An open question for writer friends…

I like Sachar a lot.  Holes, which you’ve probably read, was my favorite.  And yes, you took great pictures. Thanks!

What was your favorite part of your book?  Who was your favorite character?  Mine was Abigail.

Asking an author to choose a favorite character is sort of like asking a parent to choose a favorite child.  I love them all!  My favorite part of the book is probably the escape scene.

I think that the hard tack was not good. Did you like it? Did you also like the pea soup also?

No, I don’t really like hardtack either.  I’m glad I don’t have to live on it.  And I really, really didn’t like the pea soup on the boat. It made me sick to my stomach.

I think Spitfire is one of the best books ever written. I think you did a terrific job. Did any one inspire you to write Spitfire?

Well, thank you!  Actually, I was most inspired to write Spitfire because of the educators who work at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. They visit schools, too, to teach kids about that period in history.  I bet you’d like their website:  http://www.lcmm.org.

My name is Adam. I am eleven years old and Spitfire is one of the greatest books I have ever read. I love your website!!

Thanks, Adam!

It was very interesting seeing how and where you got you’re ideas from. But I have to tell you the hard tack was disgusting!(no offense). I liked hearing about your adventure on the reanactment,that was cool! who inspired you to write books?How do you feel when you write books? How old were you when you started writing?

I was seven when I figured out that I loved writing.  Reading great novels by other authors has always been an inspiration.  How do I feel when I write books?  Sometimes it’s the best thing in the world, and words just pour out.  Other times…. well…the truth is that a lot of the time, I feel like it’s very hard work, and sometimes it’s frustrating, especially when I know I need to revise to make a book stronger and I’m just not sure how to do that.  But I always feel great after I’ve finished writing for the night.  And I love that kids like you get to read my books!

I don’t really like writing but people say I am kind of good at writing, like it is neat,but do you ever get bored of writing?

I used to get bored with writing sometimes when I was in school, because they wanted me to write about a particular subject — like apple trees or something — when what I really wanted to write was a story about gorillas.   Now that I get to choose my own ideas for writing, I never ever get bored.

I know you said that you love to teach and love to write but have you ever wished that you did something else?

I used to want to be a marine biologist.  I still love the ocean.

I know that making those powder horns are hard to make in all but have you finished them yet I know that you were just here not to long ago so you might not have but I was wondering if you have finished them yet?

Ummm…no.  But thanks for the reminder.

You have been writing for quite some time and I was wondering how old you were when you starting writing. And if your first book was Spitfire or was it another book but it didn’t get published?

I wrote a book about sharks when I was seven.  It wasn’t published, but my parents taped it to the refrigerator.  :^)

What kind of books do you read now?

I read a huge variety of books, including kids’ books, which I still love.  I’m reading No Talking by Andrew  Clements with my daughter right now (so funny!) and on my own, I’m reading a book called The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.  It’s great so far, and the writing is really beautiful.  I hope you’re enjoying the book you’re reading right now, too!