Q. I know that things have been hectic for you since the January 2011 announcement that you are the 2011 John Newbery Medal winner for your first children’s book, Moon Over Manifest. What are a few of the most surprising/exciting things that have happened since the announcement?
A. I have enjoyed receiving many cards and e-mails from people around the country who have enjoyed the book. I especially like the e-mails from kids, one of whom asked me if I would send her a plot summary… before tomorrow! I think she was a little behind on her book report that was apparently due the next day.
Probably the most surprising and enjoyable part of winning the Newbery has been the way people in Wichita have embraced the book and have jumped on this incredible ride with me. They have been so supportive and seem to be enjoying the experience as much as I am.
Q. Have you heard from or met any of the other Newbery Medal winners?
A. I had a lovely phone conversation with last year’s Newbery Medal winner Rebecca Stead. She was very gracious in giving me some advice on handling the pretty intense weeks following the announcement of the award. She’s also a mom so it was helpful hearing how she has managed juggling family life with a new and busier schedule.
Q. When you hear from young readers about the book, do they generally ask about certain specific characters or events?
A. They ask all kinds of questions. Some want to know how I knew I wanted to be a writer. Others want to know if certain parts of the book are true. They all have their favorite character or part of the story and they are interested to know what my favorite part is. I tell them it changes from day to day.
Q. What were your favorite books when you were 9-14?
A. A Wrinkle in Time, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Anne of Green Gables, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Q. What influenced you to want to be a writer?
A. Mostly being a big reader, but also getting a lot of affirmation from teachers about my writing. In grade school we did a lot of creative writing and I always enjoyed those assignments.
Q. How did you decide that historical fiction for children was what you wanted to write?
A. I don't know that I made a conscious decision to write historical fiction. That is just the kind of story I gravitate toward in both writing and reading. I like a story set in another time and enjoy doing research so it’s a good fit for me.
Q. Are you an outline kind of writer or one who starts with the germ of an idea and just writes to see where it will go?
A. I don’t start out with an outline. Mostly, I write notes and possible storylines in a notebook. I ask a lot of ‘what if’ questions when starting out. But as the story develops, I do like to know where it’s going and what I’m writing toward. So at some point, probably about half way through, I do write an outline but I’m still free to vary from it.
Q. You wrote Moon Over Manifest over a number of years. How much of the historical research did you do at the beginning and how much as you were writing the book?
A. I did most of the research once I knew a little bit about the story and the characters I was working with. But, as I say, I enjoy research so it continued throughout the writing of the book.
Q. You persevered in writing your book over a long and busy period of time, starting when your four children were very young. What kept you going?
A. That’s a good question and I’m not sure I know the answer to it. I only know that writing a book and getting it published was a goal and I believed in the story I was writing. The more invested I became in the story the more determined I was to keep working at it.
Q. Over the years, I heard you speak several times at Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) workshops about your writing. What do you see as the benefits of SCBWI membership for writers?
A. Being an SCBWI member is important for many reasons. The organization provides opportunities for networking with other writers both on the local and national level. I attended three SCBWI conferences in New York and really enjoyed each one of them. To have the opportunity to mingle with other aspiring writers, meet editors and well-known authors, attend workshops on publishing and writing, all these are helpful in navigating the writing and publishing world.
Q. A number of the authors I have talked to have mentioned being part of a writers’ group. Was sharing your work with a writers’ group part of your process in writing Moon Over Manifest? If so, how often did you meet and how were meetings organized?
A. Yes, I’ve been part of a writers’ group for many, many years. We get together and share and critique our work. It’s very helpful to have an outside, fresh perspective. When we’re actually writing, we might get together to critique once a month, or more if someone has more ready to read. We just send our chapters through e-mail in advance and then get together and discuss over lunch. It’s another great opportunity to be with people interested in writing.
For more from Clare Vanderpool about getting Moon Over Manifest published and the book she is working on now, see the next page.
