An Interview with Author Nancy Cavanaugh

I'm so excited to share with you an interview with Nancy Cavanaugh, author of This Journal Belongs to Ratchet. I recently read this book and really enjoyed it. In case you missed my Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post, here's a brief summary of the book, which is published by Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky:

If only getting a new life were as easy as getting a new notebook.
But it's not.

It's the first day of school for all the kids in the neighborhood. But not for me. I'm homeschooled. That means nothing new. No new book bag, no new clothes, and no friends – old or new. The best I've got is this notebook. I'm supposed to use it for my writing assignments, but my dad never checks. Here's what I'm really going to use it for:

Ratchet's Top Secret Plan
Project Goal: turn my old, recycled, freakish, friendless, motherless life into something shiny and new.

This year, I'm going make something change.

And now for the interview!

 

Share a little about how you ended up as a writer?

My dream to write a children’s book was born during my first few years of teaching.  I was a third grade teacher for 13 years, and I LOVED teaching reading.  I LOVED the books my students were reading, and I LOVED reading aloud to them.  That’s when I decided I wanted to write a children’s book.

How did the idea for your story emerge?

My ideas for stories almost always start with a character, and that’s how THIS JOURNAL BELONGS TO RATCHET started.  I had the idea for a main character nicknamed Ratchet, and then I began to let my imagination create her story.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book?

Ratchet tells her story through the assignments in her homeschool language arts book, so the most challenging aspect was figuring out a way to tell an entire story using so many different writing forms.  Though it was the most challenging part about writing the book, it was also the most fun and creative parting of writing it.

Each book I write teaches me something about the world, myself or the process of writing.  What did you learn through writing this book?

I would have to go back to the previous question for this one.  The format taught me how to be open to different writing forms and also taught me how important it is to let a story evolve and grow.  I really had to figure things out as I went along and in order to do that I had to allow myself room to make a lot of mistakes.  I tried a lot of things that didn’t work before I found things that did work.

Because I love reading as much as I love to write, I’m always curious about what other people like to read.  Do you have any favorite books?

I have too many favorite books to list, but I will tell you some of my all-time favorite authors:  Beverly Cleary, Katherine Patterson, Madeleine L’Engle, Cynthia Rylant, and Anne Lamott.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your book or an upcoming project?

My next book will be another alternative format – not a language arts journal, but something somewhat journal-like. 

Thank you, Nancy, for stopping by my blog for an interview. I'll be watching for your next book!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: This Journal Belongs to Ratchet

Today’s Pick: This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy J. Cavanaugh

Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2013

From Amazon:

Meet Ratchet, an 11-year-old girl who knows more about spark plugs than sleepovers. Homeschooled by her mechanic-environmentalist dad, and with her mother long dead, Ratchet only wants one thing: to belong.

This is Ratchet's journal and in its pages are Ratchet's writings, her poems, and her drawings. Together, they tell Ratchet's story. It's a story about trying to make friends, about fighting to save a park, about the memories of her mother, and about her unlikely friendship with a boy. This journal is her sanctuary. And it's always there for Ratchet when no one else will listen.

My Take:

I really enjoyed this story! Ratchet's determination and struggle to get her dad to notice her and to fix her life so she’d have friends and some recognition for her unique talents kept me hooked. I enjoy reading about characters with unique interests (like Ratchet’s mechanical ability) in out-of-the-ordinary situations, so this book held my interest all the way through. I also really liked the format of the book. The story was presented through Ratchet’s home-school assignments, so each page had a different writing style.

As a writer, it was so interesting to think about how the story continued even though each scene was structured in a different writing format (poems, personal essays, and even a fairytale). I would read this book again to study how the author wove in details of Ratchet’s character and her goals throughout the story.

Favourite Quotes:

“It’s not normal for me to know so much about engines. But it’s more un-normal for the boys to know so little.”

“But a dad is not the same as a mom. It’s like the difference between riding in a beat-up old Jeep instead of a brand-new fancy car. Both can take you where you want to go, but the ride just isn’t the same.”

Other Info:

This is Nancy Cavanaugh's first novel. Her dream to become a children’s book author began in 1994. She stuck with her dream for many years because she loves to write!

On her blog she says, “For me the revision process it super satisfying because there’s nothing like watching your story get better and better.” 

Watch for an interview with Nancy Cavanaugh on this blog on Wednesday!

For more info, visit Nancy Cavanaugh’s  website.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: A Diamond in the Desert

Today’s Pick:  A Diamond in the Desert by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Viking, 2012.

From the Publisher:

For Tetsu, baseball is so much more than just a game.

On December 6, 1941, Tetsu is a twelve-year-old California boy who loves baseball. On December 7, 1941, everything changes. The bombing of Pearl Harbor means Tetsu's Japanese-American family will be relocated to an internment camp.

Gila River camp isn't technically a prison, but with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no time frame for leaving, it might as well be. So when someone has the idea of building a baseball diamond and starting a team, Tetsu is overjoyed. But then his sister gets dangerously sick, forcing him to choose between his family and his love of the game. This is an impeccably researched, lyrical story about baseball, honor, and a turbulent period in U.S. history.

My Take: 

Since I’m not a big baseball fan, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I loved the poetic writing style and it was interesting to learn a little about this period in history and the terrible indignities of life in a Japanese internment camp. I felt an emotional connection the main character, Tetsu, and his family, and anger that people had to endure this life. It’s a quieter story, but it’s not lacking in tension. The short chapters made this easy to read and gave space for the reader to process story events.

As a writer, I’d return to this story again to study how the author truly made every word count. The writing seems deceptively simple, but it creates a lot of emotion for the reader.

Favourite quotes:

“I didn’t want food. I only wanted to swing the bat over home plate and watch the ball take off between short and third.”

“But there was plenty being said by our twisted hands, and our stiff shoulders, and our silence.”

Other Info:

Kathryn Fitzmaurice is a full-time writer who lives in California. She became interested in writing at a young age, after visiting her grandmother, a science fiction author.

Kathryn has a smart but bossy dog named Holly, who knows 16 different tricks. (I hope her dog will be in one of her books one day!)

A Diamond in the Desert is based on a true story. According to her blog, Kathryn did two years of research for this book, reading every newspaper printed at the camp and interviewing three of the players on the team, who were still alive and in their 80’s.

The film rights for A Diamond in the Desert have been purchased by Dyson Thomas Films, LLC.  

Other books by this author include:

Destiny Rewritten, 2013

The Year the Swallows Came Early, 2009

For more, visit Kathryn Fitzmaurice’s website.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was dreamed up by the incredible Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities. Visit her blog for an up-to-date list of all the bloggers who are participating and posting about middle grade books today!

 

 

An Interview with Marissa Moss, Author of Home Sweet Rome

I'm so excited to be part of the Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome blog tour! Today I'm delighted to share an interview I did with Marissa Moss, whose latest middle grade novel, Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome was recently published by Sourcebooks.

Here's a bit about the book:

Mira was prepared to travel the world to find her mother—but she never expected that she’d have to travel through time as well. When Mira’s search transports her to 16th century Rome, she befriends the famed painter Caravaggio and falls into his group of scientists and fellow artists. But Mira quickly realizes this is no place for forward thinkers and is soon faced with protecting her new friends from the evil Madame Lefoutre. Mira’s outmatched 5,000 miles (and 500 years) from home, but she’ll have to succeed if she ever hopes to be reunited with her mother.

 

Marissa Moss has published over 50 children’s books and her illustrated Amelia series sold more than 2 million copies. Although she hopes to visit all the wonders of the world, right now she lives in the San Francisco Bay area where she can appreciate the Golden Gate Bridge from her window. Visit her at www.marissamoss.com.

 

And now for the interview:

Share a little about how you ended up as a writer.

I sent my first books to publishers when I was 9, but it wasn't very good and, of course, it didn't get published. I didn't try again until I was a grown-up, but I kept on telling myself stories and drawing pictures to go with them. The first Amelia's Notebook was based on my journals, in fact.

How did the idea for your story emerge?

I knew I wanted to write about Caravaggio because he's such an intriguing character and I love his paintings. Once I was in that time period, the Inquisition, papal politics, a burning at the stake or two, were all bound to come up.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book?

It's always hard to balance complicated information with strong plots that will draw in readers. When you're dealing with another century, it's harder still. I wanted Rome, both in the present and in the past, to be vivid, to come alive for the reader. The city felt to me like another character and I hope I brought her to life!

Each book I write teaches me something about the world, myself or the process of writing. What did you learn through writing your book?

I learned a tremendous amount researching the period, about Galileo, Bruno, 17th century Rome, Caravaggio. I'm not sure what I learned about writing, but I learned a lot about taking risks, staying true to one's vision, fighting for one's beliefs. And that period felt like a time when science, philosophy, literature, art were all fluid, all part of the same kind of thinking, not separate like they are today. No wonder somebody like Leonardo da Vinci could thrive then.

Wow! One of the great things about writing is that it lets you explore things that catch your interest. Because I love reading as much as I love to write, I’m always curious about what other people like to read. Do you have any favourite books?

I read widely and I'd have to say the most interesting thing I've read lately is an adult book (usually, I'd say middle-grade or YA, there's so much great stuff). But I loved Gone Girl for the way you start out liking one narrator and hating the other, then you hate the narrator you liked and like the narrator you hated, and the ending is a complete surprise. Talk about mastery of character and plot!

Definitely something I'm still working on. I'll have to check that book out. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your book or an upcoming project?

I'm working on the third Mira's Diary right now. I'm at that terrifying point when I'm not sure if I have a book or simply a pile of pages. We'll see. . .

Thanks, Marissa, for dropping by the blog and talking about your writing process. I love learning about how stories develop!

 

 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - Mira's Diary: Lost in Paris

Mira’s Diary: Lost in Paris by Marissa Moss

Published by SourceBooks

From the Publisher:

When Mira receives a cryptic postcard from her missing mother, she sets off with her father and brother to find her in Paris. Only Mira doesn't know she's looking in the wrong century.

With an innocent touch to a gargoyle sculpture on the roof of Notre Dame, Mira is whisked into the past. There she learns her mother isn't just avoiding the family, she's in serious trouble. Following her mother's clues, Mira travels through time to help change history and bring her mother home.

 My Take:

I’m not a big fan of time travel books, but it was interesting to read about the historical events of the Dreyfus Affair from Mira’s perspective. I liked the details of life in Paris in a different time period. And since I love artwork by Degas, I especially enjoyed the parts where Mira visited his studio. There is a lot of history and politics in this book, and although these issues are nicely woven in to Mira’s hunt for her mother, some readers might find it a bit slow-paced. This book deals with issues of prejudice and anti-Semitism.

Favourite Quotes:

My favourite parts were about Degas’ sculptures:

“You could see the marks of fingers pressing into the clay but instead of looking clumsy, the handling gave the pieces an incredible energy, an urgency. One horse looked like it would leap off its base and gallop around the room.”

“It was so perfect that you’d swear the girl was breathing.”

Other Info:

Marissa Moss is an author and illustrator who lives in the San Francisco bay area.

On her website she says, “Each new book is still a challenge. It’s hard work and I love every minute of it.”

Watch for an interview with Marissa Moss about her writing process on this blog on Wednesday!

 

Other books by this author include:

Mira's Diary Home Sweet Rome

Barbed Wire Baseball

A Soldier's Secret: The Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds a Civil War Hero

Amelia's Back-to-school Survival Guide

Amelia Amelia's Guide to Babysitting

Amelia's Boy Survival Guide

The Vampire Dare [Daphne's Diary of Daily Disasters]

The Name Game [Daphne's Diary of Daily Disasters]

The Bravest Woman in America

Amelia's Summer Survival Guide

Amelia's BFF

Nurse Soldier Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds a Civil War Hero

Amelia's Cross-my-heart Hope-to-die Guide to the Real True You

Max Disaster 3 Alien Eraser Reveals the Secrets of Evolution

The Pharaoh's Secret [Amelia's Notebook Series]

 Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee

Amelia's Middle School Survival Guide

Max Disaster 1 Alien Eraser to the Rescue

Max’s Logbook

Amelia Writes Again

Amelia’s Notebook

…and many more!

For more info, visit Marissa Moss’s website.

 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was dreamed up by the amazing Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities and Let the Sky Fall. Visit her blog for an up-to-date list of all the bloggers who are participating and posting about middle grade books today!

Writing Tip: How to Get Started

One of my biggest problems with writing is getting started. I can open up my story document and stare at it for ages while all the time I've set aside for writing trickles away. By the time I get "warmed up" and into my story enough to start writing, my time is practically over.

A great strategy I've tried to get to the writing part faster is to take the scene I want to write and consider it from the perspective of each one of the characters involved. The three key questions I focus on are:

What does the character want at this moment?

How are they going to get it?

How is the character feeling?

As I think about these questions, it usually sparks some conflict between characters or gets me creating dialogue in my head.  And then I'm off and writing.

Can you get started right away on your writing or do you have some tricks to get yourself into the right mindset?

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Neil Flambe and the Crusader's Curse

Today’s Pick:  Neil Flambé and the Crusader's Curse by Kevin Sylvester

Simon & Schuster, 2012.

From the Publisher:

The sudden disappearance of Neil’s skills in the kitchen is the real mystery in this culinary caper. Is a curse to blame?

World-class chef—and royal pain in the neck—Neil Flambé is used to serving his dishes to resounding applause and overwhelming approval. And Neil’s super-sensitive nose does more than enable him to cook sophisticated meals and run his own restaurant; it also allows him to help local police solve mysteries in his spare time.

Then things start going wrong. His plates are returned. A group of critics visit the restaurant and leave completely dissatisfied. Worse yet, Chez Flambé is closed by an order of the Department of Health!

Suddenly, Neil finds himself amid the cook-off of his life—and his entire reputation is at stake. Then he discovers the root of all his problems: a dark curse that has plagued Flambé chefs for centuries. Has Neil finally met a mess he can’t smell his way out of?

My Take:

I’ve read two of the other books in the Neil Flambé series and I enjoyed this one as much as the others. The book has an over-the-top sense of fun that keeps you wondering what will happen next. I found it a little confusing at first because some of the book takes place in the past, with Neil Flambé’s ancestors, but all the pieces come together later in the story – with the usual edge-of-your seat adventure that I’ve come to expect in a Neil Flambé caper.

From a writer’s perspective, this book offers a chance to study a distinctive voice and how to include humor. Since these books are funny but also contain a lot of action, I can see why kids enjoy them so much.

Other Info:

Kevin Sylvester is an author-illustrator who lives in Toronto. To hear an interview with him, check out this podcast from Authors Like Us.

Kevin has some tips for drawing Neil Flambe on the Simon & Schuster website. And you can see Kevin Sylvester talking about which book he would save from a burning library in this video to promote reading by the Toronto Public Library. Neil Flambé and the Crusader's Curse is nominated for an Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading award in the Silver Birch category for 2013.

Other nominated books that I’ve featured include: Dragon Seer's Gift by Janet McNaughton, Cat Found by Ingrid Lee, A Tinfoil Sky by Cyndi Sand-Eveland, The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis, Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, The Dead Kid Detective Agency by Evan Munday, The Grave Robber's Apprentice by Allan Stratton, and Missing by Becky Citra.

I have previously featured Neil Flambe and the Aztec Abduction, a nominee for the 2012 Silver Birch Awards.

Other books by this author include:

Neil Flambé and the Tokyo Treasure

Neil Flambé and the Aztec Abduction

Neil Flambé and the Marco Polo Murders

Splinters

Game Day

Gold Medal for Weird

Sports Hall of Weird

 For more, go to the Neil Flambe website or visit Kevin Sylvester’s blog.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was dreamed up by the incredible Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities and Let the Sky Fall. Visit her blog for an up-to-date list of all the bloggers who are participating and posting about middle grade books today!