Blog tour: Welcome Jessica Day George
I want to introduce you all to my friend and fellow Utah writer, Jessica Day George. We first met when I invited her to do a book signing and author visit at my school. She did this amazing thing. Working with 3 fifth grades, Jessica helped them compose class stories. They were terrific- and she balanced creativity with natural crowd control. You should have seen her.
Anyway today we have the author of Dragon Slippers and now Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Welcome Jessica.
1. First off, why do you write for kids?
Because they won’t let me write for grown ups. . . . Kidding! I write for kids because there is so much more room to let your imagination go wild in a so-called “children’s book”, and because I like having young characters who are still as brave and strong and intelligent as an adult character (as many young people are), and letting them be the focus rather than the “grown ups” in the story.
2. In Dragon Slippers, is your main character, Creel, like you? If so, how?
I’d like to think that if my family abandoned me, I’d have the guts to face the dragon and make my own way in the world. I think that she’s like me in that she’s practical, and she doesn’t sit back and let the boys do all the work, either.
3. What is your writing process? Do you outline, do research, jump right in, think about your story for a while before starting, interview your characters?
Jump right in! When I get an idea for a story, I just sit down and start typing with chapter 1. I do have a little ritual, though. I can’t get going until I’ve put my name and address on the top of the page, given it a title, and then saved the document. Then I get to work. I’ve had two books where I’ve written a later chapter first, and then gone back to the beginning. But outlining just frustrates me: I want to get going!
4. What happened when you got "the call" from your publishing house?
First off, it was well after noon and I was still in my bathrobe. I always have to confess that. My little boy was not even one year old yet, and there were so many days where I didn’t get dressed until he was napping. Anyway, she called, and I tried to be all casual and professional, but at the end of the phone call I suddenly blurted out, “I will leave my husband and child and come be your maid if you want me to!” And she paused, and then started laughing and said, “Well, that won’t be necessary.” After we hung up, I started crying and called my husband . . who was on his way home from work early because he had the flu!
5. How did you celebrate your book sale?
I went to Barnes & Noble and bought myself a stack of books! That weekend we got a babysitter and went out to eat, too, which is pretty big for us.
6. What is your earliest book memory?
Being scared of Good Night Moon. My mom loves that book, and she would read it in this sort of stage whisper that she thought was soothing, but actually freaked us all out. I also remember tossing aside Cinderella and various other girly books inherited from my older sister, and asking my mom to read me only books about horses.
7. Did you need to do any research for Dragon Slippers?
Nope. I’m such a slacker. Just made it all up.
8. How did you know when you were done?
Dragon Slippers sprang into my head fully formed, beginning to end, and so I just had to type fast enough to keep up! I knew what I was aiming for, even knew the last line, and just went for it.
9. What has surprised you the most about publishing?
Why does it take so loooong? I signed the contract for Dragon Slippers in January of 2006, and it didn’t come out until April of 2007. I’m a very impatient person. I think the day I finish a manuscript, they should fire up the presses!
10. I notice that you have an agent. Did you have one before you were published? Did this make a big difference? How did you get your agent?
I had met this agent at a conference, but she said she didn’t do fantasy (which is kinda hilarious, because she used to rep Shannon Hale). I asked if she would be available to read a contract for me, should I get one, and I could pay her by the hour. (David Farland had recommended the unagented try this, so that you have some help with contracts.) She said that was fine, so when I got the Dragon Slippers contract, I called up Amy and asked if she had some free time. She read it, I paid her, and then she offered to represent me because she’d been impressed by the description of the story and the publisher’s enthusiasm. I think it made a huge difference, because I couldn’t understand one word in three of that contract! I never would have known what was going on. She had to explain it to me one section at a time. And since then she’s been wonderful: she reads rough drafts and gives great editing advice, she’s a rock hard negotiator, I’d be lost without her!
11. Also would you like to tell your readers something about your new book?
>Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is a book that's very close to my heart. All my life I've been fascinated with Norway, and desperately wanted to live there. I also loved the Nordic folk tale "East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon," and
planned from a young age to write my own novel-length version. This is that very book, and I tried to throw all my love for Norway and it's culture into one of the greatest stories that has ever been told. It's got polar bears,
wolves, trolls, romance, fighting, magic, adventure and even humor. Enjoy!
12. There will be the sequel to Dragon Slippers coming out this spring. How about a sneak preview?
>In April, the sequel to Dragon Slippers will be on the scene. Is Shardas alive? Find out in Dragon Flight, as Creel travels to far off Citatie to investigate a rumor of an entire army . . . mounted on dragons!
Thanks Jessica.
Now readers, go visit Jessica's website at <http://www.jessicadaygeorge.com>
Becky Hall
