The Austin-based author PJ Hoover didn’t follow the normal path to publication. Instead, after getting a degree in electrical engineering and then years of designing computer chips, she decided to try her hand at writing. Fast forward a few years later and people around the country are reading her Forgotten Worlds trilogy. We caught up with PJ recently and visited with her about Cub Scouts, field trips and finding inspiration.
Describe a normal “writing” workday.
It starts when the kids are off to school. Normally I make coffee and oatmeal and get my emailing and blogging out of the way. After that, I tend to divide my time into chunks. If I need to work on revisions, I'll revise most of the day. If marketing is key (for example, when a new book is coming out), I'll focus on mailing lists, interviews, speeches, or postcard design. When revisions and marketing are out of the way, I get to focus on new projects. Depending on what this entails, I can spend the day researching ancient mythology, touring a museum, or jumping into a fun first draft!
Where do you find inspiration?
Great question! I find inspiration everywhere. In books, TV, nature and art. I think about the pictures my kids draw and see what I can make out of them. I listen to the nonsense worlds they sometimes make up. I take pictures of ironic things in everyday life. I go on field trips (many times with the Cub Scouts; Cub Scouts can get in for tours of so many cool places). I try to picture my characters in cool, off-the-beaten-path places, making decisions or falling in love. I keep my eyes and ears open, and while I'm doing all this, I remember to take the time to throw a penny in a fountain whenever I can. After all, wishes can only come true if they exist.
Who are your favorite writers and why?
There's always Homer because he was one of the first. The longevity of his epics is...epic. In more modern times, I think Suzanne Collins (author of GREGOR and THE HUNGER GAMES) is brilliant. Ditto Rick Riordan (of Percy Jackson fame). Although there are many debut authors whose initial books are wonderful and have made a huge impact, I love seeing authors who are evolving in front of my eyes. These are the authors that have made writing their careers. I can see them grow and succeed which in itself is inspirational.
What do you consider your greatest “creative” success up until now and why?
This would have to be continuing to write. Writing a first book is a great accomplishment, but to keep on writing is even more so. I love that I've kept writing. I hope to improve with each book I write. Getting a book published has its share of ups and downs, and to persist in this livelihood is something I am proud of.
What do you consider your greatest “creative” failure up until now and why?
Anything not a direct success is a failure. So my road to success was paved with failure after failure after failure. As for creativity in failures, one key piece of advice I try to keep in mind when things are not going as they should is this: take a negative situation and ask yourself, "How can I use this to my advantage?" Ponder this question as long as it takes, and an answer will almost certainly come to you.
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Read a ton in your genre. Write as often as you can. Reading and writing are ways of practicing. And like with anything and everything in life, with practice makes perfect! And on your revisions, take as much time between drafts as you can. A week. A month. A year. The longer you take, the more objective you'll be when you come back to it.
Be sure to visit P.J. Hoover online at http://www.pjhoover.com and
http://pjhoover.blogspot.com.
This interview also appears in the November 2009 edition of The Houston Banner.
National Book Award winner Kimberly Willis Holt grew-up all over the world but now calls Texas her home. Author of picture books, chapter books and novels, Ms. Holt will be visiting Houston this month to celebrate the release of her new book for young readers, Piper Reed Gets a Job. Recently, I caught-up with Ms. Holt and visited with her about the craft of writing, small moments and inspiration.
Describe your path to writing.
I started writing on June 15, 1994. I didn't own a computer, but I bought some yellow legal pads and pens and sat at the table on my screen porch.
Because I was new to the craft, I took every writing class in my city and attended conferences in a 300 mile radius. Some say you can't teach someone to write. I disagree. Each of my teachers gave me something that I use today.
Like most new writers, I sent my work out too soon, and I was rejected. But I kept rewriting. Eventually an agent agreed to represent me. About six months later my first book, My Louisiana Sky sold.
Where do you find inspiration?
Often, ideas for my books are inspired from small moments in my life. These moments can range from going down a Louisiana dirt road like Tiger does in My Louisiana Sky, to standing in line to see the fattest boy in the world like Toby does in When Zachary Beaver Comes to Town. I rarely realize that these small experiences are potential starting points for novels. They wait patiently until the time comes when they knock on my door and ask to tell their story.
Describe a normal “writing” workday.
There is no normal writing workday. Those existed before I was published. Now the business of writing plays a role in my hours. Let me give you an example. I recently lost my assistant so yesterday I started my day answering email about booking events. I also answered a query about a picture book manuscript from my editor. Then I had a phone call interview with 88 fourth graders from Abilene. Next I sent out W-9's, contracts, and books. This was all before lunch. After lunch I booked some flights and answered more email. Yesterday I didn't put one word on the page.
Now this was not a typical day either. Usually I write in the morning before I do anything. Otherwise the business of writing starts to take over. People look baffled when I tell them I wrote more before I was published.
You write novels, chapter books and picture books. When you sit down to write, do you have a specific way to approach each different genre?
Not really. Each story comes to me in a voice. The voice determines the genre. I usually can only work on one story at a time. I love writing for different ages. I want my readers to grow up with my stories. But that hasn't been a calculated decision. It just happened.
Who are your favorite writers and why?
One of the first children's authors that I admired after I started writing was Pam Conrad. She taught me the power of similes and metaphors.
I learned how to vary sentence length from Han Nolan when I read a beautiful long lyrical sentence in Hand Me Down a Miracle.
Roald Dahl's quirky humor inspires me to stretch because humor is hard for me.
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Perseverance and passion endure. Writing is hard. But when you have a passion for something, it is worth every bit of time and effort. Work hard, dream hard!
This interview originally appeared in the October 2009 edition of the Houston Banner.
Shana Burg’s first novel A Thousand Never Evers, burst onto the literary scene only a year ago, but it has already collected a basketful of wonderful reviews and prestigious awards. Set in Kuckachoo, Mississippi in 1963, the novel follows a young girl whose innocent act results in the disappearance of her brother. Recently I visited with the talented Ms. Burg about books, writing and inspiration.
Describe your path to writing.
I got hooked on writing in fourth grade, when my teacher assigned us to write a book of poetry. I haven’t stopped since. I’d always write stories, poems, and plays. As a teenager, I worked for an organization that let kids write news stories that were published nationwide. In college, I wrote for the newspaper.
But when I graduated college, I thought writing for a living was a dream, not something you could actually do. So I got lots of other jobs, but I always continued writing on the side. Many years later, I was teaching sixth grade. I took my students to hear an author speak, and something in me sparked. I went home and that afternoon, I began writing my first book, A Thousand Never Evers. I never looked back, even though it took eight years from that day until it was published.
Where do you find inspiration?
I’m drawn to the sixth grade condition. I remember this year in my own development so vividly. It’s a year when all of a sudden the old rules of childhood no longer apply. You look around and see for the first time that people don’t always share their toys, that adults can be fallible. Overnight you’re catapulted into bizarre territory where nothing is normal anymore—most especially not yourself. So I get inspiration for my writing from interacting with middle school students. They always make me laugh and teach me tons.
Describe a normal “writing” workday.
I wish I had one! There’s no normal writing day for me. It’s always a question of juggling a million mom things with the writing. So I take my son to school, clean up a bit, write, do the laundry, write again, plan for a bookstore or library event, write some more. I also do school visits, so on those days I don’t write at all. When I do sit down to write, I set the kitchen timer for 45 minutes and disable the Internet on my computer, so that I’m not distracted by email. (It’s just a matter of pressing one little button.) Those 45 minutes are sacred and nothing can interrupt me. If I get in three writing blocks like this in a day, I’m happy.
Who are your favorite writers and why?
My favorite writers are people who entertain me while teaching about another time and place. Some inspirations are Khaled Hosseini, who wrote The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Also Pearl S. Buck author of The Good Earth. For younger readers, I love Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse and The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis.
What advice would you give aspiring writers and why?
Have adventures; travel if you can, push your comfort zone. Take notes when you meet quirky people. Jot down when your kids say something funny. Journal about the unusual things that happened in your own childhood. If you do this, then you’ll have a treasure trove to pick through when you do get a couple minutes to write. And your writing will spring to life in a way that is uniquely your own.
To learn more about Shana, her books and her life, check out her website at www.shanaburg.com.
This interview was originally published in the August 2009 version of the Houston Banner.
Bettina Restrepo has splashed onto the literary scene this summer with the picture book Moose and Magpie, an entertaining and humorous book about the life of a moose. A reformed business woman turned author, Bettina has also written a young adult novel entitled Illegal that is soon to be published by Harper Collins. Recently we caught up with Bettina to talk about books, writing and inspiration.
Describe your path to writing.
I wanted to win a creative writing contest, but came in 2nd place to a girl who had great penmanship. It was straight up and down with pretty loops at the end of the sentences. I don’t know what her story was about – but mine was completely inappropriate.
“The Teacher Compactor” was a sad tale about a machine that came to life and ate teachers when they weren’t looking. No wonder I got second place – I thought it wasn’t fair! I quit writing for many years because I hated to lose.
But, I have always loved telling stories. The more convoluted, the better. My husband, an engineer, says I never get to the point. I meander through the fields, describing each flower, the sunset, and the taste of the toast in the inn before I would ever tell you there was a murder. I like to observe and then explain.
Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration is everywhere and in every day life!
Describe a normal “writing” workday.
I take my little boy to school and find a workspace. This space might be a library, coffee shop, empty classroom at the school. Sometimes I might even go back home (which is a long drive since my son attends a special school for children with speech and hearing disorders).
It doesn’t have to be quiet, but sometimes it helps, because I listen to the characters in my head. They talk and I listen (I am merely the typist). My mind is always listening, so I can’t say that the 2-3 hours that I sit in the chair and rearrange words are my “working” time. I’m always working. Looking. Seeing. Listening. Absorbing.
So, I sit in a chair and editing and rearrange words about 15 hours a week. I market myself another 5-10 hours a week (communications with editors, PR, agent, website, bookstores, etc). Then, there is the book keeping part of it. I also nap daily – which is part of my work routine. I need time to dream and recharge – otherwise the people in my head can’t talk. They will just beat their hands against the glass like prisoners without the telephone. I won’t be able to hear them. They will riot. I will be frustrated. All will suffer. Then, school will be over, and I will start my other job. Mommy, chauffeur, wife. I’m lucky my husband hasn’t fired me, yet. Neither has the dog. Both are very forgiving.
Who are your favorite writers and why?
I love new writers. Their hearts are big and new, like toddlers. Their words are bright and shiny. They have fought hard to get into the world.
What advice would you give aspiring writers and why?
Be a rat. Rats are savvy. They learn from their mistakes.
Humans can be very determined, but they expect if they do the same thing over and over again, they will yield a different result. This is also the definition of insanity. If I continued to submit the same story I started with in 2002 and never changed or edited it, I would be in the same place – the rejection pile.
A rat in a maze that is fed a piece a cheese at one door will learn to visit that door. But, when the cheese is moved, the rat will learn to move.
Aspiring writers may have the talent, but you will need the ability to edit and receive criticism to succeed.
To learn more about Bettina, her books and her life, check out her website at http://www.bettinarestrepo.com. Her picture book Moose and Magpie is available at your local bookstore or at your favorite online book provider.
This interview orginally appeared in the July 2009 edition of the Houston Banner
To call Dotti Enderle a multi-faceted and talented writer would be an understatement. Novels, picture books and mysteries are just a few of the genres that the Houston -based author and storyteller has listed on her writing resume. Recently I caught up with Dotti and spoke with her about writing, inspiration and advice for young writers.
Describe your path to writing.
In 1993, I became a professional storyteller. Schools and libraries hired me as a children’s storyteller for special events. I created my own version of folktales, but also wrote original stories too. In 1995, I had such a large collection of original stories I decided to try getting them published. I went on to have over 100 stories, articles and poems published in various children’s magazines. I also submitted to book publishers. I landed my agent in 1999 and my first book was published in 2002.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. Ideas come from newspaper articles, a sentence in a book, something I overhear at the mall. But mostly I can just sit down and start typing, and the story develops as I go along.
Describe a normal “writing” workday.
I don’t have a normal writing day. I discipline myself to write at least one hour each day, and some days that hour extends to two or three. Other days I struggle to get 500 words written. I’ve learned not to reward or punish myself for how much or how little I write. I’m not one of those authors who can sit down and pound out twenty pages a day. I accept that. Everyone should write in a way that works for them, and never strive to meet someone else’s style or standards.
Who are your favorite writers and why?
As for as children’s and YA literature, I love Laurie Halse Anderson, M.T. Anderson, and Kimberly Willis Holt. For adult fiction, I’m hooked on Harlan Coben, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, and most anything by Christopher Moore.
What advice would you give aspiring writers and why?
Read! Read! Read! Both how-to books and the genre in which you wish to write. I once heard that you have to read 1000 books before you can write just one. That’s so true. My biggest lesson came when I took one of my favorite books, When Zachary Beaver Came To Town by Kimberly Willis Holt, and dissected it. I made note of when she used description within dialogue. What strong verbs she used. How she painted a scene so we could visualize it. This was when I began to see my own writing weaknesses. I don’t think a million how-to books could have taught me that.
Dotti’s numerous books can be found at any local bookstore or online. Her latest book, Gingerbread Man Superhero! is due out September 2009 from Pelican Publishing.
This interview first appeared in the Houston Banner, June 2009
Between the flu, floods and fiscal disaster, it’s easy to get depressed about the times in which we now live. In Jenny Moss’ debut novel Winnie’s War, twelve-year old Winnie is struggling with many of the same problems as we are today. Except for her, the year is 1918 and her small
Winnie’s War is set in the town of
Coward Creek is a very fictionalized version of
You have a science background. What led you to writing for children and young adults?
My love of writing actually came first! I've loved books and writing since I was a kid. Even when I was an engineer at NASA, I was taking writing classes in the evenings. I began working on novels for tweens and teens after I started reading to my own children.
How did you get interested in the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918?
A few years ago, stories about the avian flu appeared in the papers. In the articles I read, there was mention of the 1918 influenza pandemic. It made me think about the movie 1918, which was written by the
Do you see any similarities between the Spanish flu then and the H1N1 virus now?
Like everyone else, I've been following news released by the CDC and WHO. It looks they are still attempting to define the characteristics of the H1N1 virus.
Jenny Moss’ next book Shadow is coming out next year. She is appearing at various schools and libraries in the next few months. If you would like to attend one of her events, or schedule your own, check out her website at www.jenny-moss.com.
This interview was previously printed in The Examiner newspaper on May 21, 2009.
Vampires, werewolves and wolverines are all enjoying a steep rise in popularity with mortals these days. If the supernatural makes your pulse race, don’t miss Eternal, Cynthia Leitich Smith’s newest novel. Eternal is the story of Miranda, an average Dallas teenager who is chosen by the King of Vampires to become his next princess. Luckily for Miranda, her guardian angel Zachary moves heaven and earth to save the eternal soul of the woman he loves. Teen and adult readers will find irresistible the alternating points of view between Miranda and Zachary as they battle the powers of darkness in the world and also within themselves. Recently I interviewed Cynthia about her new novel Eternal and writing about the supernatural.
What is your research process when writing a fantasy?
When you're revisiting mythologies that are well known--like vampires and shape shifters and ghosts, it's important to study what's come before you. That way, you can to find out what's already been done so you can make a fresh, meaningful contribution to the conversation of books. I began by studying folklore from around the world, then the early Gothic masters, and continued up until present day--taking a look at modern horror, pop culture, and of course the body of literature for young adult readers.
How did you get your start writing?
Even as a child, I'd always thought of myself as a writer, and I majored in journalism at The University of Kansas. I went on to complete an additional degree at The University of Michigan Law School because I felt a graduate education was important and the law was fascinating, not because I had a burning desire to practice per se. It wasn't long after graduation that the lure of story led to me to a full-time writing life.
Which writers inspire you? Why?
I'm fond of YA authors Annette Curtis Klause, Libba Bray, Holly Black, and Cassandra Clare for their strong girl characters. I was also a terrific fan of Joss Whedon and his "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.".
What’s next for you?
Currently, I'm working on Blessed, which will crossover the casts of Tantalize and Eternal, picking up where Tantalize left off. There's also a graphic novel adaptation of Tantalize in the works. However, my next book will be for much younger readers--Holler Loudly (2010), an original southwestern tall tale picture book.
Cynthia may be found on the Web at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com. She makes her home in Austin, Texas; with her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith in a beautiful old house that may or may not be haunted.
This interview will also apppear in the latest version of The Houston Banner.
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