Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The following is a list that describes Linda Sue Parks picture books, 1st to most current.
The Firekeeper’s Son
illustrated by Julie Downing, Clarion Books, March 22, 2004, 40 pages, age 4 to 8
In Korea in the early 1800s, news from the countryside reached the king by means of signal fires. On one mountaintop after another, a fire was lit when all was well. If the king did not see a fire, that meant trouble, and he would send out his army.
Linda Sue Park’s first picture book for Clarion is about Sang-hee, son of the village firekeeper. When his father is unable to light the fire one night, young Sang-hee must take his place. Sang-hee knows how important it is for the fire to be lit—but he wishes that he could see soldiers ... just once.
Mountains, firelight and shadow, and Sunhee’s struggle with a hard choice are rendered in radiant paintings, which tell their own story of a turning point in a child’s life.
Mung-Mung: a Fold-Out Book of Animal Sounds
illustrated by Diane Bigda, Charlesbridge, 2004, 36 pages, ages 2-7
“What kind of animal says ‘Mung-Mung, BoBo, Gav-Gav, Wow-Wow,’ or ‘Woof-Woof?’ Fold out the page to find it's a dog. Successive gatefolds hide farm or household animals, but the onomatopoeic words from their mouths come from languages as diverse as Korean, Turkish, Swedish, and Hindi ... Bidga’s lightly lined, pastel illustrations are beautiful and surprisingly lively, full of interesting type faces for each of the words and accompanied by tiny, but clear labels for the language of each. Not all toddlers will grasp the concept of different languages, but all will enjoy guessing what animal comes next. And it'll have them nuff-nuffing all the way home.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A multilingual guessing game for the youngest children. Each spread begins with the question, ‘What kind of animal says...’ and features a variety of sounds in playful handwritten typefaces. Opening a flap reveals the answer. Several languages from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East are included, as well as the sound in English to tip off youngsters. Bigda's cotton-candy-colored gouache artwork displays a lightness of line and a jazzy, free-form feel that blends well with the simple fare. The pages of onomatopoeic sounds are bright and artful (at least to someone able to read them) but young audiences may wiggle impatiently to open the flaps.” —Marge Loch-Wouters, School Library Journal
Yum! Yuck! a Fold-Out Book of People Sounds
co-authored by Julia Durango, illustrated by Sue Ramá, Charlesbridge, 2005, 36 pages, ages 2-7
“In this follow-up to Mung-Mung: A Foldout Book of Animal Sounds, Park and Durango present the sounds people make to express such things as distaste, laughter, and surprise. The outer pages of the foldouts detail people sounds in various languages and dialects, such as Danish, Yoruba, Korean, and Farsi. These words and phrases, surrounded by pastel borders, are accompanied by children expressing these sounds with clear facial expressions and gestures. On the inner pages, the English translation is revealed along with Rama's ink, watercolor, and crayon illustrations of these youngsters enacting a scenario that would prompt a yuck, yum, or yikes response. Younger children may need help to understand some of the scenes, particularly why an overturned spice cart causes the children's yummy ice cream to turn yucky. The final pages include an authors’ note on the difficulty of translating people sounds as well as the origins of the lesser-known languages. This original offering is a delightful addition to the canon of multicultural picture books and a fun read-aloud guessing game.” —Rachel G. Payne, School Library Journal
“Park follows Mung-Mung: A Foldout Book of Animal Sounds with an equally international array of human exclamations—in about two dozen tongues, and uttered by a multicultural cast of children depicted on foldout leaves. Placed in a busy marketplace in Ramá’s vigorously drawn, digitally finished watercolors, the children go from simple pleasure to a chorus of dismay—‘Oh-gah!’ (Yoruba) ‘Ay!’ (Spanish) ‘Oy!’ (Polish) ‘Oo-wah!’ (Japanese) ‘Yikes!’ (English)—when furnished with replacements. English equivalents all come last, and are hidden beneath the folds, which gives young audiences a chance to try out the less familiar sounds while guessing what emotion is being expressed. The authors head off potential cavils by noting at the end that variants, both of expression and of pronunciation, exist within each language.” —Kirkus Reviews
What Does Bunny See?
illustrated by Maggie Smith Clarion Books, March 28, 2005 Language: English, 32 pages, ages 4-8
A rabbit explores a garden, finding flowers of every color, before hopping home for a nap and dreams of rainbows.
Rhyming clues invite the reader to answer the question: What does bunny see?
With sprightly verses and cheerful illustrations, each turn of the page yields a colorful surprise. This book was inspired by the work of textile artist Eve Botelho. To see more of Eve's amazing work, visit her website.
Bee-bim Bop!
illustrated by Ho Baek Lee Clarion Books (Sept 12, 2005), Language: English, 32 pages, ages 4-8
Bee-bim bop ("mix-mix rice") is a traditional Korean dish. In bouncy rhyming text, a hungry child tells of helping her mother make bee-bim bop: shopping, preparing ingredients, setting the table, and sitting down to enjoy a favorite meal.
The enthusiasm of the narrartor is conveyed in the whimsical illustrations, which bring details from the artist’s childhood in Korea to his depiction of a modern Korean-American family.
The book includes Linda Sue’s own bee-bim bop recipe!
Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo Poems
Illustrated by Istvan Banyai Clarion Books, 2007, 48 pages, ages 4 and up
A sijo, a traditional Korean verse form, has a fixed number of stressed syllables and a humorous or ironic twist at the end. Like haiku, sijo are brief and accessible, and the witty last line winds up each poem with a surprise. The verses in this book illuminate funny, unexpected, amazing aspects of the everyday—of breakfast, thunder and lightning, houseplants, tennis, freshly laundered socks. Carefully crafted and deceptively simple, Linda Sue Park’s sijo are a pleasure to read and an irresistible invitation to experiment with an unfamiliar poetic form. Istvan Banyai’s irrepressibly giddy and sophisticated illustrations add a one-of-a-kind luster to a book that is truly a gem.
The Third Gift [Hardcover] Coming Nov 15, 2011
From two extraordinary talents, a beautifully crafted picture book for the Christmas season.
The three wise men, or the three kings, are familiar figures in the Christmas tradition. Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park has taken the brief biblical references to the three as the starting point for a new story. In it we meet a boy who is learning his father’s trade; a man who gathers resin from certain trees; a merchant in the marketplace; and three strangers in brightly colored robes who are shopping for a gift for a baby. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline with exquisite paintings, this simple, moving tale of ordinary people involved in an extraordinary event brings new resonance to the well-known gift list of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
THE 39 CLUES, by seven authors, including Linda Sue Parks. (Scholastic, hardcover only.) A brother and sister travel the world in search of the key to their family’s power. (Ages 9 to 12)
'The 39 Clues' round-robin interview: All seven authors answer questions about the interactive adventure series, by Keith Staskiewicz
The 39 Clues, the interactive, globe-spanning series of young adult novels is drawing to a close. Nearly two years after famed YA author Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) penned the first book, the final entry, Book 10: Into the Gauntlet, will be hitting stores tomorrow. So, in honor of the completion of the best-selling decalogy, EW has conducted a round-robin interview with all of the series’ authors. It works like this: We ask Riordan a question, who then asks Book 2 author Gordon Korman a question, who then asks Book 3 author Peter Lerangis, and so on and so forth. Here’s what they had to say.
Entertainment Weekly: What inspired you to work on an interactive storytelling series instead of another straightforward narrative, and was it hard for you to leave the story in other authors’ hands?
Rick Riordan: I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids! When Scholastic approached me about The 39 Clues, I immediately started going through the “greatest hits” from my years as a social studies teacher, and picked the historical characters and eras that most appealed to my students. Developing the series’ story arc didn’t take much time at all. Writing Book 1: The Maze of Bones didn’t feel much different than writing one of my other novels, but I thought it was very innovative to offer the website and trading card components as well for those readers who wanted to go more in depth with the Cahill experience. As for handing the story to other authors, of course it was hard to say goodbye to Amy and Dan, but the story has been in such good hands. Every time a new book arrives, it’s like getting a present. I get to catch up with old friends!
Rick Riordan to Gordan Korman: I’ve always found the second book in a series is the hardest to write. I imagine it would be even tougher when you’re taking over a story from another author, although you made it look effortless. How was that experience for you? Was there anything particular you did that made the story feel like your own in the two 39 Clues volumes you wrote? Anything you are particularly proud of?
Gordon Korman: Rick, you did an incredible job setting the stage for the rest of us authors. I felt like my imagination got the world’s greatest jump-start. I love everything about the multi-author dimension to The 39 Clues. Writing is a solitary job, and for the first time in my life, I have “co-workers” which is a lot of fun. I think all of the authors have put our own unique stamp on the books. I had the opportunity to revisit Austria in Book 2: One False Note, a country that I toured when I was in my 20s. I also took the characters on an adventure to China–a place I’ve researched but have never traveled to–in Book 8: The Emperor’s Code. I’ve also done a lot of research on Mount Everest so I decided to bring the action there as well. I had a lot of creative freedom writing two books in the series and I’m particularly proud of the things I’ve done with some of the minor characters, especially the “au pair” Nellie and Jonah Wizard. In my tours around the country visiting schools, a lot of 39 Clues fans have told me that hip hop artist and reality TV star Jonah is their favorite character. Because of this, I gave him a big role in Book 8: The Emperor’s Code.
Gordon Korman to Peter Lerangis: We’ve all taken Amy and Dan to cool and exotic locations, and you really seem to thrive on this freewheeling globe-trotting dimension of the series. Can you discuss the balance between research and pure imagination when crafting a story that takes place in faraway lands you’ve never visited? Is there one setting that particularly “transported” you as a writer?
Peter Lerangis: Definitely South Africa, in Book 7: The Viper’s Nest. I really wanted to swing over to Pretoria to write this book. I love to travel. During normal workdays, sometimes it feels like I have to bludgeon ideas out of my soul — but when I’m traveling, relaxed and unpressured, the ideas just spill out. There was one problem — the deadline. So I made research a form of travel. I immersed myself: reading books and magazine articles, interviewing people, listening to music, watching films. I flew over the country and zeroed in on city streets, savannahs, the veldt, and the coastline for free, thanks to Google Earth. My best voilà moment came while searching Pretoria for the perfect locale for an explosion scene, and finding a place called Boom Street. Talk about a rich and complex history—I managed to combine Shaka Zulu and Winston Churchill in one adventure, even though they lived in different eras. The whole time, I was chained to a desk in a small room in New York City…but I can still give people a pretty amazing travelogue!
Peter Lerangis to Jude Watson: Hey, Jude, we’ve all become good pals since the series started. But at the beginning Gordon and I had known each other, and neither of us knew you. It was intimidating for me to follow in Rick and Gordon’s footsteps. How did it feel for you being the fourth writer?
Jude Watson: Well, Peter, I have to confess, just between us, that I was too dumb to be intimidated. At first. As the first female author invited to the party, my inner ten-year-old tomboy just pumped a fist in the air. I was ready to mix it up with the big boys. After all, I’d written more than forty Star Wars adventures–which means I’ve written, oh, maybe a zillion lightsaber battles? So a globe-trotting adventure series set on Earth? Piece of cake. Ahem. Then I read Rick’s manuscript, and Gordon’s, and yours. I went from “bring it on” to “what have I gotten myself into.” You guys sure know how to keep the thrills coming. Was I intimidated? You bet. But one thing about this series, you can’t let down the team–and that includes all of our readers. They’re part of the story, too. That’s a tremendous amount of inspiration. It was especially fun to bring some girl power to the series. I loved researching powerful figures in ancient Egypt like the pharaoh Hatshepsut and Nefertari in Book 4: Beyond the Grave, and then Amelia Earhart for Book 6: In Too Deep. I’d say as a general rule for a writer, if you can lock two kids in an ancient tomb with an ex-KGB villain, you’re cooking with gas.
Jude Watson to Patrick Carman: Patrick, I think of you as a cinematic writer. You keep a breathless pace, and the action sequences are visually exciting for the reader. Do you consciously think of film pacing when you write?
Patrick Carman: I’m a visual thinker, thrill seeker, and I’m easily distracted. I see everything I’m writing and I think it naturally affects the pace of things. This trait served me well with The 39 Clues, where we’re all trying to make history and geography exciting for young readers. Thinking visually worked like a charm when I had the Cahills blasting across Russia with monster trucks and motorcycles in Book 5: The Black Circle. When I was writing this book, I put the characters on a 24-hour clock to keep the action going. I wanted Amy and Dan to hit as many of the historical sites in Russia as possible. Take the Motherland Calls for example. Imagine a statue that is almost twice as big as the Statue of Liberty. I had a blast visualizing and writing about the characters climbing to the top of this enormous statue to find an important document. I wasn’t really conscious about The 39 Clues movie when I wrote The Black Circle. My job as an author is to tell the story in the best way possible, to make it flow seamlessly and get the reader to keep turning the page. But now that I think about it, I wonder if the movie version will take Amy and Dan to the Motherland Calls, or any of the awesome sites in Russia that I wrote about in the book. I hope so!
Patrick Carman to Linda Sue Park: The Cahills have been all over the world, but even ten books can’t cover every cool place on earth. If there were going to be an eleventh 39 Clues book, where would you send Dan and Amy next and what historical figure would you most want them to discover? Oh, and can I borrow eight dollars?
Linda Sue Park: I just looked in my purse. I have three dollars and twenty-seven cents. You can have it all. Or–hey, my subway card has $10 credit on it, would that help? Anything for you, sir. And what a great question! I would send Dan and Amy to Mexico because I think here in the U.S. we all need to learn more about our nearest southern neighbor. As for a historical figure: Three Mexicans have won the Nobel Prize, and I think I’d pick one of them. I can’t decide between Mario Molina and Octavio Paz. Mario Molina was a brilliant chemist whose work led to the discovery of the dangers to the ozone layer of earth’s atmosphere. If the eleventh book was about him, readers could learn more about the environment. Octavio Paz won the Nobel Prize for literature–and the Clues books haven’t yet explored a famous author. How could we writers have let that happen?
Linda Sue Park to Margaret Peterson Haddix: Margaret, in my opinion, you had the toughest job of all of us. I don’t know how you did it, and I can’t tell you how much I admire you for taking on the task. Could you describe one of your toughest challenges in writing Book 10 and how you managed to claw your way out of it?
Margaret Peterson Haddix: I think I can second Jude’s comment about having been “too dumb to be intimated.” In the beginning, I actually thought my job would be easier than everyone else’s, since I’d only have to coordinate with the books that came before mine, not any subsequent books in the series. Then reality kicked in. I realized that everybody else had set the bar really, really high for the quality of the series, and I didn’t want to be the one who ruined that, and I was the only author besides Rick who’d have to include all the major characters in my book. And even though he’d made it look easy, it wasn’t.
So, yeah, I was pretty much in a constant state of panic, paranoia and fear the whole time I was writing Book 10: Into the Gauntlet. Fortunately, that made it easier for me to identify with Amy and Dan, who were facing an even more insurmountable task. I’d actually count two things as my “toughest” challenge writing this book. The first was something I think everyone except Rick dealt with: having to start writing the book before the book(s) right before it were in final form. I have to give credit to Rachel Griffiths, the editor who coordinated the whole series, for helping me handle this. And I was very grateful to you, Linda Sue, for being willing to make some changes in your book to help mine. The other huge challenge was figuring out a climactic event for the tenth book in a series that had already included deaths, near-deaths, death threats, explosions, shocking revelations, and more ups and downs than the most extreme roller coaster. I quickly realized there was no way I could top the rest of you. But I could do something else….
The following is a list that describes Linda Sue Parks mid-grade books, 1st to most current.
Seesaw Girl
Clarion Books, August 23, 1999
ages 8 and up, 96 pages
Impatient with the constraints put on her as an aristocratic girl living in 17th-century Korea, 12-year-old Jade Blossom determines to see beyond her small world. Jade Blossom can never go beyond her family’s inner court. All girls from good Korean families must learn to sew, do laundry, and work in the kitchen. This prepares them for their future lives in their husbands' inner court. Jade has other interests. She longs to take trips to the mountains and the marketplace. If only she could read and paint, but these are things only boys can do. Jade won’t stop thinking about the world beyond the high walls of her home. Then one day she secretly sets off to do what no other girl her age has ever done before seems determined to make Julia’s life as complicated as possible, no matter how hard Julia tries to talk her out of it.
The Kite Fighters
Clarion Books, March 20, 2000
Ages 9 and up
In Seoul, Korea, in 1473, Young-sup and his older brother Kee-sup are excited about the New Year kite competition. Young-sup is an expert at kite flying. He knows just what his kite wants him to do. Kee-sup has trouble handling his kite, but can build and design a kite fit for a king.
Each brother knows his own talents as they practice together for the New Year kite-fighting competition. But according to tradition, Kee-sup, the first-born son, must represent the family. Young-sup knows he must help his older brother and stay in second place. But that doesn?t stop him from hoping for the chance to show his great skill as a kite fighter.
A Single Shard Winner of the 2002 Newbery Medal
Clarion Books, 2001, Ages 9 and up
Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean potters’ village. For a long time he is content living with Crane-man under a bridge barely surviving on scraps of food. All that changes when he sees master potter Min making his beautiful pottery. Tree-ear sneaks back to Min’s workplace and dreams of creating his own pots someday. When he accidentally breaks a pot, he must work for the master to pay for the damage. Though the work is long and hard, Tree-ear is eager to learn. Then he is sent to the King’s Court to show the master’s pottery. Little does Tree-ear know that this difficult and dangerous journey will change his life forever.
When My Name Was Keoko
Clarion Books, 2002 ages 9 and up, 208 pages
Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul, live in Korea with their parents. Because Korea is under Japanese occupation, the children study Japanese and speak it at school. Their own language, their flag, the folktales Uncle tells them—even their names—are all part of the Korean culture that is now forbidden.
When World War II comes to Korea, Sun-hee is surprised that the Japanese expect their Korean subjects to fight on their side. But the greatest shock of all comes when Tae-yul enlists in the Japanese army in an attempt to protect Uncle, who is suspected of aiding the Korean resistance. Sun-hee stays behind, entrusted with the life-and-death secrets of a family at war.
Project Mulberry
Clarion Books, 2005, Ages 9 and up
Julia Song and her friend Patrick would love to win a blue ribbon, maybe even two, at the state fair. They’ve always done projects together, and they work well as a team. This time, though, they’re having trouble coming up with just the right plan. Then Julia’s mother offers a suggestion: They can raise silkworms, as she did when she was a girl in Korea. Patrick thinks it’s a great idea. Of course there are obstacles—for example, where will they get mulberry leaves, the only thing silkworms eat?—but nothing they can’t handle.
Julia isn’t so sure. The club where kids do their projects is all about traditional American stuff, and raising silkworms just doesn’t fit in. Moreover, the author, Ms. Park, seems determined to make Julia’s life as complicated as possible, no matter how hard Julia tries to talk her out of it.
Archer's Quest
Clarion Books, 2006
In Dorchester, New York, Kevin is doing his homework when suddenly an arrow comes out of nowhere and pins his baseball cap to the wall. The man who shot the arrow claims he fell off a tiger . . . and wound up in Kevin’s room. It’s not long before Kevin realizes that the man, who calls himself Chu-mong, or Great Archer, is no ordinary burglar, but a traveler from far away in both space and time.
A visit to the local museum confirms that there was a king named Chu-mong in ancient Korea who was legendary for many accomplishments, including exceptional skill with bow and arrow. Kevin knows little about his own Korean heritage, but he understands that unless Archer returns to his people and his throne, history will be changed forever. And he’s determined to help Archer go back, no matter what it takes.
Click
Arthur A. Levine Books, October 1, 2007
A video message from a dead person. A larcenous teenager. A man who can stick his left toe behind his head and in his ear. An epileptic girl seeking answers in a fairy tale. A boy who loses everything in World War II, and his brother who loses even more. And a family with a secret so big that it changes everything.
The world's best beloved authors each contribute a chapter in the life of the mysterious George “Gee” Keane, photographer, soldier, adventurer and enigma. Under different pens, a startling portrait emerges of a man, his family, and his gloriously complicated tangle of a life.
Keeping Score
Clarion Books, March 17, 2008, ages 9 and up, 208 pages
Both Maggie and her brother, Joey-Mick, were named after baseball great Joe D’Maggio. But they aren’t Yankee fans. Their team is the Brooklyn Dodgers. And although Maggie doesn’t play baseball, she knows the game. She can recite stats, understands complicated plays, cheers when the Dodgers win—and suffers when they lose.
But even with Maggie’s support, the Dodgers fail to win the Series, season after season.
And the letters she sends to her friend and baseball mentor, Jim—serving in Korea—aren’t answered. Nothing Maggie does helps. Maybe it doesn’t make any difference at all.
Or maybe it does.
The 39 Clues: Storm Warning
Scholastic, May 25, 2010
Throughout the hunt for the 39 Clues, Amy and Dan have encountered some of the darkest aspects of history . . . and had to deal with the role their family played. But are they ready for the truth?
In this thrilling ninth installment, Amy and Dan hit the high seas as they follow the trail of some infamous ancestors to track down a long lost treasure. However, the real prize isn’t hidden in a chest. It’s the discovery of the Madrigals’ most dangerous secret and, even more shockingly, the true identity of the mysterious man in black.
A Long Walk to Water: based on a true story
Clarion Books, November 15, 2010
A Long Walk to Water is based on the true story of Salva, one of some 3,800 Sudanese "Lost Boys" airlifted to the United States beginning in the mid 1990s.
Before leaving Africa, Salva's life is one of harrowing tragedy. Separated from his family by war and forced to travel on foot through hundreds of miles of hostile territory, he survives starvation, animal attacks, and disease, and ultimately leads a group of about 150 boys to safety in Kenya. Relocated to upstate New York, Salva resourcefully learns English and continues on to college. Eventually he returns to his home region in southern Sudan to establish a foundation that installs deep-water wells in remote villages in dire need of clean water. This poignant story of Salva's life is told side-by-side with the story of Nya, a young girl who lives today in one of those villages.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Interview with Salva from A Long Walk to Water
Linda Sue Parks book "A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story" won the 2011 Jane Addams Children's Book Award for older readers!
This dual narrative features young Nya and young Salva in Sudan. Nya walks eight hours every day so her family has water. Salva is in school when shots are fired and he flees into the bush to begin his every day walking. How does their future impact the future of war-torn Sudan?
youtube
The following is a writer's workshop, wherein Linda Sue Parks talks candidly about the books she has written. She talks about how her life changed after winning the Newbery for A Single Shard. She explains how she writes picture books and describes the first five she has written. She tells how her revision process has varied with each book. A Single Shard was very unusual, no revision! Keoko needed 37, wait until you hear why. There's a spooky visitation involved.
LIBBY1: When A SINGLE SHARD first came out, I told you that I thought it was Newbery quality. You, of course, were very modest. Did you have a feeling that it was indeed that good?
LINDA SUE PARK: No, I had NO idea. Because I don't know what 'that good' means. I think it varies with each committee and with the books that come out that year.
AGY: I agree with other's assessment that A SINGLE SHARD was flawless. How do you brainstorm for plot and characterizations, and are there any special considerations because you write historical fiction? Your book interwove the two beautifully.
LINDA SUE PARK: Wow, your questions cover lots of ground! But that's great, maybe other people will have their questions answered, too.
OK, plot... I do a very rough outline, which lists a character and a quest. I also know basically how I want the story to end. Other than that, I do not plot my stories ahead of time. I write in scenes. In every scene, the character must either make progress in the quest, or be impeded. If I keep the story headed in the direction of its ending, but with a varied path of progress/impediment, the plot seems to take care of itself.
Characterization: Character is revealed whenever possible through scenes. I have an intense dislike of too much interior monologue--too many of the character's thoughts. If I may be permitted a small rant here...
AGY: But of course.
LINDA SUE PARK: I think the prevalence of psychological introspection in the novel is a post-Freudian development that stops Story dead in its tracks. I think in another hundred years or so, this overemphasis will be seen as the major weakness of the literature of our age. It's the story, Stupid. Story is what endures, is timeless, and transcends barriers of time and culture. So, I spend as little time as possible inside my characters' heads. Sure, it can be interesting to learn a little about their motivation, but what's inside a person's head doesn't mean jack in the end. It's what happens when they're out in the world, when they rub up against people and circumstances, that counts. So I try to limit my characters' thoughts to no more than a couple of lines at the most, a paragraph if I absolutely HAVE to. Otherwise, character is ALWAYS revealed through *scenes*--through stuff that HAPPENS, through action and reaction.
Whew. Sorry. That was a long answer.
VERLA KAY: I have a touchy one, ignore it if it makes you AT ALL uncomfortable to answer it, LS! I've been told that when you win the Newbery, your income will jump to about five times what it was before. Are you finding that it really did help you financially to become more 'self-sufficient' as a writer? (In other words, could you live off your income from it?) And if so, how long after you got the award was it before you saw any appreciable increase in income?
LINDA SUE PARK: I will answer as best I can. As some of you know, my first book was published in 1999, the second in 2000, and the third in 2001. I felt (and still feel!) like I'm new to the biz. My advances were small; the books sold decently but not spectacularly. I did not make enough in any of those years to make a living. I continued to teach part-time, and I am also the fortunate recipient of a Husband Grant. He pays the mortgage.
LINDA SUE PARK: Given all that, income times five is not quite accurate. It's more like income times 7 or 8. But remember, my income was VERY modest before this. And I also think that this year will be a real 'blip.' Although I expect to be able to make a living off my writing now, I don't think I'll EVER have another year like this one!
VERLA KAY: LOL! But that sounds darned good, LS. I'm SO pleased for you. Will you continue to teach now? Or 'just' write?
LINDA SUE PARK: I had actually quit teaching last winter, before the N, to do some school visits and see if I liked it. I told them I might come back to teaching--but now of course I'm not going back, at least not for a while!
DYSTAR: LS, some authors get 'stuck' in a genre and publishers won't let them out. Did you find your adult credits a bonus or a detriment when submitting kids' books?
LINDA SUE PARK: In my cover letter, I mentioned my journalism experience when I was first submitting. I don't know what kind of impact that had. I didn't mention my adult publishing credits because I didn't think they were relevant at the time. Poetry and short stories in small journals. I do hope to be able to write non-historical, non-Korean midgrades someday. I hope my efforts will be welcome... But we'll have to wait and see.
LIBBY1: Do you find that people treat you differently now? Are you ever uncomfortable with all the attention?
LINDA SUE PARK: Hmm, that's a tough one. I know that I feel more 'pressure,' when people ask me questions about writing. I'm the same person and writer that I was before the N. Before, what I said was just one writer's opinion. Now I feel like what I say has more weight. That is an uncomfortable feeling sometimes. But mostly people have been so nice. They're thrilled to meet me and talk about my books, and I'm thrilled right back at them. :-)
Oh--Libby, one more thing. I HATE having my photo taken. THAT has not gotten any easier!!
NARNIA GAL: What kind of Picture Books have you written, Linda Sue?
LINDA SUE PARK: The first is called THE FIREKEEPER'S SON. It's the closest in spirit to my novels--an episode from Korean history. But the other four are quite different.
#2) MUNG-MUNG! A book of animal noises from around the world, written as a guessing game. (That one will be published by Charlesbridge, spring 2004)
#3)IN A COTTAGE GARDEN. A rhyming picture book, also a guessing game, that follows a bunny through a garden and names colors and flowers. Clarion, 2004.
#4) STAYING GREEN. A poetry collection for elementary students. The form is sijo, a traditional Korean syllabic form of verse, but the content is strictly all-American. About 30 sijo on ordinary moments in a kid's day.
#5) BEE-BIM-BOP! A rhyming text about a mother and a child cooking together, making a traditional Korean meal. This one and #4 are both Clarion, unscheduled.
AGY: Was it more difficult to write the PBs? Did you approach them differently?
NARNIA GAL: I can't wait to read them, Linda Sue. When did you do the PBs? In between the novels, after first drafts?
LINDA SUE PARK: I can answer those together. I work on picture books between novels. I need a break from extended stories, but I don't want to stop writing. So I work on poetry. Poetry was my first love, the first thing I ever published. I still read and write a lot of it. It didn't seem a big jump from poetry to picture book text.
NARNIA GAL: Thanks, Linda Sue. I could talk writing process all night. But I'll have mercy on you!
CKM: Congrats, Linda Sue. I have a question, but first I want to tell you how helpful you have been to me. I visited your web site earlier this year and read what you said about how you sit down every day to write, and some days the writing is good and other days it's lousy--"but, the key is, I never know which it is going to be." I think of those words every day and you know what? I. Finished. The. Book. So, thank you!
Now, here's my question: What kind of revisions has your editor asked you to do on your novels and how do you approach the revision process?
LINDA SUE PARK: Each novel has been different. SEESAW required only one revision that was easy to do: The editor wanted more development of the wedding scene. It went from being just a mention to becoming an entire chapter. THE KITE FIGHTERS went through two revisions. In the first, I had to pick one character to focus on; I had tried to write the story with two main characters, and the editor felt it shrifted them both. After I got that straightened out, we did another revision, mostly small stuff, I can't remember exactly what. I just remember it was two, whereas SEESAW GIRL had only been one, so I thought I was getting worse as a writer. *grin*
Shard was very unusual. No editorial revision. It got sent straight to copyedit. I also received the entire advance on signing, which I had never heard of before with a novel. So there I was, thinking I really knew my stuff and BAM, I got knocked right off my high horse with KEOKO. The editor saw at least six MAJOR revisions. I have 37 complete drafts on my hard drive.
CKM: THE KITE FIGHTERS revision sounds hard. Was it? How long did it take you?
LINDA SUE PARK: THE KITE revision was difficult at the time (although it turns out it was a piece of cake compared to KEOKO!). But remember, I was so new to the biz. I was very eager to please my editor, and what she was asking me seemed reasonable; I was willing at least to try. Also, I adore revision most of the time, so it was mostly fun for me.
AGY: Why was KEOKO more difficult? Closer to the bone?
LINDA SUE PARK: If you want to hear about the revision process for KEOKO, it will be a long answer. I am happy to share if people are interested, but it will be long... What do you think?
AGY: I love to talk about this stuff, please!
LINDA SUE PARK: OK (deep breath). When I first wrote KEOKO, it was called "The Photograph". I sent the sixth draft to the editor. It was written in first person, from a girl's POV. The editor felt the girl was not a character in her own right, that she was merely a vehicle for telling the brother's story. I tried for several drafts to get her more involved in the story; the editor probably saw draft 10 next. She said I was closer, but still no cigar.
At about version 13 or 14, I gave up on the girl. I decided to rewrite entirely from the boy's point of view. I got about halfway through a draft from his point of view when the girl visited me in a dream--the ONLY time this has ever happened to me. She was really p-o'd. She wanted to try again. She was very insistent.
VERLA KAY: Wow, that's weird, LS. Spooky even!
LINDA SUE PARK: That is when I made the decision to go to alternate point of views. The editor next received draft 20 (or thereabouts). She liked the alternating point of views, but she said the girl's story was STILL weak. It wasn't until about draft 30 that I finally had a 'Eureka!' moment and gave that poor girl her own story. The remaining drafts worked on voice, getting the two voices to sound distinct without being too drastically different.
VERLA KAY: LS, how long did it end up taking you to write all those drafts of KEOKO?
LINDA SUE PARK: KEOKO took about 2-1/2 years from first draft to final acceptance. The Photograph. The Most Beautiful Tree in the World. By Order of the Emperor. Rising Sun, Morning Calm. These were some of the titles on various versions of the story. In the end, the photograph which was the basis of the first draft was completely cut from the story!
VERLA KAY: Does that count your research time, too?
LINDA SUE PARK: No. I research for about six months before starting to write.
DONA: LS, could you see the weakness in the girl's story yourself, or did you only see it after the editor pointed it out to you?
LINDA SUE PARK: No, I was blind as a bat. I thought she HAD her own story. I kept tinkering and tinkering, using an etching tool when what was needed was a sledgehammer. When I finally *did* see it--who knows why we can't see these things at one time but can at another?!--it took only ONE draft to fix.
CKM: Was your book under contract for the whole two years?
LINDA SUE PARK: No. Much of that revision was done without a contract. I finally got a contract when I fixed the 'girl' problem.
MARYSMUSE: Wow, LS, that's a long time. Wasn't KEOKO from your mother's childhood? (I heard you speak with Dinah Stevenson-at a conference not long ago). :-)
LINDA SUE PARK: KEOKO is fiction, but many of the episodes are from my parents' childhoods. PAULA LESSO: Linda Sue, what do your kids think of the fact that their mom won the Newbery?
LINDA SUE PARK: Paula--my kids are very proud of me, but also keep me firmly down to earth. They're more worried about getting rides to soccer practice and the mall, than any dumb award. *grin*
PAULA LESSO: Kids are great reality checks.
NARNIA GAL: I'm kind of looking forward to needing a reality check, personally.
ELLA: Linda Sue, I was struck by the vivid imagery in A SINGLE SHARD. What inspired your choice of celadon pottery as the focus?
LINDA SUE PARK: A personal quest. I was born in the U.S. of Korean parents. All my life I have known about Korean values and traditions, but I knew almost nothing about the country itself. I wanted to explore something unique about Korea. Celadon seemed the perfect choice, as Korea was so famous for its celadon.
NARNIA GAL: How did you know you were at the 'end' of the research period and it was time to write?
LINDA SUE PARK: Of course you could research forever, and you're never really 'finished.' I'm still learning about celadon! But there comes a point for me where I feel very confident about my research. I've read and re-read and re-read, and I truly feel that the necessary facts are a part of me. I like to write without having to go back to the books (of course I have to sometimes) when possible.
TONI B: Linda Sue, if you've had time to write of late, how has it felt? Is it feeling heavier at all, as though you had to 'measure up' to the award? I'd worry about that.
LINDA SUE PARK: Hi Toni! :-) I've done very little writing this year, but I did have one stretch in Aug-Sept where I had three weeks at home and got a little done then. I was very relieved that when I sat down at the keyboard and stared at the screen, it felt the 'same' as before. To be honest, I think it helps a great deal that the current project is not another midgrade. I don't know how I'll feel when I sit down to write another one of those.
TONI B: Yes, Linda Sue, I can see how that would be more daunting!
LINDA SUE PARK: It was great to be writing again, but there's no question that I'm 'rusty.' I hope it's like riding a bike--that when I get to go back in earnest (next June) I'll wobble around for a while, but remember how before too long!
NARNIA GAL: Linda Sue, do you have a 'process' that helps you figure out exactly where your story begins? You may have guessed that is something I'm working on right now. Never had that problem before but do with my latest writing.
LINDA SUE PARK: As I mentioned, I have a character and his or her quest. Then I just start writing. The beginnings of my books are never published as I wrote them, with the exception of KITE. I always end up throwing out or revising my original beginning.
PAMELA: Hi Linda Sue. I'd love to hear your commentary about your role as a novelist. Do you feel like you are creating a story from scratch or are you more your story's first reader? Do you have bones and scraps in a bag that you work with, mix with, paint with, or do your characters tell you where to go and what to do next? Where does that essential story come from?
LINDA SUE PARK: I am very conscious of my role as a novelist. For example, as I mentioned earlier, my characters do not talk to me. I never cry over a scene when I'm writing it. I feel almost clinical about it, choosing the right words, working on the rhythm, making sure each scene integrates. I suppose one way to put it would be that I am very conscious of the *craft* when I am writing. It is not in any way a mystical experience for me. It is very concrete. The best words in the best order.
PAMELA: And you avoid interior thoughts--even in first person POV?
LINDA SUE PARK: No, I don't *avoid* them. They're essential, of course. But I try my best to keep them as short and crisp as possible, and to get back to the action, to something happening, as soon as I can.
LINDA SUE PARK: One more rant: I think the reason for the emphasis on introspection in literature is because novelists have ceded the Story ground to the movies. Of course that is a sweeping generalization.
LINDA SUE PARK: Agy--for me--and this is just my opinion--a story has to be about more than an interior journey. Something has to HAPPEN. There are many books these days, adult and some much-praised children's books, in which nothing really happens. These are the ones that I believe will not survive as Great Literature.
LINDA SUE PARK: Everyone, thank you very much for coming, I had a great time! I have to go now. Happy reading and writing to all of you!
* Linda Sue Park waves and blows kisses.
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