Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion
This topic is about
Rainbow Rowell
Eleanor and Park discussions
>
Q&A with Rainbow Rowell
Hi. I just downloaded this last week and could NOT put it down. I've been recommending it to everyone, even people who don't read YA as a rule. The voice is so so strong. I told some writer-pals that I may as well give up writing because I could never create such distinct teen voices as RR has made here.
I would like to ask on how you got your inspiration? What made you want to write this book? How much research did you have to do?
Hi, Rainbow. Unimportant logistical question (spoilers): When did Richie have access to Eleanor's books? I can't think of when he would have a chance to write on them. Also, the three words are "I'm Han Solo," right?
I thoroughly enjoyed E&P and Attachments. Loving the playlists, too! I'm listening to "Park, Side A" on Spotify now.http://rainbowrowell.com/blog/2013/03...
Heya, Rainbow! Question: How does it feel to be so awesome? Ha, just kidding. Here's a real question: Was it difficult to create the romantic dynamics between Eleanor and Park? Also, have you gotten any criticism along the lines of you choosing the eighties because you know that era well and didn't want to do research on modern teens? As a former journalist, I'm sure it's not the research thing, but what do you think when people say things like that? Basically--how do you deal with criticism?(Also, unrelated to E&P: fangirling about the FANGIRL cover fangirling about Nimona!!)
Mod
Hilarious!!
Mod
OH AND... (yes I have lots of questions) I too love love love comics. I am always reading them. Are you reading any now? Favorites, or do you even like comics? (Other then Watchmen).
Hello! I am wondering what you think might be different between Eleanor and Park if this book was written about two teens that takes place in 2013 (with internet and cell phones). Do you think the outcome would've been the same? Music is a big part of this book, did you have a certain list of songs you listened to while writing it?
What are your favorite young adult books? What advice would you give people who want to be a writer?
Was this book based off anything?
Do you see this novel becoming a movie?
Bre
Do you see this novel becoming a movie?
Bre
Loved, loved, loved the book! I was wondering if you read comics when you were a kid and if so, which were your favorites? Also, which 80's band is your all time fav? :)
Rainbow, I just want to tell you what a joy Eleanor & Park was to read, I fell in love with them instantly! Where do you find your inspiration? I just downloaded Fangirl from netgalley and cannot wait to start reading it!
I was curious about your choice of time setting. It could have easily taken place today so why choose to set it so far in the past?
Thank you for writing such a fantastic book. I adored the audiobook too. I was especially impressed and fascinated with the complex and well rounded adult characters in Eleanor and Park's life. Can you talk a little about how once you have an idea of character you go about fleshing them out?
Hi Rainbow,Thank you for writing such an incredible book. I adored the way you presented the era for today's generation, and was fascinated by the characters you portrayed and the way they interacted.
My question though, is about the ending. A lot of people have perceived the ending as an open ending and have taken their own meaning and closure from it. Did you intend this, or do you have a very specific way the characters ended in mind?
I loved Eleanor and park it is now one of my favourite books, I read it in about two days I thought it was amazing, however I still don't understand the ending. Are you intending to write another book or was that just the end, or was the intention to make us use our imaginations?
Have you always known you're going to be a writer? Even as a kid or a high school student is that what you answer them whenever they pop the question?
Did you leave scenes between Park and his grandparents on your computer? Park's parents are great; I have a feeling his grandparents were/ are pretty amazing too!Hey! Kudos for writing a happy, sane, healthy teenage boy / boyfriend. That's almost a rarity in the YA genre.
Similarly, Eleanor's Mom's poor choices may not just have been hers, but she may have been poorly treated herself as a girl... The fact that Eleanor had no grandparents around seemed telling.
In the book, Eleanor explained to her reading class that she did not like Romeo and Juliet because she felt like Shakespheare was just making fun of them. Do you think that or were you writing that as Eleanor's POV?
Mod
The Romeo & Juliet references had me worried as I read. Eleanor's home life seemed so desperate that I wondered if you were perhaps preparing the readers for a similar ending. My question is... Was this deliberate? Did you intend readers to hold their breath against a R&J ending?
Hi Rainbow! I loved Eleanor and Park. I have two questions: 1. Were the three words in the postcard, "nothing ever ends?"
SPOILER BELOW:
2.When I re-read the prologue after I finished the book, it seems that Park feels like he was "ruined" by Eleanor, never fully moving on. Would you ever write a sequel and have them meet again in the present time? If yes, would it still be YA?
What is the biggest difference (that you can recall) between your first raft of E&P and the final draft? Any particular dialogue or scene changes?
How much of you, Rainbow Rowell, is in Eleanor?
Hi Rainbow! Eleanor and Park was one of the most beautiful books I've ever read :) Two short questions:1. Why set the book in the 1980s? Would the story of Eleanor and Park be any different if it took place in the 2000s?
2. Do you think what Park and Eleanor felt was true love? Do you picture any of them falling for any other people as they grow up? If so, what kind of personality would the grown-up Eleanor/Park prefer?
Thank you for writing such a moving novel! It made me experience the magic of first love all over again <3 Thank you!
Hi Rainbow, 1. I loved the fact that it was set in 1986 (which was the year I graduated from high school). What made you select that particular year?
2. I loved the music references from the time period. How did you select those particular references?
First off, I wanted to thank you for writing such an amazing novel! I absolutely gobbled it up as fast as I could, and was so sad for it to have ended. 1. I originally heard about the book from John Green's NY Times review, and wanted to know if you've found yourself somewhat overwhelmed with readers from Nerdfighteria (an online community where John Green is the father)? DFTBA!
2. As a Teen Librarian, I've been recommending this book to other librarians, library staff and my teen and adult patrons alike. I wanted to know if you yourself use the public library in your day to day life? Growing up were you a frequent library visitor? Did you do any research in a public or special library while writing any of your novels?
HEY, EVERYBODY!Thanks for reading my book! And for stopping by to ask questions. I'm just going to dive in. Somebody shout if Im doing this wrong ...
Jb wrote: "Hi. I just downloaded this last week and could NOT put it down. I've been recommending it to everyone, even people who don't read YA as a rule. The voice is so so strong. I told some writer-pals th..."JB! Thank you!
I think you're joking about giving up writing, but something I've really wrestled with as a writer is comparing myself to writers I love. I'll think, "I'll never be that good. Bah. Why try."
Something I've realized -- or maybe I'm in the process of realizing -- is that it's not about being as good or better; it's about doing your own thing. No one writes like you as well as you do.
Is that sappy and lame? Sorry!
Angie wrote: "Brian wrote: "Hi, Rainbow. Unimportant logistical question (spoilers): When did Richie have access to Eleanor's books? I can't think of when he would have a chance to write on them. Also, the three..."BRIAN -- I actually thought about the logistics of this. I think, at some point the book, I have Eleanor drop her school bag by the door. My thought was that Richie messed with her bag whenever she left it lying around. And that he might even come into their room at night. (Because he's so creepy.)
And yes, "I'M HAN SOLO." (It's better than "I'M YOUR FATHER.")
Julianna wrote: "Heya, Rainbow! Question: How does it feel to be so awesome? Ha, just kidding. Here's a real question: Was it difficult to create the romantic dynamics between Eleanor and Park? Also, have you gotte..."Julianna!
People do ask about why I set the novel in the '80s. No one has ever (directly) accused me of not wanting to do research ... But definitely I put this story in 1986 because 1986 is deeply familiar to me.
I think it's really normal for artists to try to make sense of their own coming-of-age years. It's such an important time in your life, but you don't get to process it when it's actually happening. I think of George Lucas and "American Graffiti," Paul Feig and "Freaks and Geeks," Stephen King and "Stand by Me" ...
So, yeah, there was something that made me want to go back to 1986. And 1986 is a year that I can still feel really intensely. I can taste it.
And there was a lot happening in culture in the mid-'80s that I wanted to use -- alternative music and comics. The excitement in the air is part of what helps Eleanor lift up her head. It makes her feel like the world is bigger than she's ever realized.
The idea that an author is being lazy by writing about something he/she knows well is kind of crazy to me. Like, "Ugh. Hemingway. Enough about World War I."
Anthony wrote: "Hello! I am wondering what you think might be different between Eleanor and Park if this book was written about two teens that takes place in 2013 (with internet and cell phones). Do you think the ..."ANTHONY.
Wow. It would be different if it were set in the present ... So much of the tension for these characters is about access. Access to music. Access to each other.
I think the story would be the same in that I think they would still fall in love -- I think Eleanor and Park would fall in love in every time and place -- and I think Eleanor would still be cut off from Park and the world. I don't think she would have access to a phone or computer at home ...
I guess I think the story would be the same, but the logistics would change. The tension would shift.
AS FOR THE MUSIC ... I didn't have a specific list, but I did think about which sorts of songs would fit the characters and also capture that SOMETHING NEW IS HAPPENING feeling. I thought back to the '80s songs and bands that froze me in my tracks.
Andrea wrote: "Have you always known you're going to be a writer? Even as a kid or a high school student is that what you answer them whenever they pop the question?"JULIA --
GREAT OBSERVATION about Eleanor's mom, and the fact that Eleanor never talks about her maternal grandparents. Readers get very angry about Sabrina and the abuse and neglect she allows ... And, yes, it's terrible, and she's the adult; she should take responsibility. But, also, YES, Sabrina is messed up, and we don't really see why. In my head, she's cut off from her own family -- her parents are dead -- and that's affecting her decisions.
I'm so glad you liked Park's grandparents! I wish I had deleted scenes to share with you ...
Sarah wrote: "Loved, loved, loved the book! I was wondering if you read comics when you were a kid and if so, which were your favorites? Also, which 80's band is your all time fav? :)"Sarah! Thank you!
I did read comics. I started reading then in the eighth grade, when a boy at school started lending them to me. The first comic I fell in love with was the X-Men, and those characters are still my favorites. For a while, I'd buy ANY comic with the X-Men in it. Beast and Nightcrawler are still my favorite characters.
These days I choose comics based on writers. I'll read anything by Brian K. Vaughan or Peter David.
My favorite '80s band ... probably Tears for Fears. Their albums are nonstop excellence.
Angie wrote: "I love this book! What do you foresee in Eleanor and Park's future. OK you probably won't answer that but I thought I would give it a try anyways. "You know, when I was writing "Eleanor & Park," I wrote the characters' whole stories in my head. And, if my agent hadn't stepped in, I probably would have written a sequel immediately.
So, yeah, I know what happens, I know whether they end up together -- and I intend to write a sequel. I'm not sure when. And I worry about living up to people's expectations. Now that the book is out there, the characters belong to readers as much as they belong to me. And I'm sure, no matter what I write, someone will think, "No!"
Angie wrote: "We know about Fangirl coming out in September, what are you working on after that novel?"ANGIE:
You do have a lot of questions!
Right. "Fangirl" comes out in September. And it's YA. The book I'm working on now is adult. (Whatever that means.) It's about a woman whose marriage is in trouble. She sort of discovers a way to go back in time -- but once she's there, she has to decide whether to fix her marriage or make sure it never happens. (CUE DRAMATIC MUSIC.)
Monica wrote: "What are your favorite young adult books?Monica!
I discovered Cynthia Voigt in college -- "Homecoming" -- and I inhaled everything she'd ever written about the Tillerman family. She's probably my favorite YA author. (There's a Dicey Tillerman reference in "Eleanor & Park.")
I also love "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman. I think that book defies categorization. Is "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman YA? That book rocked my world.
"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins is my favorite YA love story. "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman was impossible for me to put down. And Tiny Cooper from "Will Grayson Will Grayson" (David Levithan/John Green) is probably my favorite YA character.
Caitlin wrote: "Would you ever consider writing a series? I know you said you may write a sequel to E&P, set later in their lives, but I'm curious about you thoughts on a series. "Thanks, Caitlin!
I think if you had asked me this last year, I would have said NO. But now ... now I wouldn't say no to anything. Now I want to write all kinds of stuff.
"Eleanor & Park" is the only one of the four books I've written that I think I'd write a sequel, too. But there's a fictional middle-grade fantasy series referenced and quoted in "Fangirl," and I think I'd like to actually write that series. Also, there's a fanfiction story inside of "Fangirl," and I plan to write an ebook this summer as if I'm Cath, the main character from "Fangirl," writing fanfiction. (META, RIGHT?)
So ... who knows?
Jamila wrote: "SPOILER QUESTION: Have you received any positive or negative feedback from readers about the mother-daughter conflict and/or about the domestic violence in Eleanor & Park?"Thank you, Jamila!
Um ... I know that the domestic violence really affects some readers. I guess I've mostly heard from people who appreciated the way I handled it.
I tried not to make the abuse the POINT of the story. And it isn't there just to make Eleanor's life more interesting.
I wanted to write about how, when you're in a situation like this -- especially as a child -- it's everything about you and nothing about you, all at once. Like, so much of Eleanor's life is defined and limited by Richie, but the abuse isn't her. I didn't want people to read this book and say, "It's about an abused girl" or "It's about a fat girl" ... It's about ELEANOR, and she's more than that.
Chantale wrote: "I originally heard about the book from John Green's NY Times review, and wanted to know if you've found yourself somewhat overwhelmed with readers from Nerdfighteria ..."Overwhelmed in a great way! I've known about Nerdfighters for a while. At LeakyCon last year, my friend and I decided we were accidental Nerdfighters because we're all for increasing the awesome and decreasing the suck -- we just didn't know there was a MOVEMENT.
When I think of Nerdfighters, I think of smart, passionate people who like to get excited about things. Which is EXACTLY whom I'd like to have read my books. (And exactly whom I want to hang out with.) So, I've been so happy and grateful that people are finding my book through John Green.
Jenna wrote: "What is the biggest difference (that you can recall) between your first draft of E&P and the final draft? Any particular dialogue or scene changes?"Hi, Jenna!
The biggest difference is to the beginning. I originally started the book with Eleanor being kicked out of the house. There was about 10,000 words of her being isolated from her family.
When I went back to that in my second draft, I decided it was just too bleak -- and that I wanted to get to Park and their meeting sooner. That the story should start the moment they met.
Also, in the first draft, Eleanor dropped out of the narrative after she got to Minnesota. So you, as the reader, really didn't know what she was thinking all those months when she wasn't returning Park's letters.
My editor thought it was too cruel. That I needed to be more explicit about what Eleanor was thinking/feeling.
Also the prologue, the very first page of the book was a late add. And I think that ending up being so important. It sets the tone for the whole book.
Kim wrote: "When I re-read the prologue after I finished the book, it seems that Park feels like he was "ruined" by Eleanor, never fully moving on. Would you ever write a sequel and have them meet again in the present time? If yes, would it still be YA"Oh, Kim, that's very perceptive.
You find out later in the book that the prologue is from Park's perspective only about a year after Eleanor left. (When you first read the prologue, I don't think you know how much time has passed.)
But I do think that both Eleanor and Park are a little bit ruined by their relationship. Permanently What happens when you meet the right person too soon? How could either of them have a normal relationship with someone else after having such an intense experience. Would you want to be the girl who dates Park after Eleanor?
I'd like to write about how their relationship had a lasting effect on each of them. How they were changed by it. (Ruined?) If I do write a sequel, it wouldn't take pick up right where this book leaves off. It would take place years and years later.
So I guess it wouldn't be a YA book. Is that crazy? Is it even allowed?
Sel wrote: " Do you think what Park and Eleanor felt was true love? Do you picture any of them falling for any other people as they grow up? If so, what kind of personality would the grown-up Eleanor/Park prefer?"Thank you, Sel!
I do think that what they have is true love. Definitely.
But I don't think that means they can't fall for anyone else later ...
I've thought a lot about how difficult it would be for either of them to start over with someone else. I don't think any other relationship could match the intensity of what they shared. (First love is ALWAYS intense, and what they have is INTENSELY intense.)
Chantale wrote: "As a Teen Librarian, I've been recommending this book to other librarians, library staff and my teen and adult patrons alike. I wanted to know if you yourself use the public library in your day to day life? Growing up were you a frequent library visitor? Did you do any research in a public or special library while writing any of your novels? "Thanks, Chantale!
As a kid, I was a heavy library user, both school and public libraries. We were very poor, and that was something my mom was pretty good about, especially when we had a library within walking distance.
And then I used the public library a lot in my 20s. Weekly.
I use the library less, for myself, now -- probably because I make a special effort to buy books. But we still use it a lot as a family. My kids are addicted to audiobooks.
Jeff wrote: "I loved the fact that it was set in 1986 (which was the year I graduated from high school). What made you select that particular year?"Jeff! Thank you!
Well, I knew I wanted to set it in the '80s, and I ended up at 1986 because I wanted "Watchmen" to be a part of the narrative structure. That comic was SO DIFFERENT, and such a turning point. I thought it would be really cool if Eleanor and Park could experience this exciting thing for the first time together ...
So the book starts about the time that the first issue of "Watchmen" came out.
Related: I talked to a college student in New Jersey about those scenes, and he said that when he was reading the book, it was the first time he'd ever really thought about what it must have been like to WAIT for the next issue of "Watchmen." To not just be able to inhale it all in one gulp.
Pam wrote: "How much of you, Rainbow Rowell, is in Eleanor?"Interesting question, Pam ...
... A LOT.
But I think that's true of all my main characters. Writing Eleanor, I thought back to how I felt when I was 16. How guarded I was. How cynical. How I would have reacted if someone like Park had interrupted my miserable life.
I don't think I was ever as cold as Eleanor -- or as cool. And I don't think I have much in common with her now. But definitely, when I was writing her, I was thinking back to a time in my life when I kept my jaw clenched.
I think a lot of me went into Park, too. I've always-always believed in true love -- and wanted to believe that true love could truly conquer all.
When Eleanor and Park are arguing about that issue, its like I'm arguing with myself.
Andrea wrote: "Have you always known you're going to be a writer? Even as a kid or a high school student is that what you answer them whenever they pop the question?"I think I used to always say that I wanted to be a teacher or a librarian. When I was in high school, I couldn't visualize how writing could be a real career. In college, I studied journalism, largely because it seemed like, "Oh, this is how I can make that work; I can write and get paid for it and have a normal life."
I don't think I saw "novelist" as a viable career path until fairly recently. (I'm still not sure exactly how that works.)
Kim wrote: "Were the three words in the postcard, "nothing ever ends?""Oh! Kim! That would be so smart ... Oh man, I've never thought of that, but that would be genius!
I think it's something a bit more mundane. I don't want to say right now, but you know it's something hopeful because of the way Park reacts.
Jb wrote: "The Romeo & Juliet references had me worried as I read. Eleanor's home life seemed so desperate that I wondered if you were perhaps preparing the readers for a similar ending. My question is... Was this deliberate? Did you intend readers to hold their breath against a R&J ending? "It was intentional. I knew all along that they'd both live, but I wanted the reader to feel like anything could happen.
Also, I knew that the ending might upset readers -- because it's not perfect. It's not happily ever after.
But it's actually a very happy ending. Eleanor escapes! Park helps her! Her mom and siblings escape! That's amazingly happy.
If you're worried that maybe they both die, or Eleanor dies, hopefully the R&J comparison reminds me you that THIS ending IS happy.
Young Adult Book Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Eleanor & Park (other topics)Attachments (other topics)
Fangirl (other topics)
Mark Spoilers for those who haven't read her books!