This
past Saturday the downtown library held its Literary Luminaries
event, working with SLC Film Center, Night Flight Comics, The English
Garden and the Community Writing Center to name a few, bringing in both
local and national writers to talk to the
fans about their work. Guests for the event included Leslie Brimhall,
Jennifer
Adams, Robyn Buttars, Steve Nilles, Laurel Hart, Bill Galvan and
Corinne Humphrey.
--- Also included on the bill was Shannon Hale, local award winning author of titles such as The Goose Girl,
Princess Academy, Emma Burning, Book Of A Thousand Days, and most
recently Rapunzel's Revenge. I got a chance to chat with her about her career, the books, thoughts on writing today and a few other
topics. I also got to listen to her Q&A session with her husband (and recent co-author) Dean, taking <pictures of their time there on Saturday while she donned the red pigtails of her character.
Shannon Hale (with husband Dean)
http://www.squeetus.com/
Gavin:
Hello Shannon! First off, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Shannon: I'm a Utah native, stay-at-home mom with two small children.
My husband Dean and I met while attending West High in Salt Lake
City, getting married 11 years later. I started writing books at age
10 and eventually published my first, The Goose Girl, at age
29. I've published 5 young adult fantasy novels, a book for adults
(Austenland) and a graphic novel for young readers (Rapunzel's
Revenge).
Gavin:
What first got you interested in writing, and what were some of your
early influences?
Shannon: I think I've always been a storyteller, before I could read
books or write them I would make up stories and act them out. My
fourth grade teacher (Mrs. Spackman at Wasatch Elementary) started us
writing our own stories, and I got hooked.
Gavin:
You went to the U and eventually got your MFA. What was the program
like up there, and how difficult was it for you to get your degree?
Shannon: I did my undergraduate work at the U but got my MFA from the
University of Montana. The program at the U of M, like most MFA
programs, focused on writing literary fiction short stories. It was
wonderful to have two years where I had to write. I don't
think anyone can teach someone how to write, but having the time is
great. I didn't find the curriculum particularly challenging--I think
that you make what you get out of it. My second year there I was the
only MFA candidate that didn't have a teaching assistantship, and
when I asked about it, the director of the department told me that
TAs were awarded based on the quality of a person's writing. So I was
informed I was the worst writer in the program. That hurt a lot. But
I believe that I'm now the only career writer and only New York Times
best seller. Being stubborn helps.
Gavin:
Were there any practice titles you worked on before the novels you're
known for now? And if so, what was that process like?
Shannon: I wrote about 100 short stories that have never been published
and a middle grade novel that was soundly rejected. I firmly believe
that most of us need to write a lot and throw away a lot before
dreaming of publishing anything. I have a lot of rejection letters,
including nine for The Goose Girl.
Gavin:
Where did the inspiration come from for The Goose Girl?
Shannon: I was in a reading funk--I was 25 and couldn't remember the
last time I had read a book that I couldn't bear to put down. When
reading had been total pleasure, ages 10-16, my favorite writer was
Robin McKinley. She based her first novel on a fairy tale, so I
decided to try and do the same, to write a book that would please my
adult self with my literary fiction sensibilities but still be the
kind of page turner that I would have loved as a young person.
Gavin:
What was the initial public reaction to its release, and how did you
feel about it?
Shannon: The Goose Girl was well received, I thought. It was a
first book from a small and unknown (in the US) publisher, so there
wasn't heaps of attention or a bestseller list or anything. But it
received the Josette Frank Award and was voted by teens as one of
their ten favorite books of the year, which was a huge compliment to
a novice novelist. It remains my most popular book among fans. Like
all my books, once it leaves my hands , it no longer feels like my
story. I think I remember writing it eons ago, but now it belongs to
the readers.
Gavin:
How does it feel having picked up a Newbery Award for the Princess
Academy?
Shannon: I thought I realized at the time what a big deal it was to
receive a Newbery Honor, but I only glimpsed it. I feel as if the
Lady of the Wood kissed my forehead and left a mark that allows me
passage into magical realms. (Yeah...I'm a fantasy writer...) The
award has affected more than just Princess Academy--it's given
more prestige and attention to everything I write. It's truly magical
and I don't think I'll ever feel nonchalant about it.
Gavin:
The most recent release was Rapunzel's Revenge. Where did the
idea come from for this book, and what's been the reaction to it?
Shannon: I wanted to collaborate with my husband, who is a brilliant
writer in his own right. We decided to combine our first two
loves--mine is fairy tales and his is superhero comic books. We
decided Rapunzel would make an awesome comic book superhero, with her
braids as natural weapons! The reaction has been phenomenal. All the
national reviews have been glowing, Al Roker chose the book for his
“Book Club For Kids”, and Dean and I made an appearance on “The
Today Show”. And perhaps most importantly, every day I hear from
parents who say their avid reader kids love it and their reluctant
reader kids read it over and over again.
Gavin:
A little state-wide, what's your take on the local literary scene and
the writers coming out of it?
Shannon: There are tremendous writers in Utah in every genre, but our
strength seems to be in children's and young adult. We have dozens of
nationally published, acclaimed, and best-selling children's and YA
writers.
Gavin:
Is there anything you think could be done to make it more prominent?
Shannon: As a culture, we put more importance on sports and movies than
literature. That's understandable, since books are a personal and
intimate experience, where sports and movies are so hugely visual and
can be experienced in groups. But it's a shame, too, since being
literate is so important to a person's success in any field (besides
that reading is just plain fun). There are oodles of free literary
events every month in Utah--at book stores, libraries, and book
festivals. For children especially, meeting and hearing an author
speak can change their perspective on reading and get them excited
about books and learning. As parents we can be better about taking
our children to these events. It's also nice when the media places
importance on books and our home state talent (as you're doing
here--thank you!). I was only the second Utah writer in history to be
on a Newbery list and the first in over 50 years, and the Newbery
committee members told me to expect a lot of local attention. There
was some, but most Utah news organizations did not report on it.
Another Utah writer, Sara Zarr, was a National Book Award finalist
(which is a huge deal) and she had the same experience.
Gavin:
Do you have any advice for other local writers about their work and
getting published?
Shannon: It doesn't matter to editors where you're from. They're all
looking for a really great story. An editor is dying to fall in love
with your manuscript. My advice is to keep writing. Make that book
the very best it can be, even if it takes ten years and dozens of
rewrites. And after you finish it and send it out there, you move on
to the next story, because it might be your fifth or your tenth book
that finally gets noticed. And cherish every day of your life--live
and observe and love people in all our imperfections.
Gavin:
If you had to make a list, who are some of your favorite local
authors?
Shannon: You'd have to put a gun to my head to get me to make that
list. So many are my friends and I'm terrified of leaving anyone out.
People can visit www.ucwi.org to
read about many of our talented local children's writers.
Gavin:
What are your thoughts on the local book stores and how they're
holing up against bigger chains?
Shannon: They are awesome! They are warriors! We are so fortunate in
the Salt Lake City area especially to have several independent
bookstores who valiantly serve their individual communities, bring in
countless national authors every year, and constantly give back.
Thank goodness they're surviving, and they will continue as long as
we support them.
Gavin:
Do you feel like books are in decline with some being published
online, or do you believe there will always be an audience there for
a hand-held copy?
Shannon: I don't think the book business is damaged by online
publishing. That's the chosen reading method for some, but most
people prefer a hand-held book that never runs out of battery and can
be taken anywhere. Someday that may change, but for now books are
still king.
Gavin:
What can we expect from you in 2009?
Shannon: I have two books coming out. In June, I have a new book for
adults called The Actor & The Housewife. The main
character is an LDS Utah mother of four who meets and becomes friends
with her favorite actor. This book is published by Bloomsbury in New
York for a national audience, and my editor loved reading about Utah
and Mormons. I think it's rare to have an LDS character in a national
market book, so I'm eager to see how it will be received, both in
state and out. And in September I have Forest Born, the fourth
in the “Books Of Bayern”, my young adult fantasy series.
Gavin:
Is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?
Shannon: Aren't you sweet? I'm the most excited about Rapunzel's
Revenge. Nathan Hale, a Utah artist, did the fabulous
illustrations. A graphic novel (meaning a novel with graphics) is
such a powerful medium for certain readers. For those transitioning
from picture books to chapter books, or older kids who are visual
learners and are intimidated by thick, wordy novels, graphic novels
can be a lifeline to reading.