Posts Tagged Shannon Hitchcock

Interview & Giveaway with Amie Darnell Specht & Shannon Hitchcock!

By on February 7, 2024   /   Author Interviews, Giveaways  

Amie competing in the GUMBO Races (Games Uniting Mind and Body)

Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Amie and Shannon. We’re thrilled to have you here. Congrats on the launch of Dancing in the Storm. It’s so inspiring and powerful. I had never heard of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) before. I learned so much about it…and especially how it can drastically change a person’s life as Kate experienced it. She’s one of the strongest protagonists I’ve ever met. I know she’ll inspire so many people.

Huge congrats for being named a Junior Library Guild book! I’m sure there will be many other wonderful awards and lists coming your way. 🙂

 

What were the perks and challenges of co-writing Dancing in the Storm together?

Amie:  The perk for me was working with someone who had previous experience writing books, and who could guide me about making our book better.  The most challenging part was finding time to work together. We started right before Covid hit so almost all our communication was done over text, phone, or email.

Shannon: The perk for me is that I wasn’t starting with a blank slate– the characters and the story are heavily influenced by Amie’s life. As for the challenges, it’s a little slower to work with a co-author because two people weigh in on every sentence.

 

What surprised you the most while writing this book?

Amie: How much goes into writing a book. Shannon was very helpful through the process though.

Shannon: Amie’s positive outlook on life. I have far fewer physical challenges, but can be a lot grumpier. There’s a life lesson there, I’m sure.

 

Yes! Amie is so inspiring. I love her positive outlook, which reflects in Kate’s character.

I love how Kate has so many interests besides gymnastics, like baking with Mindy. I could imagine how much harder this would’ve been without her love of space, Broadway musicals, etc. What parts of this book relate the closest to your life, Amie—and what were made up or tweaked the most?

Amie at a dance recital

Amie: The biggest tweak is FOP showed up for me when I was 4 ½, not 12. I was already in gymnastics, but that is not what caused FOP to present itself. With that said, there are things in the book that happened when I was 16/17 years old, like managing the gymnastics team. We also didn’t add everything I was involved in, but tried to incorporate a lot of it.

 

Is there anything you wish you could go back and tell your younger self, Amie?

Amie:  Oh man! There is a lot. The biggest would be to listen when my parents told me not to do something. I didn’t care about my limitations. I climbed trees and rode kid four wheelers. I remember one day when we lived in New Jersey, we had ice on our driveway. My mom said we could go out, but that I was supposed to stay in the garage due to ice. Not ten minutes later, my brother had to get help because I had slipped on the ice and hurt my leg.

 

Aw, I’m sorry that happened. (((Hugs)))

I love how your book shows people they aren’t alone…and that becoming friends with someone in a similar situation can be helpful. But it also shows ways to feel less alone with people who aren’t disabled. And how to use meditation to stay as strong as possible. What do you think can help people the most, especially soon after a diagnosis or flare up?

Amie: I am all for seeing a therapist when big changes happen, and I have had to when certain flare ups changed me a lot. Also, know it’s ok to be upset and scared, but accept the change and figure out what needs to be done to get to your new normal. 

I love the way you phrased that—the new normal. Looking at the future vs. mourning the past sounds like it could help people facing all kinds of situations and disabilities.

 

Kate’s entire world feels like it changes in an instant…yet no matter how sad or shocked she is, her positive side always shines through. She’s so inspiring! Was it easy to write the book that way? What tips do you have for staying positive during tough times?

Amie holding Charlyze with husband, Matt, and stepchildren, Ashley and Greg

Amie: I’ve just always been a pretty happy person. I have my moments too, but I try to find something funny about the situation and that usually brightens my spirits.

Shannon: It was easy to write the book that way because that’s the way Amie portrays herself. Her positivity was evident in every interaction I’ve had with her. 

 

When Kate first shared her diagnosis and how it would change her life, things were awkward with friends. What can people do to help a friend through a time like this?

Amie and best friend Mindy

Amie:  If a friend is going through a tough time in their life, figure out ways to include them in normal activities. I’ve had moments in my life when FOP caused drastic changes, and I was embarrassed about it, or worried about how I would look. That’s when my friends made me feel less alone. A good example is the chapter in Dancing In The Storm when Kate and her friends eat popcorn with forks–that actually happened to me.

 

I love that scene so much! I’m so glad your friends joined you eating popcorn with forks. 😊

What are some of your favorite middle-grade novels—and why do you love them so much?

Shannon: Blood Brothers by Rob Sanders, The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson, The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed, The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood, and Escape From Aleppo by N.H. Senzai.

I love realistic fiction that features protagonists with big hearts. Bonus points if it’s historical fiction!

I see a few books I love and others to add to my must-read list. Thank you for sharing, Shannon.

 

Can you share a writing exercise?

Shannon: I had met Amie, (my co-author), but we didn’t know each other very well, and yet we had decided to write a novel together. The novel would be inspired by Amie’s life growing up with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, one of the rarest genetic disorders in the world. We started by completing this character workshop together. It’s a great tool for collaborators who are developing characters together, but also for any author writing fiction. Give it a try!

 

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about FOP? I was thrilled to see there’s finally a treatment available! What can we do to help support those with FOP?

Amie: Yes! The treatment is very new and countries are still working on getting it approved.  FOP is a genetic disease and responds to any sort of trauma to the body. The biggest indicator of FOP is our toes, (big toes are short and curved inward), which is noticeable at birth. If more doctors and nurses knew about this, we could diagnose kids at a younger age and possibly prevent them from some of the trauma (like intramuscular immunizations).

To help support FOP, a person can go to www.IFOPA.org and donate to their research efforts.  We have come so far and hopefully more treatments will start becoming available as well!

 

Thank you for sharing, Amie. I hope this amazing book will help make many more people, including doctors, aware of FOP and how to notice it earlier to help protect kids.

Now that your incredible book is out in the world…what’s next for each of you?

Amie: Dancing In the Storm has given me a platform to spread the word about FOP. Though my condition makes travel difficult, look for me on more interviews such as this one, and I’m working on a Pinterest board. For fun, I stream on the Twitch platform. Last year was rough, but this year I plan to be back. I stream a variety of video games.

Shannon: I have a picture book biography, Of Words and Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman, Writer, Historian, Environmentalist forthcoming April 16, 2024, and I’m hard at work revising another middle grade that features a protagonist with a big heart!

 

That all sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to read more interviews and see future books from you both.

Thank you again for visiting the Mixed-Up Files. I love your inspiring book…and can’t wait for our readers to discover it. Thank you also for your generous giveaway!

Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a copy of Dancing in the Storm (US only). The winner will be announced on this post and contacted via e-mail on February 13. Good luck!

Kate’s life in Baton Rouge, full of friends and family, gymnastics and Girl Scouts, is just plain great. But then, at the age of twelve, she suddenly develops a mysterious shoulder pain that won’t go away . . . and that will change her life forever. It turns out that Kate has one of the rarest genetic disorders in the world, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva. FOP causes bone to form in places in the body where it shouldn’t, and there’s no cure yet. Kate will need to learn how to live with this difficult new reality, helped by those close to her and by a new pen pal named Amie, who has been living with FOP for years.

Drawing upon much of Amie Specht’s own experiences with FOP, she and esteemed novelist Shannon Hitchcock have created a poignant, eye-opening, and uplifting story of finding courage and joy in the face of adversity.

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Amie Darnell Specht worked in tech support for a large computer company for many years. She and her husband live in North Carolina with lots of pets. She has Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), and this, her first novel, is heavily influenced by her story. Follow her on Twitter, Twitch, and Pinterest!

 

 

Shannon Hitchcock was born and still lives in North Carolina and grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of four previous acclaimed novels for children, including Flying Over Water and Ruby Lee & Me. In addition, Shannon is the author of four picture book biographies, with the latest, Of Words and Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman, Writer, Historian, Environmentalist, coming on April 16, 2024. Follow Shannon on Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

Some additional photos I think you’ll enjoy. 🙂

Amie with her beloved dog, Chloe

Amie managing her high school gymnastic team

Amie on her wedding day with husband, Matt

 

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FLYING OVER WATER: Interview + GIVEAWAY

By on October 19, 2020   /   Articles, Author Interviews  


Flying Over Water by Shannon Hitchcock and N.H. Senzai has been getting rave reviews, including a star from Kirkus Reviews. So, naturally, I jumped at the chance to interview the co-authors. I loved reading all about the novel, their inspiration, and their process of writing together.  I’m sure you will, too.

Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a signed copy of the book.

 

Collaboration

How did the two of you meet, and how did the idea for the collaboration on Flying Over Water come about?


Shannon: Naheed and I have never met. The initial inspiration for Flying Over Water struck when a high school friend’s daughter converted to Islam. I started researching the religion, not entirely sure where the journey would take me.

About that same time, I saw a photo of a Syrian refugee and her young son in my minister’s office. They held a sign that said WE ARE FROM SYRIA CAN YOU HELP US? I wrote a manuscript about a Christian girl whose church helps a Syrian refugee family, but then I started paying attention to #ownvoices. I wondered if my story was centered on the wrong character? I decided to seek a co-author and after reading Naheed’s book, Escape from Aleppo, knew she would be the perfect partner.

Naheed: One day, I got an email from my agent relaying an offer from Shannon’s agent to possibly co-author a book with her. I was intrigued so asked to read the manuscript. I immediately connected with the story of a Syrian girl, Noura, arriving to the United States as a refugee, befriended by an American girl, Jordyn.

My previous book, Escape from Aleppo, was about a family fleeing the Syrian war and ending up in a Turkish refugee camp. Noura’s story provided an opportunity to explore what would happen to a such family, if they were granted asylum in the United States. The next thing we did was have a long phone conversation. We got to know each other and discussed how to co-author an engaging and interesting story that incorporated both our ideas. Once the groundwork was laid, we got busy writing Flying Over Water.

 

What was your process in writing the two points of view?

We plotted the manuscript chapter-by-chapter using Google Docs. Once we agreed on plot, the spreadsheet became a living document that we constantly updated. We sent chapters back and forth via email and critiqued each other’s work using Track Changes.


Research

What kind of research did you have to do?

Naheed: My books tend to be research intensive; I spend months reading, absorbing, and cataloging information about the subject I’m writing about. What helped me to jump into writing Flying Over Water was the research I’d already done for Escape from Aleppo. I am not from Syria, but I’ve lived and traveled throughout the Middle East and have many friends in the region.

It also helped that my husband teaches Middle East politics, so he assists in putting the history and politics of the region in perspective. I also spoke to many journalists and Syrians who shared first-hand accounts of the terrible conflict. My goal is to make sure that the nuances of history, politics, culture, and food of the region ring true so that the story is as accurate as possible.

Shannon: My minister introduced me to Janet Blair, the Community Liaison for Refugee Services, Suncoast Region. Janet answered my questions about the resettlement process and arranged for me to meet several Syrian girls. I also read non-fiction about the Syrian Civil War. Two books I highly recommend are A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming and We Crossed A Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria by Wendy Pearlman. The Boston Globe series about Syrian refugees helped, too.

 

How close are your own personal stories to these characters’ stories?

Naheed: Noura’s story is an American story, similar to millions of other immigrants who come to America looking for a better life. With a scholarship to study engineering at the University of Minnesota, my father arrived from India in 1963. However, the chilly Midwest winters had him fleeing west for warmer climes. When my sister was introduced to her class in San Francisco, the boys greeted her with war cries as they played cowboys to her Indian. It took a while for them to understand that she was not the Indian Columbus had stumbled upon, but the ones he was actually looking for, in his desire for wealth and spices from the East Indies.

Our family, like Noura’s, settled into life in America, enjoying its blessings but also dealing with discrimination and xenophobia. And nearly half a century later, challenges still exist. That’s why I felt it was important to begin our story on the day of President Trump’s Muslim Ban, which sent a chill through the Muslim-American community.

Shannon: I am a United Methodist like the character, Jordyn, and lived in Tampa for many years where the story is set. I made Jordyn a competitive swimmer whose favorite stroke is the butterfly because of my nephew, Drew Hitchcock. Drew is the NC state champion in the 200 fly. And finally, in the book, Jordyn’s mom has a miscarriage. I understand the pain of losing a child because one of my sons died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

 

For Teachers and Writers

What do you hope readers take away after reading Flying Over Water?

Naheed: I hope Flying Over Water can serve as a messenger of peace and understanding, and  that its characters, their voices, and stories help young people embrace our shared humanity and be agents of positive change for their communities.

Shannon: I hope young readers are inspired to reach out and make friends with kids who may not look, sound, or worship the way they do. I hope it makes them question the world around them and pay attention to current events.

 

How can teachers use Flying Over Water in the classroom?

Naheed: A core element of our book is to highlight how young people can become positive agents of change for the schools, their community, and society at large. Although Noura and Jordyn come from different backgrounds they find out they have a lot in common. When faced with challenges such as xenophobia and intolerance, they band together with other students to fight for their rights, as afforded by the constitution and its amendments. Especially during a time where our rights and freedoms are in jeopardy, Flying Over Water serves as a starting off point to discuss these issues and find solutions for them.

Shannon: Flying Over Water would make an awesome read aloud. The chapters are short and dual narrators provide different perspectives of the same events. Social Studies teachers could also use Flying Over Water as a supplemental text to discuss religious freedom, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly.

 

For our readers, who are also writers, can you give us one of your favorite writing tips?

Naheed: Keep reading – the best writers are dedicated readers of all manner of things, especially non-fiction. Also, keep notes of the interesting facts, figures, and events you come across and weave them into your stories.

Shannon: Don’t revise in a vacuum. No matter how good you think your manuscript is, critique partners will make it better.

 

Learn More About the Authors

N.H. Senzai is the award-winning author of Escape from Aleppo, Ticket to India, and Saving Kabul Corner. Her first novel for young readers, Shooting Kabul, was the winner of the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award (APALA) for Young Adult Literature, was an NPR Backseat Book Club Pick, and appeared on numerous awards lists. Ms. Senzai lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. Visit her online at NHSenzai.com.

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

To read more about Naheed and her middle-grade novel, Escape from Aleppo, click here.

 

 

 

Shannon Hitchcock is the author of Saving Granddaddy’s Stories, One True Way, Ruby Lee & Me, and The Ballad of Jessie Pearl. Her books have been featured on many state awards lists and have received acclaimed reviews. Shannon recently moved from Tampa, Florida to Asheville, North Carolina. For more, visit her website at shannonhitchcock.com.

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

To read more about Shannon and her middle-grade novel, One True Way, click here.

 

 

For a chance to win an autographed copy of Flying Over Water, enter the giveaway by clicking on the link below. (U.S. only)

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Interview with Shannon Hitchcock + Giveaway

By on February 26, 2018   /   Author Interviews, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Giveaways  

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome middle-grade author, Shannon Hitchcock, to the Mixed-Up Files to talk about her latest novel, ONE TRUE WAY, which hits bookstores tomorrow, February 27, 2018. But first, here’s a little bit about Shannon and her fabulous novel.

The ALAN Review hailed Shannon Hitchcock as, “A New Voice in Historical Fiction.” She’s the author of the Crystal Kite award-winning novel, THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL, and a second novel, RUBY LEE & ME, a nominee for the 2017-18 Nebraska Chapter Book Golden Sower Award, Pennsylvania’s Keystone Award, an Iowa Children’s Choice Award, and Japan’s Sakura Medal. ONE TRUE WAY, which received a starred review from KIRKUS REVIEWS, is her third novel.

 

Welcome to Daniel Boone Middle School in the 1970s, where teachers and coaches must hide who they are, and girls who like girls are forced to question their own choices. Presented in the voice of a premier storyteller, ONE TRUE WAY sheds exquisite light on what it means to be different, while at the same time being wholly true to oneself. Through the lives and influences of two girls, readers come to see that love is love is love. Set against the backdrop of history and politics that surrounded gay rights in the 1970s South, this novel is a thoughtful, eye-opening look at tolerance, acceptance, and change, and will widen the hearts of all readers.

 

ONE TRUE WAY is about two middle-school girls growing up in the seventies who develop feelings for each other. You mention in the Author’s Note about how you got the idea. Why was it so important to you to write this particular novel?

I grew up in a conservative church that taught homosexuality is a sin. I had never really questioned those teachings until a person I love came out to me. I wrote ONE TRUE WAY to make sense of it all.

All three of your published novels are historical. What is it about that genre that appeals to you?

I grew up on a hundred-acre farm in a family of storytellers. I loved hearing my grandparents and uncles talk about the times before I was born. All of my favorite books were historical too. I loved Little House on the Prairie, Heidi, Caddie Woodlawn, and the biographies of women like Annie Oakley, Nancy Todd Lincoln, Lucretia Mott, and Betsy Ross. I have a theory that the type of books you loved as a child are probably the kind you’d enjoy writing as an adult.

The characters in ONE TRUE WAY are so richly developed. Are any of them based on people you’ve known?

Probably the best example is Reverend Walker. She’s based on my real-life minister, Vicki Walker, who helped with the theological aspects of my book.

I love the period details in the book. Can you tell us about some of the research you had to do?

I started with my yearbook from 1977. I looked at our hairstyles and clothes. I googled songs from 1976 and 77 to fact check my memories. I watched a lot of YouTube clips of Anita Bryant and her Save Our Children campaign. Probably the most important research was reading every LGBTQ themed YA book I could get my hands on. I made note of what content would be appropriate and inappropriate for a MG audience.

In the book, you do a wonderful job with a few characters who have to reconcile their religious teachings with the notion of homosexuality. Can you tell us how you came to formulating those ideas presented?

Three books were invaluable to me: Defrocked: How A Father’s Act of Love Shook the United Methodist Church by Franklyn Schaefer, Crooked Letter i: Coming Out in the South by Connie Griffin, and When Christians Get It Wrong by Adam Hamilton. Once I had formulated my own opinions, I discussed my beliefs with the Reverend Vicki Walker. I knew I was on to something when she said, “You have no idea how many parents have sat where you are, struggling to accept their gay children, and how many children have sat in the same seat, afraid of disappointing their parents.” If ONE TRUE WAY can help those families in any way, I will consider it a success.

For those who would like to read more middle-grade LGBTQ-themed books, do you have any recommendations?

I’ve actually compiled a list which is on my website here.

For more about Shannon and her work, visit her website. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks, Shannon! And thanks for offering a free signed copy of your book to a lucky winner (U.S. and Canada only). To be eligible to win, leave a comment below. I’ll pick a winner at random Wednesday night at 9 p.m. and announce who won on Thursday.

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