Ask the Author: Tom Rogers
Answered Questions (6)
Tom Rogers
Hi Jason -- unfortunately, there's no Spanish translation yet. I wish there were. I'm currently working on a foreign-language rights deal which should (eventually) rectify this problem. Thanks for inquiring!
Tom Rogers
Hi Maxx! It would be a pretty amazing coincidence, wouldn't it? Here's a thing to know about writers: we think long and hard about names, because a name can tell you so much about a character. When a character's name seems to have extra meaning, you can be sure the author did that intentionally. So yes, I had Alex use the call sign "A-Dawg" because he loves dogs. Thanks for a great question! ~Mr. Rogers
Tom Rogers
Hi Fyness! Which problem are you referring to? (Try not to give away any spoilers in your question. Thanks!)
Tom Rogers
Hi Mandy! Thanks for the question. The book includes themes about maturity and responsibility, but it is primarily about what it means to be a hero, and how sometimes the most heroic acts come from finding the courage to show kindness to others when times are tough.
Tom Rogers
Hi G -- I just saw your question here! We have now already traded emails about this, but I'll answer here in case anyone else is interested.
Alex grew first out my own memories of what it was like to be an 11-year-old boy. When I was eleven, I used to daydream about being a hero--about running into burning buildings and saving everyone inside, which I figured would really impress all the girls and make them want to be my girlfriend. (To no one's surprise, that scenario never did play out.) What I took from that and gave to Alex was this very immature idea of what it means to be heroic. That created a great starting point for Alex as he begins his journey to become a true hero in a very different way (one that doesn't involve being a fighter pilot or rescuing people from burning buildings).
I also remembered what it was like to desperately want something and feel selfishly deprived and irate when I didn't get it. I was not the first kid to throw a temper tantrum when I didn't get a birthday present I wanted, and I sometimes lashed out at my parents, just as Alex does at his dad. As we grow more mature, we hopefully gain perspective about which things are truly important in life; I wanted to send Alex on that journey to maturity over the course of a single, powerful day.
I loved my dog, Pokey, when I was a boy. Pokey was a ridiculous-looking basset hound, but to me he was the most beautiful and amazing dog ever, and I would have done anything for him--and that's just how Alex feels about Radar.
And I had a little brother who used to drive me nuts. We even had a "line of death" in the car and in our bedroom that we weren't supposed to cross; and of course we crossed it as often as we could to annoy each other. But if he were ever in trouble or being picked on at the playground, I would become very big brotherly and protective of him. So that kind of love-hate relationship, where your sibling can make you bananas one day but then inspire really protective love when things really matter--I put that into Alex's relationship with his little sister.
And then...I just let my imagination take him to new places so he could become his own person!
Alex grew first out my own memories of what it was like to be an 11-year-old boy. When I was eleven, I used to daydream about being a hero--about running into burning buildings and saving everyone inside, which I figured would really impress all the girls and make them want to be my girlfriend. (To no one's surprise, that scenario never did play out.) What I took from that and gave to Alex was this very immature idea of what it means to be heroic. That created a great starting point for Alex as he begins his journey to become a true hero in a very different way (one that doesn't involve being a fighter pilot or rescuing people from burning buildings).
I also remembered what it was like to desperately want something and feel selfishly deprived and irate when I didn't get it. I was not the first kid to throw a temper tantrum when I didn't get a birthday present I wanted, and I sometimes lashed out at my parents, just as Alex does at his dad. As we grow more mature, we hopefully gain perspective about which things are truly important in life; I wanted to send Alex on that journey to maturity over the course of a single, powerful day.
I loved my dog, Pokey, when I was a boy. Pokey was a ridiculous-looking basset hound, but to me he was the most beautiful and amazing dog ever, and I would have done anything for him--and that's just how Alex feels about Radar.
And I had a little brother who used to drive me nuts. We even had a "line of death" in the car and in our bedroom that we weren't supposed to cross; and of course we crossed it as often as we could to annoy each other. But if he were ever in trouble or being picked on at the playground, I would become very big brotherly and protective of him. So that kind of love-hate relationship, where your sibling can make you bananas one day but then inspire really protective love when things really matter--I put that into Alex's relationship with his little sister.
And then...I just let my imagination take him to new places so he could become his own person!
Tom Rogers
Get out of my chair and take a walk. I can stare at a problem for two hours with no progress; but if I get up to walk around the block, the answer will hit me four steps out the door. Never fails.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more
Sep 18, 2020 07:48AM · flag
Sep 18, 2020 08:08AM · flag