I’ve conducted a bit of an email interview with Janet Lee Carey, author of the new YA/children’s fantasy book Stealing Death, which is published by Egmont USA. I will be posting an interview at some point soon.
Inverview with Janet Lee Carey, author of Stealing Death
Q: What was the inspiration for Stealing Death?
The old fairytales and folk tales often inspire me. One of the American folktales or Jack Tales concerns a young man who catches death in a sack and hangs him in a tree. It hit me there was the seed of a novel there. I knew from the beginning I would put my own spin on it. The story idea germinated underground for twelve years until I found Kipp – the boy who would live out the story, and Zolya — the parched wilderness perfect for the tale. As I met Kipp and entered Zolya with him, the story began to speak.
Q: What are your favorite fantasy books?
I read all the E. Nesbit fantasy books I could get a hold of when I was a child. I still love Five Children and It with wishes that continually backfire. Later I loved C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Ursula K. LeGuin’s Earthsea series, and her Annals of the Western Shore and Megan Whalen Turner’s Attolia trilogy. I also love books by Robin McKinley, Patricia McKillip, Ann McCaffery, Jane Yolen, Ray Bradbury, Dia Calhoun, Shannon Hale, and Robin Hobbs to name just a few books atop my teetering piles!
Q: These days there are many YA books that masquerade as YA but are intended to reach both children and adults. What do you feel about this and will you follow this trend?
While some novels written for adults don’t belong in the hands of young children, the opposite isn’t particularly true. Teens and adults should be free to read what they like.
I’ve heard booksellers and librarians say it’s a matter of where to place a book on the shelves. I understand this problem, but take To Kill a Mockingbird. Is it a children’s novel since our viewpoint character, Scout, is six? Is it a teen or adult novel considering the content of the trial scenes and the horror of what happens to Tom Robinson? Many booksellers resort to shelving works in two or three places. There are so many books that are simply good literature with wide appeal that are hard to narrow down. Most authors I know write for readers, not for age groups. Even picture book writers know parents, teachers and grandparents are the primary readers and should enjoy the book as much as the tots.
I feel a little less confined by age caps than some YA authors I know. Fantasy and science fiction have always been somewhat ageless since the genre is more a matter of taste. With the exception of E. Nesbit, I’d bet nearly all of the fantasy authors mentioned above are read by both teens and adults. For my part, I write for the reader who wants to open the cover and go on the ride.
Q: Do you ever see yourself branching into non-YA fantasy books?
What a nice question. I’m open to writing the stories that come. The story itself will call for the best type of structure. If an historical fiction piece presents itself, or a mystery comes knocking – it’s my job to open the door.
Q: As a mother, do you find it hard to balance raising a family and writing?
My sons are all grown and the youngest at home attending a local college. I still have a very busy family life, but my role is changing. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Egmont USA fall launch. The demands of my recent writing schedule have me glued to the writing chair. My husband has stepped up and started cooking dinner. I can only respond with a happy Jabberwocky cry – O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! He’s a much better cook than I. I often burned the rice while hearing dialogues in my head and rushing out of the room to jot verbiage down.
Q: Now that your book is being released, what’s your next project?
This fall I’ll be busy launching Stealing Death with bookstore parties, readings and school visits. Readers who would like to join an online chat can swing by readergirlz launch party and live author chat on readergirlz blog Wednesday, September 30th beginning 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern.
My book launches often involve outreach stemming from passions that grow out of the book. Since Stealing Death is set in a drought-ridden landscape, this time I’m joining with schools and readers to raise money for a PlayPump that will provide clean drinking water to a village in sub-Saharan Africa. There’s lots of info about this terrific organization at PlayPumps International. Please do come visit my pump on the Stealing Death: Water For Life challenge page.
Even with the launch the writing is ongoing. Happily (if a bit crazily) I have three in the works. All are sequels that build on my characters and explore and expand the story worlds. I’m writing the sequel to Stealing Death, revising Bound By Three a medieval fantasy following Dragon’s Keep due out with Dial Books 2010, and revising Wind Taken sequel to The Beast of Noor. The newest Noor novel will be out with Egmont USA in 2010.
I’d better keep my muse well fed.
