Fourth Grade Journey

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

Monday, July 1, 2019

An Inside Look #92 (Author INTERVIEW)


Inside Look with John David Anderson
(Author of Finding Orion)

*During the summer of 2016, I added this feature to the 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.  


*The next season (season #FOUR) of interviews took place during the summer and fall of 2018.  With each interview I became more and more impressed with the authors I was having interactions with.  

 *Season #FIVE ran during the 2018/2019 school year.  I took a little break during June of 2019.

 *I'm thrilled to be back for season #SIX with all new books, authors, and conversations.  


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

*This is the first interview of what I'm calling Season #SIX.

*Thank you to John David Anderson for being the Ninety-Second author that I've had the pleasure of interviewing.  I truly appreciate it.  


*Here are links to the first Ninety-One interviews…


SEASON #ONE (2016-2017)

























SEASON #FOUR (Summer 2018)






















SEASON #FIVE (2018/2019)












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

*Thank you John David for writing this incredible and thought-provoking book.

*Here is my book review...

My Book Review


Finding Orion
by John David Anderson (May 17, 2019)


How did you come to know Rion?
All I knew about Rion going in was that he didn’t feel like he fit in with his family, something many of us can relate to from time to time. I had a feeling that this sentiment had more to do with his own insecurities than any quirks of his eccentric family, so part of the journey of the novel was discovering what those insecurities were and finding ways for him to overcome them. I find that writing is a lot more fun when I, as the writer, don’t have the answers going in but happen upon them through the act of storytelling. It's a mytery to me each time.
What do you think is Rion's most admirable quality?
Rion isn’t the most likeable character. He’s sarcastic to a fault and can be mean to his siblings, but he has some positive qualities. One of my favorites--and one we share--is that he is full of thought (even if he’s not always thoughtful). He can be introspective, curious, pensive, questioning. He's capable of gaining unique insights on the world around him. And he needs to be in order to come to grips with the strange and emotionally challenging events of the book.
Is there anything you wish Rion would have changed or done differently in his story?
Rion does what is in his character. It’s not always what I would have done had I been in his shoes, but I think if he had done something differently it wouldn’t have been his story. I do think that he changes in positive ways by the story’s end, however, and I can see those changes resonating in his life beyond the pages I gave him. All that being said, he could have been a little nicer to his sisters...
What do you think Rion can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
Part of Rion’s problem (and it’s one that I'm familiar with) is his self-centeredness and lack of perspective. At the start of the novel he interprets everything that happens in light of how it affects him. For example, he sees Papa Kwirk’s death (minor spoiler alert if you haven’t read the cover snippet) in terms of its direct impact on him and his family, but he eventually learns the wider impact that his grandfather had on all of the other people in his life. So one of the things that kids can learn is to broaden their perspective, to see how their actions and attitudes can impact others and to realize that they are not the star around which the planet revolves.
How did you research Rion and the circumstances he found himself in?
I got to research a lot of fun and interesting things for this book: flavor chemistry, burial practices, cartoon theme songs, and barbershop quartets, for example. Most of this research was available on the Internet, thankfully, though a visit to Casey, Illinois proved valuable for providing a detour on the Kwirk’s journey. If you want to see the world’s largest mailbox, that’s the place to go.
Do you and Rion share any similarities?
I think I share similarities with all my protagonists—there’s always a piece of me in them. In Rion’s case, the feeling like you don’t fit in or that you don’t always get the people around you are things I get. I also share qualities with other members of the Kwirk family as well, particularly Rion’s goofy, nerdy, oft-lecturing dad. 
What was the hardest scene to write about Rion?
I don’t know that one scene was any harder than the others, but there were two scenes that I realized were crucial to his character arc and so paid special attention to. The first was the funneral (a funeral, but more fun) where his views of his grandfather start to shift. The second was a later conversation with his father where Rion’s own insecurities come to the surface. I think it’s always a challenge to fully step into a character’s head to translate their emotional reaction to the story’s action. Reporting is easy. Reflection is tough. At least for me.
Who do you think was Rion’s biggest supporter and why?
I think every member of Rion’s family supports him in one way or another. Part of Rion’s journey is discovering the depth of his connection with his mom, dad, sisters, and, of coure, his grandfather. There are thematic connections between Rion’ relationhip with his father, Fletcher, and Fletcher’s relationship with Papa Kwirk. so I think Dad’s support of Rion probably stands out more than the others.
Why do you think some young people, like Rion, can see what family really means compared to some adults?
Kids are stuck. You can’t divorce your family. In a desperate situation, you could run away from home, but most of us are born into that core unit where love is (mostly) unconditional but comes with built-in aggrevations. The older we get, the more we question those relationships and the more surrogates we find to fill emotional roles filled by parents and siblings. Sometimes we distance ourselves from our family on purpose, the way Fletcher does, but then having families of our own reminds us of their importance. Rion is at that place in his life where he knows enough about his family to question their impact without having to doubt their loyalty, but he's also starting to learn that those familial bonds are not made of titanium. They can be weakened or broken if you don't maintain them.
What do you think Rion is doing as the present time?
Hopefully he’s playing Shakespearean Scrabble with his family, munching on fried chicken flavored jellybeans, and appreciating, in some subconscious way, jut how much he is loved!

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