I want to thank magnificent middle grade author, Derek Thompson for
sharing his personal writing journey with us on my blog today. Derek’s book Superhero Club can be purchased from
Musa Publishing, Amazon, and other on-line bookstores. Bonus: For a chance to win an ecopy of Superhero Club please check out the Rafflecopter at the end of this post. So let’s get this interview started…
Welcome,
Derek! How long have you been writing?
I loved
writing stories as a young child, and the way you could start to create a world
or a situation that then, somehow, pulled you into it. My interest in novel
writing really took hold in my teens. Writing became a way of exploring ideas,
making sense of the world around me, and finding out who I was.
Very
inspiring for younger writers! Where did you get your idea and inspiration to
write Superhero Club?
Generally, I start with the central character and
what I learn about them takes the story forward. In the case of Jo, once I
understood her that gave me the main challenges and relationships.
I was an exam invigilator at a local school, which
also included one-to-one support for children with additional educational needs
(reading, handwriting or explaining some key words and terms). Being back in a
school environment allowed me to see how real children behave with one another,
and it also made me think about my own schooldays.
Putting all that together, I wanted to create fully
realised, living, breathing characters that readers would care about enough to
share their journey.
Sounds
like you’ve done a top-notch job! What sets Superhero
Club apart from other books/series in the same genre?
That's a good question! Superhero Club is set in the present day and touches upon some of
the issues that young people face: self-image, bullying, fitting in at school,
food issues and modern families. All that said, the book also deals with the
importance of friendship, creativity, transformation and self-acceptance. It's
written with humour and, first and foremost, is an entertaining read that will
have you rooting for Jo, the main character. My hope is that it will also
stimulate discussion about the issues raised and encourage anyone who is having
any of Jo's challenges to talk to someone about it.
Hmm…I
bet a readers’ guide for this book would be a great investment! As a middle
grade author, what is your writing process?
The character came first and once I 'heard' her
voice clearly it as a case of allowing her to tell her own story. I didn't have
a fixed idea about where the story was heading until about halfway through the
writing.
How
long did it take for you to start and finish Superhero Club?
Once I understood Jo and her situations it was a
fairly smooth process - I'd say around a month to put it together and then
refine it. There were some ideas I had originally that, on further reflection,
were too ambitious for this book. However, they may reach the page in some
other form in the future.
A
month? Wish I had your typing fingers! Do you have any advice for other writers
striving to write in your genre, Derek?
The most important thing is to understand the lives
of young people, as well as what they are reading. Stories need to be relevant
to your readers, and emotions need to be authentic. One aspect of fiction
that's largely overlooked, I think, is its capacity for enabling and encouraging
us to feel. Emotional literacy is as
important as literacy itself.
Above all, write! Worry about all the other stuff
later - the editing and pacing can all be worked on, but only if you have a
completed story to work with. I'd also say that it's important to have fun with
it. Make your readers laugh, cry, think differently and even gasp with surprise.
Get feedback from young people and school staff if
you can - it will give you valuable insight into how your ideas and your
writing are received.
Truly,
it’s all about how you make readers feel. Wonderful advice! So, what’s next for
Derek Thompson the author?
I've written two contemporary adult British thrillers
(I'm a Brit) that are under review by a UK publisher - best described as an
updated British noir. I've also written a standalone transatlantic comedy
drama, loosely based on a year I spent living the American Dream in New York
and California.
As regards writing for children, I have some early
draft books that need dusting off, and I'm now thinking about another adventure
for Jo and the Superhero Club.
All things considered, 2015 is going to be an
exciting writing year!
Wishing
you all the best in 2015, Derek! Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a
time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where
would you go and why?
Well, having grown up with Dr Who, time travel has
always held a bit of a fascination for me. I'm going to be greedy and choose
three journeys through time:
I'd like to go back into my own timeline (always
tricky!), to see myself as a child and to see my family again at that time.
Part curiosity and part therapy!
Next, it would have to be Ancient Egypt. I've been
on two trips to Egypt and felt a real sense of connection with the Egyptian
history and culture. In particular, Karnak temple at Luxor at the height of its
influence and the wondrous Nile would be an amazing sight.
Lastly, I'd love to see a glimpse of Victorian
London, when the railways were the lifeblood of the nation and the London
Underground was developing. I would walk along cobbled streets and read about
the adventures of a certain Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
Mini
synopsis for Superhero Club:
You only find out
you're a butterfly if you spread your wings.
Twelve year-old Jo
has never fit in at school, what with being overweight and over-sensitive.
Since Dad moved out, Mom forgets who's who in the whole mother-daughter relationship.
Jo has one ambition in life: to be normal. Not gifted, or gorgeous, or even
particularly popular. Just normal.
When Jo's counselor
offers her a lifeline, there's a bunch of other misfits sharing the rope. Group
sessions could help them to help each other, but Chris doesn't like speaking
and Alistair's a self-confessed geek. Like Stevie, the joker, says, “Oh yeah,
right bunch of bloody superheroes we are!”
Sometimes the most
heroic thing is to trust a group of strangers, who also have a lot at stake. Jo
may find the unlikeliest of friends, and a way to transform her life from the
inside. The Superhero Club could give her all that in the blink of an eye.
Well, maybe a double-blink!
Sales links:
Connect
with Derek:
Twitter: @DerekWriteLines
Author
Bio:
Derek is an adventurer
with words, creating fiction, non-fiction and comedy material. He believes in
the power of the imagination and the magic of 'what if' to open our eyes to
possibility. He is also a magazine columnist and freelancer - see his blog for
details.
Added Bonus: Comments made after the Rafflecopter draw will be considered up
until December 21st, 2014. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
