An Inside Look with Melissa Savage
(Author of Nessie Quest)
*The first season of interviews ran from June of 2016 to March of 2017.
*Season #two ran during the summer of 2017.
*Season #three ran during the school year of 2017-2018.
*Season #five ran during the 2018/2019 school year.
*During summer 2019, the sixth season ran.
*The seventh season of interviews ran during the fall of 2019.
*I'm excited to be back for season #EIGHT 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 FIRST interview in which I'm calling Season #EIGHT.
*Thank you to Melissa Savage for being the One-Hundred Twenty-First author that I've had the pleasure of interviewing. I truly appreciate it.
*Here are links to the One Hundred Twenty 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 (Fall 2019)
Interview #104 with Laurel Snyder (Author of My Jasper June)
Interview #105 with Lisa Bunker (Author of Zenobia July)
Interview #106 with Jasmine Warga (Author of Other Words for Home)
Interview #107 with Barbara Dee (Author of Maybe He Just Likes You)
Interview #108 with Graham Salisbury (Author of Banjo)
Interview #109 with Donna Gephart (Author of The Paris Project)
Interview #110 with Jake Burt (Author of The Tornado)
Interview #111 with Jess Redman (Author of The Miraculous)
Interview #112 with Karen Strong (Author of Just South of Home)
Interview #113 with Nicole Melleby (Author of Hurricane Season)
Interview #114 with J.J. and Chris Grabenstein (Authors of Shine)
Interview #115 with Susan Vaught (Author of Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalyse)
Interview #116 with Chris Baron (Author of All of Me)
Interview #117 with Meredith Russo (Author of Birthday)
Interview #118 with Abdi Nazemian (Author of Like a Love Story)
Interview #119 with Sarah Baughman (Author of The Light in the Lake)
Interview #120 with Stacy McAnulty (Author of The World Ends in April)
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 (Fall 2019)
Interview #104 with Laurel Snyder (Author of My Jasper June)
Interview #105 with Lisa Bunker (Author of Zenobia July)
Interview #106 with Jasmine Warga (Author of Other Words for Home)
Interview #107 with Barbara Dee (Author of Maybe He Just Likes You)
Interview #108 with Graham Salisbury (Author of Banjo)
Interview #109 with Donna Gephart (Author of The Paris Project)
Interview #110 with Jake Burt (Author of The Tornado)
Interview #111 with Jess Redman (Author of The Miraculous)
Interview #112 with Karen Strong (Author of Just South of Home)
Interview #113 with Nicole Melleby (Author of Hurricane Season)
Interview #114 with J.J. and Chris Grabenstein (Authors of Shine)
Interview #115 with Susan Vaught (Author of Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalyse)
Interview #116 with Chris Baron (Author of All of Me)
Interview #117 with Meredith Russo (Author of Birthday)
Interview #118 with Abdi Nazemian (Author of Like a Love Story)
Interview #119 with Sarah Baughman (Author of The Light in the Lake)
Interview #120 with Stacy McAnulty (Author of The World Ends in April)
Nessie Quest
by Melissa Savage
(January 14, 2020)
How did you come to know Ada Ru?
First and foremost, her name. I discovered this quite by accident. A friend of mine has a granddaughter named Ada Ru and as soon as I heard it, I loved it and wanted to use it for my next character. I asked permission and they generously obliged. Secondly, I have been spending more and more time conducting writing workshops for kids and we talk a lot about story, character development, plot and voice. I’ve met so many young writers and they are my inspiration for making Ada Ru a writer like so many of the students I meet.
What do you think is Ada Ru's most admirable quality?
I love that Ada Ru doesn’t see Hammy Bean as his disability. She saw him as a bit of a Nessie know-it-all of course, but she never judged him for his disability or ever treated him differently because he couldn’t see. I think he appreciated that about her as well.
Is there anything you wish she would have changed or done differently in her story?
I always wish I had more time with my stories. I’m never ready to be done with them. There is always more editing or adding or changing with every story I write. One thing I had wanted to add more about is the use of echo location and how it pertains to navigation.
What do you think Ada can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what she went through?
Do not judge a book (or jelly bean) by its cover. Always page through the table of contents and see all the amazing things inside before coming to the conclusion that the book may not be right for you.
How did you research Ada Ru and the circumstances she found herself?
My mother has been blind since I was very young. Once I happened to over hear her telling someone that she hears the walls and I asked her what she meant by that. She explained that the air changes when the walls change which is basically echo location. I knew right then and there that I found my supporting character for my next story. My mom and others within the blind community assisted me in making Hammy Beans story as genuine as possible. I relied heavily on their input because this is an experience I can only tell from their point of view. I hope I did them proud. As far as the town of Fort Augustus, I spent time there while I was researching the Loch Ness Monster portion of the story. It’s a beautiful small town set right next to the Loch Ness. I met wonderful people, I ate haggis and blood pudding. And it’s true . . . there is every shade of green imaginable. I’ve never seen such beautiful greens in all my life until I visited Scotland.
Do you and Ada share any similarities?
Absolutely. Everywhere I go, I’m looking for my next story, as well as my supporting characters. And I too think Scotland is way better than Disneyland.
What was the hardest scene to write about her?
The most difficult scenes involved Hammy Bean Tibby. It was very important to me that Hammy Bean was portrayed correctly, so I spent a lot of time with the blind community and the professionals who support them to get the details right. I truly hope I did because I adore that character and all he is.
Who do you think was her biggest supporter and why?
I think her Mom and Dad are her biggest supporters because they truly love her and want what’s best for her, even when they disagree with her. But I also think that Ada Ru and Hammy Bean formed a very important friendship during her summer in Fort Augustus. I believe that it was a friendship that would last a lifetime. Just like Tobin and Lemonade.
Why do you think young people, like Ada-Hammy Bean-Dax, who are so completely different from each other; are able to form a close-knit friendship with love, support, and lots of fun?
I believe it’s the differences that make us much more connected in story and in life. I would be bored if everyone I knew was just like me. My favorite thing about the world is all there is to know and learn that I have yet to discover. I love traveling and learning about new cultures and languages and customs. Without our differences, life would be so mundane and boring. Ada Ru compares life to Jelly Belly jelly beans and in the beginning will only eat the popcorn flavored ones. She doesn’t like to try new things. For me, I could never live on just one flavor of jelly bean.
What do you think Adu Ru is doing as the present time?
I believe that Ada Ru went back to her home on Tennison, but as a very different person with a broader perspective of the world around her. I think learning and traveling does that. It teaches us all the beautiful and amazing differences in our world. I would hope that she brought that knowledge home and shared it with others. I think that when we learn new things, it changes us for the better and expands our horizons. I also believe that the friendship that was forged between Ada Ru, Hammy Bean and Dax would continue through emails, text messages and Skype calls. And I hope for their sake that they can meet again for another summer of adventure in Fort Augustus.
First and foremost, her name. I discovered this quite by accident. A friend of mine has a granddaughter named Ada Ru and as soon as I heard it, I loved it and wanted to use it for my next character. I asked permission and they generously obliged. Secondly, I have been spending more and more time conducting writing workshops for kids and we talk a lot about story, character development, plot and voice. I’ve met so many young writers and they are my inspiration for making Ada Ru a writer like so many of the students I meet.
What do you think is Ada Ru's most admirable quality?
I love that Ada Ru doesn’t see Hammy Bean as his disability. She saw him as a bit of a Nessie know-it-all of course, but she never judged him for his disability or ever treated him differently because he couldn’t see. I think he appreciated that about her as well.
Is there anything you wish she would have changed or done differently in her story?
I always wish I had more time with my stories. I’m never ready to be done with them. There is always more editing or adding or changing with every story I write. One thing I had wanted to add more about is the use of echo location and how it pertains to navigation.
What do you think Ada can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what she went through?
Do not judge a book (or jelly bean) by its cover. Always page through the table of contents and see all the amazing things inside before coming to the conclusion that the book may not be right for you.
How did you research Ada Ru and the circumstances she found herself?
My mother has been blind since I was very young. Once I happened to over hear her telling someone that she hears the walls and I asked her what she meant by that. She explained that the air changes when the walls change which is basically echo location. I knew right then and there that I found my supporting character for my next story. My mom and others within the blind community assisted me in making Hammy Beans story as genuine as possible. I relied heavily on their input because this is an experience I can only tell from their point of view. I hope I did them proud. As far as the town of Fort Augustus, I spent time there while I was researching the Loch Ness Monster portion of the story. It’s a beautiful small town set right next to the Loch Ness. I met wonderful people, I ate haggis and blood pudding. And it’s true . . . there is every shade of green imaginable. I’ve never seen such beautiful greens in all my life until I visited Scotland.
Do you and Ada share any similarities?
Absolutely. Everywhere I go, I’m looking for my next story, as well as my supporting characters. And I too think Scotland is way better than Disneyland.
What was the hardest scene to write about her?
The most difficult scenes involved Hammy Bean Tibby. It was very important to me that Hammy Bean was portrayed correctly, so I spent a lot of time with the blind community and the professionals who support them to get the details right. I truly hope I did because I adore that character and all he is.
Who do you think was her biggest supporter and why?
I think her Mom and Dad are her biggest supporters because they truly love her and want what’s best for her, even when they disagree with her. But I also think that Ada Ru and Hammy Bean formed a very important friendship during her summer in Fort Augustus. I believe that it was a friendship that would last a lifetime. Just like Tobin and Lemonade.
Why do you think young people, like Ada-Hammy Bean-Dax, who are so completely different from each other; are able to form a close-knit friendship with love, support, and lots of fun?
I believe it’s the differences that make us much more connected in story and in life. I would be bored if everyone I knew was just like me. My favorite thing about the world is all there is to know and learn that I have yet to discover. I love traveling and learning about new cultures and languages and customs. Without our differences, life would be so mundane and boring. Ada Ru compares life to Jelly Belly jelly beans and in the beginning will only eat the popcorn flavored ones. She doesn’t like to try new things. For me, I could never live on just one flavor of jelly bean.
What do you think Adu Ru is doing as the present time?
I believe that Ada Ru went back to her home on Tennison, but as a very different person with a broader perspective of the world around her. I think learning and traveling does that. It teaches us all the beautiful and amazing differences in our world. I would hope that she brought that knowledge home and shared it with others. I think that when we learn new things, it changes us for the better and expands our horizons. I also believe that the friendship that was forged between Ada Ru, Hammy Bean and Dax would continue through emails, text messages and Skype calls. And I hope for their sake that they can meet again for another summer of adventure in Fort Augustus.
No comments:
Post a Comment