free libraries filled with friendly librarians?
Home…I told Betty Cotter of the South County Independent recently that I carry a lot of homes inside me, and I think that’s true. India is a home, but so is America. And at times I have felt “heimweh” for Kiel, in Northern Germany. And when I read Harry Potter, I remember my days at Brockwood Park School in England. So, Hampshire (in the UK) is one of my homes, too. And my accent is a hodgepodge. Right now, of course, Rhode Island is home most of all.
It's wonderful to have many homes and love them all. I love how the book provides a fresh take on WWII for teens -- not many people realize the turmoil and divisions taking place inside India during that time. Why do you think that it's important for young people to read stories set in other times and places?
I think it’s important for them, for all of us, really, to read stories set in other times and places so we can appreciate diversity – but also so we can come to an understanding of what we all share as human beings. So that we can be fascinated, entranced, even, by a location or time that seems exotic. So that we can see that however exotic the setting of a story is, there is a fundamental human thread that ties all our tightly stories together.
Amen, sister. Some of the perhaps unfamiliar (to many American teens) "isms" introduced so cogently in the novel include Mahatma Gandhi's view of pacifism, internal differences in Hinduism, and the impact of colonialism. Could you sum up for us the dream response of a reader who knows little or nothing about India’s history and culture?
Instead of summing up, I’m going to quote from a dream response I got from the first teen reviewer of CLIBMING THE STAIRS. She says:
Climbing the stairs by Padma Venkatraman is a novel about a teenage girl, Vidya, growing up in India during World War II. Vidya is very free spirited and does not act as a lady like her family would hope. She dreams of going to college, but when a family crisis hits, her future plans are jeopardized. Venkatraman portrays the highly individualized Vidya in a way that the reader can immediately connect to her.
The plot is thrilling and I found myself having a hard time putting the book down. I enjoyed how this book has a lot of very interesting historical and cultural information. At many points in the story I was left amazed at the cultural bridge between the United States and India. I could not believe what the treatment of women was like in India even as last as the mid 1900s. This book illustrates the struggles of India as a country and how war can tear families apart. While many families fought nonviolently against the British occupation that was going on at that time, others chose to fight alongside the British in the quest to defeat Hitler. Vidya finds herself in a family that is torn between the two. This is one of the best historical fiction novels I have read. The balance between plot and history makes it so enjoyable. I would most definitely recommend this book to any reader, especially one who loves historical fiction.
Now that review was and is a dream response come true!!!
So lovely. Now let's move to the journey of getting the novel published. What was a high point? A low point?
High point – the sunny summer day last July, right before our wedding, when my agent called to say “Putnam-Penguin bought your novel” and I yelled so loudly that our neighbor stopped pottering about in his yard to look up and see what was going on.
The lowest point – when agent # 2 said almost exactly what agent # 1 had said “this novel is beautifully written. Your prose is poetic and the story is very moving. I especially love how you weave in timeless themes such as violence/nonviolence, gender equality and social justice together with the evocative descriptions of India and Indian spiritual traditions. And I learned so much from reading your book – I had no idea what the effect of World War II was on India or other parts of the world, and still less that there were Jews in India! However, I am sorry to say CLIMBING THE STAIRS is not for me, because I don’t think it will be appreciated by an American audience and I do not see a market for your book. I do regret that this is not for me and wish you success elsewhere.”
Looking back on it now, I suppose I could have been thrilled she liked the book, but I really wanted to publish the novel in America, my country of adoption, and not in India, where my previous work had been successful. And she was telling me in her opinion (which I greatly valued) it wouldn’t do well here because of what it was about. That was really tough because I wanted to tell Vidya’s story to people in this nation. And if the story wasn’t going to be heard but the writing was at least sort of okay, then what could I do? (As my dearest husband pointed out, I could send it to another agent).
What was the biggest change you made in response to an editorial suggestion?
Where the novel started. At first, the novel started with Vidya already in Madras, if I remember correctly. As my wonderful editor pointed out, I needed to describe what Vidya’s life was like before she moved – and the chapters I usually read aloud from nowadays didn’t exist in the first draft! I often compare my editor to my high-school and university athletic coaches – I used to participate in ‘high jump’ and, like a sports coach, my editor kept raising the bar (which I’m glad he did).
Could you describe a fear you have about this novel that can keep you up at night?
When I was writing it, the Protest March chapter used to keep me awake because it upset me so much and it was frightening to envision it. Now, I am kept awake at night because of the sadistic streak I have that I’ve come to be aware of because of the novel. At least two people have actually cried proper tears at two of my readings, and that fills me with such elation that I can’t sleep at night. And oh how wonderfully nice I feel toward these listeners/readers! Then, I write to my editor “hey, someone cried when appa was bashed up, yay, yay, yay!” After that, I feel pretty ashamed of myself and I keep awake thinking “Padma you have become a rotten, rotten person.” But I get up in the morning and laugh because it is all rather silly rubbish how you can go up and down like a roller coaster based on how people react to your work.
That scene was extremely moving. You wrote it with beautiful understatement that gives the reader space for his or her own emotions. Okay, next question. Finish the sentence twice, first from an idealistic "literature changes lives" point of view and then give the savvy marketer's take. CLIMBING THE STAIRS will be a successful novel if:
a) readers see the current relevance of the characters’ central conflicts while enjoying the dramatic setting – the unique contrast of a time and place when/where the world was experiencing World War II and a nonviolent liberation movement.
b) savvy marketer’s take…that I’d have to learn from more experienced authors such as yourself! I have so much to learn about marketing…I’m right on the bottom step there…a lot of stairs left to climb!
On a related note, I have to say that I’m deeply, deeply grateful for all the success we’ve had already with the novel, such as the starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and VOYA, and the great reviews in Kirkus and School Library Journal. There’s a lot to be thankful for during my debut novel’s “birthday” month – including this wonderful blog tour, hosted by so many dear author friends! I’m so honored to have the grand finale of this tour here on my blog guru’s site!
Wow. A blog guru is way better than a love guru, so take that, Mike Myers. Okay, here's my last question: What's next for Padma Venkatraman in the realm of children's books?
A picture book for elementary school children that I worked on a long time ago for August House, called The Cleverest Thief will be out this November. But that’s published under the name “T. V. Padma” because it’s for a younger readership - there’s my schizophrenia for you…I used to write for the younger audience, and my books for them, mostly published in India, were written as T. V. Padma.
So perhaps the correct answer to your question is that when she’s not learning how to climb the blogging stairs, Padma Venkatraman is revising her next YA novel, ISLAND'S END, which is slated for publication by G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin) in spring 2010. Can't wait to read it. Thank you, Padma, for spending time with us on the Fire Escape, and for creating this lovely novel.
Authors Padma Venkatraman and Barbara O'Connor celebrate the release of CLIMBING THE STAIRS
Has anybody been tracking the discussion over at YALSA-BK listserv, where librarians and authors alike are weighing in on this negative review of Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT, and the argument that Meyer's faith (Mormonism) influenced the creation of her "submissive" female protagonist?
I've not read the books yet, but the proposition that an author's religious worldview MUST somehow shape his or her fiction is provocative. Are we talking about the faith practiced in our family of origin during our formative years? Or the convictions that define us now?
Chat live with author Shannon Hale (BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS) on the readergirlz forum tonight at 6 p.m. PDT and 9 p.m. EDT. The chat will last about an hour. Shannon has been her usual funny, articulate, and honest self as our featured author this month, so we're expecting a lively discussion. Next month we'll be talking all about PROM with Laurie Halse Anderson, so stay tuned ...
MAY FEATURE ON READERGIRLZ Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren's refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment. The arrival outside the tower of Saren's two suitors - one welcome, and the other decidedly less so - brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.
With Shannon Hale's lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes.
Did you know that author Kelly Bingham (SHARK GIRL) used to write Disney movies -- including Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, The Emperor’s New Groove, and Atlantis? Or that she finished the first draft of her book just a few days before surfer Bethany Hamilton was attacked by a shark, and then put the book away for a whole year? Kelly's been spending time this month on readergirlz, and here are some great quotes from her live chat last Thursday at our forum.
On books she loved as a teen:
Little House on the Prairie books! Trixie Belden, teen detective! This sounds juvenille, but lots of Charlie Brown comic books. I read a lot of animal stories but couldn’t bear to read anything twice where the animal died or was hurt.
On researching SHARK GIRL:
I started with shark attack facts. Do you know it is actually quite rare to have a shark attack in America? And fatalaties are very rare here. I read all kinds of books about it and looked at stomach-turning photos. Blah. Then, once I started writing, I had to heavily reserach amputees and the things they have to use and the therapy they go through. I read for most of my research. But I also interviewed therapists, doctors, and a maker of prosthetic limbs. I also visited a rehab facility. I also read bios of people.
On how writing for film helps her create stories:
I drew storyboards for the films and worked with writers and directors to help figure out our stories. You do all that work before anyone animates anything, of course. The process takes two to five years. So I learned a great deal about character development and pacing and arcs and emotional beats, all that stuff.
On where she writes:
I write at my desk, which is in the loft of our home in the North Georgia mountains. My kids bedroom is attached to the loft. I work in the mornings when everyone is at school and I’m sort of energetic. I am constantly distracted by the chirps of birds and the desire to crawl into our bird blind and take pictures of the birds on the feeders. But soon school will be out and I will hear the sound of voices, not birds!
I honestly think it would be inappropriate to contact her. It would look as if I thought she and I are connected in some way, or I had something to offer her.... the reality is, how could I possibly understand what her loss has truly meant? My story is fictional, hers is real....and no matter how I explain, it just LOOKS so bad, you know what I mean? I think if I were Bethany, ... I would be like, "Why are you sending me this book, I just lived this story, I don’t need your imaginings." She is quite the inspiration herself and I admire her a great deal.
Great stuff, don't you think? In May, we're hosting Shannon Hale (BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS), so spread the word. Shannon's live chat will be Thursday, May 22nd, 6 p.m. PDT, 9 p.m. EDT. And in June, what could be better than to focus on PROM by Laurie Halse Anderson?
Here I am in the ballroom of the Crowne Hotel in Nashua (9 a.m.), waiting to hear NESCBWI's keynote speaker for our annual conference. The place is packed with 500 eager writers and illustrators -- a more diverse crowd than in years past, but still mostly white, middle-aged, and female.
Conference director Francine Puckley is introducing the cadre of hard workers who pull off this huge conference. I'm sitting next to authors Tanya Lee Stone (A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl) and Sarah Aronson (Head Case), who are BFFs, and trying not to miss MY writing buddy, author Karen Day (Tall Tales).
During the intro to Laurie Halse Anderson, we learn that her new YA/MG novel Chains is due out in October.
Laurie starts by showing us her tattoo, and tells us to get one in order to "frustrate the fifteen-year-olds in America." Her tattoo is the first word in Beowulf, which basically means "LISTEN TO MY STORY."
After hundreds of rejections and years, it dawned on her that she needed help, and she did the most significant thing in her writing life: she joined SCBWI. Eventually, she started getting personalized, "quality rejections." Next came phone calls.
"If you're not published yet, you are simply 'pre-published,'" she tells us.
Laurie's talk is about five keys to becoming a writer: time, space, art, craft, and permission. The session is inspiring for wannabes, newbies, and burned-out oldies alike. Applause, and we're done.
My next update will be at 2:40, when I live-blog Leda Schubert's session "World-Building: Bringing Fantasy to Life," followed by Kevin Hawkes' closing keynote address starting at 3:50. Now I'm off to my own session!
Sarah Dessen was our guest author over at readergirlz for the month of March, talking about her forthcoming book, Lock and Key. Here are some excerpts from her chat with the girlz last week:
I get a little crazy everytime I’m writing a book, especially at the end, when I’m so tired and burned out and just trying to finish. Mostly by then I’m just subsisting on chocolate and fear. But somehow, it works out.
I never start a book until I have what I call "the skeleton, " which is the first line, climactic scene, and last scene. They often change from what I begin with, but I like knowing where I’m going. I’ve started books without knowing that and they never work out.
I actually had a lot of people say they thought Just Listen was TOO much like Speak. I made a point of not reading Speak until JL was edited and done, but while they have the theme of sexual assualt in common, I thought they were very different. I think it’s never a bad thing to have many takes on an issue that people don’t talk about enough.
My favorite spot to write? These days, anywhere. I used to love my office, but now I tend to write in my daughter’s room, when she’s downstairs. I like to think I can write anywhere, but it’s awfully nice here in this room. There’s a Where The Wild Things Are poster on the wall!
(My routine's) changed a bit since my daughter was born. Everything has! But I still try to write about an hour to an hour and a half a day, in the afternoons. Sometimes I get to do that, sometimes I don’t. I can’t be as obsessive as I used to be, which is actually a good thing.
I really like writing YA, but I think eventually I would like to write about older narrators. A lot has happened to me since high school! I actually have a couple of books I’ve written with older narrators, but I just haven’t had a chance to show them to anyone yet.
I’m actually working on a new book right now, but it’s in the really early stages. I’m so superstitious I can’t talk about it! But I am always that way...
I love John Irving. His book A Prayer for Owen Meany is probably my favorite book. I named Owen Armstrong after Owen Meany! I also love Southern Writers like Lee Smith and Jill McCorkle. I also LOVE Jennifer Weiner and Anne Tyler. For YA, I love Laurie Halse Anderson and John Green and Cecil Castellucci and Sara Zarr and the list goes on and on...
Lock and Key is about a girl named Ruby, who has lived most of her life moving from place to place with her Mom, who is not exactly the most responsible person. As the book begins her mom has taken off, and this time she doesn’t come back. Ruby plans to live alone in their little yellow farmhouse, but she gets turned into Social Services by her landlords and sent to live with her sister, who she hasn’t seen in ten years. It’s a book about change, and family, and secrets, and how even getting what you think you want isn’t always easy. It’s out on April 22nd.
Along with writing memorable characters, Sarah is also great at creating a sense of place in her fiction. Here's a video explaining why:
This month we're hosting Kelly Bingham (Shark Girl) for National Poetry Month. Check out the issue, and stop by to chat with Kelly at the readergirlz forum.
All Sarah Dessen fans are invited to participate in the live readergirlz Lock and Key Sneak Peak Party with the author this Thursday 3/27 at 3 o'clock EDT. Prizes and giveaways abound, and Sarah's ready to answer questions and talk about her new book via readergirlz' MySpace site. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the chats. And check out this month's issue featuring Sarah.
