Yes, it’s true. I have always loved concept books. ABCs, one-two-threes, reds yellows blues, you name a concept book – chances are, I loved it.
My first young adult novel, Cadillac Chronicles (Cinco Puntos Press, 2012) tells the story of sixteen-year-old Alex Riley and an ornery old man speeding south in a Cadillac. Alex wants two things: to find his father and a girlfriend with a decent set of breasts. Lester, an old man with an old man’s personality, just wants his freedom. On their wild ride, they both discover what it means to—finally—find a real friend.
Why do I write about science and nature for young readers? Easy answer. It’s FUN! But making scientific facts fun to read about is a challenge, especially in our modern world filled with iPods, iPads, smart phones, video games, and any number of other electronic distractions. I try to use storytelling techniques to grab my audience.
I knew that turning math workouts into life-or-death challenges was the way to engage young readers. Plus I had an ideal sounding board in the form of my boy-girl twins, one of whom loves math and the other who is the bookworm (I won’t say which is which).
I am deeply moved by the fact that we are nature, that we are stardust and I wanted my new book, You Are Stardust (Owlkids, 2012), to have a lyrical, celebratory, and poetic feel. Yet, finding that voice was difficult.
Books are often inspired by moments of magic. I will never forget an encounter I had with Granny, the one-hundred-year-old matriarch of the clan of endangered orcas that lives in Pacific Northwest waters. I was on a whale-watching boat when Granny swam alongside, raised her head above water and looked directly into my eyes for several moments.
I’d never written anything quite like Lies, Knives, and Girls in Red Dresses. It is, after all, a collection of fairy tales. And what’s a seventy-two year old man doing fooling around with fairy tales?
Authors are used to pretty standard questions during interviews, but I thought this one was fascinating: What did you struggle with during the writing of The Galahad Legacy?
Today, TeachingBooks.net welcomes author Julie Lawson as she stops by on her blog tour to discuss her new book Ghosts of the Titanic (Holiday House, 2012).
April 15, 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic!…
Today, TeachingBooks.net welcomes author Gae Polisner as she stops by on her blog tour to discuss her new book The Pull of Gravity (Frances Foster Books/FSG, 2011).
The Pull of Gravity (Frances Foster Books, 2011) follows two teens—Nick and Jaycee…
