Interview with Karen Bass
Dear Blog,
I thought I'd try doing an author interview every couple of months, if I can persuade any authors to be interviewed by me. Here is my first attempt, an interview with Karen Bass, who so kindly agreed to be my first guinea pig!
Karen Bass is the author of Drummer Girl, Summer of Fire, and Run Like Jaeger, and is a fellow Coteau Books author.
Hello Karen! Thank you for agreeing to do my FIRST EVER AUTHOR INTERVIEW. If I'm doing it wrong, please feel free to slam your teacup (or whiskey glass) down on the imaginary table between us, snap, "What is this, anyway?" and flounce off. It will serve me right and it will be funny.
Actually, it would be a coffee cup or a wine glass, but I’m not good at the diva stuff, even at the worst of times, so you should be safe.
So the first thing I ever read of yours was actually some of your Star Wars fan fiction! Can you tell my legions of blog readers how you got into writing fan fic?
A good friend who wrote in Star Wars and other universes drew me into fan fiction, but also warned me, “Once you start down the fanfic path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” Despite that, I happily veered onto a two-year fanfic tangent. For an embarrassingly indepth accounting of how I got into fanfic, look here: http://dakshee.8m.net/confess.html. Yes, I have a fanfic website, long neglected yet still intact. My fanfic journey is a cautionary tale of obsession.
How did you decide to start writing your own fiction, and what were the biggest differences for you, compared with writing fan fiction?
Fanfic was a blast, but I never meant it to be so all-consuming. While I was writing fanfic, I was reading books on how to write a novel, which I wanted to do, but I wasn’t finding a method that worked for me. That changed when I read “On Writing” by Stephen King. Too many viewings of “Fellowship of the Ring” plus King’s outline-free method resulted in an 800-page clichéd fantasy that will likely never see the light of day. After that, I got the idea for Run Like Jager and forged ahead.
Fanfic gave me the opportunity to experiment with some aspects of story – plot, multiple POVs, dialogue, action – while the two major elements of character and setting were already fleshed out. It really can be a useful way to develop your craft. So the biggest difference is just that: when you’re writing original fiction, you’re responsible for absolutely every aspect of the story, including character and setting. It can be daunting to figure out how to juggle it all, more so for a fantasy writer like you, Catherine, who has to do such involved world-building.
So how did you end up switching from adult fan fiction to YA in your original writing?
That 800-page fantasy that will never be published was adult, but when I got the idea for Run Like Jager, which involved a high school exchange program, the main character obviously had to be a teen. Between having teenagers in the house at the time and having vivid memories of my own teen years, it was an easy point-of-view to slip into. Since then, it seems my inner teenager has been working overtime to provide me with more teen story lines. Which is fine. I love YA.
Do you have a favourite among the three novels you've published? Which was the hardest / easiest to write, and why?
Well, the standard writers response to the “your favourite” question is to say, “The one I’m working on, of course.” Seriously, I love each of mychildren books for their unique little selves. If I’m forced into a corner, I usually pick Run Like Jager. Its male perspective has made it more accessible in schools (that old thing about boys only reading stories with male lead characters), and a few schools are now using it in class novel studies. It was also the easiest to write.
The hardest to write was probably Summer of Fire, because I drew on a lot of my own emotional experiences for both girls’ emotional turmoil. However, the hardest to get started on, was Drummer Girl. It took me ages to figure out the premise.
What is Drummer Girl about?
More than anything, Sid wants to be the drummer in a band. When she gets a shot, things get complicated and she has to decide how much she’s willing to pay to get the gig.
I really enjoyed Drummer Girl, in particular because I loved Sid, the main character, who seemed so immediately to be a complete and interesting person. Can you tell us anything about how the character evolved? Did she spring fully into being all at once, or was "creating" her a more complicated process?
She definitely didn’t spring from my head, fully developed (Athena-like). In 2007 I saw two girls holding hands as they walked down the street in Hamburg, Germany, and a random thought hit me: what if someone thought you were gay but you weren’t? That was the seed. It took a lot of coaxing for Sid to reveal herself. But as soon as I knew she was a drummer, I knew her goal and the story’s main conflict.
There are also some great secondary characters in the book. I was impressed at how you pulled Cousin Heather, who helps Sid with her makeover, back from the edge of the nasty stereotype she might have been, and made her feel very human. Do you have a favourite secondary character and if so, can you tell us about him / her?
Confession time: Heather was pretty stereotypical until my editor gave me feedback. Thank goodness for editors! I do like her much better now.
My favourite secondary character is … I can only pick one? Fave teen: Brad, because he’s sweet and awkward, and genuinely nice. Fave adult: Mr. Brock, because I have a weak spot for a good mentor/guide (they show up in a lot of my fiction) and because he’s also nice, and awkward in his attempts to connect with the students. Yes, I know. How awkward that I like awkward so much.
Drummer Girl is contemporary YA fiction, and deals with a lot of "issues" common in adolescence: identity, sexuality, sexual assault, drinking, to name a few. To what extent were you conscious of having a responsibility to teenagers who would read this book, and did that affect the story you were telling?
I couldn’t bring myself to censor those elements because it’s the kind of stuff teens really deal with. Sid and her situation being true-to-life is hopefully what readers connect with. I always write at least a partially upbeat ending, so I would hope that teens vicariously find a way out of bad situations through that, or maybe decide to never enter sketchy situations because they read about them in a story (mine or others).
You mentioned that you are not a musician yourself, let alone a drummer. How did you decide to make Sid a drummer, and HOW ON EARTH did you write so convincingly about her drumming? (also, her musical passions - yours? if not, how did you decide what music she would love?)
I read books on drumming, watched “Anatomy of a Drum Solo” by Neil Peart, and had a long and very involved interview with my son’s best friend who drums (with odd questions like, “Does your butt get sore?”) But everyone has passion about some activity in their lives, and so I drew on my own senses (and a big dose of imagination) to create Sid’s passion.
As for what music Sid loves, I picked heavy metal because both my sons are fans and I knew from them about speed drumming, as well as some metal bands. Her love of jazz came from a comment by Neil Peart on that video about him re-training under a jazz drummer. And she loves Rush because of Peart’s mad drumming skills. I happen to enjoy some of Rush’s music so that’s the only direct connection to me.
What future project(s) can we look forward to from you?
I’m in the midst of revisions right now, a YA historical set in 1947 Leipzig, Germany, which was in the post-WWII Soviet Zone and a most unpleasant place to live. (Expect a story with lots of action!) And I have another WWII historical awaiting revisions. In other genres, I’m trying to get one manuscript started and one finished – both contemporary with fantasy elements.
Can you describe your writing process, from idea to book?
My ideas come from all over, though I’m particularly inspired by travelling. As for the writing, with earlier books I followed Stephen King’s model, taking a situation and characters and writing the first draft in 3-4 months. But with the story I’m currently revising, I had outlined it to a large degree – in my head only – before I started writing. I used to think that writing down an outline killed my desire to write the story. Now I’m gaining more confidence that I can write an outline and still get that first draft down.
Overall, I always write a fast first draft. I love the rush of discovering the story as I go, of living the adventure with my characters. After the first draft I revise several times. Get outside input. Revise some more. Then I look for a home for the story.
What is your ideal balance of writing / the rest of your life. What does that balance look like in reality?
Ideally, I’d spend an hour at most, online and promoting. Then I’d put in 4-5 hours writing, then I’d relax and read. I’d have my weekends free. What usually happens is that I’m obsessed during the first draft, writing upwards of 10 hours a day, pretty much every day, until the draft is done. Then I procrastinate horribly when it comes to revisions, having to bribe myself into opening that document and getting to work. Needless to say, I spend way too much time online when I’m in revision mode.
What are your lowest and highest moments, as a writer?
I’ve been involved in a lot of great events, met so many great people (other writers and readers), but the absolute highest moment had to be opening that first box of my first book. Euphoria!
Lowest. Hmm. It’s a bit of a let down when someone gives one of my books a bad review (like being told your baby is ugly, I guess), but I really can’t think of many lows. Moments of despair exist (Will I ever write another story!? My book is dreck!), but are fleeting and I usually overcome them by connecting with friends who also write.
Book recommendations please! Can you name a few of your favourite books when you were a child, and a few of your favourites now? What should my legions of blog-readers be reading?
Though I read voraciously as a child, I don’t remember titles other than a few beloved animal stories (The Bushbaby, King of the Wind). I did read To Kill a Mockingbird five times in my school career, first time in grade five. I still love it. After elementary school, I inhaled anything by Leon Uris (WWII stuff mostly), went through a Stephen King stage, loved spy thrillers, and liked some classics such as Dracula and The Scarlet Pimpernel. WWII, adventure and/or fantasy made me happy. Still do.
Now, YA (which didn’t exist when I was a teen) contains an abundance of riches and I love reading all sorts of YA (except maybe romance). A fave from the last few years is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, otherwise I like way too many to mention – including yours, Catherine! I loved Shade & Sorceress. For people wanting to try something new, here’s a partial list of Canadian YA writers (many of whom publish in the US): http://bit.ly/14T1spv
Adult authors I like: Lisa Genova, Steven Galloway, Ami McKay, and many others. (I usually read adult books via recommendation, so not very many NYT bestsellers.)
The best books I’ve read recently are Shade & Sorceress by Catherine Egan (truly), Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, and Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese.
Thank you, Karen (who can be found in the following places: http://www.karenbass.ca/ and https://twitter.com/karenbassYA).
How was that?
Catherine
I thought I'd try doing an author interview every couple of months, if I can persuade any authors to be interviewed by me. Here is my first attempt, an interview with Karen Bass, who so kindly agreed to be my first guinea pig!
Karen Bass is the author of Drummer Girl, Summer of Fire, and Run Like Jaeger, and is a fellow Coteau Books author.
Hello Karen! Thank you for agreeing to do my FIRST EVER AUTHOR INTERVIEW. If I'm doing it wrong, please feel free to slam your teacup (or whiskey glass) down on the imaginary table between us, snap, "What is this, anyway?" and flounce off. It will serve me right and it will be funny.
Actually, it would be a coffee cup or a wine glass, but I’m not good at the diva stuff, even at the worst of times, so you should be safe.
So the first thing I ever read of yours was actually some of your Star Wars fan fiction! Can you tell my legions of blog readers how you got into writing fan fic?
A good friend who wrote in Star Wars and other universes drew me into fan fiction, but also warned me, “Once you start down the fanfic path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” Despite that, I happily veered onto a two-year fanfic tangent. For an embarrassingly indepth accounting of how I got into fanfic, look here: http://dakshee.8m.net/confess.html. Yes, I have a fanfic website, long neglected yet still intact. My fanfic journey is a cautionary tale of obsession.
How did you decide to start writing your own fiction, and what were the biggest differences for you, compared with writing fan fiction?
Fanfic was a blast, but I never meant it to be so all-consuming. While I was writing fanfic, I was reading books on how to write a novel, which I wanted to do, but I wasn’t finding a method that worked for me. That changed when I read “On Writing” by Stephen King. Too many viewings of “Fellowship of the Ring” plus King’s outline-free method resulted in an 800-page clichéd fantasy that will likely never see the light of day. After that, I got the idea for Run Like Jager and forged ahead.
Fanfic gave me the opportunity to experiment with some aspects of story – plot, multiple POVs, dialogue, action – while the two major elements of character and setting were already fleshed out. It really can be a useful way to develop your craft. So the biggest difference is just that: when you’re writing original fiction, you’re responsible for absolutely every aspect of the story, including character and setting. It can be daunting to figure out how to juggle it all, more so for a fantasy writer like you, Catherine, who has to do such involved world-building.
So how did you end up switching from adult fan fiction to YA in your original writing?
That 800-page fantasy that will never be published was adult, but when I got the idea for Run Like Jager, which involved a high school exchange program, the main character obviously had to be a teen. Between having teenagers in the house at the time and having vivid memories of my own teen years, it was an easy point-of-view to slip into. Since then, it seems my inner teenager has been working overtime to provide me with more teen story lines. Which is fine. I love YA.
Do you have a favourite among the three novels you've published? Which was the hardest / easiest to write, and why?
Well, the standard writers response to the “your favourite” question is to say, “The one I’m working on, of course.” Seriously, I love each of my
The hardest to write was probably Summer of Fire, because I drew on a lot of my own emotional experiences for both girls’ emotional turmoil. However, the hardest to get started on, was Drummer Girl. It took me ages to figure out the premise.
What is Drummer Girl about?
More than anything, Sid wants to be the drummer in a band. When she gets a shot, things get complicated and she has to decide how much she’s willing to pay to get the gig.
I really enjoyed Drummer Girl, in particular because I loved Sid, the main character, who seemed so immediately to be a complete and interesting person. Can you tell us anything about how the character evolved? Did she spring fully into being all at once, or was "creating" her a more complicated process?
She definitely didn’t spring from my head, fully developed (Athena-like). In 2007 I saw two girls holding hands as they walked down the street in Hamburg, Germany, and a random thought hit me: what if someone thought you were gay but you weren’t? That was the seed. It took a lot of coaxing for Sid to reveal herself. But as soon as I knew she was a drummer, I knew her goal and the story’s main conflict.
There are also some great secondary characters in the book. I was impressed at how you pulled Cousin Heather, who helps Sid with her makeover, back from the edge of the nasty stereotype she might have been, and made her feel very human. Do you have a favourite secondary character and if so, can you tell us about him / her?
Confession time: Heather was pretty stereotypical until my editor gave me feedback. Thank goodness for editors! I do like her much better now.
My favourite secondary character is … I can only pick one? Fave teen: Brad, because he’s sweet and awkward, and genuinely nice. Fave adult: Mr. Brock, because I have a weak spot for a good mentor/guide (they show up in a lot of my fiction) and because he’s also nice, and awkward in his attempts to connect with the students. Yes, I know. How awkward that I like awkward so much.
Drummer Girl is contemporary YA fiction, and deals with a lot of "issues" common in adolescence: identity, sexuality, sexual assault, drinking, to name a few. To what extent were you conscious of having a responsibility to teenagers who would read this book, and did that affect the story you were telling?
I couldn’t bring myself to censor those elements because it’s the kind of stuff teens really deal with. Sid and her situation being true-to-life is hopefully what readers connect with. I always write at least a partially upbeat ending, so I would hope that teens vicariously find a way out of bad situations through that, or maybe decide to never enter sketchy situations because they read about them in a story (mine or others).
You mentioned that you are not a musician yourself, let alone a drummer. How did you decide to make Sid a drummer, and HOW ON EARTH did you write so convincingly about her drumming? (also, her musical passions - yours? if not, how did you decide what music she would love?)
I read books on drumming, watched “Anatomy of a Drum Solo” by Neil Peart, and had a long and very involved interview with my son’s best friend who drums (with odd questions like, “Does your butt get sore?”) But everyone has passion about some activity in their lives, and so I drew on my own senses (and a big dose of imagination) to create Sid’s passion.
As for what music Sid loves, I picked heavy metal because both my sons are fans and I knew from them about speed drumming, as well as some metal bands. Her love of jazz came from a comment by Neil Peart on that video about him re-training under a jazz drummer. And she loves Rush because of Peart’s mad drumming skills. I happen to enjoy some of Rush’s music so that’s the only direct connection to me.
What future project(s) can we look forward to from you?
I’m in the midst of revisions right now, a YA historical set in 1947 Leipzig, Germany, which was in the post-WWII Soviet Zone and a most unpleasant place to live. (Expect a story with lots of action!) And I have another WWII historical awaiting revisions. In other genres, I’m trying to get one manuscript started and one finished – both contemporary with fantasy elements.
Can you describe your writing process, from idea to book?
My ideas come from all over, though I’m particularly inspired by travelling. As for the writing, with earlier books I followed Stephen King’s model, taking a situation and characters and writing the first draft in 3-4 months. But with the story I’m currently revising, I had outlined it to a large degree – in my head only – before I started writing. I used to think that writing down an outline killed my desire to write the story. Now I’m gaining more confidence that I can write an outline and still get that first draft down.
Overall, I always write a fast first draft. I love the rush of discovering the story as I go, of living the adventure with my characters. After the first draft I revise several times. Get outside input. Revise some more. Then I look for a home for the story.
What is your ideal balance of writing / the rest of your life. What does that balance look like in reality?
Ideally, I’d spend an hour at most, online and promoting. Then I’d put in 4-5 hours writing, then I’d relax and read. I’d have my weekends free. What usually happens is that I’m obsessed during the first draft, writing upwards of 10 hours a day, pretty much every day, until the draft is done. Then I procrastinate horribly when it comes to revisions, having to bribe myself into opening that document and getting to work. Needless to say, I spend way too much time online when I’m in revision mode.
What are your lowest and highest moments, as a writer?
I’ve been involved in a lot of great events, met so many great people (other writers and readers), but the absolute highest moment had to be opening that first box of my first book. Euphoria!
Lowest. Hmm. It’s a bit of a let down when someone gives one of my books a bad review (like being told your baby is ugly, I guess), but I really can’t think of many lows. Moments of despair exist (Will I ever write another story!? My book is dreck!), but are fleeting and I usually overcome them by connecting with friends who also write.
Book recommendations please! Can you name a few of your favourite books when you were a child, and a few of your favourites now? What should my legions of blog-readers be reading?
Though I read voraciously as a child, I don’t remember titles other than a few beloved animal stories (The Bushbaby, King of the Wind). I did read To Kill a Mockingbird five times in my school career, first time in grade five. I still love it. After elementary school, I inhaled anything by Leon Uris (WWII stuff mostly), went through a Stephen King stage, loved spy thrillers, and liked some classics such as Dracula and The Scarlet Pimpernel. WWII, adventure and/or fantasy made me happy. Still do.
Now, YA (which didn’t exist when I was a teen) contains an abundance of riches and I love reading all sorts of YA (except maybe romance). A fave from the last few years is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, otherwise I like way too many to mention – including yours, Catherine! I loved Shade & Sorceress. For people wanting to try something new, here’s a partial list of Canadian YA writers (many of whom publish in the US): http://bit.ly/14T1spv
Adult authors I like: Lisa Genova, Steven Galloway, Ami McKay, and many others. (I usually read adult books via recommendation, so not very many NYT bestsellers.)
The best books I’ve read recently are Shade & Sorceress by Catherine Egan (truly), Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, and Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese.
Thank you, Karen (who can be found in the following places: http://www.karenbass.ca/ and https://twitter.com/karenbassYA).
How was that?
Catherine
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C.G.
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Mar 04, 2013 01:31PM
Good interview, Catherine. I'll have to look up some of her books now. ;)
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Insightful questions and thoughtful, revealing answers. Thanks.
