An Inside Look with Ellen Hopkins
*Season #SIX (Summer 2019)
- How did you come to know Trace and Will?
Like many of my books, these brothers are much inspired by brothers we’ve raised here at home. The fictional boys are five years apart, as are the real-life inspirations, and watching the relationship between the two very real boys gave me many ideas for their not so real counterparts. Still, the fictional setting and circumstances required a good deal of time creating, and my usual process is spending many hours there in the prewrite.
- What do you think are their most admirable qualities?
Will’s dedication to his brother is his most admirable quality. Before his accident, he filled in when their parents were absent physically or emotionally. For Trace, diligent follow through on pretty much everything, from school to Little League to music to concern about his family. For someone so young, ego takes a backseat to standing up for what’s right.
- Is there anything you wish they would have changed or done differently in their story?
Communication is vital to good relationships. Neither boy was a potent communicator, and that led to big problems for themselves and their family. Had either asked for help sooner, or even mentioned their concerns, much pain could have been spared.
- What do you think they can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what they went through?
Again, opening those lines of communication. It’s always better to say something sooner (even if you risk being wrong) than later. But help is out there. You just have to ask. And always, always, there is hope and light beyond every dark moment. There is strength in family. And strength in friendship. And sometimes those you least expect to offer friendship will.
- How did you research the brothers and the circumstances they found themselves in?
Addiction has touched several members of my family, so I’ve been researching the reasons for decades. Two of my grandsons played Pop Warner, so traumatic brain injury has been a concern for several years as well. The information is readily available, and updated often as science learns new things.
- Do you and the brothers share any similarities?
We like snow and winter activities. We like great food and are adventurous eaters. Music is central to our lives. And family is super important to us.
- What was the hardest scene to write about them?
Probably the scene where Trace finds Will after his overdose. I’ve almost lost a child in similar fashion. The emotion doesn’t fade. But it’s always good to write out situations that affect your life negatively in a fictional setting.
- Who do you think was their biggest supporters and why?
Will used to be Trace’s biggest supporter. He was the big brother every kid wants. Willing to invest his time making sure his little brother knew important stuff. Now, the tables have turned. Trace is Will’s biggest supporter. He’s just unsure how to go about being that.
- Why do you family members and/or friends look the other way when it comes to people they care about and their issues/problems?
It can be hard to admit something bad is happening to someone you love. You never think the worst first. You look for excuses. And if that person refuses to confide in you, it can lead to hurt and/or anger.
- What do you think they are doing as the present time?
Will’s in college, with a new set of friends. He’s swimming now and feels safe in the water. His new girlfriend is helping him stay sober. Trace is still acing school, pitching strikeouts, and playing the guitar, as well as the keyboard. He and his brother are helping their dad plan a summer rafting trip.
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)
Interview #173 with Jess Redman (Author of The Adventure is Now)
Interview #174 with David Levithan (Author of The Mysterious Disappearance of Aiden)
Interview #175 with Chris Grabenstein (Author of The Smartest Kid in the Universe)
Interview #176 with Ali Standish (Author of The Mending Summer)
Interview #177 with Holly Goldberg Sloan (Author of The Elephant in the Room)
Interview #178 with Jeff Zentner (Author of In the Wild Light)
SEASON #ELEVEN (Fall/Winter 2021)
Interview #179 with Katherine Applegate (Author of Willow)
Interview #180 with Padma Venkatraman (Author of Born Behind Bars)
Interview #181 with R.J. Palacio (Author of Pony)
Interview #182 with Kyle Lukoff (Author of Too Bright to See)
Interview #183 with Barbara Dee (Author of Violets are Blue)
Interview #184 with Anne Ursu (Author of The Troubled Girls of Dragonmir Academy)
Interview #185 with Margaret Finnegan (Author of We Could Be Heroes)
Interview #186 with Jasmine Warga (Author of Shape of Thunder)
Interview #187 with Joseph Bruchac (Author of Rez Dogs)
Interview #188 with Kathryn Erskine (Author of Lily's Promise)
Interview #189 with Elly Swartz (Author of Dear Student)
Interview #190 with Heather Clark (Author of Lemon Drop Falls)
Interview #191 with Veera Hiranandani (Author of How to Find What You're Not Looking For)
Interview #192 with Elizabeth Eulberg (Author of The Best Worst Summer)
Interview #193 with Cathy Carr (Author of 365 Days to Alaska)
Interview #194 with Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard (Authors of REAL)
Interview #195 with Gillian McDunn (Author of These Lucky Stars)
Interview #196 with Alyssa Colman (Author of The Gilded Girl)
Interview #197 with E.L. Chen (Author of The Comeback)
Interview #198 with J.M.M. Nuanez (Author of Birdie and Me)
SEASON #TWELVE (Winter/Spring 2022)
Interview #199 with Jamie Sumner (Author of One Kid's Trash)
Interview #200 with Chad Lucas (Author of Thanks a Lot, Universe)
Interview #201 with Jenn Bishop (Author of Where We Used to Roam)
Interview #202 with Rebecca Caprara (Author of Worst-Case Collin)
Interview #203 with Leslie Connor (Author of Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?)
Interview #204 with Caroline Gertler (Author of Many Points of Me)
Interview #205 with Margaret Finnegan (Author of Susie B. Won't Back Down)
Interview #206 with Shawn Peters (Author of The Unforgettable Logan Foster)
Interview #207 with Aisha Saeed (Author of Omar Rising)
Interview #208 with Adrianna Cuevas (Author of Cuba in my Pocket)
Interview #209 with Jennifer Swender (Author of Stuck)
Interview #210 with Brenda Woods (Author of When Winter Robeson Came)
Interview #211 with Danya Lorentz (Author of the Book Of a Feather)
Interview #212 with Saadia Faruqi (Author of Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero)
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