Were We Cursed? An Author Interview with Katie Davis

Fifth graders interview with Katie Davis
The Curse of Addy McMahon author

Something I love about having a blog is discovering new authors (or new to me at least) via visiting the “Kidlitosphere”: home of authors, illustrators, and children/YA book reviewers.
A recent discovery was Katie Davis, author/illustrator of several picture books including Who Hops, Mabel the Tooth Fairy and How She Got Her Job, and Kindergarten Rocks. Katie has just published her first novel for middle graders titled, The Curse of Addy McMahon.
I went to her website to watch her book trailer (a very clever idea) about the book. Well, the whole scene in which Addy’s mother takes Addy on a shopping trip for a specific undergarment that a 6th grade girl might need took me back to that place, that 6th grade place when I received a very embarrassing birthday present from my parents.
I had to read Katie’s book,then pass it onto some fifth graders that I knew would enjoy the book.
This was perfect opportunity to use the new digital recorder received from the OASL Hull Grant in December. An opportunity to produce for the first ever “Check It Out” pod cast.
So…
Special speakerphone from the district. CHECK
Students who read the book. CHECK
Time and place to call. CHECK
Thursday, May 29, 2008, 9:00 AM -9:50 AM Katie Davis Interview. CHECK

Were we cursed? No, due to my inexperience and technical difficulties during the interview, the first pod cast is delayed. But here are five fabulous fifth graders interviewing Katie Davis:

Ahbre, Austin,
Brent, Melissa,
and Tasha: Good morning

KD: Good morning.

Austin: What sparked your ideas for this book?

KD: The article was about a storyteller in Latoon, Ireland who was trying to warn local officials about the potential danger revolving around the destruction of a white-blossomed hawthorn bush. The bush, it turned out, was rumored to be a fairy lair. Apparently, it stood in the way of a planned highway bypass, and if bulldozed, the fairies would curse the road and all who used it, causing crashes, death, and general mayhem.
I immediately imagined a girl here in the U.S. whose great-great-grandad chopped down a fairy lair back in Ireland generations ago. And even though the story was a long-standing family joke, what if she actually believed it just a little? She might blame the curse for all the crummy stuff in her life, even things that were her fault.

Ahbre: What were you thinking when you wrote the story?

KD: OMG, am I ever going to finish this book? But I was also thinking about the story and that I wanted to write a really awesome one.

Ahbre: Well, it was great.

Melissa: Was the book based off any personal experience?

KD: That is a good question. Actually have you ever been asked to “write what you know?”

Kids: Kind of, yeah.

KD: You will hear that a lot more as you grow up. It is not exactly what you know but you take elements that you know because you lived them and you put them in a story. For example, my father died of lung cancer and Addy’s father died of lung cancer but I was in my 20’s when my father died…the feelings like sadness that Addy felt, I definitely experienced that.

Boys: Ahhh..

Tasha: How long did it take you to write the book?

KD: It took 9 years to write the book.

MsMac: Wow, why so long?

KD: Tons of rewriting and the first 4 years there was a lot happening in the book. During that time, I also had seven picture books come out. I had never written a novel before and it was a real learning experience. In the beginning, there was a fairy and it was way too much.
One editor finally asked, “What about taking all the fantasy out?” “Oh man!” I thought, but I took it all out and made the story about the relationships.

Melissa: Was the best friend in the book like a best friend you had?

KD: Yes and we had a big fight. It was my fault and I had to say “I am sorry”.

Ahbre: If you had to write another book like Addy, what would it be?

KD: If Addy were in it? Like a sequel? I would want Addy and all her friends together. Then a fairy does show up and what would they do about it? I don’t think anyone has ever done a sequel in a different genre before. The first book is realistic fiction, and the second would be fantasy. Could be pretty cool!

Melissa: You might win awards because it would be totally new idea.

Brent: Wondering how long did you wait from the last draft to publishing.

KD: It felt like forever. I am curious how the boys liked it. Would they tell another boy they were reading this book?

Austin: I would.

Brent: I actually really liked it. I like how Addy and her friends went through different challenges and how they started a newspaper.

Austin: Yeah, I liked the newspaper, too.

KD: I am glad you like that part. Did you like the comics?

Kids: Yeah

Ahbre: It was a really good part because it showed what she was thinking.

Melissa: It is great for starting the chapters.

Brent: Actually gives you a picture of what the chapter is going to be.

KD: It was not always that way. First, Addy kept a journal, then a diary, and I was then going to have collage art and it was not until the very end that I realized I would do the comic strips.

KD: In June there will be a new website called autobiograstrip.com that you can go to and create your own.

Kids: Cool

Ahbre: If you had to write more autobiogra-strips, what would you have put in?

KD: Did you notice that all but the last one are about difficulties? By putting the tragic parts into the strip, it made them easier to take, and also allowed the comedy to shine, and stand on its own.

Austin: What was your favorite part of the book?

KD: I loved the “AddyWaddie” part. I was driving on my way to a school visit, and laughed out loud when I figured out that scene.

Kids: That is funny with the friends and the French tied in.

Ahbre: Did you have to take anything out?

KD: OMG, definitely. Do you know what authors call that? It is called “killing your babies.” It is hard to take out stuff. To make the whole thing better, you have to sacrifice.

Melissa: Did you have a certain purpose, did you want to send a message in this book?

KD: No, I never write a book to send a message. It is a deadly, deadly mistake that beginning authors make. But if kids get anything helpful out of it, I do hope they see that everyone has problems.

Brent: Wondering what your dream job was as a child.

KD: Well, I loved to draw and write but then I read about the first female police officer and I thought I wanted to become a cop. Then I figured I might get shot.

Austin: What did you like to read as a child? Did you read chapter books or comic books?

KD: I read comic books all the time. I had weird tastes. I read these romance comics but I also read many very scary horror books. Now I read lots of YA and MG books. My mother-in-law teases me because I read children’s books. But really, they are better written than many adult books. Kids are not going to put up with bad writing whereas adults feel obliged to finish the book.

MsMac: Katie, I have kindergarten coming in so you need to say good-bye. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today.

KD: Thank you. It was a pleasure. I am anxious to read this interview on your blog! Did I tell you that Addy is being considered for something? I cannot say but it involves a major television thing.

Kids: WOW!

So if you are from the television network and you are reading this, please, please, please
select The Curse of Addy McMahon. You can not go wrong.  You do not want to be cursed, do you? It gives reading a novel a completely new perspective with the original “autobiogra-strips. A book enjoyed by boys and girls, and parents will have fun reading as well.

It is on my list to nominate for the CYBILS in October.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

 

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