Thank you so much
for joining me on Books and Babies today, Linda! Let’s jump right in and get to the good stuff.
For my readers who
may not know, you write Young Adult fiction. What inspired you to focus on that
genre, specifically?
I find that age group especially
fascinating, and I’ve always appreciated YA fiction, even as an adult. I’m not
surprised that this genre is gaining such popularity these days with adult
readers. Young adults are at a critical crossroads in their lives—trading the
innocence and directness of youth for the complicated perspectives of adult
life. Caught between two worlds, they are exceptionally well equipped to see
things with fresh, honest eyes. It’s a delight to connect with them.
I’ve never outgrown
my love for YA fiction, either. In fact, I probably appreciate it even more as
an adult than I did as a teen. That said, is it difficult for you to write from
the perspective of a young teenager? How do you get into
the zone?
I am consistently awed by people
who can churn out 1,000 words or more a day. I’ve spent my working life as a
professional editor, so it’s difficult for me to “just write” from the right
brain and be in the flow of that. When it does happen, it’s a wonderful
feeling. More often than not, I begin a writing session by rereading my last
writing and fine-tuning it a bit in preparation for the next installment. When
I revisit my work first (and I know most writers advise against this), I find I
can pick up the thread and immerse myself in the world of the story more fully.
Is it difficult to write from
the perspective of a young teenager? Not if you’re an overgrown child at heart!
I often ask much younger writers to be careful to keep things PG13 when they
read their work aloud to me because there’s a child in the room. I think many
of us, especially those in the arts, are very good friends with our young teen
wiring and mindset.
I believe there’s a magic we retain from our childhood that
hits a kind of critical mass when we start to grow up. During that chaotic
period in our teens, all the sparks start flying and we make critical decisions
in our souls about what we will keep and what we will give up.
Wow! I, too, have always felt a connection with my inner teen, but I’ve
never been able to adequately put that connection into words. You’ve described
it beautifully!
I noticed that, in
addition to being a writer, you’re a musician. I think there’s something about
music and fiction writing that go hand-in-hand; both evoke the dreamers in us
all. Would you agree, and does music ever play a role in your writing?
It definitely does, and I love
this question! In this novel, the music of the 60s is frequently quoted and
almost functions as another minor character. I agree with you that there is a
shared creative process between music and fiction writing.
Even the most
realistic fiction has a transcendent quality that lifts us out of the confines
of our working heads, just as music does. I’m always amazed that when I’m
playing music (especially when performing), time loses its grip and I find
myself in a completely different zone, like a dream state as you pointed out.
This can happen during writing and reading fiction as well—such a lovely and
important release.
Agreed! So, you also work as a curriculum
consultant. Does this profession give insight into the innermost thoughts and
feelings of young adults?
Yes, and my respect for these
young people has deepened by watching what they respond to, how they gravitate
to stories and music. One of my favorite things to do with young adults is
introduce them to music they may not hear often (jazz, Balkan folk tunes,
Beethoven, African songs, bluegrass) and ask them to write a story or poem
based on the feelings created by the music.
Teens are pretty cagey about
expressing deep emotions in a school setting, but some surprisingly powerful
writing has come from some of those sessions. I think we would do well to pay
more attention to the insights of our young people.
It’s so important to invest in the lives of our youth - you seem to do
a great job of that! To close things
out, can you give our audience a peek into your recent book, A Firefly Life?
It’s 1968 in upstate NY. Melanie is a 13-year-old who is not developing
physically as quickly as the other girls in her class but who has the romantic
heart of an older girl. A gorgeous guy, Jonathan, moves to her small town and
takes her completely off guard. It’s love at first sight, and to her, it’s the
real deal. Unfortunately, most of the other girls at her school feel the same
way about him, so she has to get creative to get his attention. Through some
unexpected events, she becomes his little sister’s babysitter, and works her
way into his inner circle.
The problem is, the boy has plans for his escape from the confines of
the town, and most of those plans involve secrecy and lying. Melanie has to
figure out where she stands with that, especially when it affects her
relationship with her family and her best friend.
I grew very attached to
Melanie’s best friend, Jo, and her family, especially since a white girl with a
black girl for a best friend was unusual back in the 60s. I also enjoyed
developing a subplot about the strong bond that grows between Melanie and
Jonathan’s autistic little sister. These subplots afforded more opportunities
for Melanie to explore her own inner feelings about right and wrong, loyalty,
honesty, faith, and love.
The story sounds
amazing! Thanks for taking time to chat with me! Where can readers find your
book?
Thank you so much for inviting
me! A Firefly Life is available as an
eBook or paperback at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Firefly-Life-Linda-Shew-Wolf/dp/1515356906/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441089574&sr=8-1&keywords=a+firefly+life
or at Barnes & Noble at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-firefly-life-linda-shew-wolf/1122475744?ean=2940150971998
And there you have it, folks. I hope you've enjoyed this interview as much as I have! To learn more about Linda, check out her blog.
Happy reading!
