Category: book reviews

It Takes a Village as applied to YA fiction

http://www.winnipegreview.com/wp/2012/11/it-takes-a-village-as-applied-to-ya-fiction/

Posted: NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Columns, The Winnipeg Review

By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

I find it lonely being one of the few fiction writers who has tackled the lesser-known stories of World War II. The atrocities of Hitler are justifiably infamous, but a troubling number of people have never even heard of Stalin and his atrocities. Part of the reason for that is because you can’t tell your story if you’re dead, and Stalin managed to silence a whole heck of a lot of people.

In The Darkest Corner of the World (Dancing Cat Books), Urve Tamberg has managed to give voice to an entire small nation that was nearly obliterated in World War II. Well-researched and compellingly written, it deserves to be widely read.

Urve agreed to answer my questions for TWR.

The Darkest Corner of the World is set during WWII, yet the part of WWII  history you deal with has received very little attention. Can you tell me about that?

Winston Churchill said that “history is written by the victors.” For most of the twentieth century, the Soviet Union was the “winner.” They illegally annexed the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania during the Second World War, and for five decades the Iron Curtain limited communication between the West and the Eastern Bloc countries. Letters were censored, and people on both sides of the ocean were afraid to tell their stories.

After Estonia regained independence in 1991, stories slowly started to filter out, but even now there is very little written in English, much less written for a younger audience.

Another reason that Estonia’s stories have not been told is because of its tiny population. There are about 1.5 million Estonians in the world. Much of the literature to date has been written in Estonian, so fluency in the language has been a necessity.

This story is a personal one for you. Are any of the characters based on
family members?

The story is personal, but the characters are fictitious though I’ve tried to portray Estonian characteristics such as dark humour, sarcasm, and sheer stubbornness in the characters.

The setting on Hiiumaa Island takes place on my mother’s farm. When I was growing up, I thought Hiiumaa was a sleepy place where nothing interesting happened, but during the Second World War, the front passed through my mother’s farm twice, once in 1941 when the German Army drove the Soviets out of Estonia, and once in 1944 when the Soviets returned to occupy the country for the next fifty years.

Which character is most like you?

There is no one character I’d compare myself to. I’d like to think that, like Madli, I would’ve been brave, and smart, and defiant. But as a fifteen-year-old girl, could I have stood up to a Russian soldier? Could I have protected my little brother from the Soviet army? I know that I could do all that and more as a mother protecting my children, and I hope that I would have done the same as a teenager.

One doesn’t know how one would react under adversity until one is confronted with it. In researching the novel, stories of kindness came up time and time again, even in the most horrific of circumstances. For example, on the night of the deportations, when soldiers rounded up the families, some men told the deportees to bring warm winter clothes, sewing machines, and food since they knew that people were being sent to Siberia. Deportees were actually allowed to bring up to 100 Kg of supplies with them, but other soldiers gave people no time to pack, and literally forced people in their nightclothes to waiting trucks.

Do you believe in evil?

Yes, I believe people can be evil. If you believe people are good, then you must believe in the opposite as well. There is no other word than “evil’ to describe the actions of Stalin and Hitler.

Will there be a companion novel or sequel?

I’ve had a number of people ask me about a sequel, and I’ve started to research the next book.

My work-in-progress sheds light on another little-known story of World War II in the Baltics. In the late summer and early fall of 1944, over seventy thousand Estonians (along with thousands of Latvians, and Lithuanians) escaped to Sweden or Germany as the Red Army returned to occupy the Baltic countries. My parents were among those who left on small boats, and risked their lives to cross the stormy waters while Soviet planes patrolled overhead. Hundreds of people did not survive the hazardous journey.

What was your biggest challenge in writing this novel?

Since this is my first novel, there are three things that were challenging for me. I call them the three Rs — researching, rewriting, and relevancy.

As someone with no background in history, I had to research everything from the dates of major events to bathrooms, shoes, and bathing suit styles. Accuracy was very important because I felt that I had to honour the events and people of Estonia during that time period. My ability to read Estonian gave me access to a richness of work that wouldn’t be available to anyone who didn’t speak the language (needless to say, there aren’t many of us). I spend months reading life histories, and textbooks in both Estonian and English.

E.B. White said, “The best writing is rewriting.” I gave myself permission to use my first novel as a learning experience and spent years learning about the craft of writing. It was very tempting to rush the process, but it took about four or five years from conception to publication, and countless rewrites. I joined critique groups, SCBWI, CANSCAIP, and started going to courses and conferences. I love that I’m always learning something new, and that writers are so generous about sharing their experiences.

And finally, relevancy. How could I make this story appeal to teens? I knew the story had to draw them in on an emotional level and decided to included romance and betrayal. Also, Madli likes all the same things today’s teens do. Boys, summer vacation, parties, movies from America, and travelling. When I went to school, history was taught as a series of dates and treaties and wars and battles, none of which interested me in the least. Now I realize I’m interested in how people felt, and the every-day dilemmas they faced.

Did you ever feel like giving up? What made you continue?

I’m not the type to give up. So no, I didn’t think of giving up, but there were periods of lengthy procrastination, and navel gazing. Coming from a background of science and business, it’s hard to know if your writing will connect with people. The reason I persevered was due to the support of other writers, through associations such as SCBWI and CANSCAIP, as well as critique groups such as Kidcrit [Editorial note: Marsha Skrypuch has been running this free online critique group for sixteen years. To join, you must have a completed first draft of a children’s or YA manuscript. For permission to join, go here].

My critique partners helped me put my work into perspective. They praised the good parts, and offered gentle criticism for the sections that required work. I’m the type of individual who really wants to know how to improve, and am happy when there are many suggestions to consider.

This is your first novel. Can you tell me about your publishing journey?

I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer until a few years ago. I’ve always been an avid reader, and somewhere in the back of my mind, had the desire to write a novel. Like many people, I didn’t think writing would be as difficult as it was.

It took me four intense years of historical research, and learning writing craft before I submitted the manuscript for publication. I think the hours that I put in were probably the equivalent of another university degree, though the end result is a published novel, not a degree.

I could never have done this on my own. Like any profession, it’s important to connect with your peers. From the start, I have been part of amazingly supportive and perceptive critique groups. Organizations such as CANSCAIP and SCBWI provided important resources, and still do.

I met my editor, Barry Jowett from Dancing Cat Books, at a course run in Brantford (many Ontario writers would know that course was run by you). At a one-on-one meeting, he liked my first page, and wanted to see more. And based on some good advice, I didn’t rush to send him the manuscript. In fact, after much consideration, I ended up rewriting the whole novel from first person to third person before I sent it to him. That took a year. Fortunately, when I contacted him, he did remember the novel, asked to see the entire manuscript, and the rest is history.

What advice would you give an aspiring writer?

They say it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to write and publish a novel so my advice would go something like this:

First— congratulations! You’re the prospective parent of a manuscript! The manuscript may have as few as five hundred words if it’s a picture book, or sixty-thousand words if it’s a young adult novel. You have an embryo of an idea, and want to nurture it to life. Gestation could take months, or even years. During that time, you’ll want to talk to other parents/writers, compare progress, and read as much as possible about care and feeding of your new manuscript. And when you need a break from that, reach for a good book.

During the time of manuscript gestation, you’ll get lots of questions, and perhaps even receive unsolicited advice from well-meaning people who are not writers. Why is this manuscript taking so long? Will it be published by Christmas? Do what any expecting parent usually does; smile knowingly and mumble “As long as it’s healthy.”

Hang around with experienced parents, i.e. people who have written books and had them published. In other words, find your writing tribe. Join associations, whether it’s SCBWI and CANSCAIP for children’s writers, or other groups for mystery writers, or romance writers, or sci-fi writers. Learn the craft of writing. We learn science, piano, and other skills. Writing is a skill that can be learned through courses, workshops, and reading books about writing.

Find trustworthy caretakers i.e. find a critique group. Find those people who you can trust to read your work, and offer suggestions for improvement. These people will cheer you on, and keep you motivated. Find people whose aspirations are in line with your own. Although writing may be solitary work, getting a manuscript to publication takes a village

 

Resource Links review of One Step At A Time

Resource Links

Volume 18, Number 1

October, 2012

SKRYPUCH, Marsha Forchuk

One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

Pajama Press, 2012. 92p. Illus. Gr. 3-6.

978-1-927485-02-6. Pbk. $12.95

One Step at a Time is an easy-to-read book about Tuyet, a Vietnamese girl adopted by a Canadian family. It is the sequel to Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s Rescue from War and picks up where that book leaves off. Tuyet suffers great pain from having a weak ankle. Just weeks after her adoption, her new family decides Tuyet should have surgery to correct the problem. Tuyet goes through the surgery, learns to use crutches, and takes physiotherapy in the hope of one day being able to walk confidently on her own two feet.

At the same time, Tuyet, who speaks little English, is learning about her new family, new home, and new culture and is healing from terrifying experiences in Vietnam. Events that seem ordinary to many Canadian children are extraordinary for Tuyet, and we share her confusion and delight as situations—such as a flaming cake and a pile of pretty boxes, or the passing of a crop-dusting airplane—begin to resolve into meaning.

This is a gentle non-fiction telling of a particular period in Canadian history and of the experience of being a new immigrant with health concerns. Notes in the end matter provide some useful context for readers who may not understand the significance of polio or the conventions of narrative non-fiction. Black-and-white photos, including pictures of Tuyet and her family, add to the reading experience. Although Tuyet’s experiences are unusual and sometimes frightening, the narrative is full of love, kindness, and comfort.

One Step at a Time is a good choice for sensitive young readers interested in non-fiction about other children, other cultures, and recent history; it may be eye-opening for many readers. Although aspects of Canadian culture have changed, the disorientation that new Canadians experience may be similar to Tuyet’s. The book is likely to encourage many questions and wide-ranging discussion in a reading group, and the story is highly likeable. Readers do not need to know the author’s earlier book about Tuyet to understand this one, but many will want to read more about this brave and spirited girl.

Thematic Links: Families; Adoption; Vietnam; Health and Wellness

Leslie Vermeer

Making Bombs for Hitler: The Book Shelf review

Thursday, November, 08, 2012 – 1:01:00 AM

The Book Shelf – Nov. 8

Making Bombs for Hitler, By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, 160 pages. @ SPL: J FIC Skryp

Making Bombs for Hitler brings to light one of the lesser-known aspects of World War II and the Holocaust – slave labourers, often teenagers or young people in their early 20s. Captured by Nazi soldiers in Russia, especially in the Ukraine, they were brought to Germany and forced to perform dangerous work from dawn to dusk.

Regarded as “expendable,” they were shot if they became too sick to work. In Marsha Skrypuch’s story, Lida was one of the youngest slave labourers. When she was taken by Nazi soldiers, Lida was separated from her parents and her younger sister and sent to a labour camp. Surviving on a meager daily portion of bread and thin soup, and clothed in only a thin dress, Lida survived the long days of hard work only through luck, resourcefulness and the desire to find her sister.

Then, with a group of other girls, she was assigned the dangerous work of constructing bombs that would be used by the Nazis to kill allied soldiers and civilians. How Lida survived the terrible days which followed was later a mystery to her.

But she did survive, barely, and was later rescued by allied soldiers, only to find that she could not go home. Joseph Stalin regarded anyone who had been captured by the Nazis to be a Nazi. Such people were either killed or sent to work camps in Siberia.

Making Bombs for Hitler is a companion book to writer Marsha Skrypuch’s award-winning Stolen Child, which relates the story of Lida’s sister, Larissa. Both of these stories, told with sensitivity and compassion, are based on historical fact.

** Recommended for ages nine to 12.

– Sally Hengeveld, librarian

Nice review of Making Bombs and Susan Aihoshi’s Torn Apart

By Fran Ashdown, North Shore NewsNovember 7, 2012

Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Skrypuch (Scholastic Canada) $8.99

Torn Apart: the Internment Diary of Mary Kobayashi, by Susan Aihoshi (Scholastic Canada) $16.99

ON Remembrance Day especially we take time to pay homage to those who went to war so that we might enjoy freedom – a freedom which was bought at a horrific cost for so many.

We can more easily appreciate the sacrifices made on our behalf by learning about them through various resources – family history, television documentaries and books. One very powerful approach to learning is through personal narrative, which broadens and enriches the historical perspective. Kids (and this reviewer) can relate more easily to social history, which allows them to see through the eyes of the protagonist and comprehend how war affects a particular individual.

Two excellent books that provide this perspective are Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Skrypuch and Torn Apart by Susan Aihoshi. Both titles focus on individuals who by strength of character and resourcefulness face and deal with circumstances that drastically change their worlds.

Skrypuch writes about the slave raids conducted by Hitler throughout the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Between three million and 5.5 million Ostarbeiters, as these people were called, were transported to Germany and forced to work under horribly inhumane conditions. Thousands died either from starvation or from overwork.

Many who were rescued and sent back to the Soviet Union were killed by Stalin who considered even Nazi captives to be Nazis. For this reason people kept silent for many years about their experiences as captives and it was not until the Soviet Republic dissolution in 1991 that information began to surface.

The story describes the capture by the Nazis of eight-year-old Lida and her little sister Larissa. They endure appalling conditions on the train to the work camp and are separated as soon as they arrive.

Lida is advised by another prisoner to lie about her age and find a skill or she will likely be killed. She tells the Germans about her ability as a seamstress and is sent to work in the laundry where she proves that she is indeed talented. Unfortunately, she is soon transferred to a new assignment, assembling bombs. With incredible bravery, Lida and her fellow prisoners risk certain death in carrying out a plan to sabotage the bombs and contribute their bit to defeating the Nazis. Finally, they are rescued and in the gruelling aftermath of war Lida and her friend Luca face more challenges in the refugee camps.

The harsh, brutal and unrelenting pain, fear and misery encountered by the camp labourers is made evident in Skrypuch’s wonderful writing. Lida’s world is documented with clarity and accuracy. The reader is left wondering how anyone can survive such misery and thankful that we live in a different place and time.

Susan Aihoshi’s Torn Apart is subtitled “The Internment Diary of Mary Kobayashi” and is set in Vancouver in 1941. While in no way as gut-wrenching as the Skrypuch title, it makes it clear that war affects everyone. This is another title in the excellent Dear Canada series which melds fiction with historical information and photographs.

In the acknowledgements we learn that the author has drawn on family experiences to flesh out the book’s main character. The diary format provides a window on the everyday life of a girl whose entries begin on her 12th birthday, Saturday, May 24, 1941. We see her happy family life begin to disintegrate as the government imposes more and more restrictions on Japanese Canadians.

Mary’s entry for Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941 describes the news about the bombing of Pearl Harbor and its effect on the family. Mary ends her entry with the comment, “The war has finally become real in a way it never was before.” Finally, the unthinkable happens and Mary’s grandfather is sent away to a labour camp.

A mere seven months later Mary and her sisters find themselves on a train to New Denver to begin a new life in an internment community. Her family is fractured as her mother is still in Vancouver caring for an ill brother and her father has been detained for questioning. The diary ends with a reunited family still living in New Denver hoping to eventually return home.

Mary’s life as a child in the 1940s in Vancouver in many ways reflects the life of any child of that era. She describes her enjoyment of Guides, her school life and her special interests and activities. Mary’s voice is authentic and charming and because she is so likable the reader is all the more appalled at the unfeeling cruelty of the government. It was not until Sept. 2, 1988 that Brian Mulroney announced a Redress Settlement which acknowledged the offences against Japanese Canadians during and after the Second World War and ensured that in future no Canadian would be subject to this kind of injustice.

Torn Apart is suitable for readers aged eight to 12. Skrypuch’s title is for a slightly older audience that includes adults. Reading either or both will reinforce your gratitude for the heroic efforts made by those who fought for us.

Fran Ashdown worked for many years as the children’s librarian at the Capilano branch of the North Vancouver District Library. She will be thinking of her father, an RAF radio officer, on Remembrance Day. For more information check your North Shore libraries.

Contributing Writer

© Copyright (c) North Shore News

My CANSCAIP Interview with Pajama Press editor, Ann Featherstone

CANSCAIP Interview with Pajama Press editor, Ann Featherstone

 

How did you become an editor?

I did my undergraduate degree in English literature, specializing in the development of the novel. I took as many upper level courses as I could find, including a particularly memorable class called “Victorian Tales of Terror.” I loved analyzing the great novels, deconstructing them to see how they worked so successfully, and I figured I was destined to write my thesis on Wilkie Collins and get on with the business of becoming an English professor, even though I had serious doubts about my ability to teach. I had it all mapped out, in my head anyway. But I found a job at Munro’s in 1975, my last year of University. It’s a fabulous store in Victoria, BC. And I never looked back, I loved it so much…until 1990, when the publisher of a tiny house in Victoria was looking to expand from 1.5 employees to 2.5, and he offered me a job as “managing editor.” I have to laugh at that now, because I found out pretty quickly that I was going to have to teach myself to become a real editor, and then a good one. But first I had to go out and buy a chair and a lamp! I wore out several copies of The Chicago Manual of Style, editing by hand, of course. So there was a lot of erasing going on in those days. I also promoted the books as best I could and packaged orders. I even laid out type for the first year or so, cutting the long sheets of type and fitting them onto layout pages. A lot has changed since 1990, both at Orca and in publishing in general.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to become an editor?

Today I’ve seen a number of editors break in by getting into a publishing program that offers internships. I think that will be the way it goes from now on, instead of seeing people slowly rise through the ranks. We have all had to tighten our belts, especially the big publishers. And I’ve seen many really experienced senior editors laid off, with former interns put in their place. It used to be that editors came from bookselling or a publisher’s promotions department or sales force. Still others seem to have worked their way in as proofers. But you don’t see that so much anymore. Interns get thrown into the deep end, just as I had to 22 years ago. It’s definitely a sink or swim situation. But I have to say that an English degree and years as a bookseller gave me a superb if somewhat slow start, and I’ve never regretted it.

What do you look for in a manuscript?

I look for a strong voice first, then characters that inhabit a world I can believe in. If a writer has those qualities, even if they are weak in other areas like plotting and structure, I think they have a chance to make it. I also hope to find stories that are really engrossing because they are good stories, not stories that are “good for children.” Although there are many values I look for in a characters, like honesty, loyalty and courage, I don’t want a lesson that overwhelms the plot. What drives the story? I ask myself; if it’s the moral or theme, then I’m not interested. If the characters don’t drive the story, I just don’t want to go there.

 

What are the qualities of a dream author?

I hope for enthusiasm and a willingness in authors to look at the editorial process as a chance to make their work shine rather than an intrusion on their sense of self worth. My favourite authors tell me they love the editorial process. They might sometimes gulp when they see my edit, but they treat me with the same respect I treat them. And they really try to see my point. They also seem to understand that I am ambitious for them and determined to make sure the final product is something they can be proud of. And they make me feel that it has been a collaborative process.

The worst authors?

I have to say I’ve been really lucky to work with lovely people most of the time, people who have become my friends and respected colleagues over the years. But every once in a while I come up against writers so protective of their work that they don’t want to change one word, let alone consider my suggestions. They see the process as a teeth-gritting operation that they must endure; and if they make changes, it is only because they feel under duress to pass through the gauntlet of the publishing process. On the other hand, there are a few people who will do whatever I suggest without question, and that’s not a great way to keep the creative process going either.

How many steps does editing take?

There’s the initial read. Then I discuss it with the publisher. Gail and I decided long ago that, if one of us hates the story we won’t do it, even if the other one loves it. And that has stood us in good stead. But we do discuss it pretty carefully before making a decision. There are many projects out there that are perfectly publishable. But are they right for our house, at that particular time or in the near future? Then I will discuss with the author in general terms the kinds of changes I can see for the work. If the author verbally agrees to the changes in principal, they will be offered a contract. So far, this can take a number of months, so sometimes I will do some handholding and keep the lines of communication open so the author doesn’t feel that they have been neglected. The publisher is always up to their neck with work, and considering new manuscripts or negotiating contracts frequently has to take a backseat to other more pressing issues. So I try to be as available as I can be to the author during this period. Then, once the contract is signed, I work on my substantive edit. Once the author gets this, we will sometimes discuss it a number of times as the author is working on the rewrite. Then, when the rewrite comes in, I will read it again and discuss with the publisher the changes that have been made. Often the publisher will be required to read the book carefully again, in order to discuss big changes. If everything checks out, I will go through another edit, which incorporates line editing along with any lingering substantive issues. When that comes back, I will do another check through the manuscript to make sure it is as clean as I can make it before I hand it in to the designer. When the designer is done, I will work on the PDF of the design, making any further changes I feel necessary as well as any new issues that appear. While I’m doing this, the proofer is making their suggestions on another file. I look over the proofers changes, “stetting” anything I don’t agree with, saying yes to corrections that are indisputable and issues of house style. The author will also be looking at the PDF, adding their remarks and concerns to the mix. I resolve the issues the proofer found with the author’s opinions and my own, as well as the publisher’s if I feel it necessary. And then I clean up the PDF. I may have to run more corrections after looking at the designer’s work. And once I am no longer worried and have finished worrying everybody else to death, the book is ready to go to the printer. I also prepare the book blurbs: back cover copy as well as flap copy and author bios. I also write the catalogue copy and proof the catalogue. In addition, I write CIP annotations and try to think up clever tag lines for advertising.

I have no idea how many steps that is, to be honest. And it’s too daunting to go back and count!

Of all these jobs, what’s your least favourite?

Without a doubt, catalogue and promotional copy! It is such a headache for me, I can’t even tell you! But as the editor, I’m in the best position to understand the book and our decision to publish it, so I gird my proverbial loins and agonize my way to finished copy that the publisher is kind enough to call “fine” or sometimes even “brilliant.” And then I get a little inkling of why writers need praise and why they find satisfaction is what they have accomplished. Writing is hard work!

Your advice for first-time writers?

Don’t panic! If you are turned down, please, please don’t take it personally. There really are a multitude of reasons why your manuscript might be turned down, so many of which will have nothing to do with the quality of your writing. While your first book is making the rounds, you absolutely must start work on another book. Don’t depend on hitting it big with book one of a huge series that you have planned and won’t write until book one is accepted. If you start getting some personal comments but you are still not offered a contract, try to collate the opinions. Maybe the time isn’t right for your book. Maybe this one was the exercise you had to go through to become a stronger writer. Keep on sending it out until you run out of publishers, then start over with another idea. Try to stay true to your own heart as a writer and continue to write for the genre you love. If you get your first book accepted, congratulations, but you are not done yet by any means. Try to become savvy about the children’s publishing business. Join the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, join a writing group, subscribe to Quill & Quire. Check out Canadian Materials, School Library Journal and Kirkus reviews online. Subscribe to Publisher’s Weekly Children’s Bookshelf, the Horn Book’s email notices, and “Goodreads” newsletter. Ask people to recommend their favourite blogger; there are tons of great ones. Join CANSCAIP as a “friend” until you are published and then become a full member. Join the American counterpart, SCBWI. Go to some conferences and writing workshops. If nothing else, it will tell you whether or not you are truly cut out for a career in this industry. And please read children’s books—recent ones, books recommended by your local bookseller (independent, if you can) or children’s librarian. The absolutely worst thing you can do is continue to write in a vacuum. Find a community of writers out there and become inspired. Never turn down the opportunity to read a well-reviewed or award-winning book in your chosen genre. Don’t isolate yourself by saying you don’t want to be influenced by other writers’ ideas. If you can’t read children’s books for your own enjoyment, this may not be the right path for you.

Peer into your crystal ball …

I’m not very good at predicting trends. I just know that I can’t figure out why vampire novels are still so strong! So I like to look at the industry in general rather than tell you that I’m sure that historical romance/fantasy/mysteries will be the next big trend in kid’s books (even though I suspect they will!) A recent article in Publisher’s Weekly reported the latest stats on children’s books sales compiled by the American Association of Publishers. And as things go in the States, it often follows in Canada a few years later, right? The AAP reported that from April 2011 to April 2012, overall children’s book sales have gone up 24.3%, with hardcover sales increasing by a whopping 42.8%! In fact, the only category of children’s books to go a little soft is board books, which have gone down 14.9%. I don’t think that e-book sales will start ringing the death knell of quality books for children, nor will the iPad destroy good books in their zeal for more creative apps to entertain. What is happening—and this is something I predicted after reading my first Harry Potter and felt vindicated especially after The Hunger Games—is that more and more adults are reading YA titles for their own enjoyment. This represents a largely untapped market; more and more publishers will be producing quite sophisticated covers for their YA titles in future. Early readers are no longer selling; it’s hard to make a profit in this genre. Juvenile novels are still strong in Canada.

But I also think that the economy is going to continue to challenge publishers; overall sales in Canada are not as encouraging as they are in the US just yet. It’s getting harder and harder for the independents to compete with the chains and online bookselling giants like Amazon; and this reality will continue to influence the kinds of books that publishers will look for even as it saddles them with brutal returns after as early as three months. So for now, we continue to look for books that will appeal to library and school buyers as much as bookstores. We will look for stories with broad appeal. We will be looking at fewer books more creatively promoted. And we will continue to cherish authors who know how to get out there and flog their own material. We will look forward to a time again when quality will automatically rise to the top, even as we become more afraid that those days are over forever. But there will always be hope. Publishers have to keep their publishing programs active if they want to stay alive; their editors will always be looking for breakout authors. And we will remain optimistic because we love children’s books. If we didn’t, we’d be no longer in this delightful, and equally frustrating, industry.

What kids’ and YA writers read

Originally published in The Winnipeg Review.

If you are an author, summertime is a time with deadlines looming in the far distance. A time relax and to read a few books for the sheer pleasure of them.

I recently finished the final edit of my September true story, One Step At A Time (Pajama Press, 2012), which continues Tuyet’s experiences from Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s Rescue From War. I’ve begun writing the companion novel to Making Bombs For Hitler, but I’ve got til December. This means that I’ve had some time to read for pleasure (shhh, don’t tell my editors).

The novel I most recently enjoyed was Beth Revis’ Across The Universe (Razorbill, 2011). This fabulous first novel transcends all genres. I love the premise — Amy leaving typical teen life behind to be frozen and launched on a ship for 301 years of travel to an earth-like planet in a different galaxy. A second narrator — Elder — a young man destined to be the leader on this aircraft transporting Amy, her parents, and the other scientists and settlers for the destination planet. But much as this sounds like it would be all about transponder rings and metal hats, it isn’t. Against a backdrop of a believable future, we get nuanced characters, a murder mystery, lots of suspense, and a hint of romance.

Next up on my to-read-this-summer pile is Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens (Scholastic Press, 2011).

This got me to thinking. What are other young adult authors reading this summer? So I asked.

Maureen McGowan, author of Deviants, a young adult sci-fi novel coming October, 2012 (Amazon Children’s Publishing) says, “I just finished reading Moira Young’s Blood Red Road (Doubleday, 2011)and it’s one of the best young adult novels I’ve read in a long time. The plot is tense and fast paced, but it’s complex and challenging both in its style and the subject mattter. I loved the author’s commitment to writing an unabashedly tough heroine and how, in this book, the girl saves the boys. My to-be-read pile is stacked very high right now, but I’m really looking forward to reading Diana Peterfreund’s latest young adult novel, For Darkness Shows the Stars (Balzer & Bray, 2012). It’s a loose re-telling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, set in a post-apocalyptic future and I’m hearing really great things about it.”

Cathy Ostlere, whose free verse novel, Karma (Razorbill, 2011), was shortlisted for the Canadian Library Association’s Young Adult Book of the Year, says, “I’ve just finished Lord of the Flies, Nobel Prize Winner William Golding’s first novel published in 1954. What I loved was the language! Does anyone write like this anymore? Lord of the Flies is a beautifully written book that provocatively challenges the reader with the question: What does evil look like? Once I began I was trapped inside the rich, island world where the chant “Kill the beast!” made me shudder. It’s a truly terrifying and absorbing read. A must read for older teens.”

Ostlere’s summer reading pile includes verse novelist Helen Frost’s Crossing Stones (FSG Kids, 2009). “I am a devotee of Frost’s work, particularly Keesha’s House(FSG Kids, 2003) so I’m looking forward to reading her accomplished, elegant poetry.” Helaine Becker, author of the 2010 Libris Award Picture Book of the Year, A Porcupine in a Pine Tree (Scholastic, 2010), says, “I recently read and was blown away by Lena Coakley’s Witchlanders. Get a box of chocolates and a tall pitcher of something delish and prepare to settle in…” Helaine wasn’t the only one to recommend Witchlanders. Valerie Sherrard, whose novel The Glory Wind (Fitzhenry & Whiteside 2010) won the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction last year, says, “Rapidly making its way toward the top of my TBR pile is Lena Coakley’s Witchlanders, which I’m very much looking forward to getting into soon.  I read an excerpt a while back and the prose was breathtaking, so I know this book is going to be exceptional.”

Sherrard recently read and fell in love with The Town that Drowned (Goose Lane Editions, 2011) by Riel Nason. 

“It’s one of those stories with so much – rich, believable characters and an intriguing storyline.  While the members of her community struggle to accept the scheduled flooding of their town, 14 year old Ruby Carson has much more to deal with than the possible loss of her home.  Ruby’s problems include frequently being made responsible for her autistic brother, a sudden ability to foresee tragedies, and difficulties with her peer group.  This was definitely one of the best books I’ve read in the last year.”

Jocelyn Shipley, author of How To Tend A Grave (Great Plains Teen Fiction, 2012), recently read The Hangman in the Mirror, by Kate Cayley (Annick, 2011). “I loved this historical young adult book because it’s a gripping tale based on an actual story, it’s beautifully written and full of details that bring 18th century New France to life, and Françoise is a strong, gutsy and engaging protagonist, despite her horrible situation.” On Shipley’s TBR pile is crush. candy. corpse. by Sylvia McNicoll (Lorimer, 2012) “I really want to read this contemporary YA book because I’m a fan of Sylvia’s Beauty series, and her new book has a great premise, a great title and cover, and it’s getting great reviews.” Sylvia McNicoll also had some suggestions. “I love the summer for catching up on backlist under a tree somewhere while my Jackapoo Mortie cools down. Sometimes a book comes along that’s just too good to be read just by the tweens and teens.  I stumbled on just such a novel Glory Wind by Valerie Sherrard. The voice and the characters are so delightfully captivating, the story is reminiscent of the film My Girl or the story Bridge to Terabithea in that it captures a boy/girl friendship in its innocence and puts it through tragic stresses.  I found myself lingering under the tree far longer than the dog wanted to and going to bed early just for the pleasure of  reading this wonderfully written novel.” Judith Robinson, author of Working Miracles: The Drama & Passion of Aimee Semple McPherson (James Lorimer & Company, 2006) says, “I loved Natalie Hyde’s Saving Armpit (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2011). Kids who read it will be encouraged and uplifted by the way the characters use their ingenuity to rescue a little league baseball team and a community post office. This book demonstrates a can do attitude that will brighten the spirits of anyone who reads it. As a teacher, I highly recommend it for middle grade use, and for reluctant readers at the high school level.” 

Judith continues, “I’ve got a pile of books sitting on my desk waiting to be read. Jeanette Ingold, a feisty woman from Montana, has oodles of books published. Paper Daughter (Harcourt, 2010) is on my reading list because I love historical novels and it focuses on the plight of Chinese immigrants around 1900.” Margriet Ruurs, author of A Mountain Alphabet (Tundra 1996) and dozens of other books, recommends The Winter Pony (Delacourt, 2011) by Iain Lawrence. It has “an interesting viewpoint. The main character is a pony accompanying humans on their quest to be the first to reach the South Pole.” On Ruurs’ TBR pile is Rachel’s Secret a first novel by Shelly Sanders (Second Story, 2012). A tale about Jews in turn of the century Russia. Shelly Sanders, also has recommendations. “My most recent and memorable young adult read was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, which my 11 year-old son encouraged me to read. I’m always drawn to Jewish historical fiction, with Jewish blood on my maternal side, but this book was by far the most intriguing so far, with death as a the narrator and a compelling protagonist—Liesel—who retains her strength and hope in the darkest days through reading.”

“On my summer reading list is Enemy Territory by Sharon E. McKay about Palestinian and Israeli teen boys who must discard their differences in order to stay safe. Like McKay, I’ve seen the effects of religious animosity in Belfast, where my husband’s family resides. Seeing tanks with gunners poised in every direction has had a lifelong impact on me, and has deeply affected my own writing.”

GG nominated Gillian Chan, whose upcoming novel, A Call To Battle: The War of 1812 (Scholastic, 2012) will be published in September, recommends Paul Yee’s Money Boy (Groundwood, 2011). “I liked because of its unflinching description of life on the street for the protagonist who is thrown out when his father discovers he is gay. Ray Liu, the main character, is beautifully drawn in that the reader both feels sorry for him, coping with a new culture and a very traditional father, but also is aware and even irritated by him in that his attitude and poor decisions contribute to the difficult situation in which he finds himself.”

Chan also recommends Silence by Michele Sagara (DAW Books, 2012), a “paranormal thriller, the first in a trilogy, and it was great to get away from the whole vampire schtick to something original and quirky. Emma is grieving the death of her boyfriend when a chance encounter in a cemetery awakens her power to not only speak to the dead, but to draw upon them in order to do magic, making her a necromancer. Of course, she has no idea that this has happened, nor in fact that there is another secret organization dedicated to stopping necromancers, killing them if necessary. How Emma comes into her powers and refuses to use them for evil makes an interesting read. Sagara’s great strength is creating interesting characters so that all Emma’s friends are well rounded and believable.”

Karen Krossing, author of The Yo-Yo Prophet (Orca, 2011) recommends Pat Bourke’s novel for children ages 9 to 14, Yesterday’s Dead (Second Story Press, 2012). She says it “is a perfectly paced historical fiction with finely crafted, likable characters. Set in 1918, it’s about 13-year-old Meredith, who travels from small-town Port Stuart to Toronto to work as kitchen help in a doctor’s home to help support her family. She hopes to train as a teacher one day, but when Spanish Influenza invades Toronto, Meredith may have to give up that dream forever.”

Krossing is currently reading Richard Ungar’s Time Snatchers (G.P. Putman and Sons, 2012), which she calls “a deliciously creative time travel story with unique characters and a plot that never slows its pace. Set in 2061, Caleb is a time snatcher ‘adopted’ by Uncle to steal priceless artifacts from a range of time periods. When Uncle plans to kidnap innocent kids to grow his business, Caleb starts to think about getting out. Richard is a Canadian author, although the publisher is American.” Rina Singh, author of Nearly Nonsense: Hoja Tales from Turkey (Tundra 2011) says, “I finished reading Home of the Brave (Square Fish, 2008) by Katherine Applegate and just had to read it again to soak in all the poetry. It’s a novel in verse about young Kek, who escapes the brutal conditions of a Sudanese refugee camp to come to Minnesota in the dead of winter. He has never walked on snow and ice before and he falls. He wonders if he can ever call ‘this America’ home where even the ground cannot be trusted. Beautifully written. There are no wasted words or metaphors in this book. Through vignettes of small scenes, Kek’s world comes alive for us.”

Singh says, “I’m also planning to read Identical by Ellen Hopkins (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2008) and Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral (Razorbill, 2012). Chopsticks has been called a provocative tale of forbidden love and madness. It also comes as an app – an interactive , electronic version. Excited!”

Rebecca Upjohn, who has a book coming out in September called The Secret of the Village Fool (Second Story Press, 2012) recommends Brian Selznick’s Wonderstruck (Scholastic Press, 2011).

“I knew nothing about it (or the author) when I picked it up at the local library. The book tells two stories set 50 years apart, one in illustration and one in text. Each story is about a different character and the two weave back and forth until eventually the they come together in one timeline. The book is about deaf culture, museums and family. What I found intriguing was how much sense it made to tell a story about a deaf character in illustrations. The book kept me guessing, most of the way, about how the two stories were connected. The book grew on me the further I went.”

Rebecca is also looking forward to reading Mercy: The Last New England Vampire, (Islandport Press, 2011) a novel for 12+ by Sarah L. Thomson and inspired by a true incident. “There has been a glut of vampire books in the last few years but refreshingly this one is based on a real incident that took place in 1892. I’m interested to see how the author weaves together history with popular culture, if in fact she does!”

From this eclectic variety of books, you can see that Canadian young adult authors are as passionate about the books they read as they are about the ones they write. Enjoy!

 

Linda Bailey — Toads on Toast!

Here’s my Winnipeg Review interview with Linda Bailey:

For the picture book crowd, there are few more beloved dogs than Linda Bailey’s Stanley. Since the publication of Stanley’s Party in 2003 and the subsequent Stanley books, all illustrated by Bill Slavin, Linda has had a massive following. And not just with kids. Adults appreciate the humour of the Stanley books as well.

Linda Bailey has garnered well-deserved critical acclaim and oodles of awards, both in Canada and in the US.

When I heard about Linda’s most recent picture book, I was a little bit taken aback. Toads on Toast? She couldn’t really have written a kids’ book about eating toads, could she? Had wry humour turned to gruesome humour?

Once I read Toads for myself, I was intrigued. Linda kindly agreed to answer these questions:

Toads on Toast is an intriguing departure from your Stanley books. Different illustrator, a completely different kind of story, although still the classic Linda Bailey wry humour. How did this story come about?

Thanks for the “wry humour.” I try to be wry! How did Toads come about? The easy answer is word play. I noticed one day that “toads” and “toast” sounded the same. But in terms of meaning, they were a bizarre combo. As it happens, I like bizarre combos, so I began to ponder how a bunch of toads might find themselves on top of a piece of toast. This led me into folktale turf in which small critters are sometimes gobbled up by larger critters, amid heart-stopping dramatic tension. I came up with characters-at-risk (young toadlets), a villain (Fox) and a heroine (Mama Toad) with enough smarts to outfox a fox. So that’s the surface answer. The deeper answer is that one of my favourite characters in all literature is Mr. Toad in Wind in the Willows. Love that guy! Wanted to do a toads story for him.

The illustrations in Toads on Toast are an essential part of the storytelling and the humour. How much say do you have in the illustrations?

As someone who writes humour, I get more leeway than most picture book authors. A lot of the humour I write has visual “punchlines,” and the text makes no sense without the picture. So I do find myself describing funny actions or scenarios that go with (or contradict) the words. That said, I am nothing and nowhere without a funny illustrator. The illustrator (in this case, the very funny Colin Jack) has to GET the joke, and have his/her own giggle, and make it hilarious in his/her own way. I never imagined, for instance, that Mama Toad would end up looking like Lucille Ball or that one of the toadlets would spend most of the book inside a floating soap bubble.

Does the illustrator get to have any input on your words?

Sometimes. But the words get written long before the illustrator even knows the story exists. I wrote a “SPLAT!” sentence in my text about Mama’s entrance as she leaped into Fox’s kitchen. Colin included the giant word “SPLAT!” in his drawing. It was much better in the art than in the text, so I deleted my sentence. When something is shown well in the art, you can change/cut the text.

Do you like to eat frog’s legs?

I have never actually eaten a frog’s leg. I hear it tastes like chicken.

How long did it take you to write Toads on Toast? How many drafts?

Interesting question. Some books take dozens or hundreds of drafts. Some books come easily. Toads came relatively easy. Maybe ten? Plus tons of picky polishing.

Who is your favourite character?

Mama Toad, for sure. She’s melodramatic and over-the-top, and I love her barely controlled maternal hysteria. (Her best line, in my opinion, is “Take ME instead!”) I also adore the I-Love-Lucy lips and red hair in the art.

Which character is most like you?

This is hard to answer because my theory is that ALL the characters I create are some version of me. I think they all bubble out of some place in my sub-conscious. So I relate to Fox, who is basically just a bored guy, looking to change his diet. I relate to the toadlets who are rebellious and subversive in a way I have always wanted to be. And certainly, I relate to Mama, who will do anything it takes to keep her kids off Fox’s plate.

What is your writing routine?

I tend to write in bursts. I do a lot of traveling and speaking, and at those times, I find it hard to focus on a fictional inner world. When I do get solitude and quiet, I go into that inner world (or worlds) quite intensely and hardly look up.

What aspect of being a writer drives you nuts?

The business side — contracts, schedules, finances, travel arrangements. Did I mention contracts?

What are you working on now?

Lots of things. I have a habit of hanging onto good ideas that aren’t quite ready for prime time. I don’t delete them. I keep them in my computer and go back – again and again. Often I find ways to take them farther. Or I might find a whole new angle. Or tastes in publishing might change. Sometimes it takes me five or ten years to bring a story to “finished.” That’s okay. I now have lots of stories in my files, and I’m working (off and on) on all of them.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

The usual advice, I guess. That it doesn’t matter how much talent you have if you don’t have persistence and stamina. I believe it’s a craft, not an art. You learn by doing. Practice makes perfect. Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule (The Outliers) does apply here. A few writers are like shooting stars, right out of the gate. Far more “grow” slowly. They get better and better and then excellent by putting in time, passion, self-education and many, many hours. I’ve seen it so often. Hang in.

 

An interview with Don Aker about Running on Empty

Here is my interview, originally published in The Winnipeg Review:

Don Aker is one of those authors who has a gift for creating spot-on unlikeable male teen characters. Like your own kids (or maybe like you) they do stupid things and are then shocked at the outcome of their actions. But because they’re like your own kids (or you) it’s easy to step into their shoes and be transported.

Don Aker’s newest, Running on Empty, does not disappoint. It’s about Ethan Palmer, the son of a wealthy lawyer, who doesn’t know how good he’s got it. When he damages the family car by bashing it into the garage, his father decides to give him a life lesson. Instead of paying for the damage through insurance, he makes Ethan pay. Ethan had been saving to buy a special car of his own, but when all of his money is used up on the repairs, this sets him on a desperate spiral downward into the world of online gambling, and stealing from friends and family to pay for gambling debts. 

This is not a problem novel. It’s more like a thriller. As each chapter unfolds, Ethan sinks deeper, and all around him, the people who love him are having their own problems but he can’t see that. Each of Aker’s characters are so well thought out that they could sustain a novel of their own. Every time I thought I’d pegged someone, I was wrong.

Don kindly agreed to answer some questions about the writing of Running On Empty:

Running On Empty’s main character, Ethan, is anything but saintly, and this is not unusual for your young adult fiction. You seem to be able to nail the contemporary teen male mindset and voice. How do you do that?

I’m indebted to the hundreds of teenagers who have spent time in my classroom over the years. I’m convinced that I could never have become a YA writer if I hadn’t first been a teacher of young adults with endless opportunities to observe them interacting daily. I continually draw on those experiences, which not only inform the conflicts I write about but also provide the voices and mindsets of my characters.

This novel seems to have more profanity and sexual references than your earlier novels – don’t get me wrong – it fits Ethan’s character to a T, but I’m wondering if this reflects a change in editorial policy or something else.

I can’t comment on any change in editorial norms because the issue of profanity has never been raised by any of the editors I’ve worked with. I believe a writer should only use profanity if it suits the character and situation—otherwise, it’s gratuitous. Used unnecessarily, it can be a stumbling block, pulling readers out of a scene instead of drawing them forward. Ethan appeared in my head as a very angry young man, and it seemed natural that he would resort to swearing when his rage spilled over. Interestingly, I felt my use of profanity in Running on Empty was more moderate than in my previous novels, evidenced by my decision not to have Ethan use the f-word. I’ve learned to trust my instincts about what my characters will and won’t do, and as Ethan took shape, I found he was unlike the troubled young men who’ve appeared in my previous novels. Perhaps because of his background, I wasn’t comfortable “hearing” him use the f-word, even during scenes when he was incensed, which explains why that particular expletive doesn’t appear in the novel.

What was the inspiration for the novel?

Actually, it was a combination of inspirations that led me to write Running on Empty. I attended a conference session during which the presenter, an educational psychologist, drew an analogy between cars and the teenaged brain—the brain of a teenager, he said, has a gas pedal but no brake—and that analogy resonated with me. Shortly after that, I read a news article about a dramatic increase in the number of teenagers who gamble for money, and I was floored by the statistics the reporter offered, statistics that made me recall that psychologist’s comment. When something troubles me, I invariably find myself researching it, not necessarily because I want to write about it but because I need to understand it. Besides reading widely on the subject of gambling, I spoke to a number of people about it, among them an addictions counselor who shared heartbreaking stories about the toll that gambling has taken on the lives of individuals and entire families. But the most disturbing conversation I had was with a person who told me about a married couple she knew who had a teenaged son. That summer, they staked him a sum of money that he used to gamble online—in effect, gambling was his “summer job” that year. He spent part of every day in front of the computer placing bets, and his parents actually boasted to their friends about the money he was making. The moment I heard about that young man, I visualized a character swept up in a gas-pedal-but-no-brake online experience, and it was then that the novel began to take shape in my head. However, it didn’t come easily. I struggled with the story for a long time because the last thing I wanted to write was an “issue novel” about gambling. The strongest stories are never about issues and events but, rather, how characters are affected by those issues and events.

Before I can begin writing any story—whether short fiction or a novel—I first have to understand my main character well enough to determine what it is he or she wants more than anything else. Then it’s my job as a writer to keep that character from getting it, at least for a little while. Ethan, my main character, let me know very early in my writing process what he wanted most: a vintage Mustang Cobra SVT. Interestingly, however, what people think they want is often very different from what they really need, and this turned out to be true in Ethan’s case. Because I’m a father, I’m always interested in how family relationships influence a person’s choices, and I was intrigued by a line spoken in Alexander Sokurov’s film Father and Son: “A father’s love crucifies.” At first, I didn’t see how this could be possible—after all, a father who truly loves his children would only want what’s best for them. But the more I thought about this, the more I remembered mistakes I’ve made as a parent, which led me to realize that Running on Empty was more than a story of a teenager who gets swept up in gambling—it was a story about the uneasy dynamic between a father and son that results in choices both of them come to regret.

This is a contemporary story and the setting is where you live, but the scenes are so very detailed and the characters feel real. How did you do the research?

The statement “Writers write best when they write about what they know” may sound cliché, but it’s absolutely true—I can’t write realistically about a place I’ve never seen and spent time in. For example, when I realized that my novel The Space Between had to be set in Mexico, I arranged to spend some time there so I could record details about the places and the people, details that later made their way into the book. I never intentionally choose a setting because I think it will appeal to readers. I’m more concerned with creating strong characters that my readers can relate to, and those characters tell me where their stories need to take place. From the very beginning, I knew Ethan’s story had to unfold in Halifax, and the fact that I know the city so well was only part of the reason—the rest had to do with the escalation of violent crime that has occurred in Halifax in recent years. It seems as though every time I pick up a newspaper, I’m seeing stories of yet another beating or stabbing or shooting in that city, something that was rare a decade ago. Knowing that an act of violence would figure prominently in Running on Empty, I immediately envisioned it happening on a Halifax street.

Regarding the creation of my characters, I like beginning with a “foundation” that I’m comfortable with, so I often use people I’ve known as models that I build my characters around. Eventually, as my story begins to take shape, each character evolves into so much more, stepping away from the model and becoming someone else entirely. It’s only as I’m writing the narrative that I truly understand my characters, discovering their backstories, adding flesh to their frames. For example, when I began Running on Empty, I knew that Ethan and his dad would have an uneasy relationship, but I didn’t know why. This was something I had to figure out as I watched them interact with each other on the page.

How long did it take you to write Running on Empty?

About four years. Around the time I was finishing my novel The Space Between, my wife and I sold our house and built another, and during this same period I accepted a new position as literacy mentor for my school board, events that consumed my life and reduced my writing output considerably. Over the course of two years, I struggled through a first draft of Running on Empty (which I’d initially titled The Grooming Ground), but I wasn’t happy with it. My agent, Marie Campbell, offered some terrific revision suggestions but, even after making those changes, I still didn’t feel confident with the manuscript—something about it wasn’t “right,” but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Despite my misgivings, Marie sold it to HarperCollins, and during the time that elapsed before the editing process began, I wrote The Fifth Rule, which HarperCollins also bought. I loved The Fifth Rule from the beginning and knew it was far stronger than Running on Empty, so I asked HarperCollins to publish The Fifth Rule first, which they did. During this entire time, I had continued to tinker with Running on Empty, but nothing I did seemed to solve the problems I sensed in the story but couldn’t articulate. However, I’ve been extremely fortunate to have worked with some of the best editors in the YA business, and Hadley Dyer is one of those. Her suggestions (and her slashing of 10,000 words from my original manuscript) were exactly the remedies my novel needed. Four years after starting it, I finally had a story I was proud of.

Did you write an outline before you wrote the book?

I wish I were an outline-writing kind of guy because I’m sure it would save me a lot of time and heartache. However, my process involves answering the three questions I mentioned earlier: who is my main character, what does he/she want more than anything, and how can I keep him/her from getting it (at least for a little while). Once I’m convinced I know the answers to all three of these questions, I begin with a first sentence and follow my character from there. Planning might occur on a subconscious level but, if it does, I’m completely unaware of it. If I knew what was going to happen, if I knew in advance how my story was going to end, I’d be bored slogging through the process of getting my character from point A to point B. What keeps me writing hundreds of pages is the simple desire to discover how everything turns out.

Who is your favourite character in the novel?

Ethan’s sister, Raye. I loved her the moment she appeared on the page, her blue hair going in all directions. Besides being funny and unafraid to say what she thinks, she’s fiercely loyal to both friends and family. I wish I’d had her courage at that age.

Which character is most like you?

Nineteenth-century French writer Guy de Maupassant said, “Whether we are describing a king, an assassin, a thief, an honest man, a prostitute, a nun, a young girl, or a stallholder in a market, it is always ourselves that we are describing.” There’s a lot of me in Ethan, at least the Don Aker I was at seventeen. Like Ethan, I was quick to judge, and I was forever feeling sorry for myself when things didn’t go my way.

What is your writing routine?

Now that I’m a fulltime writer, most of each weekday is spent in front of my laptop. After breakfast, I usually take an hour-long walk along the bay to clear my head, and when I return, I sit down at my desk, reread what I wrote the day before, and then continue from there. I try to write until 4:00 (with a short break for lunch), but if a manuscript is giving me trouble, I’ll return to it again in the evening. My biggest problem is getting sidetracked by email. My wife gave me Julie Morgenstern’s book Never Check Email in the Morning, which sits prominently on my desk as a glaring reminder, but I tend to ignore that advice whenever LiveMail prompts me about a message in my inbox. Writing is such a solitary experience that any contact with the outside world can be a wonderful distraction.

What aspect of being a writer drives you nuts?

Keeping track of writing receipts. Author Peter DeVries once said, “I love being a writer. What I hate is the paperwork.” I could not agree more.

What are you working on now?

Earlier this year, I finished a mystery thriller for young adults, which is now in the hands of my agent, and since then I’ve been working on a historical novel that Scholastic contracted me to write for their I Am Canada series. It’s set in 1758 at the time of the fall of Fortress Louisbourg, which signaled the end of French rule in North America. When I finish writing that, I’ll begin the final installment of my Reef Kennedy trilogy, which began with The First Stone and continued with The Fifth Rule.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Read, read, read—the only way to improve as a writer is to see how others practice their craft. Also, join a writer’s group or, if there isn’t one in your area, form your own because it’s extremely helpful to receive feedback and encouragement from others who are equally committed to improving as writers. In addition, look for opportunities to publish anything (whether you get paid for it or not), such as articles in your local newspaper about recent or upcoming events. In this way, you’ll be developing writing credentials that you can refer to when submitting other work to other editors. Finally, don’t be discouraged by rejection. Eleven editors rejected my first novel, Of Things Not Seen, before the twelfth accepted it, and that novel went on to win two major awards and is now found in every high school in Nova Scotia as well as in many schools and libraries across the country. Have faith in your ability, and surround yourself with people who will support you in what you’re trying to accomplish. I would never have become a published author if it hadn’t been for the encouragement I received from my wife each time one of those eleven rejections appeared in the mail. Every writer needs a personal cheerleader, and I’m very grateful she has been—and continues to be—mine.

Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s sixteenth book, One Step At A Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way, appears on September 4, 2012 with Pajama Press.