Nov 28, 2011
Countdown to Catherine Austen!
Don't forget that Catherine Austen will be visiting on Thursday! She'll answer your questions and I'll be giving away copies of both her new releases, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, and All Good Children.
Nov 25, 2011
Book Review: The Poison Diaries: Nightshade
Series: The Poison Diaries
Author: Maryrose Wood and the Dutchess of Northumberland
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780061802423
Book source: review copy from publisher
Nightshade is a direct continuation of The Poison Diaries, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how to review it without completely spoiling volume one. The revelations at the end of volume one are so huge, so shocking, that even providing a synopsis of Nightshade is going to ruin things for you. So let's do it this way.
If you haven't read The Poison Diaries, go do that now. No really, I'll wait. Trust me, it's worth your time.
And now that we're all on the same page (sorry, sorry, but the book puns, they write themselves), I can tell you that Nightshade is even more gothic and unsettling than The Poison Diaries. Jessamine and Weed are placed in impossible situations, forced to make impossible choices, and must confront their own capacities for both good and evil (much like the plants which can both kill and cure...). Nothing but the worst possible thing happens in this entire book.
And I loved it.
I love it when authors are brave enough to push their beloved characters to the limits - when fictional people have to earn their happy endings, just like those in real life do. I like being unsure of whether those happy endings will even happen. And I loved that, while book one was about what brought Weed and Jessamine together, book two is about things that are keeping them apart.
For whatever reason, I found myself convinced that the setting was more historical than it actually is, meaning that the more modern details occasionally pulled me out of the story. In addition, since both Weed and Jessamine's narratives are told in first person, it can take a couple of paragraphs to orient after a switch. That said, I think these books would make terrific classroom reading. They grapple with themes from classic literature, and Nightshade in particular (if you're inclined to read metaphorically), can be viewed as an exploration of the perils of addiction.
Eagerly awaiting volume three...
Previously: The Poison Diaries
The Mysterious Howling
Interview with Maryrose Wood
Nov 18, 2011
Guest Author: Michelle Mulder
Today's guest is Michelle Mulder. Michelle is a world-traveler, a former professional practice medical patient, and author of the Theodore Too Tugboat series. She joins us today to discuss her latest middle-grade novel, Out of the Box.
LEC: For such a short book, Out of the Box has a lot going on. Let's start with Argentina. I understand you married your long-time Argentinian pen pal. Is this how you became interested in the country's history? How did the Disappeared find their way into your book?
MM: My husband loves history. Ever since we were pen pals, he has shared his passion for the history of his country. Inevitably, our discussions return to the Disappeared because no matter how much we discuss it, we can never understand how it happened. How does a country get to a place where its own government actively kills its citizens and goes unstopped year after year? And how do people pick up the pieces afterward? The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, whose children were disappeared over thirty years ago, still march every Thursday afternoon at three, demanding information. And countries around the world have similar situations. I think it’s important to know these stories and to think about them because they’re not just stories about other people: They’re stories about us, about humanity as a whole.
These are thoughts I’ve had for years, but when I started writing Out of the Box, I had no intention of writing about Argentina. I wanted to write a Canadian story about Ellie and her relationships with her parents. The more I wrote, though, the more I got bogged down in her stifling family situation. I had to give her an outlet, and the day I was trying to figure out what that escape should be, I was staring at my computer screen in my apartment, and our neighbour—a bandoneón player—began to practice for his next CBC concert. Strains of tango drifted down through the floorboards and wended their way into my story, and that was the day Ellie found a bandoneón in her aunt’s basement.
From there, the segue into Argentine history happened naturally. Ellie would want to know where the instrument came from, and as I wrote that part of the story, all the things I’d learned about the Disappeared and their lost children came flooding back to me. Facundo came into being. At first, I didn’t know what he was doing there, how he could possibly help Ellie feel better about the world when his own story was so tragic, but it all became clear when she realized that he had learned to smile despite the tragedy, something that her own mother, years after her difficult childhood, was still unable to do. In this way, Facundo’s story gave Ellie a key to the story of her own family, and the two fit together in a way I never could have planned.
LEC: Ellie's passion for tango music draws her towards the unusual instrument that's central to the plot. What kind of research did you do in support of the musical aspects of the book? Do you play the bandoneón?
MM: I love tango music for its history, its links to Argentina, and of course for its passion. So it seems incredibly lucky that one of Canada’s finest bandoneón players would move in next door, make beautiful music while I write, and give me wonderful pieces of this story. My neighbour and friend, Jonathan Goldman, was thrilled to learn that a bandoneón had made its way into my book. He’s been playing for years and jokes that his life’s mission is to educate people about this unusual instrument. He was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge and even played at the launch of Out of the Box here in Victoria.
LEC: Ellie's home situation has caused her to become older than her years, in terms of her decision-making processes and sense of responsibility. Tell us how you developed the character of Ellie's mother. Why is she larger than life, while Ellie's father fades a bit into the background?
MM: In some ways, Out of the Box includes elements of autobiography. While I was growing up, both my parents struggled with undiagnosed mental health issues. It took us years to understand that our family dynamics were unusual, and it took me still more years to give up looking for books that reflected my experience and to decide instead to write one.
I was terrified that I didn’t know how to write this book. I was terrified that my parents would hate me or that I would hate myself by the end of it, but in the course of writing, my parents gave me two enormous gifts. The first was permission to write. “This is your story,” they said, “and you need to tell it.” The second was their support and enthusiasm when they read the manuscript right before it went into print. To my enormous relief, they understood that I was not damning them for our difficult times but rather trying to write a book that might have helped me when I was thirteen: a realistic one that showed a kid learning to cope, setting boundaries, and doing what was necessary to feel strong, confident and healthy herself.
As you say, in the book, Ellie’s mother is larger than life and her father fades into the background a bit. Ellie’s father has his own troubles to deal with, but instead of overflowing or lashing out as his wife does, he recedes into the basement. I think this is the only way that Ellie’s mother and father could co-exist, and it adds to the complexity of the situation that Ellie faced. She was abandoned by both parents in different ways, left on her own to figure out who she was and how she wanted to fit into this family.
LEC: Is it wrong that Alison is one of my favorite characters? How do you think the story would the story be different without her? Do you think Alison, in some ways, forms a parallel to the deceased owners of the bandoneon?
MM: Yay! I love that Alison is one of your favourite characters. I like her, too, and I’m happy that she joined the story, even if her presence is marked primarily by her absence. She represents a worldview that’s very different from any that Ellie has experienced. Her optimism and childlike excitement about life encourage Ellie in new directions. We all need people like that in our lives.
You’re right that, in some ways, Alison parallels the deceased owners of the bandoneón. I hadn’t thought about that before, but, yes, all of them represent joy, love, and loss.
LEC: In addition to Out of the Box, you've written two books in Second Story Press's Kids' Power Series. These books are fiction, but based on the lives of real kids who've made a difference in the world. They also have a strong historical background. So does your previous middle-grade novel, After Peaches. What compels you to tell these kinds of stories?
MM: When I was growing up, I didn’t feel like I had much influence in my family, my school, or my community. I’d never heard of kids taking a political stand, and I’ve always admired kids who had the courage to stand up and be counted. I also think that more kids will stand up to be counted if the books they read and the stories they hear encourage them to do so. Story is powerful stuff, but stories can be lost, forgotten, or buried, and when nobody tells them, they lose their power. I like to help keep that power alive, and if I can tell a story that not only honours the people who were involved but inspires and empowers the people that hear it, then I’m happy with what I’ve written.
LEC: Thanks so much for joining us today!
MM: Thank you for your thought-provoking questions, Lindsey. It’s been a pleasure to chat with you.
---
For more information on Michelle Mulder and her books, visit her website.
 |
| photo by David Lowes |
LEC: For such a short book, Out of the Box has a lot going on. Let's start with Argentina. I understand you married your long-time Argentinian pen pal. Is this how you became interested in the country's history? How did the Disappeared find their way into your book?
MM: My husband loves history. Ever since we were pen pals, he has shared his passion for the history of his country. Inevitably, our discussions return to the Disappeared because no matter how much we discuss it, we can never understand how it happened. How does a country get to a place where its own government actively kills its citizens and goes unstopped year after year? And how do people pick up the pieces afterward? The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, whose children were disappeared over thirty years ago, still march every Thursday afternoon at three, demanding information. And countries around the world have similar situations. I think it’s important to know these stories and to think about them because they’re not just stories about other people: They’re stories about us, about humanity as a whole.
These are thoughts I’ve had for years, but when I started writing Out of the Box, I had no intention of writing about Argentina. I wanted to write a Canadian story about Ellie and her relationships with her parents. The more I wrote, though, the more I got bogged down in her stifling family situation. I had to give her an outlet, and the day I was trying to figure out what that escape should be, I was staring at my computer screen in my apartment, and our neighbour—a bandoneón player—began to practice for his next CBC concert. Strains of tango drifted down through the floorboards and wended their way into my story, and that was the day Ellie found a bandoneón in her aunt’s basement.
From there, the segue into Argentine history happened naturally. Ellie would want to know where the instrument came from, and as I wrote that part of the story, all the things I’d learned about the Disappeared and their lost children came flooding back to me. Facundo came into being. At first, I didn’t know what he was doing there, how he could possibly help Ellie feel better about the world when his own story was so tragic, but it all became clear when she realized that he had learned to smile despite the tragedy, something that her own mother, years after her difficult childhood, was still unable to do. In this way, Facundo’s story gave Ellie a key to the story of her own family, and the two fit together in a way I never could have planned.
LEC: Ellie's passion for tango music draws her towards the unusual instrument that's central to the plot. What kind of research did you do in support of the musical aspects of the book? Do you play the bandoneón?
MM: I love tango music for its history, its links to Argentina, and of course for its passion. So it seems incredibly lucky that one of Canada’s finest bandoneón players would move in next door, make beautiful music while I write, and give me wonderful pieces of this story. My neighbour and friend, Jonathan Goldman, was thrilled to learn that a bandoneón had made its way into my book. He’s been playing for years and jokes that his life’s mission is to educate people about this unusual instrument. He was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge and even played at the launch of Out of the Box here in Victoria.
LEC: Ellie's home situation has caused her to become older than her years, in terms of her decision-making processes and sense of responsibility. Tell us how you developed the character of Ellie's mother. Why is she larger than life, while Ellie's father fades a bit into the background?
MM: In some ways, Out of the Box includes elements of autobiography. While I was growing up, both my parents struggled with undiagnosed mental health issues. It took us years to understand that our family dynamics were unusual, and it took me still more years to give up looking for books that reflected my experience and to decide instead to write one.
I was terrified that I didn’t know how to write this book. I was terrified that my parents would hate me or that I would hate myself by the end of it, but in the course of writing, my parents gave me two enormous gifts. The first was permission to write. “This is your story,” they said, “and you need to tell it.” The second was their support and enthusiasm when they read the manuscript right before it went into print. To my enormous relief, they understood that I was not damning them for our difficult times but rather trying to write a book that might have helped me when I was thirteen: a realistic one that showed a kid learning to cope, setting boundaries, and doing what was necessary to feel strong, confident and healthy herself.
As you say, in the book, Ellie’s mother is larger than life and her father fades into the background a bit. Ellie’s father has his own troubles to deal with, but instead of overflowing or lashing out as his wife does, he recedes into the basement. I think this is the only way that Ellie’s mother and father could co-exist, and it adds to the complexity of the situation that Ellie faced. She was abandoned by both parents in different ways, left on her own to figure out who she was and how she wanted to fit into this family.
LEC: Is it wrong that Alison is one of my favorite characters? How do you think the story would the story be different without her? Do you think Alison, in some ways, forms a parallel to the deceased owners of the bandoneon?
MM: Yay! I love that Alison is one of your favourite characters. I like her, too, and I’m happy that she joined the story, even if her presence is marked primarily by her absence. She represents a worldview that’s very different from any that Ellie has experienced. Her optimism and childlike excitement about life encourage Ellie in new directions. We all need people like that in our lives.
You’re right that, in some ways, Alison parallels the deceased owners of the bandoneón. I hadn’t thought about that before, but, yes, all of them represent joy, love, and loss.
LEC: In addition to Out of the Box, you've written two books in Second Story Press's Kids' Power Series. These books are fiction, but based on the lives of real kids who've made a difference in the world. They also have a strong historical background. So does your previous middle-grade novel, After Peaches. What compels you to tell these kinds of stories?
MM: When I was growing up, I didn’t feel like I had much influence in my family, my school, or my community. I’d never heard of kids taking a political stand, and I’ve always admired kids who had the courage to stand up and be counted. I also think that more kids will stand up to be counted if the books they read and the stories they hear encourage them to do so. Story is powerful stuff, but stories can be lost, forgotten, or buried, and when nobody tells them, they lose their power. I like to help keep that power alive, and if I can tell a story that not only honours the people who were involved but inspires and empowers the people that hear it, then I’m happy with what I’ve written.
LEC: Thanks so much for joining us today!
MM: Thank you for your thought-provoking questions, Lindsey. It’s been a pleasure to chat with you.
---
For more information on Michelle Mulder and her books, visit her website.
Nov 15, 2011
The Catherine Austen Giveaway is a Go!
Just a reminder that Catherine Austen will be visiting Ten Stories Up on December 1. She'll chat about her two new books and will answer your questions in the comments.
I'm also pleased to announce that Catherine's publishers are providing a copy of each book, which I'll be giving away. Stay tuned to find out how to win! In the meantime, you can find more information about these wonderful books here.
I'm also pleased to announce that Catherine's publishers are providing a copy of each book, which I'll be giving away. Stay tuned to find out how to win! In the meantime, you can find more information about these wonderful books here.
Nov 11, 2011
Two by Alison Acheson
Author: Alison Acheson
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550504309
Book Source: review copy from publisher
All Molly's ever wanted is to be a great actress like her Grand. But Grand has died, and as Molly starts her first high school drama class, she learns that, despite the stories and the dress-up trunk and the photographs of famous people on the walls, Grand never set foot on a stage. The knowledge is devastating, and for the first time in her life, Molly is crippled by stage fright. She loses the lead role in the school play. She can't even go to class. Fortunately, Molly's friend Candace is there to help her find her voice again.
The thing I liked most about this book is the way's Molly's perceptions change throughout the story. At the outset, she sees herself as a star, and that conviction blinds her to realities of her life, her family, and her friends. Learning the truth about her grandmother causes her to question everything, and in doing so, she sees things clearly for the first time. I also liked that every character had some form of creative outlet, some of which were unusual, or downright quirky.
Author: Alison Acheson
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550503548
Book Source: review copy from publisher
Abi lives in a house on stilts, set on the bank of a muddy tidal river. It's a precarious house for a precarious life. Her father's out of work, and since Abi's mom left, he can barely form words, let alone be a parent. Abi suspects that her Big Sister may have a hidden agenda. And while she's amazed and thrilled by his attention, Abi doesn't understand why the handsome Jude is more interested in her than in taking care of his two-year-old son. More than anything, Abi needs answers. Why did her mother go away? How can she help her father? Is there any way to drag herself out of the mud and up into the light?
I didn't like Mud Girl quite as much as Molly's Cue, largely because I found the third-person-present tense somewhat distancing. But I really enjoyed the parallel between Abi's environment and her emotional turmoil, and the book's ending - with its unvarnished, real-life messiness - is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
In both books, Acheson captures the power of teenage emotion without becoming angsty. She also does a great job of creating adult characters that are real, flawed people, facing serious issues of their own. Very refreshing to read YA novels that give teen characters freedom to tackle their problems, without resorting to boarding schools or fatal parental accidents!
Molly's Cue is lighter reading, good for younger teens. Mud Girl is both more serious and more mature. Both are good choices for readers who want their fiction certified vampire-free.
---
For more information on Alison Acheson and her books, visit her website.
Nov 8, 2011
Coming Soon - Catherine Austen!
Catherine is a Canadian author who's got two new releases this fall, and Ten Stories Up is an official stop on her blog tour.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 1. I'll post my interview with Catherine first thing in the morning, and she'll be dropping by throughout the day to answer your burning questions in the comments. In case you need more reasons to tune in, there will also be a giveaway!
For a full listing of stops on Catherine's virtual tour, check out her blog. For more information about Catherine in general, check out her website, from which I've blatantly stolen the following information about her new books.
This honest and heartwarming novel follows 11-year-old Becky Lennox through the course of the school year, as she survives one challenge after another - feeling left out, lovestruck, lonely, and loony, but learning a little something each time.
Perfect for girlfriends, comedy lovers, and reluctant readers.
"Living with hope is like rubbing up against a cheese grater. It keeps taking slices off you until there's so little left, you just crumble."
Quick-witted, prank-pulling graffiti artist Maxwell Connors is more observant than the average New Middletown teenager. And he doesn't like what he sees. New Middletown's children are becoming frighteningly obedient, and their parents and teachers couldn't be happier.
As Max and his friend Dallas watch their classmates transform into model citizens, Max wonders if their only hope of freedom lies in the unknown world beyond New Middletown's walls, where creativity might be a gift instead of a liability.
For those who like their dystopias with a rich character sauce and a side of humour.
"[An] imaginative and affecting dystopian novel.... All Good Children is a smart, polished novel, peopled with realistic characters in a well-developed, futuristic world." (Quill & Quire, October 2011)
"Austen's first novel for teens wears its influences proudly...while delivering an entertaining and creepy story." (Publisher's Weekly, September 2011)
"Highly Recommended." (Canadian Materials, October 2011)
Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 1. I'll post my interview with Catherine first thing in the morning, and she'll be dropping by throughout the day to answer your burning questions in the comments. In case you need more reasons to tune in, there will also be a giveaway!
For a full listing of stops on Catherine's virtual tour, check out her blog. For more information about Catherine in general, check out her website, from which I've blatantly stolen the following information about her new books.
Becky Lennox wrote the book on getting through grade six, but these aren't the kinds of tips that come from school books or teachers...
Forget social studies, math, and science - this hilarious new novel is about surviving some of the real problems tween girls face in the sixth grade: jealous friends, first crushes, embarrassing parents, and annoying older brothers.
This honest and heartwarming novel follows 11-year-old Becky Lennox through the course of the school year, as she survives one challenge after another - feeling left out, lovestruck, lonely, and loony, but learning a little something each time.
Perfect for girlfriends, comedy lovers, and reluctant readers.
Quick-witted, prank-pulling graffiti artist Maxwell Connors is more observant than the average New Middletown teenager. And he doesn't like what he sees. New Middletown's children are becoming frighteningly obedient, and their parents and teachers couldn't be happier.
As Max and his friend Dallas watch their classmates transform into model citizens, Max wonders if their only hope of freedom lies in the unknown world beyond New Middletown's walls, where creativity might be a gift instead of a liability.
For those who like their dystopias with a rich character sauce and a side of humour.
Reviews
"Strong characterization as well as a thrilling and horrifyingly plausible plot all combine to make All Good Children a wonderful read. Great literature is never limited by its genre." (Montreal Review of Books, Fall 2011)"[An] imaginative and affecting dystopian novel.... All Good Children is a smart, polished novel, peopled with realistic characters in a well-developed, futuristic world." (Quill & Quire, October 2011)
"Austen's first novel for teens wears its influences proudly...while delivering an entertaining and creepy story." (Publisher's Weekly, September 2011)
"Highly Recommended." (Canadian Materials, October 2011)
Nov 4, 2011
Guest Author: Karen Bass
Today's guest is Karen Bass, retired librarian and author three books for teens. She joins us to discuss her most recent release, the contemporary novel Drummer Girl.
LEC: Your first two books, Run Like Jäger and Summer of Fire, feature modern teens who travel to Germany and are drawn into the history of World War II. In contrast, Drummer Girl is 100% Canadian and 100% contemporary. What prompted you to take your third book in a completely different direction?
KB: I originally wrote Drummer Girl because a publisher was running a contest for contemporary teen novels. I didn't win, but I had so much fun writing the story, and I actually liked the result, that I began what turned out to be a succession of revisions. (This is what happens when you write a very fast first draft.) There is a certain freedom in writing contemporary stories - namely that I don't have to do quite so much research to make sure the setting and related details are right - that it is very appealing. I might have to try it again.
LEC: You mention in Drummer Girl's acknowledgments that you're not a musician. How did Sid become a drummer? Tell us a little about the research you had to do to portray her passion authentically.
KB: Sid had to be coaxed from the shadows. The first thing I knew about her was that she was a tomboy, and when she finally emerged into the light, she was dressed in an oversized black band shirt - that's when she confessed her interest in drumming. (I assume she took form somewhere in the recesses of my mind before making her appearance.) So yes, she made me do some research to get up to speed on drummers. I read how-to books, borrowed "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" with Neil Peart of Rush, checked out all sorts of drumming websites. One of the most helpful things I did was to interview my son's friend who is a drummer. Kaleb answered some pretty strange questions with abundant good humour.
LEC: Throughout the book, you draw parallels between Sid's attitude towards drumming and her attitude towards life. It seems to be that her association with the band is also bookended by parallel disasters - the vehicular death of Fourth Down's original drummer, and the motorcycle accident that causes Sid to re-evaluate what's most important to her. Tell us where this aspect of the story came from.
KB: My stories evolve fairly organically, so I can't say that the bookending was intentional. What I did know is that I didn't want Sid and Taylor to be heavily involved in a drinking/partying culture so when I started exploring why, the idea of knowing someone who died from drinking and driving surfaced, and as I thought about it I realized this could be a way to open the door for Sid's drumming aspirations. I'm pretty sure my subconscious thinks about these things more than I do, because I learned about Taylor's accident the same time Sid did. It intuitively felt balanced to me and it wasn't until the editing process that I saw why. Calamity as a catalyst for change is something that probably shows up a lot in my fiction - I like putting my characters in situations where they are forced to realize what is truly important to them.
LEC: Drummer Girl is a book about consequences - specifically, how seemingly small decisions could have enormous ripple effects. It's also about being judged (incorrectly) by your appearance. How much were these ideas influenced by your own high school experience?
KB: I think authors always insert bits and pieces of themselves into their characters, to greater or lesser degrees. My common ground with Sid was being a tomboy, and being outside that group of cool kids every high school seems to have. My high school self was tall, plain and smart - someone you wanted to have in your group project, perhaps, but not someone judged as worthy in the ways so many teens crave. So much of high school's social aspects seems to be about striving to fit in, and we are often our own harshest judges in that regard. We also sometimes do foolish things to fit in, so yes, in high school I did suffer some consequences from things I did, but not at all in the way Sid does.
LEC: I was the queen of the group project too... What's the most important thing you'd like teens to take away from this story?
KB: Dare I use that old cliche and say it's okay to march to the beat of your own drum? Being unique is not a crime, and your uniqueness is often the very thing that will open doors and take you on wonderful adventures when you are finished high school.
LEC: What are you working on now?
KB: I am striving to finish up revisions on a WWII story set in Alberta. At the same time a few shiny new ideas - a contemporary fantasy, a time travel adventure, a contemporary story - are trying to lure me down their paths. But which one to follow?
LEC: Whichever way you go, I'm sure the result will be worth reading!
---
For more info on Karen Bass and her books, visit her website.
 |
| Photo by Kristen Bass |
LEC: Your first two books, Run Like Jäger and Summer of Fire, feature modern teens who travel to Germany and are drawn into the history of World War II. In contrast, Drummer Girl is 100% Canadian and 100% contemporary. What prompted you to take your third book in a completely different direction?
KB: I originally wrote Drummer Girl because a publisher was running a contest for contemporary teen novels. I didn't win, but I had so much fun writing the story, and I actually liked the result, that I began what turned out to be a succession of revisions. (This is what happens when you write a very fast first draft.) There is a certain freedom in writing contemporary stories - namely that I don't have to do quite so much research to make sure the setting and related details are right - that it is very appealing. I might have to try it again.
LEC: You mention in Drummer Girl's acknowledgments that you're not a musician. How did Sid become a drummer? Tell us a little about the research you had to do to portray her passion authentically.
KB: Sid had to be coaxed from the shadows. The first thing I knew about her was that she was a tomboy, and when she finally emerged into the light, she was dressed in an oversized black band shirt - that's when she confessed her interest in drumming. (I assume she took form somewhere in the recesses of my mind before making her appearance.) So yes, she made me do some research to get up to speed on drummers. I read how-to books, borrowed "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" with Neil Peart of Rush, checked out all sorts of drumming websites. One of the most helpful things I did was to interview my son's friend who is a drummer. Kaleb answered some pretty strange questions with abundant good humour.
LEC: Throughout the book, you draw parallels between Sid's attitude towards drumming and her attitude towards life. It seems to be that her association with the band is also bookended by parallel disasters - the vehicular death of Fourth Down's original drummer, and the motorcycle accident that causes Sid to re-evaluate what's most important to her. Tell us where this aspect of the story came from.
KB: My stories evolve fairly organically, so I can't say that the bookending was intentional. What I did know is that I didn't want Sid and Taylor to be heavily involved in a drinking/partying culture so when I started exploring why, the idea of knowing someone who died from drinking and driving surfaced, and as I thought about it I realized this could be a way to open the door for Sid's drumming aspirations. I'm pretty sure my subconscious thinks about these things more than I do, because I learned about Taylor's accident the same time Sid did. It intuitively felt balanced to me and it wasn't until the editing process that I saw why. Calamity as a catalyst for change is something that probably shows up a lot in my fiction - I like putting my characters in situations where they are forced to realize what is truly important to them.
LEC: Drummer Girl is a book about consequences - specifically, how seemingly small decisions could have enormous ripple effects. It's also about being judged (incorrectly) by your appearance. How much were these ideas influenced by your own high school experience?
KB: I think authors always insert bits and pieces of themselves into their characters, to greater or lesser degrees. My common ground with Sid was being a tomboy, and being outside that group of cool kids every high school seems to have. My high school self was tall, plain and smart - someone you wanted to have in your group project, perhaps, but not someone judged as worthy in the ways so many teens crave. So much of high school's social aspects seems to be about striving to fit in, and we are often our own harshest judges in that regard. We also sometimes do foolish things to fit in, so yes, in high school I did suffer some consequences from things I did, but not at all in the way Sid does.
LEC: I was the queen of the group project too... What's the most important thing you'd like teens to take away from this story?
KB: Dare I use that old cliche and say it's okay to march to the beat of your own drum? Being unique is not a crime, and your uniqueness is often the very thing that will open doors and take you on wonderful adventures when you are finished high school.
LEC: What are you working on now?
KB: I am striving to finish up revisions on a WWII story set in Alberta. At the same time a few shiny new ideas - a contemporary fantasy, a time travel adventure, a contemporary story - are trying to lure me down their paths. But which one to follow?
LEC: Whichever way you go, I'm sure the result will be worth reading!
---
For more info on Karen Bass and her books, visit her website.
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