An Inside Look with Jasmine Warga
(Author of Other Words for Home)
*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 at the start of June 2019.
*During my summer 2019 vacation I continued a series of interviews in which I put under the heading of Season #SIX.
*To kick off my 29th year of teaching, I'm adding Season #SEVEN with a whole new season of authors, books, and interviews.
*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 at the start of June 2019.
*During my summer 2019 vacation I continued a series of interviews in which I put under the heading of Season #SIX.
*To kick off my 29th year of teaching, I'm adding Season #SEVEN with a whole new season of authors, books, and interviews.
*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 #SEASON.
*Thank you to Jasmine Warga for being the One-Hundred SIXTH author that I've had the pleasure of interviewing. I truly appreciate it.
*Here are links to the first One Hundred FIVE interviews…
SEASON #ONE (2016-2017)
SEASON #TWO (Summer 2017)
SEASON #FOUR (Summer 2018)
SEASON #FIVE (2018/2019)
Interview #81 with Tony Abbott (Author of The Great Jeff)
Interview #82 with Susan Ross (Author of Searching for Lottie)
Interview #83 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Caterpillar Summer)
Interview #84 with Rebecca Ansari (Author of The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly)
Interview #85 with Ali Standish (Author of August Isle)
Interview #86 with Shaun David Hutchinson (Author of The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried)
Interview #87 with Greg Howard (Author of The Whispers)
Interview #88 with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Author of Shouting at the Rain)
Interview #89 with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Author of One for the Murphys)
Interview #90 with Laurie Morrison (Author of Up for Air)
Interview #91 with Jody J. Little (Author of Mostly the Honest Truth)
SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)
Interview #92 with John David Anderson (Author of Finding Orion)
Interview #93 with Lisa Thompson (Author of The Light Jar)
Interview #94 with Keith Calabrese (Author of A Drop of Hope)
Interview #95 with Alicia D. Williams (Author of Genesis Begins Again)
Interview #96 with Kim Ventrella (Author of Bone Hollow)
Interview #97 with Natalie Lloyd (Author of Over the Moon)
Interview #98 with Cynthia Lord (Author of Because of the Rabbit)
Interview #99 with Tina Athaide (Author of Orange for the Sunsets)
Interview #100 with Elly Swartz (Author of Give and Take)
Interview #101 with Amy Rebecca Tan (Author of A Kind of Paradise)
Interview #102 with Varsha Bajaj (Author of Count Me In)
Interview #103 with Laura Resau (Author of Tree of Dreams)
SEASON #SEVEN (2019/2020)
Interview #104 with Laurel Snyder (Author of My Jasper June)
Interview #105 with Lisa Bunker (Author of Zenobia July)
Interview #82 with Susan Ross (Author of Searching for Lottie)
Interview #83 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Caterpillar Summer)
Interview #84 with Rebecca Ansari (Author of The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly)
Interview #85 with Ali Standish (Author of August Isle)
Interview #86 with Shaun David Hutchinson (Author of The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried)
Interview #87 with Greg Howard (Author of The Whispers)
Interview #88 with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Author of Shouting at the Rain)
Interview #89 with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Author of One for the Murphys)
Interview #90 with Laurie Morrison (Author of Up for Air)
Interview #91 with Jody J. Little (Author of Mostly the Honest Truth)
SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)
Interview #92 with John David Anderson (Author of Finding Orion)
Interview #93 with Lisa Thompson (Author of The Light Jar)
Interview #94 with Keith Calabrese (Author of A Drop of Hope)
Interview #95 with Alicia D. Williams (Author of Genesis Begins Again)
Interview #96 with Kim Ventrella (Author of Bone Hollow)
Interview #97 with Natalie Lloyd (Author of Over the Moon)
Interview #98 with Cynthia Lord (Author of Because of the Rabbit)
Interview #99 with Tina Athaide (Author of Orange for the Sunsets)
Interview #100 with Elly Swartz (Author of Give and Take)
Interview #101 with Amy Rebecca Tan (Author of A Kind of Paradise)
Interview #102 with Varsha Bajaj (Author of Count Me In)
Interview #103 with Laura Resau (Author of Tree of Dreams)
SEASON #SEVEN (2019/2020)
Interview #104 with Laurel Snyder (Author of My Jasper June)
Interview #105 with Lisa Bunker (Author of Zenobia July)
*Jasmine Warga was kind, gracious, and giving with her answers to the questions. It is an honor to post her responses here on the blog.
*Thank you Jasmine for writing this incredible and thought-provoking book.
*Here is my book review...
Other Words for Home
by Jasmine Warga (May 28, 2019)
How did you come to know JUDE?
Finding Jude's character was definitely a process. It wasn't until I discovered that she was a huge fan of American Rom-Coms (a character trait lifted from a Jordanian cousin of mine) that her character started to click for me.
What do you think is JUDE'S most admirable quality?
Her bravery and her innate kindness. I know that's two things, but I honestly think they are linked because sometimes there's no braver thing than being kind even in the face of adversity.
Is there anything you wish JUDE would have changed or done differently in her story?
Hm. I don't think so. Even the mistakes she makes in the book help her to grow. I always want to write books where my characters make mistakes because I think it's important for kids to know that everyone messes up, and it's okay if we aren't perfect all the time, as long as we're always trying.
What do you think JUDE can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what she went through?
This get backs to my answer to question 2--I love how Jude does not let the meanness she experiences make her mean. She leans into her natural kindness and that's sort of her superpower. I hope that will resonate with kids.
How did you research JUDE and the circumstances she found herself in?
I interviewed many family members and family friends who had experienced similar journeys to that of Jude.
Do you and JUDE share any similarities?
Well, I also love American Rom-Coms! Honestly, Jude is braver than I am, but I'm hoping that in writing her, some of her kind, brave spirit has rubbed off on me.
What was the hardest scene to write about JUDE?
I think the scene when she first notices the hate speech that has been splashed across the restaurant storefront. I cried and cried while writing that scene. It evoked a lot of hard emotions in me as that was based off of an incident that actually happened in my own neighborhood.
Who do you think was JUDE'S biggest supporter and why?
She is lucky to have so many advocates, but I have to say Mama. Probably because I'm a mom, but their bond was really special to write.
Why do you think some people can welcome all people into their homes and/or homelands, while other people have such a hard time opening their hearts and arms to people that are different from them?
Wow. It's so hard to say. But my idealistic answer is that it has to do with information. I truly want to believe that the people who seem hateful are simply ignorant. Some days, it's easier to believe that than others. But I'd like to think that the more people learn and are taught by their parents, their friends, their communities to be accepting, the more people will be.
What do you think JUDE is doing as the present time?
I like to imagine her having a fun movie night with Miles where they take turns choosing the movies--Miles picks classic sci-fi films and Jude, of course, picks rom-coms.
Why do you think some people can welcome all people into their homes and/or homelands, while other people have such a hard time opening their hearts and arms to people that are different from them?
Wow. It's so hard to say. But my idealistic answer is that it has to do with information. I truly want to believe that the people who seem hateful are simply ignorant. Some days, it's easier to believe that than others. But I'd like to think that the more people learn and are taught by their parents, their friends, their communities to be accepting, the more people will be.
What do you think JUDE is doing as the present time?
I like to imagine her having a fun movie night with Miles where they take turns choosing the movies--Miles picks classic sci-fi films and Jude, of course, picks rom-coms.
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