Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Monday, January 23, 2023

An Inside Look #237 (Author Interview)


      

An Inside Look with Christina (C.C.) Harrington

(Author of Wildoak)


*Season #ONE (June of 2016 to March of 2017)

*Season #TWO (Summer of 2017)

*Season #THREE (School Year 2017/2018)

*Season #FOUR (Summer/fall of 2018)

*Season #FIVE (School Year 2018/2019)

*Season #SIX (Summer 2019) 

*Season #SEVEN (Fall 2019) 

*Season #EIGHT (Winter/Spring 2020)

*Season #NINE (Fall 2020)

*Season #TEN (Winter/Spring 2021)

*Season #ELEVEN (Fall 2021)

*Season #TWELVE (Winter/Spring 2022)

*Season #THIRTEEN (Summer 2022)

*Season #FOURTEEN (Fall 2022)


*I'm excited to present season #FIFTEEN with brand new interviews/authors.  

*It has been such an honor to connect with authors and "chat" about their novel, characters, and thoughts about the story.

*This is the THIRD interview in which I'm calling Season #FIFTEEN. 

*Thank you to Christina for being the Two Hundred Thirty-Seventh author I've had the pleasure of interviewing.  I truly appreciate it.  



Wildoak

by C.C. Harrington

(September 20, 2022)

 

How did you come to know Maggie?
This is such an interesting question! It’s often hard for me to pinpoint how a character comes into being because I never set out with specific intentions, if that makes any sense. I tend to write from the heart, so whenever the first idea or kernel of inspiration comes into being, it usually comes about because of something I’ve read, seen or heard that has moved me deeply. 

 

In the case of Maggie, she and Rumpus really came about in conjunction with one another. I was researching the true history of Harrods and the sale of leopard cubs in London during the 1960s when I came across a speech that Dr. Alan Rabinowitz had given, many years ago in New York. Dr. Rabinowitz was a world-renowned cat conservationist who had grown up in the 1960s with a stutter. He went on to co-found an amazing organization called Panthera and made it his life’s mission to work on behalf of big cats all over the world. I started to think about themes of communication and understanding and found myself going back to some of my favourite interviews and books by Dr. Jane Goodall – another source of inspiration for me on so many levels. From there it felt as if Maggie came looking for me, rather than the other way round if that makes any sense – in early drafts she showed up on the page still unsure of her childhood self, but sure that she wanted to share her story and tell me all about a snow leopard that had changed her life.



What do you think is her most admirable quality?

Empathy. With courage as a close second.



Is there anything you wish she would have changed or done differently in her story?
I feel very protective of Maggie, and so proud of her for persevering and pursuing her dreams in spite of the hardship she faced growing up. Part of me wishes she could have reached a place of strength and conviction sooner, or more easily, because it hurts to feel her pain. But then again so many of us, in different ways, are shaped by the challenges we face, whatever they may be.  Shaped and hopefully strengthened - in the ways that matter most. So, no, there isn’t anything I wish she would have changed or done differently.



What do you think she can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what she went through?

I believe that what Maggie has to offer – and this can apply to any child who is struggling with the judgement or misunderstanding of others, be it speech related or otherwise, is the example that each one of us has something meaningful to offer, exactly as we are. That there is power in empathy. And that each of us has the potential to effect change, no matter how local the level.



How did you research Maggie and the circumstances she found herself in?I did a great deal of research for all of the main characters in the book and for the time period it’s set in too – including old-growth forests, underground root systems, historical references to the Big Freeze and what sort of animals were for sale in Harrods at the time! For me, research starts with reading material – I like to begin with non-fiction first-person accounts of particular experiences or circumstances, including collections of essays, blogs, podcasts, photographs, interviews, journal features, magazine articles, news coverage and documentaries. From there, I start conducting my own in-person interviews and conversations with experts – so in the case of Maggie, I worked closely with individuals from The Stuttering Foundation of America and The Stuttering Association for the Young, with speech language pathologists in the US and the UK, and then with multiple expert readers who could share their own unique perspectives. For Rumpus, I visited a conservation-based zoo in Colorado to observe a snow leopard first-hand, and then worked closely with the big-cat keeper there. And as always in all cases, I wrote and revised multiple drafts in order to fully take on board the detailed levels of feedback.


Do you and Maggie share any similarities?
Yes…! we were both born in the UK, we are both passionate about the natural world, love to walk around bare foot and climb trees. I also love animals, especially cats. I’m naturally an introvert too and also find standing up in front of a crowd immensely nerve-wracking. But she is braver than me.


What was the hardest scene to write about her?
I think the scene in the village hall, during the community meeting when she ventures on to the stage… She so desperately wants to speak up for Rumpus at that point, but it’s so hard. I could feel her self-criticism, hurt, embarrassment and deep frustration and wanted to wave my pen like a wand and just make it all go away. But of course I couldn’t. And shouldn’t have either. Everyone suffers in different ways at different moments, and true progress is always the stronger for having been hard won. It’s never easy. Possible, but never easy.


Who do you think was her biggest supporter and why?
I think that her biggest supporter would be something of a tie between her mother and Fred. Her mother loves her unconditionally and fights on her behalf, right from the start. But then Fred witnesses first-hand the immense courage and perseverance it takes for her to eventually succeed in protecting Rumpus – so his support of her by the end is equally fierce and loving.


Why do you think humans and animals have such a special connection?
Well… hmmm… I’m pausing here, because they do and they don’t. It’s tough to generalize on such a broad scale. I think that there are so many wonderful instances of humans connecting with animals – as domestic pets, in the wild and also in terms of the tremendous conservation work that’s being done on behalf of so many endangered species. But there is still a huge amount to be done in terms of education, species protection and edification of the rights of nature.  We are at a critical moment in our history when it comes to mankind’s relationship with the natural world. I am hopeful that our love for animals will help to fuel the kind of action and change that is needed for all of us to thrive: animals, humans and plants.


What do you think Maggie is doing at the present time?
I think that right now, Maggie is sitting at her kitchen table with a cup of tea in one hand and a pen in the other. There’s a plate of chocolate biscuits nearby. She picks up her glasses and peers down at her calendar. Small grandchildren run in and out, noisy, and she thinks about the next conservation conference she’s due to speak at. She’s deciding exactly what it is she wants to say, and even though public speaking is still very hard for her, she continues to do it and is as committed and passionate as ever. If you look closely over her shoulder, you’ll see a picture of her and Rumpus in a frame and know that even though he died long ago, he’s never far from her heart. 




*Here are links to the Two Hundred Thirty-Six interviews...

SEASON #ONE (2016-2017)

























SEASON #FOUR (Summer 2018)






















SEASON #FIVE (2018/2019)













SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)







SEASON #SEVEN (Fall 2019)




















SEASON #EIGHT (Winter/Spring 2020)

Interview #121 with Melissa Savage (Author of Nessie Quest)

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 #142 with Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin (Authors of Seven Clues to Home)



SEASON #NINE (Fall 2020)

Interview #143 with Jacqueline Woodson (Author of Before the Ever After)

Interview #144 with Sharon Creech (Author of One Time)

Interview #145 with Barbara Dee (Author of My Life in the Fish Tank)

Interview #146 with Kim Ventrella (Author of The Secret Life of Sam)

Interview #147 with Ellen Hopkins (Author of Closer to NoWhere)

Interview #148 with Alyssa Hollingsworth (Author of The Invisible Boy) 

Interview #149 with Rob Harrell (Author of WINK)

Interview #150 with Shelley Pearsall (Author of Things Seen From Above)

Interview #151 with Anna Staniszewski (Author of The Wonder of Wildflowers)

Interview #152 with Lorelei Savaryn (Author of The Circus of Stolen Dreams)

Interview #153 with Linda Sue Park (Author of Prairie Lotus)

Interview #154 with Lauren Wolk (Author of Echo Mountain) 

Interview #155 with Mae Respicio (Author of Any Day with You)

Interview #156 with Audrey Vernick (Author of After the Worst Thing Happens)

Interview #157 with Ernesto Cisneros (Author of Efren Divided)


SEASON #TEN (Winter/Spring 2021)

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)

Interview #213 with Ellen Hopkins (Author of What About Will) 


SEASON #THIRTEEN (Summer 2022)

Interview #214 with Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner (Authors of What About the Octopus)

Interview #215 with Lauren Wolk (Author of My Own Lightning)

Interview #216 with Rebekah Lowell (Author of the Road to After)

Interview #217 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Honestly Elliott) 

Interview #218 with Dan Gemeinhart (Author of The Midnight Children)

Interview #219 with Melanie Conklin (Author of A Perfect Mistake) 

Interview #220 with Kyle Lukoff (Author of Different Kinds of Fruit)

Interview #221 with Tracy Edward Wymer (Author of The Great and Mighty Benjamin Teller)

Interview #222 with Louise Hawes (Author of Big Rig)

Interview #223 with Paul Acampora (Author of In Honor of Broken Things)

Interview #224 with Shannon Doleski (Author of Gabe in the After)

Interview #225 with Jennifer Ziegler (Author of Worser)

Interview #226 with Natalie Lloyd (Author of Hummingbird)


SEASON #FOURTEEN (Fall 2022)

Interview #227 with Celia C. Perez (Author of Tumble

Interview #228 with Greg Howard (Author of The Visitors)

Interview #229 with Rob Buyea (Author of The Daredevils)

Interview #230 with Sashi Kaufman (Author of Sardines)

Interview #231 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of The Real Deal)

Interview #232 with Margaret Finnegan (Author of New Kids and Underdogs)

Interterview #233 with Amanda Rawson Hill (Author of The Hope of Elephants)

Interview #234 with Jasmine Warga (Author of A Rover's Story)


SEASON #FIFTEEN (Winter 2023)

Interview #235 with Varsha Bajaj (Author of Thirst)

Interview #236 with Torrey Maldonado (Author of Hands)

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)