(Author of 24 Hours in Nowhere)
*During the summer of 2016, I added this feature to my blog which was called "Season #ONE". This first season ran from June of 2016 to March of 2017.
*I started up the interviews again in June of 2017. It was great to get back to Season #TWO. This season ran throughout the summer.
*Season #THREE ran during the school year of 2017/2018.
*I started up the interviews again in June of 2017. It was great to get back to Season #TWO. This season ran throughout the summer.
*Season #THREE ran during the school year of 2017/2018.
*It has been such an honor to connect with authors and "chat" about their novel, characters, and thoughts about the story.
*This is the Eighteenth interview of what I'm calling Season #FOUR.
*Thank you to Dusti Bowling for being the Sixty-Ninth author that I've had the pleasure of interviewing. I truly appreciate it.
*Here are links to the first Sixty-Eight interviews…
SEASON #ONE
SEASON #TWO
Interview#38 with Terri Libenson (Author of Invisible Emmie)
Interview#39 with Tony Abbott (Author of The Summer of Owen Todd)
Interview #40 with Rob Buyea (Author of The Perfect Score)
Interview#39 with Tony Abbott (Author of The Summer of Owen Todd)
Interview #40 with Rob Buyea (Author of The Perfect Score)
SEASON #FOUR
Interview #54 with Jonathan Auxier (Author of Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster)
Interview #55 with Sharon Creech (Author of Saving Winslow)
Interview #56 with Stacy McAnulty (Author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl)
Interview #57 with Kelly Yang (Author of Front Desk)
Interview #58 with Jennifer A. Nielsen (Author of Resistance)
Interview 59 with Christina Collins (Author of After Zero)
Interview #60 with Eric Walters (Author of Elephant Secrets)
Interview #61 with Phil Bildner (Author of The Rip and Red Series)
Interview #62 with Erin Soderberg (Author of Milla in Charge)
Interview #63 with Laura Shovan (Author of Take Down)
Interview #64 with Donna Gephart (Author of In Your Shoes)
Interview #65 with Alan Gratz (Author of Grenade)
Interview #66 with Barbara O'Connor (Author of Wonderland)
Interview #67 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of Just Like Jackie)
Interview #68 with Katherine Marsh (Author of Nowhere Boy)
*After reading The Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, I couldn't wait for Dusti Bowling's second novel. She has such a gift with writing. When I read 24 Hours in Nowhere I was blown away by the story and in awe of how different it was from her first novel. These are definitely books that need to be shared with young readers.
*Dusti was kind, gracious, and giving with her answers to the questions. It is an honor to post her responses here on the blog.
*Here is a link to my review of the book...
*Thank you Dusti Bowling for writing this book...
24 Hours in Nowhere
by Dusti Bowling (September 4, 2018)
How did you come to know Gus?
I honestly don’t know. All I knew when I started writing 24 HOURS IN NOWHERE was that my main character was going to have to be quite the wimp in need of saving. The rest of his backstory and personality really developed as I was writing the story.
What do you think is Gus' most admirable quality?
What do you think is Gus' most admirable quality?
I think Gus has a lot of admirable qualities. He’s brave, funny, and intelligent. But I think his most admirable quality is probably his willingness to stand up for what’s right, even when he knows it’s going to cost him greatly.
Is there anything you wish Gus would have changed or done differently in his story?
Is there anything you wish Gus would have changed or done differently in his story?
I think there are a lot of better choices Gus could have made in the story, especially when it comes to entering a highly dangerous mine! I think people sometimes make bad choices out of desperation, and that is what happened with Gus.
What do you think Gus can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
What do you think Gus can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
I think Gus is a good example of not letting other people’s negative actions and behaviors define who you are in this life. Like Rossi tells him, it doesn’t matter what anyone has done to you. You can be what you want.
How did you research Gus and the circumstances he found himself in?
My husband had a very similar childhood to Gus, so he helped me with the character development and authenticity of the poor town. I also based a lot of the relationships on my own childhood friendships and family issues. As far as the setting, I visited the poor towns in Arizona I based Nowhere on as well as the caves.
Do you and Gus share any similarities?
How did you research Gus and the circumstances he found himself in?
My husband had a very similar childhood to Gus, so he helped me with the character development and authenticity of the poor town. I also based a lot of the relationships on my own childhood friendships and family issues. As far as the setting, I visited the poor towns in Arizona I based Nowhere on as well as the caves.
Do you and Gus share any similarities?
Probably not too many, though I do think I have a tendency to beat myself up about a lot of things, and I have trouble letting go. I also love vocabulary, though Gus’s affinity for it is more out of necessity than a love of language.
What was the hardest scene to write about Gus?
The conversation with Gus and Rossi out on the ledge was definitely my hardest scene. I rewrote their conversation so many times. Surprisingly, the scene where Gus tells his friends about his worst day was easy and I never had to change it. Sometimes scenes come really naturally and you know they’re right for the story as you’re writing them, and sometimes you just know a scene is going to take a ton of extra work. I was trying to capture something with that conversation between Gus and Rossi, and it was really hard to catch.
Who do you think was Gus' biggest supporter and why?
What was the hardest scene to write about Gus?
The conversation with Gus and Rossi out on the ledge was definitely my hardest scene. I rewrote their conversation so many times. Surprisingly, the scene where Gus tells his friends about his worst day was easy and I never had to change it. Sometimes scenes come really naturally and you know they’re right for the story as you’re writing them, and sometimes you just know a scene is going to take a ton of extra work. I was trying to capture something with that conversation between Gus and Rossi, and it was really hard to catch.
Who do you think was Gus' biggest supporter and why?
I’d have to say Rossi. Rossi believed in Gus and that gave Gus the strength he needed to rise to levels he never had before. I think sometimes all we need is for someone to believe in us.
In your opinion, why do you think some kids are such bullies (Bo) and some kids are such a great support system (Rossi)?
I do think the parenting a child has received has a fairly large impact. Bo had a terrible, violent upbringing. It doesn’t mean Bo was destined to be like that or that he couldn’t have been different or risen above as a lot of kids do, but kids are more likely to imitate what they’ve witnessed and been taught. Rossi’s dad was a big support to her and also an example of what it means to want to make a difference and help others. In that way, Rossi was also imitating her father.
What do you think Gus is doing as this present time?
Studying for the SAT, of course! He’ll take a break, though, so he can hang out with his friends later.
In your opinion, why do you think some kids are such bullies (Bo) and some kids are such a great support system (Rossi)?
I do think the parenting a child has received has a fairly large impact. Bo had a terrible, violent upbringing. It doesn’t mean Bo was destined to be like that or that he couldn’t have been different or risen above as a lot of kids do, but kids are more likely to imitate what they’ve witnessed and been taught. Rossi’s dad was a big support to her and also an example of what it means to want to make a difference and help others. In that way, Rossi was also imitating her father.
What do you think Gus is doing as this present time?
Studying for the SAT, of course! He’ll take a break, though, so he can hang out with his friends later.
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