 |
| Goodreads Author Page |
About you, bio, etc:
I
grew up in Connecticut and ran track and played in the marching band before
those things were retro and cool. (or maybe they’re still not cool)
What made you bring Atlantis
into a post-apocalyptic world?
I
find climate change scenarios pretty scary. I’m a science guy (former science
teacher, biology major in college), so I tend to believe scientists and
research. Some of the global warming theories are pretty frightening, and could
lead to all kinds of societal ramifications. That was on my mind when I was
thinking of Owen and the Eden dome.
As
to Atlantis: A lot of people have speculated as to how Atlantis could have
actually sunk. In addition to the theory that it was an island/continent that
sank due to an earthquake or something, there’s speculation that it could also
have been a coastal city that got hit by a tsunami, or was the victim of some
other natural disaster. Then, there are theories that the ‘flood’ of the Bible
(and appearing in the myths of many ancient cultures) may have been caused by
sea level rise. According to ice core samples, there was a spike in global
temperatures roughly around that time in history. So I liked the idea that
Atlantis was facing climate change and was ruined by it, just like we might be.
The idea of cycles permeates everything and seemed to tie the idea together.
The
final piece was a conversation with a friend who, after I told her about the
basic gist of the book, wondered if there was a way that Owen could actually
have a chance to ‘save’ the world from climate change. She noted that her own
kids felt very powerless about global warming. That led to the concept of
ancient technology that could alter the climate.
What was the hardest part
about writing Owen’s story?
Getting
Owen to see himself differently in a way that felt true to his age and his
character was the biggest challenge. Fourteen is a hard age. Your body is
changing (in Owen’s case, gills), and it’s almost like you’re a machine under
someone else’s control (like how Owen imagines technicians in his mind). You’re
becoming an adult, but in many ways a kid. Owen starts out as a bullied
weakling, and his biggest fault is that he doesn’t take ownership of his life. In
a way, he’s his own biggest obstacle with all of his doubt and uncertainty. He sort
of knows this is a problem, but he doesn’t have the tools to really face it
until he starts to develop his Atlantean powers, and, importantly, actually
make some friends. But I didn’t want him to just ‘change!’ on a dime because
that wouldn’t feel true to Owen’s character, or to how life goes for kids that
age.
How much input did you get
into the cover?
Not
too much, but I had some. There’s always a push pull between the author/editor
side and the sales side. I am not, as a rule, a ‘faces on the cover’ fan, and
yet every book I’ve published except for one has them. I also think the models
look a touch too old (even though teens tend to picture themselves as older
than they really are) but that said, I think the cover strikes a balance of
what the book is. There’s a partnership/romance between Owen and Lilly, a sense
of water and mystery and ancient symbols, an ethereal element to the text that
hints at the sci-fi and futuristic elements, and then that completely nerdy
underwater glowy temple. If it had been up to me to design the cover, my
instincts would have favored mostly the nerdy elements, and maybe more of the
camp piece.
If you could ask one thing of your readers, before or after they read
your book(s), what would it be?
I should probably say something about saving
the environment, but I’ll just say: read the second book! I’m so completely
excited about it. It feels wild and unexpected and I think it makes the first
one better when you see where it’s going. That said, I am sure some people will
not like where I went with book 2.
Other than the writing itself, what is the hardest part of being a
writer?
I think it’s tough to manage the feeling that
you have to be thinking about everything at the same time. You need to be
thinking about promoting and marketing but still about craft and art and then
also about the laundry and what about that email from that fan from last week?
And oh no did I tweet yet today? It can feel like a cyclone. The truth is you
can get everything done, but it takes some wicked discipline, and also the
knowledge that if you can’t summon that discipline that’s a sign that you need
to take a break. Sometimes the hardest part of writing is to stop
writing/promoting and do something completely different. Often when I stop and
do something else, I end up having the key ideas I needed.
If you weren't a writer, what would your dream job be?
Scientist
at an Antarctic research station. Martian colonist. Actually, teaching middle
school. Middle school kids rock.
Besides your own, what are
some of your favorite books?
Tons, but here are three: Absolutely Normal Chaos by
Sharon Creech, Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, and I preferred the Three
Investigators to The Hardy Boys.
Can you give us a hint at
some future projects you’re working on?
I have a middle grade book coming out in January
called The Fellowship for Alien Detection. It is near and dear to me and has
two of my favorite characters that I’ve ever spent time with. Also, I’m working on a book about a kid
starting his first band that I’m really excited about.
This or That:
Chocolate
or Vanilla
Spring or Fall
Ocean or Mountains That one was really tough. In
Seattle (where I live) it’s the mountains. In New England (where I grew up),
it’s the beaches.
E-book or tree-book Unless I’m traveling
international. Then I want one tree book along, and a bunch of junk on the e-reader.
Organized clutter or neat
& tidy but
I never achieve it.
Soda
or pop. Pop
is a sound not a drink.
Where can readers find out
more about you and your books and/or hunt you down online?
Anything else you’d like to
add?
Yes, tons, but I’m late (as usual) on a deadline. J
