Q:  You have so much positive energy. Does rejection ever get you down and how do you deal with it?

A:  First, thank you for the compliment. A positive attitude is an essential item in a writer’s toolkit. Rejection is certainly a disappointment, and even critiques or reviews can be difficult to accept, yet all are part of the writing life. The trick is to listen, take what you can use, and discard the rest. Seriously. Let it go.

When I was new to the business, I thought the submissions of well loved, award-winning writers might be welcomed by their editors with revision requests but not outright rejections. Wrong! Every writer faces rejection.

Rejection is a challenge to dig deeper for writing that is not just good but elegant and  memorable. When a book becomes popular, it is usually reported how many times the manuscript was initially rejected, but what I want to know is whether the writer was constantly revising and that last publisher simply saw the most polished manuscript.

Q:  I notice from your website that you are very busy with presentations. What should authors do to create a successful school visit?

A:  Put on a good show! The best school visits are informative, interactive, and entertaining. Budgets may be tight but authors who offer educational value hidden among the fun should hopefully still be able to get bookings. Bells and whistles are not required; a good story well told is often enough. (When in doubt, bring a puppet.)

Pacing is very important. Just as in writing a story, keep your audience in mind. I like to include original songs and reproducible art activities. Children like to hear about the life of an author and often have astute questions so leave a little free time at the end, but Q&A can spiral out of control so be ready to redirect as necessary. Mainly, I try to make the most of the opportunity to help children realize that reading is fun.

Q:  What is your writing schedule?

A:  It has to be flexible; life happens. Like many writers, I have commitments to family and community so balance is key. My goal is to write for three or four hours a day, five days a week, but I often fall short and have to be forgiving since there’s no point in guilt about it. The most important thing is to write every day, to make writing a habit.

I seem to write best in the early mornings or late evenings when the house is quiet. I also spend a lot of time on marketing – mailings, e-mails, phone calls, research. When I have a deadline, it can get very intense and I have been known to close the door and tell the kids (and the dog) to ask their dad if they need anything. I have a very understanding family. (The dog, not so much.)

Q:  What are some of your favorite books on writing?

A:  There are many, so I’ll limit myself to three. Take Joy: A Writer’s Guide to Loving the Craft by Jane Yolen. Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin. Picture Writing: A New Approach to Writing for Kids and Teens by Anastasia Suen. I recently read Poetics by Aristotle, a master class on structure, so I’m finding new favorites all the time.

I learn the most about writing by reading good books, perceiving how the writer puts the craft into practice. Great writing seems to be a seamless mixture of intention and serendipity.

Q:  I loved your workshop at the SCBWI-Southern Breeze Fall Conference. Please give our readers a glimpse into how you conducted research for The Secret World of Walter Anderson and So Many Houses.