For Writers

Author Ali Standish discusses The Mending Summer, the power of healing and writing honestly about addiction

 I’m jumping up and down because I get to interview Ali Standish for the launch of her sixth book, The Mending Summer. Ali is also the author of the critically acclaimed The Ethan I Was Before, How to Disappear Completely, August Isle, The Climbers and Bad Bella. She grew up in North Carolina and spent several years as an educator in the Washington, DC, public school system. Ali has an MFA in children’s writing from Hollins University and an MPhil in children’s literature from the University of Cambridge. You can visit her online at www.alistandish.com

Before our discussion officially gets underway, I want to make one thing clear. I’m not an unbiased interviewer. I had the great honor to serve as Ali’s  MFA thesis advisor at Hollins University Summer Graduate Program in Children’s Literature & Writing. It gives me great joy to speak with her now about new middle grade, The Mending Summer.

  • Water plays a central role as a healer and teacher in The Mending Summer. Why did you choose a lake as a setting? How did lakes figure into your own childhood?

 What a great question, Hillary! And thank you so much for having me. I am no unbiased interviewee either.

I think you’re absolutely right that the lake both heals and teaches. That was my experience attending camp each summer on the shores of Lake Wylie, SC. Being around a body of water, be it a lake, a river or an ocean, has always been both uplifting and humbling for me. Water reminds us of how beautiful and wonderous life can be—what’s more majestic than watching the sun set over the sea?—but it’s also something we can’t control or tame, or really even fully understand. It forces us to let go of the idea that we have total agency over our own lives. In children’s literature, we tend to want to emphasize the power of agency, but for children like Georgia whose lives have spun out of control, it’s important to show that there are things, like another person’s addiction, that we don’t have power over. When we relinquish that idea, we can start to focus on what we can control, which is how we treat ourselves.

  • Georgia’s father is an alcoholic, whose drinking increasingly interferes with his ability to be a reliable parent. You don’t shirk from showing us scenes when he becomes “the Shadow Man,” weaving to the front door or even passed out. And yet, you offer the reader many moments, often in flashback, of magical father/daughter engagement. When someone is suffering from alcoholism it’s easy to fall into the trap of defining them only by their disease. You carefully weave in Daddy’s interests from his passion for music to his love of stories. How did you balance this portrait so carefully?

I was very intentional about wanting to show the essence of Daddy’s character—funny, loving, creative—instead of making him into a caricature of an alcoholic or a simple villain. Because my own family members have struggled with alcoholism, and I’ve had many years to process that, I had a lot of empathy for Georgia’s daddy. I think anyone who has loved an alcoholic or an addict has that empathy, even if it is buried under feelings of betrayal, anger, or loss. We know the person underneath the disease, and it’s important to continue to honor, celebrate, and love that individual, even if it needs to be from a distance. Equally, though, it was important to me not to shy away from the more painful scenes where we see how much alcoholism has changed Daddy, or minimize the impact it has on Georgia.

I hope that in showing him from both those angles, readers who may be impacted by addictions in their own family might feel some comfort. If alcoholism can turn a man like Daddy into the Shadow Man, then maybe they will feel less shame and confusion about why it’s happening to their loved ones. Alcoholism can affect anyone.

  • The Mending Summer braids together elements of mystery, adventure, and fantasy, while still giving quite a bit of weight to Georgia’s shifting feelings. She’s quite emotionally intelligent and sensitive. When you were Georgia’s age, were you aware of your own conflicting feelings? How did you figure out how much time to give to Georgia’s interior life versus the exterior action?

 Kids of alcoholics often develop that kind of emotional intelligence early on as a defense mechanism. It’s important to be able to read the room, the situation, the person sitting across from you, so that you can anticipate what’s coming next. I think it took me longer than Georgia to turn that sensitivity inward. It wasn’t until after my family members had been in recovery for a while and our family had stabilized that I was able to understand my own feelings around things. And what I found was that I had swung between healthy ways of dealing with things (focusing on my own achievements, hobbies, relationships with friends) and unhealthy ways (not reaching out for support or sharing what was going on, but instead turning my turbulent emotions inward). In The Mending Summer, that tug-of-war becomes concrete in the form of the wishing lake, and the two children Georgia meets there. Externalizing the struggle in that way meant that there was plenty of room for action and adventure, so that the story (I hope!) didn’t become too weighed down by Georgia’s internal conflict.

  • Aunt Marigold, with whom Georgia stays with in the country during her mending summer, is a potter. Not only does pottery work as a powerful metaphor but eventually Georgia learns how to shape her own clay pieces. How did you come to weave this element into the book?

At first, I actually experimented with Aunt Marigold teaching Georgia piano, but that didn’t feel quite right. With pottery, you are creating a physical object out of a lump of mud (okay not exactly but you get the gist!). That power to create something whole becomes an important counterbalance to Georgia’s home life, which is fracturing into pieces. I experimented with pottery a few summers at camp and always wished I had been able to do more with it. Pottery also has a long history in North Carolina, where I live and where the book is set. Seagrove, NC, is the largest community of active potters in the country!

  • Aunt Marigold, who is actually a great aunt, is one of my favorite characters. She “walked barefoot through the garden and read William Faulkner at the table and wore overalls like a man.” Did you base Aunt Marigold on a real person? If so, I want to meet her!

Me too! Alas, she is not based on a real person, though I did have an image of Sissy Spacek in my mind when I was writing her… I do like to think that I have my own version of Aunt Marigold inside of me—a strong woman who is unapologetic about who she is, and who can be both surprisingly tender and fiercely protective. We all deserve an Aunt Marigold to give us the resolve to keep going when times get tough.

  • A lonely looking gravestone, a mystery room, odd sounds, and eerie characters all figure into this story. There were places I found myself turning on the reading lamp a little brighter. How did you feel about scary stories as a kid? How did you manage to weave in some many spooky moments and yet have the overall story feel uplifting?

I LOVED spooky stories as a kid. Still do! I remember how devastated I was when I first realized that I was too old to really enjoy Goosebumps anymore. I had no idea how to fill the void! I think many young readers are drawn to these kinds of mysteries that carry a hint of danger. My stories are usually about a kid who is struggling with something tough, but they always have room for a few southern gothic tropes. But those locked doors and spooky gravestones always have a human story behind them which, once uncovered, usually have something in them to support the protagonist on their journey to healing. So…come for the scares, stay for the character development—hah!

  • The story includes quite a bit of adventure and some thrilling moments. Did you know in advance that this story would go there? Or did it take you by surprise?

 I did know that it would go there. What happens at the lake mirrors what is happening in Georgia’s psyche. Since she went to some dark places, it was only natural that the lake would, too. Of course, the adventures start out as quite exciting and fun, and that was one of the ways that I tried to keep balance in the book between exploring the tough stuff but threading it through with the kind of mystery and adventure I loved reading as a middle grader.

  • Nature is a both fearsome and healing. In many ways, I was getting some Bridge to Terabithia I’m assuming Katherine Patterson is an influence. I’d be curious to learn a little bit about some of your favorite middle grade books and why you love them.

 I will happily take that comparison, thank you very much! (No take-backsies.) Bridge to Terabithia was a hugely influential book for me. You know how sometimes you see a tree that grows around a large stone, or some man-made object? I feel like my soul kind of grew around that book. It even inspired an entire fantasy world in my backyard—Narbithia (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was also a favorite!). That book gave me a blueprint for how to exercise my imagination, while also showing me the supreme power of story to make readers feel.

More recent favorites include Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me(okay, not that recent, but a perfectly plotted book, in my humble opinion, and one that any aspiring writer can learn so much from) and this year’s Newbery winner, Tae Keller’s When You Trap a Tiger. In fact, I had the honor of blurbing the latter (and will continue to mention this for the rest of my life when given the most minuscule opportunity). When You Trap a Tiger is also a book that blurs the lines between magic and a child’s inner-turmoil. It weaves together Korean folklore with a universal story of family history, love and loss in a beautiful, haunting way.

  • Are you an outliner, panster or a hybrid writer?

 I write books like Boomers drive cars. (At least the Boomers in my family!) I know where I want to start and where I want to go, and I’m pretty sure I know how to do it, but I’m sure as heck not going to bother with a GPS. So there will inevitably be some wrong cars (and some choice language) but eventually, I usually find my way.

  • Anything else you’d like readers to know about The Mending Summer?

Importantly, the cast includes a grumpy cow named Ruby. Why does no one mention her?!

Just kidding, mostly I just want educators, librarians, and young readers to know that there are stories out there for kids who are impacted by alcoholism and addiction. Hopeful, engaging stories that might make them feel less alone and that might help guide them toward making healthy choices, rather than self-destructive ones. And while they deal with serious issues, these stories are necessary to keep on classroom and library bookshelves, because you never know which child might be walking into school each morning with this weighing on their shoulders.

Hillary Homzie is the author of the Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, 2018), Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2018), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. She’s also a contributor to the  Kate the Chemist middle grade series (Philomel Books/Penguin Random House). During the year, Hillary teaches at Sonoma State University and in the summer she teaches in the graduate program in childrens’ literature, writing and illustration at Hollins University. She also is an instructor for the Children’s Book Academy. She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on her Facebook page as well as on Twitter.

 

 

 

 

Author Spotlight: Kwame Mbalia & Prince Joel Makonnen + a book GIVEAWAY & exclusive TRAILER REVEAL!

Kwame Mbalia (left), the New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong books (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky; Tristan Strong Destroys the World; and the upcoming Tristan Strong Keeps Punching), has teamed up with Prince Joel Makonnen (right), the great-grandson of Haile Selassie I, the last Ethiopian emperor, to write Last Gate of the Emperor.

The novel, an Afrofuturist adventure novel inspired by the legends and culture of real-life Ethiopia, was lauded by Kirkus as an “enthralling tale of resilience, family, and bravery that will entertain young sci-fi lovers.” It is available now from Scholastic.

Summary of Last Gate of the Emperor

Yared Heywat lives an isolated life in Addis Prime—a hardscrabble space colony with rundown tech, lots of rules, and not much to do. His worrywart Uncle Moti and bionic lioness Besa are his only family… and his only friends.

Often in trouble for his thrill-seeking antics and smart mouth, those same qualities make Yared a star player of the underground augmented reality game The Hunt for Kaleb’s Obelisk. But when a change in the game rules prompts Yared to log in with his real name, it triggers an attack that rocks the city. In the chaos, Uncle Moti disappears.

Suddenly, all the stories Yared’s uncle told him as a young boy are coming to life, of kingdoms in the sky and city-razing monsters. And somehow Yared is at the center of them.

Together with Besa and the Ibis—a game rival turned reluctant ally—Yared must search for his uncle… and answers to his place in a forgotten, galaxy-spanning war.

Now, CLICK HERE for an exclusive SNEAK PEEK at the book trailer!

Interview with Kwame Mbalia & Prince Joel

MR: Thank you for joining us on the Mixed-Up Files blog, Kwame and Prince Joel. Before we dive in, I’d love to know the origin story behind your collaboration. How did a best-selling children’s author/self-described lover of Dad jokes and Cheezits team up with the great-grandson of Haile Selassie I, the 225th emperor of Ethiopia? 

KM: Through a mutual friend! And with both of us sharing a passion for telling stories about the African diaspora, it was easy to forge a connection through the power of those stories.

The Secret of Worldbuilding

MR: Last Gate of the Emperor is a fantastical tale that incorporates real-life Ethiopian places, culture, history, and food. For instance, the Gebeya (marketplace) is airborne with drones that buzz overhead and food vendors sell traditional Ethiopian fare, such as shiro (ground-chickpea stew) and sambusas (a savory pastry filled with ground beef or lentils). What’s the secret to building a world like the one described in your book? 

KM: Worldbuilding is like building a car. All cars have a frame to put the body of the car on. But the type of frame can be changed, adapted, painted, dressed up all snazzy, etc. Start from your frame, which for me is the community in my world. Where are my characters eating? Where are they attending school? Where are they hanging out…?

In answering these questions like how do characters get around (the engine/wheels) or what goods/industries are there (can’t have leather seats without cows) you’ll find more questions that will help to build out that world.

Creating a Rich and Textured World

MR: A question for Kwame: Like Last Gate of the Emperor, your Tristan Strong novels (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and Tristan Strong Destroys the World) weave (West) African—and African-American—folklore into the narrative, creating a rich and textured world. What is it about African and African-American folklore that inspires you as a writer? Also, what kind of research did you do for Last Gate of the Emperor?

KM: In answer to the first question, it’s my culture. For research, there are always books and videos, but I find that nothing is better than actually talking with the people. And having someone like Joel on my team is like having the ultimate video game cheat code (not that Yared would cheat, he’s already the best).

Your Story Is Your Power!

MR: Prince Joel, you spent your childhood in exile, in Europe, and knew little about your royal past. You only learned later that you were a descendant of the Solomonic Dynasty, the oldest monarchy in the world, which ruled Ethiopia for over 3,000 years and traces its lineage back to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. How did this discovery affect you personally? Did it give you a greater desire to delve into Ethiopian culture, history, and folklore, as demonstrated in Last Gate of the Emperor?

PJM: It absolutely fascinated me and motivated me to seek out even more information about my home country and my family’s history. A main theme in Last Gate of the Emperor is understanding the true meaning of family bond, and showing that it is everlasting, even if you are physically separated from your family and home because of unforeseen circumstances.

In Last Gate, similar to my experience, our main protagonist Yared is on an adventure, unbeknownst to him, which will take him on a journey of self-discovery. My hope is that young readers will be inspired by Yared and motivated to go on their own journey, seek their true core, and embrace it. Your story is your power! It will always be with you and you can use it to fulfill your dreams and do good in the world.

Bookish Inspiration

MR: Now, a question for both of you: What sorts of books did you enjoy as kids? How did these books influence you—as readers, and as novelists?

KM: I read anything and everything. Slowly I began to gravitate to science fiction and fantasy when I looked for other worlds to explore and escape to, while contemporary books by African American authors gave me an anchor to which I could return. Books like the Lord of the Rings and Slam! coalesced in my mind to give me the worldbuilding and the vernacular to create my own worlds.

PJM: As a kid, I enjoyed novels and fables such as The Little Prince, Jonathan Livingston Seagull and the Fables of LaFontaine. As a reader, these books gave me a lot of inspiration, exposed me different truths about life at an early age and allowed me to expand my understanding of the world. I learned that there is so much more to life than what is right in front of you, and you can dream up your own world.

Kwame Mbalia’s Writing Process

MR: Kwame, can you tell our Mixed-Up readers a bit about your writing routine? 

KM: Personally, I write when I’m allowed to. Quarantining during a pandemic with kids means writing sometimes falls to seventh on the list of priorities. So a paragraph here, a few sentences there, a panicked writing sprint sprinkled in for good measure, and boom, instant book. Okay, maybe not instantly, but you know what I mean.

A Surprise for Prince Joel

MR: Prince Joel, what surprised you most during the writing, research, and worldbuilding of this novel? 

PJM: Besa!!! She is Yared’s bionic lioness, and she is everything! There are many other things about Addis Prime that are so cool, including “nefasis,” a special backpack outfitted with thrusters, skysails and, of course, the augmented reality game HKO!

Sequel? A movie…? Enquiring MUF Readers Want to Know

MR: Will there be a sequel to Last Gate of the Emperor? I’m dying to know what happens to Yared in the future.  Also, is there a movie deal in the works? This book screams to be made into a film.

KM: We’re working on the sequel! And maybe if everyone screams loud enough at the same time a movie producer will perk up.

And finally, a lightning round!

Preferred writing snack?

KM: Cheezits

PJM: Kinder Bueno, or Reese’s cups

Coffee or tea?

KM: Coffee with Cheezits

PJM: Buna! (Coffee)

 Cat, dog or bionic lioness? (Okay, that’s a trick question…)

 KM: How dare you! (Don’t listen, Besa.)

PJM: Bionic lioness! (Did I mention Besa?)

Favorite song?

KM: Star Wars Rogue One YouTube playlist

PJM: Right now, it’s “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

KM: Robot apocalypse is more likely

PJM: Yea – I’m ready, zombies, let’s go!

Superpower?

KM: Perfect single swipe peanut butter spread

PJM: Ability to sleep while appearing awake and remaining functional

Favorite place on earth?

KM: Next to my wife

PJM: Paris, France. Specifically, the Le George restaurant at the Four Seasons George V hotel on the Champs-Elysées, eating moules marinieres et frites with some Orangina

You’re stranded on a desert island, with only three items in your possession. What are they?

KM: A pen, a notebook, and a smartphone with suspiciously strong signal strength

PJM: A music player with an infinity battery, a machete, and my gold Ethiopian cross necklace

MR: Thank you for chatting with me, Kwame and Prince Joel—and congratulations on the publication of Last Gate of the Emperor. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I know Mixed-Up Files readers will too!

About the Authors

Kwame Mbalia is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, and a former pharmaceutical metrologist in that order. His debut middle-grade novel, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and it—along with the sequels Tristan Strong Destroys the World and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching (out October 5)—is published by Rick Riordan Presents/Disney-Hyperion. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, he survives on Dad jokes and Cheezits. Learn more about Kwame on his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Prince Joel Makonnen is the great-grandson of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, the last emperor of Ethiopia. He is an attorney and the co-founder of Old World/New World, a media and entertainment company focused on telling powerful African stories that inspire global audiences through film, TV and books. He lives with his wife, Ariana, in Los Angeles.

A GIVEAWAY!

For a chance to win a copy of LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR, comment on the blog–and, if you’re on Twitter, on the Mixed-Up Files Twitter account, for an extra chance to win! 

Writing Advice From MG Women Authors

To celebrate Women’s History Month, I put out a call for writing advice from women middle-grade authors. Here are their wonderful tips:

“Write your truth! There’s a reader out there who needs it.” —Mae Respicio, ANY DAY WITH YOU

“All the talent in the world will not get you over the finish line in publishing. Persistence is the true measure of a professional.” —Janet Fox, THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS

“A mistake is never a mistake unless you don’t learn from it.” —S.A. Larsen, MOTLEY EDUCATION

“Half of writing is daydreaming. It’s not putting words on a page, it’s staring out a window waiting for the story to float by.” —Lija Fisher, THE CRYPTID CATCHER

“Writing is an act of empowerment: You’re creating your own world. It’s a place for your individual voice to ring out. So tell the story you need to, and enjoy the process!” —Diane Magras, THE MAD WOLF’S DAUGHTER and THE HUNT FOR THE MAD WOLF’S DAUGHTER

“Nobody writes well in a first draft. I think the reason many writers fail to finish projects is because they are putting too much pressure on themselves to be a ‘good’ writer – whatever that means. I am a firm believer in Anne Lamott’s advice to write crummy rough drafts. The important thing is to get the story on paper so you have the raw material to work with. Then, in revision, that’s when the real work starts, sculpting, shaping, and finding the best way to tell your story.” —Tara Gilboy, UNWRITTEN and REWRITTEN

“Connect with other writers. They are a wonderful source of motivation and support, and will help you to hone your craft.” —Anne O’Brien Carelli, SKYLARK AND WALLCREEPER and ONE LIGHT

“Every piece of writing you create contains a piece of yourself. It can feel scary to send that piece out into the world, into the hands of other people. But when you realize (and you will) that you’re brave enough to do it—and strong enough to survive the possibility that others may not be careful or even kind with that piece of yourself—you will join in the miracle and magic of a writer’s gift: You will have healed a corner of the world, someone’s world, with that small gift of you. So be brave.” —R.L. Toalson, THE COLORS OF THE RAIN and THE WOODS

“Your first draft is not supposed to be perfect! It is easy to get intimidated when you read a great book or interesting news story, but it’s not only possible, but probable, that the writer’s first draft wasn’t good — at all. That’s okay, first drafts aren’t supposed to be good. They exist to get the information down, then you go back and fix it all up and make it sound better the next time through it, and the time after that. Give yourself a break if your first draft (or first time you play a new song or try to draw a photo or learn a new dance move) needs love and attention to get better. That’s all part of the process!” —Andrea Pyros, MY YEAR OF EPIC ROCK and PINK HAIR AND OTHER TERRIBLE IDEAS

“As a former advice columnist and life coach, I’ve doled out a fair number of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ over the years. My favorite piece of advice is this: ‘Don’t get too comfortable.’ That’s not to say you should sleep on a bed of nails or run a marathon in heels. I’m talking about stepping outside your comfort zone. Of doing the thing that scares you; that makes you say, ‘I can’t.’ Sure, it will be scary at first, and you may want to throw in the towel. You might even decide that trying is too hard—and you won’t even bother. But complacency comes at a cost. It will chip away at your confidence, until the ‘I can’ts’ feel more natural than the “I cans.” But that’s fear talking. You can do more than you realize. So, do the thing that scares you, whether it’s taking up a new hobby or starting a journal. If you don’t succeed, that’s okay. You can always try again.” —Melissa Roske, KAT GREENE COMES CLEAN

“What you need to succeed as an author: lots of hope, hard work, and chocolate.” Cynthia Reeg, FROM THE GRAVE and INTO THE SHADOWLANDS

“You guide your career, not an agent or publisher. Be deliberate in your career choices and keep the long-term in mind. Make a five or ten-year plan, even if many aspects of success feel out of your control. And don’t be afraid to experiment and fail along the way.” Kim Ventrella, HELLO FUTURE ME and THE SECRET LIFE OF SAM

I love all this advice! And here’s one from me:

“Have fun! Publishing can be a difficult industry and writing can be hard work, but the best part of that is the creating. Play with your characters. Explore your new world. And I’ll say it againhave fun.” —Samantha M Clark, THE BOY, THE BOAT, AND THE BEAST and ARROW