Author Interviews

Paper Things: An Interview with Jennifer Jacobson

By on April 2, 2015   /   Author Interviews, Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Writing  

The Mixed Up Files is thrilled to welcome Jennifer Jacobson to the blog today!

Jennifer Jacobson 5

Jennifer Richard Jacobson is a writer, teacher, educational consultant, and speaker. She writes in many genres, from children’s fiction to adult nonfiction. Among her books for younger readers are the Andy Shane early chapter books, illustrated by Abby Carter, the middle grade novels Small as an Elephant and Paper Things, and the young adult novels Stained and The Complete History of Why I Hate Her.  Her book: No More “I’m Done!”: Fostering Independence in the Primary Grades has proved to be a writer’s workshop resource for teachers of all grades.

And now for our interview. Great to have you, Jennifer!

Mixed Up Files: Addressing homelessness, especially homelessness of young people, is a pretty tough subject. When did you first realize you wanted to write a story like Paper Things?

Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Jennifer Jacobson: Thank you so much for this opportunity to reflect on my work! When beginning a book, I never begin with an issue or even a theme.  Instead, I begin with characters.  I first imagined a girl who creates families from catalog cutouts (just as I did as a girl). As I was imagining her life, I was hearing a lot about kids who age out of foster care without the support they need to make it in the adult world. I decided to give Ari an older brother — one who comes of age, decides to leave this guardian’s home, and takes his little sister with him.

MUF: Paper Things isn’t your first book dealing with difficult subjects, and you write for older readers, too. Do you approach the writing of your work for Middle Grade readers differently, especially when dealing with sensitive subject matter?

J. J.: Both my middle grades, Small as an Elephant and Paper Things, are written in first person.  This means, of course, that the stories are told from the perspective of a preteen. Jack doesn’t attach a label to his mom. He describes his mom’s mental illness as her “spinning times.”  Although Ari has been couch surfing for weeks, it isn’t until the end of her experience that she realizes she’s counted amongst the homeless. It’s not only a gentler approach, but also a more authentic approach.

MUF: Your work is so broad-ranging, from easy chapters to Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction to resources for classroom teachers. Do you have a favorite age group to write for?

J. J.: I do believe middle grade is my sweet spot, but I hate the thought of limiting myself to one genre. I’m deep in the process of writing a new middle grade and yet I recently woke in the middle of the night with a picture book idea.

MUF: Our school library has some books from the Andy Shane series in it. While this is an early chapters series, the characters grow and change just the same. What are the differences between writing a series where you revisit characters in each book, and writing a single story in which the characters must be fully realized by the end?

J. J.: In the Andy Shane series, Andy and Dolores do grow in that they accept each other’s differences (one is reticent the other overbearing), but it’s a lesson that’s learned over and over again.  In a middle grade novel, the protagonist faces a challenge that changes his or her worldview. In Small as an Elephant, Jack learns that he’s not alone, that he’s part of a community.  In Paper Things, Ari comes to take the reins, to make her own choices for her future.

MUF: In doing the research for this interview, it was great finding out something about your road to writing, and how it was your students who helped you become a better writer. What’s your advice for others of any age who want to make writing a part of their lives?

J. J.: I do believe that learning to write is a process similar to learning to play a sport or a musical instrument.  All require frequent practice, immediate feedback, models to learn from, a willingness to take risks . . . and yes, acceptance of occasional failure.

MUF: Before we go, can you recommend any of your own favorite reads for our Middle Grade readers?

J. J.: My current favorites: The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern, Anna was Here by Jane Kurtz and Revolution by Deborah Wiles.

Again, thank you for these wonderful questions! I’m honored to be interviewed for The Mixed Up Files!

MUF: Thanks to you, Jennifer, for taking the time to share your insight with our readers. 

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An Interview with Jen Calonita, author of Flunked; Fairy Tale Reform School

By on March 26, 2015   /   Author Interviews  

Flunked Cover

Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Jen! Tell us how you came up with the idea for Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School?

Whenever I’d read a fairy tale or see a fairy tale movie, instead of focusing on the happy ending, I was fixated on the villains. If they didn’t die, what happened to them? Did they go to fairy tale jail? Were they banished to a foreign land? What if they–gasp–said they were sorry? From that seed, the idea for Fairy Tale Reform School was born. I liked the idea of it being run by some of the biggest former baddies in the fairy tale world — the wicked stepmother, evil queen, big bad wolf and the sea siren. But of course, villains being good can be harder than it seems.

You used many well known fairy tale characters in the story. Why did you decide to make Gilly, a shoemakers daughter, your main character?

I wanted a character that readers could relate to and I find the best way to do that is explore a character with flaws. Gilly is certainly the most flawed character I’ve written, but I absolutely adore her because she’s real. Stealing comes easily for her so she thinks that makes it okay, which it’s not. She also thinks her prejudices against royals are justified. They aren’t either. Nothing is as clear cut as it seems and Gilly struggles to realize that doing the easy thing doesn’t make it the right thing. She has to learn to think about more than just herself.

One of the things I found interesting were the profiles of the staff of Fairy Tale Reform School. What made you decide to put those in?

I’ve always been a fan of books that had supplemental material. I feel like it really helps with the world building. Since Gilly is the one who tells the story, we don’t always get to see how the villains became so “good.” The HappilyEverAfterScrolls allow us to tell the villains’ story in a fun way. The scrolls were so much fun to work on.

This is your first middle grade series. What did you like about writing for this audience? Any challenges?

I’m loving writing for this age group. My boys are 10 and 6 and they’ve been begging me to write something they could read. I find it’s great to have a sounding board for that age group in my own home! When I was working on Flunked, I’d go to my older son and read chapters and he’d tell me if they were exciting enough or if they needed more action. Sometimes I’d think I was being perfectly clear about a scene and he’d say, “I don’t get it.” It really helped me gear the story to his age group.

Do you have a favorite middle grade book or series?

Well, I know I’m not alone in my love for the Harry Potter series. The greatest thing has happened in our house–my oldest son started reading it and fell in love with the world too. We got to read several of the books together and I wouldn’t allow him to watch the movies till he’d finished the books. I didn’t want him to lose out on a moment of it. Seeing him enjoy it as much as I did was something I’ll never forget. Either was getting to go to Universal in February and explore Diagon Alley. It was incredible seeing this world come to life in front of our eyes.

I also really love Sarah Mylnowski’s Whatever After series and Ridley Pearson’s Kingdom Keepers series. We’re BIG Disney people in our house!

What’s next for Gilly and her friends? Any hints?

The sequel to FLUNKED will be out around this time next year and I can tell you the school will be getting a new teacher with some swashbuckling teaching methods. Hint, hint. I can’t wait for readers to experience Gilly’s next big adventure.

Thanks so much for being here, Jen. To celebrate Flunked’s release, Jen is holding a rafflecopter giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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An Interview with Author Jennifer Murgia, Director of YA FEST Junior, a new MG book festival

By on March 18, 2015   /   Author Interviews, Book Lists, For Parents  

 

1- Can you tell us a little about the very first YA Fest Jr–which middle grade authors will be attending, what activities you’re planning, anything festival goers can expect?

YA FEST Junior is the Middle Grade “offspring” of YA FEST and will be hosted by the Bethlehem Area Public Library on Saturday April 25, 2015 from 12-3pm. We’re very excited! Riding on the heels of an 800+ attended Jeff Kinney event, the BAPL is already on young readers’ radar. We have no doubt this will be a well attended festival. Seventeen MG authors and illustrators will be at YA FEST Junior, each at a signing station that encourages both approachability and interaction with young fans.

Those in attendance will be: Brian Biggs, P.G. Kain, Cecilia Galante, Eric Wight, Aaron Starmer, Matt Myklusch, M.E. Castle, Donna Galanti, Debbie Dadey, Amie & Bethanie Borst, Paul Acampora, Margie Gelbwasser, David Lubar, Ty Drago, Todd McClimans and the very lovely Barbara Dee.

Visitors will enjoy meeting the authors and participating in a fun “game show” called Master Berk Theater hosted by library director and author, Josh Berk. Books will be available for sale on the premises through Moravian Book Shop. We will also offer Art and Illustration lessons where patrons will learn hands-on cartooning by Eric Wight and Matt Myklusch and be able to take home a keepsake sketchbook. Books donated by publishing houses nationwide will be raffled off.

For a complete lineup of appearing authors and activities please visit http://yafest.org

2-You’ve run two successful YA Fests, enabling teen readers to meet and hear some top YA authors. What made you want to expand to the middle grade world with YA Fest Jr?

The 2014 YA FEST proved to be a bit large for our venue. We had over 50 authors and well over 600 patrons visit us. Unfortunately, we recognized the need to cut back. I’m a firm believer that a festival such as YA FEST is a community event, drawing families with children of all ages. The younger set, those who are the true Middle Grade audience, should have their own festival and so I approached Josh Berk about hosting a very special event just for them. To instill the love of reading and encouraging a relationship between a child and a book is the drive behind YA FEST. Libraries are such special places and to have an opportunity to meet an author is a once in a lifetime experience that is now an annual reality.

3-What are the challenges in pulling off an exclusively MG book festival? Is it easier or harder to organize than a YA festival? 

The organization of a MG book festival is quite easy. With two YA FESTs behind me, it has been narrowed down to a very simple science. Not to mention the BAPL is the perfect venue as a portion of the money raised via book sales will be given to the library to help fund their new children’s wing. In fact, the area the festival will be held in is scheduled for demolition. We can’t wait to see the renovations!

4-Why do you think there are so few book festivals exclusively for middle grade readers?

This is my personal opinion, but I do feel that Middle Grade is harder to promote. This is a genre that relies on the backing of schools and libraries to give it a push. However, some school districts are in the midst of budget cuts and only have access to a few author visits throughout the year. The Scholastic Book Fair continues to be a main player in reaching young readers, but a large-scale event with multiple authors is not something that is a common occurrence.

YA FEST and YA FEST Junior are free to the public. A percentage of sales is then offered in the form of a fundraiser for the hosting venue. Authors donate their time to attend. Publishers donate books to raffle off. Children make memories at these events—they meet the creators of their beloved characters and discover new stories and adventures. It’s really a winning event for all involved.

5-Unlike many YA readers, middle grade readers are often supervised by parents, teachers and librarians. How do you appeal to adults at the book festival? How do you appeal directly to kids?

I would hope that that anyone bringing their child to the festival is a booklover. If the adult has a deep appreciation for reading I would hope that they, too, are as excited about the event as the children. In fact, they may be more excited! Knowing their children will have an engaging time, meeting authors, meeting illustrators, is rewarding. There will also be many books raffled off as prizes, so the opportunity to walk away with several books is enticing. Children will find the event to be a large, kid friendly atmosphere with activities. We’re certain YA FEST Junior will be so much fun that it will appeal to children who struggle with reading or have yet to discover a love for it.

6-How has the Bethlehem (PA) Public library partnered with you on the festival, in addition to providing  space for the event? Are you getting support from other businesses or institutions in your community?

The Bethlehem Area Public Library has a phenomenal staff. Author Josh Berk recently became the director there and working with him is always fun. My fellow festival planner Ashley Supinski and I have met with Youth Services Department Manager Dana Hoy, and she will lead an active group of teen volunteers to help us out for the day. Our neighborhood indie bookstore is very excited to help out and I will be asking the nearest hotel in town about offering a discount for our authors visiting from a distance.

7-How are you getting the word out about the festival?

We’re relying on a good number of ways to spread the word about YA FEST Junior. Special event posters and banners have been created and have been hung up in the library as well as the bookstore that will provide the titles available for sale. All social media pages will share the news. This includes YA FEST’s media, the BAPL and Moravian Book Shop. The attending authors will post the festival on their event pages and websites.

Several press releases will go out to the local papers and local television station.  Exclusive invites have been sent to fifteen local elementary and middle schools.  We are also slated to be a feature article in LVStyle Magazine’s April issue.

8-How do you envision YA Fest Jr developing in the future?

As long as have a willing venue available to us I see great things for this festival. I would love to see YA FEST and YA FEST Junior unite into one festival again, so that’s certainly something to consider. Looking ahead, I would really like to see this become a traveling festival where local schools vote to host the festival and it then is held in a school auditorium or cafeteria. Each year may be a different school, or perhaps in a different county, and a special unveiling of where it will be will be announced.

Barbara Dee is the author of The (Almost)  Perfect Guide to Imperfect Boys, Trauma Queen, This Is Me From Now On, Solving Zoe, and Just Another Day in my Insanely Real Life, all published by Simon & Schuster.

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