Cecily Wolfe's Blog: The Start of Something New - Posts Tagged "itm"
In the Margins - Upcoming Blog Tour
Happy Monday!
A new week, and a new opportunity to find great books to read! Some of you know that I am a young adult librarian as well as an author, and one of the book award lists I find very helpful when searching for stories to share with my teen readers is the In the Margins award. My book That Night was considered last year, but did not make the list. It was an honor just to be on their radar!
They are starting a blog tour soon featuring books that made the top ten lists as well as those they recommend for young readers 'in the margins' - in custody/foster care, in poverty, or part of a marginalized population, as well as adults who work with them, like teachers, librarians, and counselors/social workers. Be sure to keep an eye out here on my blog as well as these sites for more details, including readings and interviews.
You can find more details about the In the Margins award here: https://inthemarginssite.wordpress.com/
I discovered some of my favorite authors, like P.D. Workman, from this list.
A new week, and a new opportunity to find great books to read! Some of you know that I am a young adult librarian as well as an author, and one of the book award lists I find very helpful when searching for stories to share with my teen readers is the In the Margins award. My book That Night was considered last year, but did not make the list. It was an honor just to be on their radar!
They are starting a blog tour soon featuring books that made the top ten lists as well as those they recommend for young readers 'in the margins' - in custody/foster care, in poverty, or part of a marginalized population, as well as adults who work with them, like teachers, librarians, and counselors/social workers. Be sure to keep an eye out here on my blog as well as these sites for more details, including readings and interviews.
You can find more details about the In the Margins award here: https://inthemarginssite.wordpress.com/
I discovered some of my favorite authors, like P.D. Workman, from this list.
Interview with One Cut's Author Eve Porinchak - In the Margins Blog Tour
Once again, I am happy to be a host for this month's In the Margins blog tour. Yesterday I posted on my website with details on One Cut, a YA true crime book that was a top pick for the In the Margins list this year, and today our feature is an interview with author Eve Porinchak.
ITM: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
EP: I was a severe reluctant reader as a kid. Like, to the point where I made stuff up when I had to write book reports because I could never finish a whole book. I was slow reader with low comprehension and embarrassed to tell anybody. I had a family full of super smart obsessive speed-readers who devoured books. However, I did love Mad Magazine and The Family Circle comics, so that’s where I really learned to read. Strangely, I loved writing and spent much of my childhood in my room propped up against my orange vinyl toy box writing and illustrating my own hilarious books. But it wasn’t until I went to medical school that I actually learned how to “read” properly and digest and comprehend efficiently. I always said that I would someday write books that I would have liked to read when I was a kid. Now I’m doing that!
ITM: Is writing your only profession? What do you do when you are not writing? If so, how does that tie into your writing?
EP: I work full time in the Los Angeles children’s dependency court, recruiting and training guardians appointed to foster youth. It’s intense, but I love it! I’ve worked with foster youth, gang kids, orphans in Baja, and incarcerated teens for many years in various capacities, as a creative writing teacher, advocate, and social worker. This is where all of my writing comes from, both fiction and nonfiction.
When I started learning to write kid’s books in 2002 I was struck by the appalling lack of characters who came from marginalized populations. I’d worked with gang kids and those from the inner city for as long as I could remember. Yet, we could rarely find books that reflected their experiences. MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers is a huge exception . . . it’s the most riveting and realistic book I’ve ever read! I’m committed to writing about the “forgotten” youth.
Kids who are locked up, or in foster care, or who crossed the border into America alone and illegally. Because I had such a stable life growing up, I was always drawn to kids who had the opposite. I always knew that their stories could have been mine. Circumstance gave me the winning lottery ticket.
I started writing their stories, both fiction and nonfiction, and talking with editors about the “real” America that many don’t see. Still, there was a perception that nobody would care to read these stories. Thank god for the WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS movement. These kids. These forgotten, invisible, underrepresented kids need to see books about themselves. As long as they give me permission to tell their stories, I will. The idea that kids who are poor or kids who are marginalized don’t read is ludicrous. Finally, the KidLit publishing world is catching up.
ITM: DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST GOT THE IDEA TO WRITE ONE CUT? CAN YOU SHARE WITH US HOW THAT CAME ABOUT?
EP: I began teaching in LA’s Central Juvenile
Hall and the Sylmar jail (where kids in the compound are waiting to be tried as adults – very much set up like an adult prison) in 2007 through Inside Out Writers. There I met Sharry Holland, a fellow teacher who had two sons who were sentenced to life in prison when they were fifteen and eighteen years old. I had read about these kids – Jason and Micah Holland – back in Randall Sullivan’s 1997 Rolling Stone Magazine article, and was shocked to learn they had lost all appeals and would die in prison. They were good kids, who had grown up just like me in the LA suburbs. After school one day they’d gotten into a backyard fistfight, a pocketknife was pulled out, and one friend accidentally died. Five of the seven boys were arrested and charged with first-degree murder (possibly facing the death penalty!) including one kid who was still in his truck and never even saw the fight. These were teenagers!
I became obsessed with learning everything about the case and devoured all the police files and 7500 pages of trial transcripts. I seriously memorized every detail. And nothing added up. When I pitched the idea for a book to a publisher at Simon and Schuster during a breakfast meeting (where I had tagged along, uninvited) she was riveted. Soon after, I had a contract to write the book.
ITM: WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WITH ONE CUT ON THE ROAD TO PUBLICATION?
EP: First, the subject matter is incredibly disturbing because an innocent kid died, and four teenagers (now middle aged) are rotting in prison. That was the toughest part. I visited the boys in the prisons on weekends, and became very close with them. It’s rough watching guys suffering in inhumane conditions, no matter who they are. But, it’s especially sad because these guys – Micah Holland, Jason Holland, Brandon Hein, and Tony Miliotti – don’t belong in there.
Getting all the facts straight and combing through every single word of the book with the Simon and Schuster legal department, to ensure everything is 100% true and accurate, was exhausting and time consuming. But it was so worth it, and I learned a ton about writing nonfiction!
ITM: YOU HAVE WORKED WITH OTHER WRITERS IN YOUR PROFESSION IN SCHOOL AND IN YOUR JOB AT THE LITERARY AGENCY. HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO HELP GET SOMEONE THROUGH WRITER’S BLOCK? HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED WRITER’S BLOCK YOURSELF? DO YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO OTHERS WORK FOR YOU?
EP: Every writer I know has suffered from writer’s block at some point in time. Veteran writers always told us to “write through it.” I found that the opposite helped. When I suffered from two full years of writer’s block, after enduring a traumatic event, I walked away, set down my pen and closed my computer. During that time, I spent many hours, days, weeks, months immersed in the jail system. I still taught creative writing, even though I was paralyzed to write myself. Focusing on my kids, getting to know them on a deep level, and fostering their love of writing and journaling was the greatest thing I’ve ever done. They absolutely saved my life, and healed me. I haven’t stopped writing since. Sometimes, you’ve just got to walk away for a bit.
ITM: IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR AUTHOR OR BOOK THAT INFLUENCED YOU IN ANY WAY EITHER GROWING UP OR AS AN ADULT? CAN YOU SHARE THE NAME OF THE BOOK AND WHY IT HAS BEEN SO IMPACTFUL?
EP: Truth be told, I don’t think I ever finished an entire book until I discovered The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton in the eighth grade. I read it 100 times. My girlfriend Maril Manning and I memorized it, and even dressed like the 50’s Greasers gang during that year (Rockabilly was trending at the time, so we were super cool). It struck a chord with us because we had this pact where we vowed to “friend the friendless” in Junior High while some of our classmates strived for popularity or went the bullying route. If somebody was picked on or new to the school or bizarre and different, we invited them to our lunch tree to eat with us. Soon, our posse grew so massive, we had to improvise with the seating! (Our tree enclosure was not all that large). Because the Greasers in The Outsiders were poor, parentless, and picked on, we felt a deep connection to them. Every kid has been the outsider at some point in his/her life. We promised to never forget that feeling, and always empathize with those while they endured it. Side note – at my 20-year high school reunion, a man approached me and told me that our lunch tree gang were the only people who were ever nice to him during his entire teenage life.
ITM: IF YOU HAD TO GO BACK AND DO IT ALL OVER, IS THERE ANY ASPECT OF YOUR NOVEL OR GETTING IT PUBLISHED THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE?
EP: Not one! I had a fabulous team, generous support, and all went very smoothly. The book really wrote itself, and I loved every single minute of that entire year of researching/writing. My sister, Amy, a public defender who represents kids who are tried as adults, was with me every single step of the way. It was the most fascinating year of my life, for sure.
ITM: HOW DO YOU MARKET YOUR WORK? WHAT AVENUES HAVE YOU FOUND TO WORK BEST FOR YOUR GENRE?
EP: Honestly, I juggle three jobs (social worker, literary agent, and college instructor) so marketing has been my weak spot. Because this is sort of a new genre– teen true crime with a juvenile justice bent – we are still navigating the best avenues to get the book into the hands of teens, parents, teachers, etc.
ITM: WILL YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK COMING OUT SOON? CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING BOOK? IS ANYTHING IN YOUR NEW BOOK BASED ON REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES LIKE ONE CUT, OR PURELY ALL FICTION?
EP: I’ve got another nonfiction project about a young girl who was bullied to death, which is out for consideration. Very intense subject matter, but wildly important reading, I think. I’ve also got two fiction books, one middle grade adventure about foster youth and one young adult contemporary story about incarcerated kids in an innovative writing program. Both the fiction stories are full of humor and tragedy, but mostly humor. It’s a nice change for me.
ITM: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHAPTER (OR PART) TO WRITE IN ONE CUT AND WHY?
EP: I was happy (and sad) to write the ending. Although the boys are still locked up, I have tremendous hope for a miracle. I’ve felt it in my gut that something is going to change, and they will be set free. That said – NEWS ALERT – Tony Miliotti, one of the boys initially sentenced to life without parole (who never threw a punch, but only watched the fight) was miraculously granted release LAST WEEK! I do not have details on how exactly it transpired. But, it gives me great hope for the other three, when it seemed for twenty-three years that all hope had been lost.
Brandon's Letter, March 2018
This is a recent letter from Brandon Hein that mentions Tony’s release. The letter is posted in an update on his website “Heinsight” (http://www.brandonheinart.com/). Brandon is a graphic artist and uses his website as a digital gallery for the art he produces. Some of his work has been featured in special art shows for incarcerated populations. It is also available for sale in print formats and as original pieces.
ITM: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLE, ONE CUT?
EP: My original title was Cruel and Unusual, because I believe that sentences of LWOP – life without parole – are cruel and inhumane for teenagers. It was an especially cruel sentence for these four boys who never intended to kill anybody. I didn’t even know the title had changed until I saw it for sale on Amazon! That happens often in publishing.
ITM: WHAT HAS BEEN THE TOUGHEST CRITICISM GIVEN TO YOU AS AN AUTHOR? WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST COMPLIMENT?
EP: One teen girl told me she was so shocked and horrified after reading the ending, she cried wildly, tossed the book across the room, and broke a mirror. That was the toughest and the best all in one!
ITM: DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS?
EP: NEVER EVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!!! Don’t listen to anybody who tells you that you are not good enough. You are good enough. Or, at least you will be if you work hard to learn your craft. Believe me, if I can go from having low comprehension and dreadful reading skills to becoming a published author with a major publishing house, ANYTHING is possible. That is truth!
ITM: IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR READERS AND FANS?
EP: Thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU! I’ve said this before, and I mean it. I don’t care if I ever make money. I don’t care if I’m critically acclaimed. If people (young or old) read my stories and connect with them, I am happy. If somebody reads my work and it inspires them to write or practice kindness to strangers, or pursue work with foster or abandoned or incarcerated youth, that’s even better! I believe that stories are meant to challenge the way we think and move us – whether it’s moving us to laughter or tears or tossing books and breaking mirrors!
KEEP UP with the AUTHOR!
Website | Publishers | Facebook | Twitter |
ITM: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
EP: I was a severe reluctant reader as a kid. Like, to the point where I made stuff up when I had to write book reports because I could never finish a whole book. I was slow reader with low comprehension and embarrassed to tell anybody. I had a family full of super smart obsessive speed-readers who devoured books. However, I did love Mad Magazine and The Family Circle comics, so that’s where I really learned to read. Strangely, I loved writing and spent much of my childhood in my room propped up against my orange vinyl toy box writing and illustrating my own hilarious books. But it wasn’t until I went to medical school that I actually learned how to “read” properly and digest and comprehend efficiently. I always said that I would someday write books that I would have liked to read when I was a kid. Now I’m doing that!
ITM: Is writing your only profession? What do you do when you are not writing? If so, how does that tie into your writing?
EP: I work full time in the Los Angeles children’s dependency court, recruiting and training guardians appointed to foster youth. It’s intense, but I love it! I’ve worked with foster youth, gang kids, orphans in Baja, and incarcerated teens for many years in various capacities, as a creative writing teacher, advocate, and social worker. This is where all of my writing comes from, both fiction and nonfiction.
When I started learning to write kid’s books in 2002 I was struck by the appalling lack of characters who came from marginalized populations. I’d worked with gang kids and those from the inner city for as long as I could remember. Yet, we could rarely find books that reflected their experiences. MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers is a huge exception . . . it’s the most riveting and realistic book I’ve ever read! I’m committed to writing about the “forgotten” youth.
Kids who are locked up, or in foster care, or who crossed the border into America alone and illegally. Because I had such a stable life growing up, I was always drawn to kids who had the opposite. I always knew that their stories could have been mine. Circumstance gave me the winning lottery ticket.
I started writing their stories, both fiction and nonfiction, and talking with editors about the “real” America that many don’t see. Still, there was a perception that nobody would care to read these stories. Thank god for the WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS movement. These kids. These forgotten, invisible, underrepresented kids need to see books about themselves. As long as they give me permission to tell their stories, I will. The idea that kids who are poor or kids who are marginalized don’t read is ludicrous. Finally, the KidLit publishing world is catching up.
ITM: DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST GOT THE IDEA TO WRITE ONE CUT? CAN YOU SHARE WITH US HOW THAT CAME ABOUT?
EP: I began teaching in LA’s Central Juvenile
Hall and the Sylmar jail (where kids in the compound are waiting to be tried as adults – very much set up like an adult prison) in 2007 through Inside Out Writers. There I met Sharry Holland, a fellow teacher who had two sons who were sentenced to life in prison when they were fifteen and eighteen years old. I had read about these kids – Jason and Micah Holland – back in Randall Sullivan’s 1997 Rolling Stone Magazine article, and was shocked to learn they had lost all appeals and would die in prison. They were good kids, who had grown up just like me in the LA suburbs. After school one day they’d gotten into a backyard fistfight, a pocketknife was pulled out, and one friend accidentally died. Five of the seven boys were arrested and charged with first-degree murder (possibly facing the death penalty!) including one kid who was still in his truck and never even saw the fight. These were teenagers!
I became obsessed with learning everything about the case and devoured all the police files and 7500 pages of trial transcripts. I seriously memorized every detail. And nothing added up. When I pitched the idea for a book to a publisher at Simon and Schuster during a breakfast meeting (where I had tagged along, uninvited) she was riveted. Soon after, I had a contract to write the book.
ITM: WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WITH ONE CUT ON THE ROAD TO PUBLICATION?
EP: First, the subject matter is incredibly disturbing because an innocent kid died, and four teenagers (now middle aged) are rotting in prison. That was the toughest part. I visited the boys in the prisons on weekends, and became very close with them. It’s rough watching guys suffering in inhumane conditions, no matter who they are. But, it’s especially sad because these guys – Micah Holland, Jason Holland, Brandon Hein, and Tony Miliotti – don’t belong in there.
Getting all the facts straight and combing through every single word of the book with the Simon and Schuster legal department, to ensure everything is 100% true and accurate, was exhausting and time consuming. But it was so worth it, and I learned a ton about writing nonfiction!
ITM: YOU HAVE WORKED WITH OTHER WRITERS IN YOUR PROFESSION IN SCHOOL AND IN YOUR JOB AT THE LITERARY AGENCY. HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO HELP GET SOMEONE THROUGH WRITER’S BLOCK? HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED WRITER’S BLOCK YOURSELF? DO YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO OTHERS WORK FOR YOU?
EP: Every writer I know has suffered from writer’s block at some point in time. Veteran writers always told us to “write through it.” I found that the opposite helped. When I suffered from two full years of writer’s block, after enduring a traumatic event, I walked away, set down my pen and closed my computer. During that time, I spent many hours, days, weeks, months immersed in the jail system. I still taught creative writing, even though I was paralyzed to write myself. Focusing on my kids, getting to know them on a deep level, and fostering their love of writing and journaling was the greatest thing I’ve ever done. They absolutely saved my life, and healed me. I haven’t stopped writing since. Sometimes, you’ve just got to walk away for a bit.
ITM: IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR AUTHOR OR BOOK THAT INFLUENCED YOU IN ANY WAY EITHER GROWING UP OR AS AN ADULT? CAN YOU SHARE THE NAME OF THE BOOK AND WHY IT HAS BEEN SO IMPACTFUL?
EP: Truth be told, I don’t think I ever finished an entire book until I discovered The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton in the eighth grade. I read it 100 times. My girlfriend Maril Manning and I memorized it, and even dressed like the 50’s Greasers gang during that year (Rockabilly was trending at the time, so we were super cool). It struck a chord with us because we had this pact where we vowed to “friend the friendless” in Junior High while some of our classmates strived for popularity or went the bullying route. If somebody was picked on or new to the school or bizarre and different, we invited them to our lunch tree to eat with us. Soon, our posse grew so massive, we had to improvise with the seating! (Our tree enclosure was not all that large). Because the Greasers in The Outsiders were poor, parentless, and picked on, we felt a deep connection to them. Every kid has been the outsider at some point in his/her life. We promised to never forget that feeling, and always empathize with those while they endured it. Side note – at my 20-year high school reunion, a man approached me and told me that our lunch tree gang were the only people who were ever nice to him during his entire teenage life.
ITM: IF YOU HAD TO GO BACK AND DO IT ALL OVER, IS THERE ANY ASPECT OF YOUR NOVEL OR GETTING IT PUBLISHED THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE?
EP: Not one! I had a fabulous team, generous support, and all went very smoothly. The book really wrote itself, and I loved every single minute of that entire year of researching/writing. My sister, Amy, a public defender who represents kids who are tried as adults, was with me every single step of the way. It was the most fascinating year of my life, for sure.
ITM: HOW DO YOU MARKET YOUR WORK? WHAT AVENUES HAVE YOU FOUND TO WORK BEST FOR YOUR GENRE?
EP: Honestly, I juggle three jobs (social worker, literary agent, and college instructor) so marketing has been my weak spot. Because this is sort of a new genre– teen true crime with a juvenile justice bent – we are still navigating the best avenues to get the book into the hands of teens, parents, teachers, etc.
ITM: WILL YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK COMING OUT SOON? CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING BOOK? IS ANYTHING IN YOUR NEW BOOK BASED ON REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES LIKE ONE CUT, OR PURELY ALL FICTION?
EP: I’ve got another nonfiction project about a young girl who was bullied to death, which is out for consideration. Very intense subject matter, but wildly important reading, I think. I’ve also got two fiction books, one middle grade adventure about foster youth and one young adult contemporary story about incarcerated kids in an innovative writing program. Both the fiction stories are full of humor and tragedy, but mostly humor. It’s a nice change for me.
ITM: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHAPTER (OR PART) TO WRITE IN ONE CUT AND WHY?
EP: I was happy (and sad) to write the ending. Although the boys are still locked up, I have tremendous hope for a miracle. I’ve felt it in my gut that something is going to change, and they will be set free. That said – NEWS ALERT – Tony Miliotti, one of the boys initially sentenced to life without parole (who never threw a punch, but only watched the fight) was miraculously granted release LAST WEEK! I do not have details on how exactly it transpired. But, it gives me great hope for the other three, when it seemed for twenty-three years that all hope had been lost.
Brandon's Letter, March 2018
This is a recent letter from Brandon Hein that mentions Tony’s release. The letter is posted in an update on his website “Heinsight” (http://www.brandonheinart.com/). Brandon is a graphic artist and uses his website as a digital gallery for the art he produces. Some of his work has been featured in special art shows for incarcerated populations. It is also available for sale in print formats and as original pieces.
ITM: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLE, ONE CUT?
EP: My original title was Cruel and Unusual, because I believe that sentences of LWOP – life without parole – are cruel and inhumane for teenagers. It was an especially cruel sentence for these four boys who never intended to kill anybody. I didn’t even know the title had changed until I saw it for sale on Amazon! That happens often in publishing.
ITM: WHAT HAS BEEN THE TOUGHEST CRITICISM GIVEN TO YOU AS AN AUTHOR? WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST COMPLIMENT?
EP: One teen girl told me she was so shocked and horrified after reading the ending, she cried wildly, tossed the book across the room, and broke a mirror. That was the toughest and the best all in one!
ITM: DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS?
EP: NEVER EVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!!! Don’t listen to anybody who tells you that you are not good enough. You are good enough. Or, at least you will be if you work hard to learn your craft. Believe me, if I can go from having low comprehension and dreadful reading skills to becoming a published author with a major publishing house, ANYTHING is possible. That is truth!
ITM: IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR READERS AND FANS?
EP: Thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU! I’ve said this before, and I mean it. I don’t care if I ever make money. I don’t care if I’m critically acclaimed. If people (young or old) read my stories and connect with them, I am happy. If somebody reads my work and it inspires them to write or practice kindness to strangers, or pursue work with foster or abandoned or incarcerated youth, that’s even better! I believe that stories are meant to challenge the way we think and move us – whether it’s moving us to laughter or tears or tossing books and breaking mirrors!
KEEP UP with the AUTHOR!
Website | Publishers | Facebook | Twitter |
In the Margins Blog Tour: Interview with WHITE FLIGHT’s Chris Paslay
Today we are fortunate to be graced with the presence of one of the In the Margins Top TEN National Award winning authors, Christopher Paslay, who wrote White Flight: A Novel in Verse, a story in which readers come face to face with the explosive situations that destroyed the lives of one family and stopped the friendship of two teens because of snitching.
Paslay’s book was written for its readers to learn from the action of the characters in the storyline, which provides powerful impacts on the concepts of friendship and race. Today Chris shares some of his thoughts with us on his background and the inside story of his young adult innovative story.
More information on white flight as a phenomenon, check out this article on the Pacific Standard: https://psmag.com/social-justice/whit...
and an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer that Chris mentions: https://inthemarginssite.files.wordpr...
I'll be posting more about Chris over on my website later this week, so stay tuned!
Paslay’s book was written for its readers to learn from the action of the characters in the storyline, which provides powerful impacts on the concepts of friendship and race. Today Chris shares some of his thoughts with us on his background and the inside story of his young adult innovative story.
More information on white flight as a phenomenon, check out this article on the Pacific Standard: https://psmag.com/social-justice/whit...
and an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer that Chris mentions: https://inthemarginssite.files.wordpr...
I'll be posting more about Chris over on my website later this week, so stay tuned!
When Daronte's Father Went to Prison - In the Margins Blog Tour
Come with us as we reveal the long-awaited interview of author Kim Ballou, author of When Daronte's Father Went to Prison as part of the In the Margins blog tour this month.
KB: When I'm not writing, I'm usually reading! I also enjoy nature walks—I'm a biology geek, and what better way is there to see biology in action?
My other career is an educator.I'm a former fourth-grade teacher, and now I create practice questions and answer explanations for an online learning bank. I love teaching in all its different forms and my writing reflects it. I hope everyone gains a new perspective from some aspect of my writing.
I use my writing to bring up elements that readers may not have considered—for example, many people wouldn't think that a drug dealer could possibly be a decent parent. As an educator, I want people to think critically about situations and ask questions rather than being "spoon-fed" information. What makes someone a good parent? Can a person break the law and still be a good parent? Is it acceptable for a child to love a parent who has made some really bad decisions? How can we, as a society, give the child space to love his or her parent, while still condemning the parent's behavior? These are the deeper questions I would love for people to address.
ITM: What were some of your earliest memories of writing that you enjoyed?
KB: I've been an avid writer since I was a young child. After acting onstage for several years, I wrote my first play when I was nine years old. It was a Christmas play about a family's adventures preparing for the holiday season, and it featured many of the "standard" children's Christmas songs, like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman." It was cute, and I was SO proud!
ITM: What brought you around to writing When Daronte's Father Went to Prison? Can you tell us about some of your challenges in writing When Daronte's Father Went to Prison?
KB: What spurred me to write When Daronte's Father Went to Prison was my experience as a fourth-grade teacher in inner city schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
"Every year, at least one of my students Screen Shot 2018-05-21 at 11.52.35 AMhad a parent in prison, but I couldn't find any books for upper elementary children that were at a lower reading level."
Many students who have an incarcerated parent are behind grade level in reading, and fourth graders won't read a picture book—they call them "baby" books! So, I needed a book with chapters.
"Second, most of my students were African-American, but I struggled to find an age-appropriate book on the topic that featured characters who looked like my students."
I spoke with many children's librarians and children's book purchasers at bookstores, and they all told me that the book I needed didn't exist, but if I found one, to let them know. So, being "me," of course, I got fed up with hearing "No" and wrote the book I needed!
ITM: How did you determine the storyline? What was your process? Did you have to make an outline or are do you just write?
KB: I knew I wanted the book to have some positive messages without being "preachy." I used information given to me by my student—like the raid scene—for many of the key details in the book. I "fleshed out" some of the descriptions by drawing upon my own experience growing up in Gary, Indiana, walking past drug houses every day to get to school. I wanted my characters to seem like real, normal people rather than saints or monsters. Finally, I knew that Daronte needed a journey, something that changed him and made him grow. How Daronte came to accept and forgive his father's crime provided the reason for that journey. As I mentioned, I've been an actress since I was six years old—I'm very familiar with the way a story needs to "travel" from a starting point to the end of the road (story). I put ALL these elements together and just started writing. I ended up with the first draft of my book. Then, after 6,237 (ish) revisions and read-throughs, When Daronte's Father Went to Prison was ready to be published!
ITM: One of the most impactful frameworks that undergird your storyline is the middle-class lifestyle of Daronte and his family. What inspired you to present Daronte as middle class? What did you know of the consequences suffered by Daronte and children like him? How are middle-class youth different or similar to youth that experiences the same thing but are from lower income levels? In your experience, what have you seeded the most of from children who experience this trauma: middle-class youth? Lower-income youth?
KB: I have met drug dealers personally—some were my students' parents, and others were people I knew when I was growing up in Gary. Many of them lived what's now called a "Bad and Bougie" lifestyle: one in which their roots and their income remain based on the street lifestyle, but the face they present to the world can be middle-class. Daronte didn't know a street life, but in their backstory, his parents were low-income people who lived a street life until drug money raised their socioeconomic status.
"In this way, the difference between low-income and middle-class is not a true distinction—this particular group straddles the line between them. "
My experience of the consequences to the children who experience this trauma involves children who inhabit this "shadow" world, and once the money is gone, they suffer the xsame poverty and instability as any other low-income youth.
ITM: The other impactful framework undergirding your storyline is the phenomenon of young black boys having guns pulled on themselves by authority figures. How bad is this affecting communities in the areas you teach? In the schools in the area? Do you see this phenomenon occurring with different ethnic groups?
KB: When I was a teenager and began going out with my friends, my mother told me what to do in case we were stopped by the police: hands visible, don't run, speak respectfully, and move slowly. That's what it was like when I was a TEENAGER—the youngest child who told me about a raid at his house was five years old. And yes, he said the officers pointed their guns at him. Don't misunderstand me: police officers have a tough, dangerous job, and I've worked with wonderful officers of different ethnicities who try hard to make a positive difference in the communities they protect.
"But pointing a semi-automatic weapon at a five-year-old can never be acceptable. Where's the imminent threat?"
My students who experienced this type of behavior by the police just felt increased animosity toward and distrust of police officers. How do you convince a nine-year-old to trust officers when a group of them burst into his home and pointed a gun at him? To a nine-year-old, those officers represent ALL officers at all times, and there is no way to erase that deep impression on one so young.
ITM: What was your favorite chapter (or part) of the When Daronte's Father Went to Prison storyline and why?
KB: My favorite chapter to write was Chapter Two because it challenged me to express all the emotions that my students felt during their terrifying experiences! My favorite part to read is in Chapter Six when Daronte is dealing with the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Carr. I think everyone knows someone like Mrs. Carr—she cracks me up!
ITM: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
KB: After all the proofreading, read-throughs and editing I had done, a reader noticed a mistake. It hurt my little perfectionist's heart! The biggest compliment happened when I conducted a little experiment at an airport. A young African-American boy, about 11 years old, sat across from me, listening to music on headphones and playing games on an iPad. He was dancing along to the music while in his seat. I pulled out a copy of When Daronte's Father Went to Prison and held it up, pretending to read while watching him. He eventually glanced around, noticed the book's cover and did a double-take! He then leaned all the way over in his chair to read the title. His reaction has been my best compliment so far. He had to board the plane before we could chat, but this experiment drove home to me the need for African-American children to see themselves represented in books. It should be a normal occurrence rather than something that causes a double-take.
ITM: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
KB: I say to aspiring writers, "Keep perfecting your craft." It's not enough to write your ideas—you need feedback from other writers to improve. Join local writing groups and workshops. Learn how to accept criticism of your work and use the feedback to make your craft better. Writing is a marathon, not a sprint.
ITM: Are you working on a new book title? Can you share with us what the title is and when it will be due?
KB: I am currently working on my second middle-grade book, tentatively titled, "Aniyah and the Albatross." It is due out in November 2018.
KB: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
ITM: Everyone, please be on the lookout for my author website, coming soon. You'll find pictures and links to interviews, as well as blog posts and other extras for parents and educators. Thank you all so much for buying and supporting When Daronte's Father Went to Prison You can find it on Amazon.com. I hope it makes you laugh, makes you think, and helps children see that no matter how bad things are, there's always hope!
Follow Kimberly Ballou on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KLJH5F
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2LlQp3E
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2GGLxSX
KB: When I'm not writing, I'm usually reading! I also enjoy nature walks—I'm a biology geek, and what better way is there to see biology in action?
My other career is an educator.I'm a former fourth-grade teacher, and now I create practice questions and answer explanations for an online learning bank. I love teaching in all its different forms and my writing reflects it. I hope everyone gains a new perspective from some aspect of my writing.
I use my writing to bring up elements that readers may not have considered—for example, many people wouldn't think that a drug dealer could possibly be a decent parent. As an educator, I want people to think critically about situations and ask questions rather than being "spoon-fed" information. What makes someone a good parent? Can a person break the law and still be a good parent? Is it acceptable for a child to love a parent who has made some really bad decisions? How can we, as a society, give the child space to love his or her parent, while still condemning the parent's behavior? These are the deeper questions I would love for people to address.
ITM: What were some of your earliest memories of writing that you enjoyed?
KB: I've been an avid writer since I was a young child. After acting onstage for several years, I wrote my first play when I was nine years old. It was a Christmas play about a family's adventures preparing for the holiday season, and it featured many of the "standard" children's Christmas songs, like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman." It was cute, and I was SO proud!
ITM: What brought you around to writing When Daronte's Father Went to Prison? Can you tell us about some of your challenges in writing When Daronte's Father Went to Prison?
KB: What spurred me to write When Daronte's Father Went to Prison was my experience as a fourth-grade teacher in inner city schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
"Every year, at least one of my students Screen Shot 2018-05-21 at 11.52.35 AMhad a parent in prison, but I couldn't find any books for upper elementary children that were at a lower reading level."
Many students who have an incarcerated parent are behind grade level in reading, and fourth graders won't read a picture book—they call them "baby" books! So, I needed a book with chapters.
"Second, most of my students were African-American, but I struggled to find an age-appropriate book on the topic that featured characters who looked like my students."
I spoke with many children's librarians and children's book purchasers at bookstores, and they all told me that the book I needed didn't exist, but if I found one, to let them know. So, being "me," of course, I got fed up with hearing "No" and wrote the book I needed!
ITM: How did you determine the storyline? What was your process? Did you have to make an outline or are do you just write?
KB: I knew I wanted the book to have some positive messages without being "preachy." I used information given to me by my student—like the raid scene—for many of the key details in the book. I "fleshed out" some of the descriptions by drawing upon my own experience growing up in Gary, Indiana, walking past drug houses every day to get to school. I wanted my characters to seem like real, normal people rather than saints or monsters. Finally, I knew that Daronte needed a journey, something that changed him and made him grow. How Daronte came to accept and forgive his father's crime provided the reason for that journey. As I mentioned, I've been an actress since I was six years old—I'm very familiar with the way a story needs to "travel" from a starting point to the end of the road (story). I put ALL these elements together and just started writing. I ended up with the first draft of my book. Then, after 6,237 (ish) revisions and read-throughs, When Daronte's Father Went to Prison was ready to be published!
ITM: One of the most impactful frameworks that undergird your storyline is the middle-class lifestyle of Daronte and his family. What inspired you to present Daronte as middle class? What did you know of the consequences suffered by Daronte and children like him? How are middle-class youth different or similar to youth that experiences the same thing but are from lower income levels? In your experience, what have you seeded the most of from children who experience this trauma: middle-class youth? Lower-income youth?
KB: I have met drug dealers personally—some were my students' parents, and others were people I knew when I was growing up in Gary. Many of them lived what's now called a "Bad and Bougie" lifestyle: one in which their roots and their income remain based on the street lifestyle, but the face they present to the world can be middle-class. Daronte didn't know a street life, but in their backstory, his parents were low-income people who lived a street life until drug money raised their socioeconomic status.
"In this way, the difference between low-income and middle-class is not a true distinction—this particular group straddles the line between them. "
My experience of the consequences to the children who experience this trauma involves children who inhabit this "shadow" world, and once the money is gone, they suffer the xsame poverty and instability as any other low-income youth.
ITM: The other impactful framework undergirding your storyline is the phenomenon of young black boys having guns pulled on themselves by authority figures. How bad is this affecting communities in the areas you teach? In the schools in the area? Do you see this phenomenon occurring with different ethnic groups?
KB: When I was a teenager and began going out with my friends, my mother told me what to do in case we were stopped by the police: hands visible, don't run, speak respectfully, and move slowly. That's what it was like when I was a TEENAGER—the youngest child who told me about a raid at his house was five years old. And yes, he said the officers pointed their guns at him. Don't misunderstand me: police officers have a tough, dangerous job, and I've worked with wonderful officers of different ethnicities who try hard to make a positive difference in the communities they protect.
"But pointing a semi-automatic weapon at a five-year-old can never be acceptable. Where's the imminent threat?"
My students who experienced this type of behavior by the police just felt increased animosity toward and distrust of police officers. How do you convince a nine-year-old to trust officers when a group of them burst into his home and pointed a gun at him? To a nine-year-old, those officers represent ALL officers at all times, and there is no way to erase that deep impression on one so young.
ITM: What was your favorite chapter (or part) of the When Daronte's Father Went to Prison storyline and why?
KB: My favorite chapter to write was Chapter Two because it challenged me to express all the emotions that my students felt during their terrifying experiences! My favorite part to read is in Chapter Six when Daronte is dealing with the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Carr. I think everyone knows someone like Mrs. Carr—she cracks me up!
ITM: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
KB: After all the proofreading, read-throughs and editing I had done, a reader noticed a mistake. It hurt my little perfectionist's heart! The biggest compliment happened when I conducted a little experiment at an airport. A young African-American boy, about 11 years old, sat across from me, listening to music on headphones and playing games on an iPad. He was dancing along to the music while in his seat. I pulled out a copy of When Daronte's Father Went to Prison and held it up, pretending to read while watching him. He eventually glanced around, noticed the book's cover and did a double-take! He then leaned all the way over in his chair to read the title. His reaction has been my best compliment so far. He had to board the plane before we could chat, but this experiment drove home to me the need for African-American children to see themselves represented in books. It should be a normal occurrence rather than something that causes a double-take.
ITM: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
KB: I say to aspiring writers, "Keep perfecting your craft." It's not enough to write your ideas—you need feedback from other writers to improve. Join local writing groups and workshops. Learn how to accept criticism of your work and use the feedback to make your craft better. Writing is a marathon, not a sprint.
ITM: Are you working on a new book title? Can you share with us what the title is and when it will be due?
KB: I am currently working on my second middle-grade book, tentatively titled, "Aniyah and the Albatross." It is due out in November 2018.
KB: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
ITM: Everyone, please be on the lookout for my author website, coming soon. You'll find pictures and links to interviews, as well as blog posts and other extras for parents and educators. Thank you all so much for buying and supporting When Daronte's Father Went to Prison You can find it on Amazon.com. I hope it makes you laugh, makes you think, and helps children see that no matter how bad things are, there's always hope!
Follow Kimberly Ballou on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KLJH5F
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2LlQp3E
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2GGLxSX
