Fourth Grade Journey

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

Monday, November 19, 2018

An Inside Look #71 (Author INTERVIEW)

Inside Look with Adam P. Schmitt
(Author Speechless)

*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.  


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

*This is the Twentieth and final interview of what I'm calling Season #FOUR.  I'm taking a break from the interview during the upcoming holiday season.  I will be back with MORE authors at the start up of 2019.  

*Thank you to Adam P. Schmitt for being the Seventy-First author that I've had the pleasure of interviewing.  I truly appreciate it.  

*Here are links to the first Seventy interviews…

SEASON #ONE

























SEASON #FOUR

Interview #53 with Preston Norton (Author of Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe)

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)

Interview #69 with Dusti Bowling (Author of 24 Hours in Nowhere)

Interview #70 with Christina Uss (Author of The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle)


*I was thrilled when I received a copy of this novel from the publisher.  I was not familiar with the title and/or author.  Both the cover and title were intriguing to me.  After reading the story I reached out to Adam to share my praise for the book and ask if he would be author #71 for "An Inside Look".  

*Adam was kind, gracious, and giving with his answers to the questions.  It is an honor to post his responses here on the blog.  

*Here is a link to my review of the book...

*Thank you Adam P. Schmitt for writing this book...
Speechless
by Adam P. Schmitt (November 6, 2018)


How did you come to know Jimmy?
I wanted a narrator who was an observer watching chaos unfold around him.  In early drafts, Jimmy hardly spoke. My agent had me give him more teeth which helped the book immensely. What started as sheepish, mild mannered protagonist developed into a well-rounded kid who found some guts.
What do you think is Jimmy's most admirable quality?
 I really like his take on life. He is able to put a spin on anything that's part cynic, part, realist, and lots of humor. He has a lot thrown at him in a very short period of time. His coping skill is to put that twist on it all.
What do you think Jimmy can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
That they're not alone. If they're attending a wake for the first time, they aren't the only ones uncomfortable or unsure how to act. A lot of adults are too.  I think in life overall, Jimmy would tell kids to speak up, especially if they have a question or are unsure of something.
How did you research Jimmy and the circumstances he found himself in?
For the wake scenes, those were entirely based on personal situations. There wasn't one service I based it on, but several over a longer period of time where I unfortunately had to attend services for people we'd lost at a variety of ages. I remember at times not knowing how to act as a grown man at some of them, and having trouble processing the range of emotions that people had.
Do you and Jimmy share any similarities?
My day job is an instructional coach at a middle school. So a big part of my job is public speaking on a regular basis. I had a lot of personal experience to draw from because I still get nervous and wonder if I'm saying the right thing. For the flashbacks, I did a lot of research on mental health that included reading and interviews. It was very important to me that I accurately and respectfully depicted Patrick's struggles. 
What was the hardest scene to write about Jimmy?
The hardest scene wasn't about Jimmy, it was about Sofia, when her teachers came to see her at the wake. There was a lot to balance in that scene. I think there's 6 pages in the book that went through more revision than anything else. I'm grateful my editor pushed me though, it's my favorite scene. 
Who do you think was Jimmy's biggest supporter and why?
Patrick. Hands down. Patrick loved his cousin and saw Jimmy as his best friend. He may not have shown support in ways Jimmy wanted, but he was the one character who always wanted to be involved in Jimmy's life.
Why do you think children can often overlook other children’s challenges and accept them for who they are when adults sometimes have a hard time accepting and working with difficult situations?
Seeing kids accept each other is one of my absolute favorite parts of being a teacher. I love seeing that in classrooms on a daily basis. I think kids naturally do that. I wish there was a simple, scientific answer where we could teach others who struggle with it.  And I think a lot of adults could learn from that.
What do you think Jimmy is doing as this present time?
I think he's taking Sofia out for ice cream, and having a lovely conversation with her. Sofia is impressed at how my ASL he's taught himself since the wake so he can listen to her more.
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