WNDMG Author Interview

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to author Raj Tawney today. Raj’s book is titled All Mixed Up  (Paw Prints Publishing), which was published November 26, 2024.

I absolutely love the description of this novel, a story about finding yourself and pride in your identity- and this sounds like a book every young reader needs!

I encourage everyone to buy a copy for themselves and their classrooms and libraries.

About All Mixed Up:

Description taken from online:

New York Times essayist, Raj Tawney, delivers a gripping story of a multi-ethnic American boy who forges a complex friendship with a Pakistani immigrant in the wake of 9/11. It’s 2002–less than one year after the September 11th attacks– and sixth-grader Kamal Rao is tackling a brave new world of challenges, including figuring out who he really is and how he fits in. Even with New York City in its backyard, the suburban town where he lives is anything but open-minded. That means Kamal – frequently picked on and feeling ostracized — usually spends his time alone, making mud pies in the backyard or cooking recipes with his mom and grandma from his family’s three cultures. Then, one day, a Pakistani immigrant named Jaz arrives at school, entering Kamal’s life and challenging his sluggish movement through the world. As the two boys forge a friendship over their love of exploring the outdoors and eating good food, the newcomer begins to show Kamal how being “different” isn’t a bad thing at all. For the first time, a fire is lit within Kamal – but what will happen when questions of Jaz’s origins and his intentions begin to come into question at school and in their town? Will Kamal– now on the cusp of discovering who he really is and who he wants to be — risk his own safety and his family’s trust help his new friend, someone he barely knows at all?

Based on the author’s personal life experiences, an insightful middle-grade novel from a fresh voice in children’s fiction that will be felt long after the last page.

Interview with Raj:

I loved getting to talk to Raj about his new book and I think you will enjoy meeting him as well.

SSS: What a description! This book sounds SO important, and I personally can really relate to how the world changed after 9-11 as an immigrant myself. What inspired you to write a book based in 2002?

RT: Thanks so much, Shifa. It means a lot that you personally relate, as difficult a time as it was for all of us in 2001. I think something that’s always bothered me is that we rarely view that period from the perspective of people of color or immigrants. I remember being 14-15 years-old in 2001/2002, in New York, and witnessing fear-mongering at the hands adults, the media, and bullies are school, as well as harassment and anti-Muslim (or anyone who appeared “foreign”) sentiment. As scary as that period was, there were also moments of just being a young person who was still interested in music, movies, and laughing at silly things. I wanted to go back and examine that period as I saw and felt it, but I made the lead character, Kamal, a sixth grader because that period in a young person’s life is even more wide-open and exploratory. There’s still this feeling of being a kid but you know it’s not going to last much longer.

SSS: How do you think 9-11 still impacts the world today? How can historical novels help young readers understand history and how it shapes the future?

RT: I think 9-11 made some Americans feel cynical for a long, long time. Maybe that cynicism is still lingering in our society, which is why the ‘90s has been having a nostalgic surge lately. We tend to long for the days before all of the “bad stuff” happened. Alternatively, in the post-9-11 years, many of us took more of an active stance in wanting to change our world for the better. As dark as it may have seemed sometimes over the past two decades, there have been many beacons of progress. The same can be said during the WWII and Vietnam eras. I think young readers can look to any tumultuous era and find light. I’m constantly searching for a light through all of the negativity. It’s there if we keep our eyes and ears wide open.

SSS: I love reading books with multi-cultural themes. How has your cultural background impacted the main character’s cultural descriptions?

RT: I’m glad you love multi-cultural themes! Kamal, the lead character, is a mixed boy of Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian descent, just like me. My middle name is Kamal, which I also share with my dad and brother. Kamal, in the book, is directly influenced by my life, my family, our history, our food, my unique perspective on the world, and the compassion I believe I have for others. Though he is fictional at the end of the day, Kamal is definitely a version of my younger self. Growing up, I often felt lonely and like an outsider, but as time progressed, I’ve found that being mixed is actually an advantage and a superpower. I wanted to give young readers – especially boys who need more positive boyhood/friendship stories – more opportunities to see multi-cultural characters, whether or not they themselves are such. We’re part of a growing trend in America and it was essential that I capture the cultural complexities, and beauty, that come with being mixed.

SSS: The subject of friendship is so important in Middle Grade. How does Kamal’s new friendship help him find himself?

RT: The new kid, Jaz, a Pakistani immigrant, is much freer and sillier than Kamal and helps bring out the positivity that is aching to get out. I think that’s what a good friend does. They support the best qualities of you and want you to succeed. Though the story becomes complicated, Kamal finds self-worth thanks to his new friendship with Jaz.

Link to preorder here.

Writing Process:

SSS: When did you start writing this book?

RT: I don’t even remember. I’ve been working on it for so many years in my head and in notebooks. But I began writing it over three years ago now. It’s been quite a journey.

SSS: How is the process of writing a middle grade novel different from writing journalistically? How is it similar?

RT: It’s completely different. In journalism, it’s all about facts and getting straight to the point, though I always try to find ways to be creative and stylish. In fiction, especially in Middle Grade, you can take the story wherever you want! But the biggest challenge from writing for a young reader audience. I had to brush up on some of my classic favorite authors, like David A. Adler, Judy Blume, and Jean Craighead George, as well as revisit some newer favorites, like Jerry Spinelli, Amina Luqman-Dawson, and Lance Rubin, to understand how crucial it is to capture a young person’s sensibility. I had to remember what it was like to be in sixth grade, with all of the daydreaming, humor, and insecurities that come with age, and spend time in that mindset. It was fun but also quite challenging.

SSS: Any advice for fellow authors?

RT: No matter how ridiculous  an idea sounds, give it a shot and see where it takes you. You can always hit DELETE. And believe in yourself. Nobody will believe in you more than you, seriously.

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus question! Any more books from you we can look forward to in the future?

Thank you so much Raj for answering my questions! I hope everyone picks up a copy of your beautiful book.

About Raj Tawney:

Raj Tawney is a writer and journalist whose work largely reflects his multiracial American upbringing. Born to an Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian American family, Tawney has explored his identity and family history through personal essays published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and other outlets throughout the country. His debut memoir Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience (Empire State Editions/Fordham University Press) has received critical acclaim and was recently awarded the Bronze Medal at the 2024 Living Now Book Award for Inspirational Memoir. His Middle Grade novel All Mixed Up (Paw Prints Publishing/Baker & Taylor) is already receiving praise before its pub date on October 28, 2024, National Immigrants Day.

Links to social media:

Website: rajtawney.com