An Inside Look with Jess Redman*Season #SIX (Summer 2019)
How did you come to know Milton?
I first started drafting this story about seven years ago. I didn’t have any books published yet. I didn’t have an agent. But I was writing books for young readers in every second of spare time.
Milton came to me pretty much ready to go, much like Faye from my first book, THE MIRACULOUS. His hobbies, his way of speaking, his physical appearance—all that was there from the start. But when I picked up the story again after finishing my second book, QUINTESSENCE, I found I was better at writing, and I wanted to go a little deeper with Milton, see what was under the surface. So I thought about him, sometimes while hiking around bird-watching, which I know Milton would approve of. I talked to him out loud. Milton is both extremely honest and quite sneaky in the story, so it took some patience and time to tease out who he was, how he felt, and how he was going to change in this story.
What do you think is Milton’s most admirable quality?
I love Milton’s passion. I looked back on our last conversation, and I realized I gave the same answer for Alma from QUINTESSENCE. Alma and Milton are two very different people, but they share this spark.
Milton is enthusiastic about whatever he’s committed to. He feels deeply, and he often speaks without censoring himself. He is fiercely loyal—to the island and to Fig. Like most strengths, there’s a flipside. Milton longs for his family and friends to be as enthusiastic and passionate about him as he is about them. His deep feelings can sometimes seem overwhelming. He can commit himself, whole-heartedly, to undeserving causes and pastimes. But in the end, it is his passion that keeps him going through his rotten year and brings him to the other side, where the spectaculous is waiting.
Is there anything you wish he would have changed or done differently in his story?
There are a lot of moments in Milton’s story where he doesn’t make the best choice. He sneaks off, makes up an identity, karate chops his teacher’s nose (by accident!).
One of my favorite parts of the story is when Milton confesses to some of his dishonesty. He says, “I didn’t mean to lie. Well, actually I did. It was very much on purpose, even though I knew it was wrong. But it’s just— it’s just that I had the absolute worst year. It was the Most Totally, Terribly, Horribly, Heinously Rotten Year of All Time, and I wanted— I wanted to be someone else for a while.”
Milton is figuring things out, just like every young person, and I wouldn’t change his wild and wondrous journey.
What do you think he can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
Milton’s story is fast-paced and lots of fun. There are fantastical creatures to discover, clues to solve, a treasure to find.
But the story also delves into Milton’s anxiety and loneliness. Milton’s friendships with Fig, Rafi, and Gabe challenge and grow him. Out in nature, Milton is video game-free and finally connected (whether he wants to be or not) with who he is and who he wants to be.
I hope this story helps kids in this difficult year to find the strength and resilience they have inside them, to strengthen their friendships, and to live in this present moment. And I hope it inspires them to get outside, seek out adventure, and get involved in caring for our planet.
How did you research Milton and the circumstances he found himself in?
THE ADVENTURE IS NOW takes place on a tropical island in the smack dab center of the Atlantic. I don’t live on an island, but I do live in a tropical climate down in Florida, so I drew a lot of inspiration from my surroundings. I researched remote islands like Tristan de Cunha and the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago to understand what it would take for a group of scientists to live on the Lone Island. In creating the fantastical plants and animals in the story, I used my imagination, of course, but I also referenced field guides for tropical islands and included real biology and ecology. Our family is also involved with local environmental organizations, and I wanted this to be a story is about protecting our earth, getting outside, and living in the now.
Do you and Milton share any similarities?
One of the things I always loved about being a therapist (my previous day job) was seeing just how complex people are. Being a person myself, I’m also pretty complex, and I’ve enjoyed being able to pull from some different parts of myself in writing THE ADVENTURE IS NOW than I did in THE MIRACULOUS and QUINTESSENCE. The quirky, wacky parts, to be more specific.
Milton is a bit of a larger than life character, but like him, I can be pretty intense! I’m very enthusiastic about the things I love, and I had to learn, as a young person, how to manage feelings that often felt out of proportion to what I was facing.
What was the hardest scene to write about Milton?
Overall, this story was a joy to write. I write from a close third-person perspective, so Milton’s personality is infused in every aspect of the story, from the goofy wordplay to catchphrases like Mighty moles and voles!
But Milton is going through some difficult things. His parents are divorcing. His best friend has abandoned him. He’s feeling overwhelmed by his feelings so he spends all his free time avoiding them by playing video games. There’s a scene where Milton comes downstairs one morning and finds his dad sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. His dad doesn’t notice him there, and Milton doesn’t say anything. He just backs out, goes to his room, and plays his video game, Isle of Wild, for the rest of the day. It was hard to write that scene, but while I did, I was thinking, “Just wait, Milton. Your story is just beginning.”
Who do you think was his biggest supporter and why?
Fig is Milton’s biggest supporter, without a doubt. And I think Milton is Fig’s biggest supporter. Unlikely friendships seem to show up in all my stories—it’s very satisfying to bring two very different kids together and to watch them slowly build a strong bond. Fig is brilliant and bold, but she desperately needs a friend, and she finds one in loyal, expressive Milton.
My favorite moment of their friendship stayed pretty much the same from that draft of the story I wrote seven years ago. I’ll share it with you here:
“You saved me,” Milton told Fig as she collapsed next to him.
“You saved me, you kook,” Fig replied. She was covered in huge welts from the suckers, her hair buns had come unraveled, and her eyes were positively enormous. But she was smiling at him.
“We saved each other,” Milton said.
Fig nodded. “We did,” she said.
Why do you think some young people, like Milton, flourish is some environments, while struggle in other places?
At first, Milton does not flourish. He doesn’t want to go to the Lone Island. He doesn’t want to spend the summer on a remote, electricity-free island. He wants to play video games in his air conditioned house, even though he’s been miserable doing that all year.
And Milton doesn’t seem to be cut out for island life. He doesn’t seem cut out to be the hero of the story at all, really. He’s not particularly brave or athletic. He runs from danger. He would rather snack on Menu-You fruit and relax under the Star-Light Star-Bright Trees than hike through the jungle.
But Milton is the hero of the story—well, one of them. And I think the experience of overcoming something hard, of being successful with the support of friends will give him the confidence to take on his next challenges, even if those challenges are in the halls of middle school rather than out in the jungle. I think this is true for every young person—and for every not-so-young person too!
What do you think Milton is doing as the present time?
At the end of the story, there is some discussion of what might be next for Milton, his friends, and the Lone Island. I think that Milton, right now, is getting ready to return to the Lone Island—to Fig, Rafi, Gabe, Uncle Evan, Dr. Morris, the Drs. Alvarez, and, of course, Lord Snarlsy. And I like to think that his year hasn’t been perfect but it also hasn’t been rotten. He’s explored the great outdoors, he’s found a new friend or two, he’s told his parents how he feels when he needs to. And I like to think that Milton is proud of himself.
JESS REDMAN BIO
Jess Redman is a former therapist and author of books for young readers with FSG/Macmillan. Her debut, The Miraculous, was a Bank Street Best Children's Book of 2019, an Amazon Best Book of 2019, and was called "layered, engaging, and emotionally true" in a Kirkus starred review. Her second book, Quintessence, was an NCTE 2021 Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book and was described as “a fanciful adventure with a rich emotional core and a fairy tale” by Publishers Weekly. Her third book, The Adventure Is Now, has been called a “Roald Dahl-esque delight” by BCCB and comes out on May 4, 2021. Redman currently lives in Florida with her husband, two young children, an old cat named SoulPie, and a fish named Annie. Visit her at www.jessredman.com or on Twitter and Instagram at @Jess__Red.
JESS REDMAN LINKS
Website: www.jessredman.com
Macmillan: https://us.macmillan.com/author/jessredman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jess__Red
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jess.Redman.Writes/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess__red/
THE ADVENTURE IS NOW SYNOPSIS
A fun-filled, action-packed middle grade novel about a boy who learns about protecting the environment, finding real friends, and living in the now while spending the summer on a remote island.
Sometimes it's hard to be Milton P. Greene. He says all the wrong things, his family is falling apart, and everyone at school avoids him because of the very embarrassing Bird Brain Incident. But when Milton plays his video game Isle of Wild, he becomes someone else--Sea Hawk, the brave and brilliant naturalist explorer who conquers danger at every turn.
Then Milton's parents ship him off to the remote Lone Island for the summer, where his uncle Evan is an environmentalist researcher. The island is chock-full of spectaculous species, and Milton realizes this is his chance to become the brave and brilliant naturalist he's always wanted to be--and even meet some fellow explorers!
But as it turns out, the future of the Lone Island is in some pretty serious peril, and the only thing that can save it is a field guide full of cryptic clues. If Milton and his unexpected new friends are going to protect the island, they'll have to trust each other, discover new truths, and embark on a wild and wondrous adventure all their own.
PRAISE FOR THE ADVENTURE IS NOW
“A Roald Dahl-esque delight.” ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Redman (Quintessence) renders compassionate characters in Milton and crew, placing an emphasis on honesty and emotional directness that makes for an affirming adventure.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Magic blooms as thick as Truth-Will-Out Vine on every page of this story. I adore Milton P. Greene, his wild adventure, his magical island, and his brave, daring heart.” ―Natalie Lloyd, New York Times–bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and The Problim Children series
“Vividly imagined and full of heart, The Adventure is Now is a delight! This story is just right for our current times, when we’re all yearning for a ‘spectaculous’ adventure.”―Gillian McDunn, author of Caterpillar Summer and These Unlucky Stars
SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)
Interview #122 with Tamara Bundy (Author of Pixie Pushes On)
Interview #123 with Lindsay Lackey (Author of All the Impossible Things)
Interview #124 with Tae Keller (Author of When You Trap a Tiger)
Interview #125 with Jamie Sumner (Author of Roll With It)
Interview #126 with Hena Khan (Author of More to the Story)
Interview #127 with Phil Bildner (Author of A High-Five for Glenn Burke)
Interview #128 with Leslie Connor (Author of A Home for Goddesses and Dogs)
Interview#129 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Queen Bee and Me)
Interview #130 with Jody J. Little (Author of Worse Than Weird)
Interview #131 with Jenn Bishop (Author of Things You Can't Say)
Interview #132 with Kaela Noel (Author of Coo)
Interview #133 with Rebecca Stead (Author of The List of Things That Will Not Change)
Interview #134 with Gae Polisner (Author of Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me)
Interview #135 with Emily Blejwas (Author of Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened)
Interview #136 with Joy McCullough (Author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost)
Interview #137 with Kim Baker (Author of the Water Bears)
Interview #138 with Erin Entrada Kelly (Author of We Dream of Space)
Interview #139 with Jess Redman (Author of Quintessence)
Interview #140 with Melanie Conklin (Author of Every Missing Piece)
Interview #141 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of Brave Like That)
Interview #158 with Rebecca Ansari (Author of The In-Between)
Interview #159 with John David Anderson (Author of One Last Shot)
Interview #160 with Tracy Holczer (Author of Brave in the Woods)
Interview #161 with James Bird (Author of The Brave)
Interview #162 with Marcella Pixley (Author of Trowbridge Road)
Interview #163 with Barbara O'Connor (Author of Halfway to Harmony)
Interview #164 with Alan Gratz (Author of Ground Zero)
Interview #165 with Lisa Fipps (Author of Starfish)
Interview #166 with Ann Braden (Author of Flight of the Puffin)
Interview #167 with Kimberly Willis Holt (Author of The Ambassador of NoWhere Texas)
Interview #168 with Elana K. Arnold (Author of The House That Wasn't There)
Interview #169 with Erin Soderberg (Author of The Great Peach Experiment)
Interview #170 with Donna Gephart (Author of Abby, Tried, and True)
Interview #171 with M. Evan Wolkenstein (Author of Turtle Boy)
Interview #172 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of Bea is for Blended)
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