Interview with Tammar Stein—Author of Light Years and High Dive

When my book club with my daughter Madeleine read Light Years by Tammar Stein, the timing was great. The girls had been in high school for a year and were looking ahead to college. This story of a young woman who leaves her native Israel to attend college in the U.S. introduced them to the possibilities of what their lives would be like when they left home to go away to a university. The main character, Maya, is fleeing memories of her boyfriend killed by a suicide bomber and the guilt she feels that she may have been the one to push the bomber to his action. As the story takes place in Maya’s present and her past, we all learned a lot about life in Israel as well as on a college campus. We had a great discussion about cultural differences between our countries, the concept of spending two years in service to your country after high school, and finding a way to continue on with your life in the aftermath of personal tragedy.

I have not read Tammar’s other book High Dive, yet. But reading the publisher’s description made me add it to our possible choices for Catherine’s book club. Either way, I can’t wait to read it myself.

“Arden has a plane ticket to Sardinia to say goodbye to her family’s beloved vacation home after her father’s sudden death and her mother’s deployment to Iraq as an army nurse. Lonely for her father and petrified for her mother’s safety, Arden dreads her trip to the house in Sardinia—the only place that has truly felt like home to her. So when she meets a group of fun, carefree, and careless friends on their summer break, she decides to put off her trip and join them to sample the sights and culinary delights of Europe. Soon they are climbing the Eiffel Tower, taking in the French countryside on a train chugging toward the Alps, and gazing at Michelangelo’s David in Florence, all the while eating gelato and sipping cappuccino. Arden tries to forget about the danger her mom faces every day, to pretend she’s just like the rest of the girls, flirting with cute European guys and worried only about where to party next.
But the house in Sardinia beckons and she has to make a choice. Is Arden ready to jump off the high dive?”

Tammar graciously answered my questions by email from her home in Florida. Here’s my interview with her:

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you decided to become a writer?

TS: Basically, I love to read. I will read anything, anytime, anywhere. When I was in high school and trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, I figured that I couldn’t be a reader and be paid for it. Being a novelist seemed like the next best thing.

Q. I know you’ve lived in several countries and different states as well. Do you have one place you long to go back to and live there again?

TS: When I lived in Europe, after a couple of years I was very homesick. I missed the US and a lot of the cultural difference that I found cute when I arrived, I suddenly found very irritating. That’s when I knew it was time to come home. But now that I’ve been back in the States for seven years, I’m ready for a new international adventure.

Q. What do you like about living in Florida, and do you think you’ll be on the move again anytime soon?

I love Florida, especially now in November. The high is 82 today! From late October through late April is just amazing here. The orange trees are heavy with fruit and in February their blossoms fill the air the most amazing scent.

Q. In Light Years, Maya leaves her native Israel after her boyfriend is killed by a suicide bomber to attend college in the U.S. How easy or difficult was it for you to write about two very different cultures?

TS: It was fun! People from different cultures will notice things that long time residents just take for granted. It’s very illuminated to talk with a foreigner, their different point of view and reference points can make you question the status quo. As a novelist, bringing in a stranger can help showcase things that otherwise would be awkward to bring up.

Q. What do you see are some of the biggest cultural differences between life in the two countries?

TS: Well in some ways they’re very similar– progressive and Western. Israelis are more likely to speak their mind, there’s less polite lip-service. There’s a very strong culture of hospitality there, as well. If you’re ever invited to an Israeli’s home, you can count on a huge spread—more food that you can possibly eat and a lot of fussing over you.

Q. In Israel, two years of service to the state after high school is mandatory. Do you think that idea would ever work here in the U.S.? What do you see as the biggest advantages and disadvantages of mandatory service?

TS: We all cherish the things we worked hardest for. Being forced to take care of your country, to give up your time and energy and really dedicate yourself to making your country a better, safer place will make people love their country more in the end. I also think that putting off college for 2 years is a good thing. A lot of people just aren’t ready for serious study and a break from high school is just the thing they need for perspective and maturity. The military teaches you discipline and leadership, both are needed qualities for success.

That said, I like the European model for mandatory service better. You can choose between going into the military or civil service: teaching in schools, working in hospitals, or national parks. The military really isn’t for everyone, this would give everyone a chance to go where they can really shine.

Q. Maya is a strong, independent character in many ways. Do you see a lot of yourself in her?

TS: I don’t know. I think there’s something of me in every character—they came from my brain after all. Maybe the best way to think of it is that Maya is who I could have been if I had made different choices in my life. But so is Arden (from High Dive) and the two of them are very different.

Q. What kind of research did you conduct for Light Years?

TS: I interviewed IDF members, particularly women. I visited Israel several times. And I read what I could get my hands on regarding Israeli/Palestinian relations, suicide bombers, and grief counseling.

Q. Your second book, High Dive, also features a main character who doesn’t want to face tragic events in her life. What do you hope to convey to readers about moving beyond tragedy to create a life after an event?

TS: It’s a hard thing to do. That’s what I find so fascinating about it. Julia Glass once said that all great novels deal with the same thing: the heart in conflict with itself. I completely agree with that. How do you get over something traumatic? How do you forgive yourself? How do you trust in the future? Maya and Arden both stumble, making their way through those minefields. I think everyone has to find their own way, but friendship and love always help.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to say to MotherDaughter Book Club.com readers?

TS: Read! There’s nothing as wonderful as a good book, except a good book you can discuss with your loved ones.

 

Visit Tammar Stein’s website for more information about her and her books.

Author Kirby Larson Talks About Mother-Daughter Book Clubs

 

Just over a year ago I met author Kirby Larson while we were attending a Kidlit Blogging Conference here in Portland. I had interviewed Kirby about her writing life and her book, Hattie Big Sky, by email before that, but we hadn’t met in person until then. We got to know each other a bit over lunch, then finished out the conference.

Fast forward a few months to when I was writing Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs. I was searching for a book club mom of a group that had met with an author. I remembered a story Kirby told about meeting with a mother-daughter book club near her home in person. She put me in touch with Sheila, who not only shared a great story about meeting with Kirby, but who also talked about a service project her club had performed. I featured Sheila’s group and their projects in a few places in Book by Book as examples of clubs who were doing out-of-the-ordinary activities.

Connecting with authors like Kirby and moms like Sheila is one of the reasons I had a lot of fun writing Book by Book. Their stories are so interesting that I knew other moms would be able to take away great ideas for their own clubs after reading about them.

Hattie Big Sky gets my highest recommendation as a mother-daughter book club selection for groups with girls aged 11 and older. Kirby posted a blog post about mother-daughter book clubs and my book today. I look forward to visiting her blog with a guest post at the end of the month. She also has a great website with information about her books, Hattie Big Sky, and Two Bobbies, A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival. Her latest book, Nubs, is sure to be up there soon. Until then, Kirby is posting information about Nubs on her blog.

The Last Will of Moira Leahy—Book Review and Giveaway, Interview with Author Therese Walsh

Today I’m excited to feature Therese Walsh and her new book The Last Will of Moira Leahy. This was such an interesting book to read, and I’m eager to share more about it with you. First up is my review, followed by an interview with Therese. Then look for details so you can win a copy of her book.

Review: The Last Will of Moira Leahy

Twenty-five-year-old Maeve Leahy likes her life orderly with limited surprises. But she’s feeling restless one November night as she thinks about her twin, Moira, whom she lost to a night in November nine years before. As a distraction, she attends an antiques auction where she places the winning bid on a special dagger, a Javanese keris, very much like one she accidentally dropped into a bay years ago while playing a pirate queen with Moira.

Soon mysterious things begin to happen. A book on weaponry is nailed to the door of her office at the small college in New York State where she teaches. She feels she’s being watched. Then she receives a note asking her to travel to Rome where she can learn more about her knife from a man who uses an age-old tradition to make blades just like it.

In Rome she’s joined by Noel, the only man Maeve has let into her inner world while still keeping him at a distance. Noel has been in Europe searching for answers from his own past and escaping from the uncertainties of his relationship with Maeve. Together they start to unravel their feelings for each other, the mystery of the keris, the man behind the blade, and the voices in Maeve’s mind that refuse to go away. Maeve also finally confronts her own feelings for her twin and the shocking event that separated them as teenagers.

The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh is a richly conceived tale that weaves mystery, romance, adventure and self-discovery into one beautiful package. Moira’s story from years before appears tucked in between Maeve’s narrative in the present. The twins’ inseparable bond is both a comfort and a burden to them as they learn to find their own talents. Topics to discuss include the special bond that exists between twins, learning to be true to your own personality without taking away from family members, honesty in relationships, deciding to have sex with a boyfriend, learning to deal with family tragedy and more. The Last Will of Moira Leahy is billed as women’s fiction, but it is appropriate for book clubs with girls aged 15 and over. Highly recommended.

Interview: Author Therese Walsh

Q. Most people recognize the special bond that exists between twins. What prompted you to write about twins?

TW: Believe it or not, I didn’t intend to write about twins. When I first began writing, I meant to create a simple love story between Maeve Leahy and her friend, Noel. Moira kind of appeared on the page one day and changed the dynamic of the book. I rewrote the story to center it around the relationship between the twins when I realized the emotional power of their story.

Q. The book is mostly told in Maeve’s voice, with small glimpses of Moira’s point of view. What do you want the reader to learn about Moira when we hear her voice?

TW: I wanted readers to get to know Moira and realize she wasn’t a bad person, and I felt that hearing only from Maeve’s point of view might have meant people didn’t give Moira the benefit of the doubt. I think that both girls were good people, and I wanted them each to be understood.

Q. Maeve and Moira’s mother plays a crucial role in their lives through her decisions on how to direct their talents. But she also seems insignificant in some ways. Do you think the twins didn’t need her as much because they had each other?

TW: That was definitely Abby’s perception—that they didn’t need her. The truth was that the twins needed her in ways that felt unsatisfying to Abby, because they were drawing so much emotional support from one another and they understood one another exceedingly well. But Abby was their mother, and so they did need her in a million little ways. There’s a hole in Maeve’s life after she loses her twin but there’s another beside that one because she’s lost her mother in a sense, too. That hole wouldn’t be there if Abby was truly insignificant to her.

Q. How did you become aware of and interested in the keris?

TW: I found the keris almost by fluke. As I said, I’d first planned to write a simple love story. Well, Noel was an antiques dealer, and I spent many happy hours going through eBay listings, looking for antiques that I planned later to describe in his shop. One of the items I found was an antique Javanese keris—a dagger with a wavy blade. It looked interesting, so I made a record of it. I wanted my first scene to take place in an auction house and wasn’t sure which item should draw my characters’ attention. I chose the keris from my list without much thought.

I gave my scene to a friend, who read it with interest and then asked if the keris would be important to the rest of the book. It sounded like a good idea. I dug in, did some research, and realized the keris was so much more than a pretty blade. Maeve Leahy, the main character, realizes the same throughout the course of the novel.

Q. What kind of research did your conduct for your book and how long did you spend on research?

TW: I traveled to Castine, Maine; I read books (on twins, on Rome, on strange phenomena), I spoke with people (about Castine and Rome and the Javanese keris); and I did more online research than I can name (on twins and post traumatic stress disorder and antiques and airlines and sailing and pirates and more!).

I love research, and I spend far more time on it than I’ll admit in a public forum that may be visited by my editor. But seriously, I do love it and I let it divert me and inform the direction of the story if it’s juicy enough.

Q. Your book takes place in Maine, New York and Rome. Are any of these places special to you in some way?

TW: When I first began writing this story, I chose to center the book in upstate because it was what I knew; I live in upstate New York. I ventured out of “safe” territory shortly thereafter by sending my characters to Rome, Italy. When I rewrote the book to focus on the twin sisters, I decided to add scenes from Castine, Maine, as well. I don’t have a special connection to Rome or Castine, but I did visit Castine and learned much about the town on that trip.

Q. Tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to be a novelist.

TW: I was hired as a features researcher for Prevention Magazine out of graduate school. I’d long loved to write, though I hadn’t considered it as a career until my stint with Prevention. Opportunities were born, and I took them. And when my daughter was born, I left my in-house job to become a freelance health researcher and writer.

Fiction became a part of the everyday at that point—reading to my daughter, then my son. And because I liked to write, one thing led to another; I started writing children’s stories. None were published, but that didn’t matter; Pandora’s Box had been opened. One thing I learned while writing children’s stories was that I loved a good juicy sentence, so I thought I should try my hand at adult fiction. And I did.

Q. Can you tell us about your next book and when we can expect to see it in print?

TW: Yes, I’m writing about a blind woman who travels across West Virginia in search of her dead mother’s unfinished story and along the way teaches others how to see the world. It’s another novel with cross-genre elements—some mystery and psychological suspense, a little romance, and some mythical realism. But this book also has a whole lot of Quirk, and I love that. My deadline for the book is 12/10, so it should be on the shelves sometime in 2011. That may seem like a long time, but I’ll use every minute wisely.

Q. Anything else you’d like to say to members of mother-daughter book clubs?

TW: Just that I’m flattered to be featured here, and I hope that The Last Will of Moira Leahy inspires some interesting conversations between mothers and daughters. Please send me a note when you’ve finished the book to let me know your thoughts. I welcome the feedback. Happy reading!

About the Author

Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of genre fiction. Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She’s had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online.

She has a master’s degree in psychology.

Aside from writing, Therese’s favorite things include music, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their bouncy Jack Russell.

Win:  One Copy of The Last Will of Moira Leahy to be Given Away

If you’re intrigued by this review, interview and Therese’s background, you’ll definitely want to read her book. You can win a copy right here by commenting on this post. Tell us which element of Therese’s story intrigues you the most, or make a comment on one of her interview answers. One winner will be chosen from all who comment before midnight, Pacific Daylight Time on Thursday, November 5.

Mother-Daughter Book Club Week Continues at Booking Mama

Booking Mama continues the mother-daughter book club week fun today with an interview of Heather Vogel Frederick, author of The Mother-Daughter Book Club, Much Ado About Anne and Dear Pen Pal. Find out how Heather started on her mother-daughter book club series, and learn a little more about the fourth book in the series she just finished writing. And there’s a surprise too! Click here to read the interview on Booking Mama. And for more info on Heather, read my interview with her at Mother Daughter Book Club.com.

Don’t forget to enter Booking Mama’s giveaway this week. Two lucky winners will get 1 copy of my book plus 5 copies of Heather’s three books mentioned above. It’s a perfect way to start a new mother-daughter book club or add to one that’s already in existence. The chance to enter the giveaway ends Monday, November 2 at 11:59 p.m. EST, so don’t wait to get your name in.

 

Author Interview—Alexandria LaFaye

Author Alexandria LaFaye and her daughter Adia.

Alexandria LaFaye is the author of Water Steps (read review), a story about a girl learning to overcome her fears and believe that life can be magic. LaFaye has also penned several other novels for young readers, including The Year of the Sawdust Man and Worth. Recently, LaFaye was able to talk through email about her newest book and more. Here’s the interview:

Q. In Water Steps, Kyna has to overcome her fears one step at a time. Have you ever conquered a phobia that way?

AL: When I was five, I nearly drowned at a beach near my grandmother’s house.  My mom rescued me just in time, so there is a hint of autobiography in the book.  I was afraid to go underwater for quite some time. I took a similar approach to overcoming it—getting in the water and willing myself to go underwater and stay under a little longer every time. Facing my fears and praying to have God at my side has always been my approach to dealing with things I’m afraid of.

Q. Irish folklore and mythical beings such as leprechauns, faeries and silkies are woven into the tales Kyna’s parents tell her. Are those stories you grew up with as well, or did you learn about those things after you grew up?

AL: My mom read stories out of books—everything from the Bible to Justin Morgan Had a Horse. My dad made up his own whimsical tales about when he was in the Civil War and so on.  He drew a lot of inspiration from his favorites on TV, such as Jerry Lewis, Red Skelton, and Tommy Smothers. I teach children’s literature and often include mythology, so that’s where I came across many of these stories.

Q. Kyna is adopted, and I see you’ve recently adopted a baby girl as well. Did you write about adoptive parents before you were one? How has your experience with adoption colored your view of adopting a child from both the parent’s and the child’s perspective?

AL: Actually, both Water Steps and Worth, which is also about adoption, were written well before I adopted my daughter, Adia. Adoption has always been part of my parenthood plan. I’ve always wanted a family that celebrates multiculturalism and shows that love is about choice and unconditional acceptance. I don’t believe that my view of adoption has changed much, except that now I am more eager than ever to adopt a second child in a few years. I’m also even more grateful to God for bringing little Miss Adia into my life.

Q. Water Steps is described a a fantasy novel, but I would also say it is also contemporary fiction. Do you often blend genres in the things you write?

AL: I love genre blends and I refer to this novel as a reality based fantasy. My next novel, The Keening, due out with Milkweed Editions in the spring of 2010, is a supernatural-historical tale, so it’s also a blended genre novel. I look forward to doing more of those in the future. It’s a fun way to give a novel even more depth and unique twists and turns.

Q. Out of all the places you have lived, do you have a favorite you’d like to go back to? What do you like best about Arkansas, where you live now?

AL: I get to return to Virginia every summer to teach in the Hollins University program in Children’s Literature. I go back to Wisconsin to visit family every time I return to Minnesota to teach in the low residency MFA in writing for children and young adults at Hamline University. The one place I’d love to return to is Pullman, Washington. They have a fabulous university and a quaint downtown lined with pear trees. I love the passion for books among the folks I know in Arkansas. I have also made one of the most life changing and supportive friendships of my life in Arkansas and I’m grateful to Yvonne Furniss for her friendship—she’s a book lover too!

Q. On your website you say you’re an avid hat-wearer. Do you have a story to tell about discovering you loved to wear hats?

AL: You know, I’ve always loved them—I’m even wearing hats in my baby pictures. I guess, you could say I just never stopped wearing them when I grew up as many people do. Hats are a great way to top off a good outfit. I just never thought they’d attract so much attention. People aren’t used to women who wear hats outside of church. Too bad I couldn’t start a trend in hat wearing!

Q. Is there anything you’d like to say to moms and daughters in book clubs?

AL: Never stop reading together and talking about what you read with each other, it’s a fabulous way to keep in touch, share your thoughts. And I recommend trading off on choices—let mom pick one, then daughter. And don’t be afraid to draw dad and brother in on the action. I’d also want to invite anyone who reads Water Steps or any of my other books to feel free to visit my website and ask me a question. And I love to visit book clubs, schools, and libraries to talk about reading, writing, and following your dreams.

Blog Guest Appearance—Ask Wendy

Today I’m being interviewed by Wendy Burt Thomas of Ask Wendy. One of Wendy’s books, The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters, continues to help me with pitching letters to editors. She ask questions about my book, the writing life, and life in general. Here’s the link to the interview.

Interview with Heather Vogel Frederick

Heather Vogel Frederick’s third book in her mother-daughter book club novel series, Dear Pen Pal,  is about to hit the stands. I can’t wait to read this new release, as I’m a big fan of Heather and her previous books, The Mother-Daughter Book Club and Much Ado About Anne. Here’s a link to a great interview with Heather, and a note about an appearance she’s making at A Children’s Place bookstore in Portland.

Heather Vogel Frederick interview on Euphoria.

Guest Blog with Danette Haworth, author of Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning

I feel fortunate to have been introduced to Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth. This delightful book is great for mother-daughter book clubs, and it makes a good summer book for readers on their own.

Danette is graciously stopping by Mother Daughter Book Club as part of her blog tour with WOW! (Women on Writing) to answer a few questions. My review of Violet Raines follows the interview. I can’t wait to read more from this exciting debut author.

I believe this is your first book of fiction, what kind of writing have you done before?
The first time I ever got paid for writing was during my tenure as a technical writer.  Technical writing is any sort of writing that involves instructions or documentation. That might sound a bit dry, but I worked for an agency that employed scientists and military engineers, and I found their work very creative!

How did you come to write this story?
I originally sat down to write an adult book, but Violet pushed her way in and took things over! Then I wrote the story in alternating chapters, with Lottie having a view on what was going on. After completing the rough draft, I put the manuscript down for a couple of weeks and when I picked it back up, I knew the whole story belonged to Violet. I stripped Lottie’s chapters out and rewrote everything from Violet’s perspective.

I love both Violet and Lottie, and I’m glad I wrote those chapters for Lottie. She has a quiet wisdom that comes from being the oldest of four girls and acting as her mom’s stand-in when her mother is working at the farmer’s co-op. She’s the perfect best friend for Violet, who has no brothers and sisters and spends a lot of time stirring up her own activities because her mom’s at work. Violet loves to fold herself into Lottie’s family—even helping out with chores—and they love her too.

Violet is worried about losing her best friend to a new girl in town and conflicted by her feelings for Eddie, who may be growing into something more than her long-time buddy. How do you see Violet changing throughout the book?
I see Violet changing in that her perspective of friendship broadens a little (just a little!) by the end of the book. She realizes that although friendships change over the course of time, the closeness never has to change. And those feelings for Eddie, whew! They’re just a whisper right now; that’s about as much as Violet can handle. But Eddie is a gracious boy and their friendship is precious to both of them.

What are some of the biggest issues you see for girls dealing with real-life situations such as these?
For every girl who’s excited about boys and bras, there’s another girl hunching her shoulders to hide the changes in herself. Adolescence can be a weird, mixed-up time, especially for girls, whose changes can be viewed by anybody. Very well do I remember the days of boys snapping my bra strap or of asking a friend to walk behind me and check—just in case!

Having to worry about these gender-defining issues when you still play hopscotch is mind boggling! It’s a tremendous load for young girls to carry. That’s why it’s so important for girls to have a strong support system: good relationship with Mom, at least one true best friend, and a group of girls with whom she feels good with. Reports have come out over the years telling us that, generally speaking, self-esteem in girls plummets with the onset of puberty. Sports are highly recommended and you’ll see many, many articles stating girls involved in sports experience higher self esteem and lower incidence of drug use and sexual activity. I think this is because sports make us more aware of our bodies and how strong we are, what we’re capable of—that we are powerful. Also, sports give us one more group of people to identify ourselves with, and that would probably be true of any club a girl might be in, art club, tennis, band, etc.

Between the lightning storms, alligators, spiders and other bugs, nature is almost as much of a character in Violet Raines as the kids in the story. What role do you see her play in the book?
Nature is a good friend to Violet. She sees the woods as a busy place; she notices things like dragonflies and lovebugs. To her, these things are not nuisances, they’re a population sector. Lightning is more than part of a rainstorm—it’s a spectacular light show that she watches and scores, ten being the very best kind of strike. Nature is, for Violet, a kind presence, even after the big lightning strike. Part of this might be Violet’s close relationship to God; she feels loved by God, so she naturally feels loved in his creation.

Despite all the scary things they encounter outdoors, Violet and her friends have a lot of fun exploring their neighborhood. What advantages do you see for kids who spend time discovering the world around them first hand?
As a former kid who’d disappear for hours in the woods, I can tell you the biggest advantage in this kind of exploration is the independence. With no one telling you how to interpret what you encounter, your imagination is free. Boundless! You create your own games, make your own rules, and negotiate with your peers rather than going through a parental mediator. It makes you altogether stronger.

You’ve lived in many different places, what do you like most about living in Florida?
I love that I can look outside anytime of year and be greeted with sunshine.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on now, and will we see more of Violet?
I’m in revision with The Hotel of Blueberry Goodness (Walker 2010), in which a girl who lives in a hotel meets an eclectic group of friends, including a teenage runaway. My third book, Me and Jack (Walker 2011), is set in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania and features a boy, the dog he adopts, and the unfriendly residents of the town to which they move.

Is there anything else you would like to say to readers of Mother Daughter Book Club?
I hope you enjoy Violet Raines!

Violet’s hometown of Mitchell Hammock, Florida, is a dangerous place full of alligators, coral snakes and lightening striking all over. But it’s also a place of adventure where net bridges swing over creeks, hollowed-out trees turn into secret hiding places, and kids feel safe exploring it all with friends.

Beneath the adventure lies a predictable routine for Violet. She goes to church on Sundays, helps her best-friend and next-door neighbor Lottie with a weekly fish fry afterwards, and explores the woods around her home with her other friend Eddie. She’s an only child who is on her own often while her mama works at the local bakery, but she’s never lonely.

When Melissa moves to town from the Northern city of Detroit, Violet’s predictable summer before junior high is suddenly anything but. Melissa likes make up and soap operas, and she writes to movie stars. Lottie takes to her immediately, and Violet fears Melissa is trying to steal her best friend. She’s also worried about changes in her body, talk of bras and her own feelings for Eddie.

While Violet works through her conflicted feelings, she finds a way to open up her world without giving up who she truly is. Mother-daughter book clubs will find Violet’s fresh voice a delightful opening to talk about issues of friendship and growing up. I highly recommend Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth for groups with girls aged nine to twelve. Find a reading group guide and more information at the author’s Web site, violetraines.com.

The Chosen One – Book Giveaway, Author Interview

Contest Closed!

Yesterday I talked about a book giveaway and ran a review for The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams. The book actually releases today, May 12, and I still have a few copies to give out. Just send your name and mailing address to me at info@motherdaughterbookclub.com so the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, can send you a copy.

Here, author Williams talks about what drew her to the subject of polygamous groups, how she researched the topic, and the transformative power of books.

Interview with author Carol Lynch Williams

MDBC: Tell us a little bit about how you came to be a writer.
CLW: I’ve always wanted to write. At quite a young age I started playing with words. My mom went to college to be an English teacher and I remember her writing novels herself (she never published any of her novels, but man, did she ever write!). I wrote all through elementary school—and told lots of imagination-type stories to and with my friends. I wrote letters with one of my best friends that we made into mini epics! In high school, one of my best friends and I gave each other writing assignments during lunch (an example is “You are a tennis shoe. Tell about your day.”). And when I was 16, I started the stories that wound up in my first book, Kelly and Me.

MDBC: How did you become interested in the topic of polygamous groups?
CLW: Long ago I heard about a girl who had run from her home because she didn’t want to marry a much-older family member. The moment I heard that story I was like, I’ll write a book about that some day. But the story stayed just a kernel of an idea for many, many years. This was a tough book to write. It needed time to germinate.

MDBC:  What kind of research did you conduct to learn more about those groups before you wrote The Chosen One?
CLW: Well, the group that I write about, The Chosen Ones, are fictitious. I made that place up, the people, everyone. I based it in some fact. There are some polygamous groups that say the more severe polygamists (the ones marrying younger girls) give polygamy a bad name. (I’m just saying what I’ve read!)

I did a huge amount of research before I started writing and during the time I was writing. There are many different kinds of polygamous groups in the USA and in Canada and Mexico, and of course, around the world. So while this book is grounded in fact, it is still fiction. Some of this abuse is real-life. Some is from my imagination. Patrick’s story is made up. The dunking in ice water? I heard from another writer who interviewed someone who was a polygamist, that type of discipline is true of some groups (children are to be seen and not heard.).

MDBC: In your book, you write about both good and bad aspects of being part of a multi-family society. What are your personal views on the topic?
CLW: I prefer to stay in the kind of family that is more traditional. Polygamy is NOT the way of life for me.

MDBC:  The mobile library is very important in Kyra’s life for many reasons. Did a mobile library have an influence on you when you were young? If so, in what way?
CLW: No, but I have always loved the library. I’ve spent a lot of time in libraries over the years. I can’t hardly seem to get out of one without a pile of books. In fact, when I head to the library, I make sure I have plenty of daughters around to help me carry out the stacks of books! We’re getting ready to move and that means I am getting a new library card (right after I have the electricity turned on at the house!).

MDBC: Kyra’s world is transformed when she begins to read books that are banned from her compound. Do you believe in the transformative power of books even for someone who is not shut off from the wider world?
CLW: Oh absolutely! People read for a number of reasons. Just for the pleasure, of course. Or to learn something new. Or because a book has been talked about. But studies show that kids read for other reasons, too. One is to experience something that they could not without a book—like being a wizard, for example. Or if the reader comes from a good, strong home, they might read a dark, edgy book because they want to see the way others live. Also, kids might read because they, themselves, are going through hard times. A book might show them how a protagonist has survived what the reader is going through. Books change people’s lives. I believe in reading and I encourage my kids to read just about everything that is out there.

MDBC: Kyra is only thirteen years old, and she knows if she rejects what she feels is wrong, she could lose her family. Where does she get the courage to consider acting with such dire consequences?
CLW: I think Kyra gets this courage from something that is inside her. But this something has been facilitated by parents and siblings who love her and the idea that outside her world there is freedom. That thought of freedom seems right to Kyra. Somehow, Kyra is one of those people who comes with the courage to be different—and to stand up for what she believes is right.

MDBC: Is there anything else you would like to say to readers of MotherDaugtherBookClub.com?
CLW: Have fun reading as Moms and Daughters! Sheesh, what a cool thing to do. I still read out loud to my girls. We read at night before bed. What a cool time to be together. As a mom I love the time my girls and I spend discussing books we’ve read. You all are luckies!

Sage Cohen Talks About Poetry

My friend Sage Cohen is celebrating the release of her new book Writing the Life Poetic and she’s blogging about poetry to help celebrate National Poetry Month. It’s a great time for a mother-daughter book club to consider choosing poetry to focus on for a whole month, even if that month is sometime down the road. Here’s a Q and A with Sage on the role of poetry in our lives.

Q&A with Sage Cohen, Author of
Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry
a new book from Writer’s Digest Books

How does poetry make the world a better place to live?
I think poetry fills the gap left by the so-called objective truth that dominates our media, science and legislation. Many of us want to comprehend and communicate the complexity of human experience on a deeper, more soulful level. Poetry gives us a shared language that is more subtle, more human, and—at its best—more universally “true” than we are capable of achieving with just the facts.

How has integrating the reading and writing of poetry into your life impacted you?
I will risk sounding melodramatic in saying that poetry saved my life. I stumbled into a writing practice at an extremely vulnerable time in my early teenage years. Poetry gave me then, as it does today, a way of giving voice to feelings and ideas that felt too risky and complicated to speak out loud. There was a kind of alchemy in writing through such vulnerabilities…by welcoming them in language, I was able to transform the energies of fear, pain and loneliness into a kind of friendly camaraderie with myself. In a way, I wrote myself into a trust that I belonged in this world.

Do people need an advanced degree in creative writing in order to write poetry?
Absolutely not! Sure, poetry has its place in the classroom; but no one needs an advanced degree in creative writing to reap its rewards. What most people need is simply a proper initiation. I wrote Writing the Life Poetic to offer such an initiation. My goal was that everyone who reads it come away with a sense of how to tune into the world around them through a poetic lens. Once this way of perceiving is awakened, anything is possible!

Why did you write Writing the Life Poetic?
While working with writers for the past fifteen years, I have observed that even the most creative people fear that they don’t have what it takes to write and read poetry. I wrote Writing the Life Poetic to put poetry back into the hands of the people––not because they are aspiring to become the poet laureate of the United States––but because poetry is one of the great pleasures in life.”

Who is Writing the Life Poetic written for?
Practicing poets, aspiring poets, and teachers of writing in a variety of settings can use Writing the Life Poetic to write, read, and enjoy poems; it works equally well as a self-study companion or as a classroom guide. Both practical and inspirational, it will leave readers with a greater appreciation for the poetry they read and a greater sense of possibility for the poetry they write.

What sets Writing the Life Poetic apart from other poetry how-to books?
The craft of poetry has been well documented in a variety of books that offer a valuable service to serious writers striving to become competent poets. Now it’s time for a poetry book that does more than lecture from the front of the classroom. Writing the Life Poetic was written to be a contagiously fun adventure in writing. Through an entertaining mix of insights, exercises, expert guidance and encouragement, I hope to get readers excited about the possibilities of poetry––and engaged in a creative practice. Leonard Cohen says: “Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.” My goal is that Writing the Life Poetic be the flame fueling the life well lived.

Is it true that your book and your baby were conceived and birthed at the same time? What did you learn from this process?
Yes, I often refer to my son Theo and Writing the Life Poetic as my multi-media twins! I found out I was pregnant with Theo about two months into the writing of the book and I was making final edits to the book in layout two weeks after he was born. It was fascinating to have two of the most potent creative processes I’ve ever experienced happening in tandem. What I learned is a great respect for the birthing journey; it is one that has completely rewritten me along the way.

I am writing a monthly column this year for The Writer Mama zine titled “The Articulate Conception” which chronicles my journey of becoming an author and a mom. Through the course of ten essays, I am exploring this double-whammy birth trajectory–from the twinkle in my eye to the bags under my eyes. The first column is available here: http://thewritermama.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/the-articulate-conception-planting-seeds/.

What makes a poem a poem?
This is one of my favorite questions! I’ve answered it in my book, but it’s a question that I’m answering anew every day. And that’s what I love about poetry. It’s a realm where invention is not limited entirely by definition; there is room enough for the endless possibilities of the human. Every time we try to draw a line around what a poem is, something spills over into the next frame, shifting the point of view and demanding new names: olive, token, flax, daffodil. A poem is all of these, or none of them, depending on the quality of light and how the blade in the next room stirs the night.

What do you think people’s greatest misperceptions are about poetry?
I think the three greatest stereotypes about the writing of poetry are:

1.    That one has to be a starving artist or deeply miserable to write great poetry.
2.    That reading and writing poetry are available only to an elite inner circle that shares secret, insider knowledge about the making of poems.
3.    That poetry does not fund prosperity.

I hope very much that Writing the Life Poetic helps offer alternatives to some of these attitudes and perceptions.

Why is National Poetry Month (April) a great time to read and write poetry?
Every month is a great time to read and write poetry! But National Poetry Month is special because there are a number of inspiring opportunities to read and write in virtual tandem with poets everywhere, which creates a feeling of momentum and community. On my blog, I have a brief list of some fun ways to plug into the fun. http://writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com/writing_the_life_poetic/2009/03/national-poetry-month-starts-tomorrow-are-you-ready.html

I’d love to conclude with a poem of yours. Would you be willing to share one?
Of course! Happy to!

Leaving Buckhorn Springs
By Sage Cohen

The farmland was an orchestra,
its ochres holding a baritone below
the soft bells of farmhouses,
altos of shadowed hills,
violins grieving the late
afternoon light. When I saw
the horses, glazed over with rain,
the battered old motorcycle parked
beside them, I pulled my car over
and silenced it on the gravel.
The rain and I were diamonds
displacing appetite with mystery.
As the horses turned toward me,
the centuries poured through
their powerful necks and my body
was the drum receiving the pulse
of history. The skin between me
and the world became the rhythm
of the rain keeping time with the sky
and into the music walked
the smallest of the horses. We stood
for many measures considering
each other, his eyes the quarter notes
of my heart’s staccato.  This symphony
of privacy and silence: this wildness
that the fence between us could not divide.

About Sage Cohen

Sage Cohen is the author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry (Writers Digest Books, 2009) and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World. An award-winning poet, she writes four monthly columns about the craft and business of writing and serves as Poetry Editor for VoiceCatcher 4. Sage co-curates a monthly reading series at Barnes & Noble and teaches the online class Poetry for the People. To learn more, visit www.writingthelifepoetic.com. Drop by and join in the conversation about living and writing a poetic life at www.writingthelifepoetic.typepad.com!

Sage and her son, Theo