ReadWonder: An Inside Look #141 (Author INTERVIEW)

An Inside Look with Lindsey Stoddard

(Author of Brave Like That)

*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.

*The fourth season ran during the summer/fall of 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 Twentieth interview in which I'm calling Season #EIGHT.

*Thank you to Lindsey for being the One-Hundred Forty-First author I've had the pleasure of interviewing. I truly appreciate it.

*Here is my review of the Novel...

Brave Like That

Brave Like That

by Lindsey Stoddard

(June 2, 2020)

How did you come to know Cyrus?

Like all my characters, I first came to know Cyrus through his voice. Before I ever pick up a pen, a notebook, or take out my laptop, I just listen and wait. I wait until I can hear their voice clearly before I begin to wonder about their story. It doesn't look like writing work, from the outside. It looks like me, walking, playing with my children, going about my day, reading, listening. But for me, it's a crucial piece of the process. With Cyrus, I kept hearing him say, "I'm just not brave like that," and it was up to me to figure out... not brave like what? And what kind of brave is he then? I kept hearing him say, "This is right where I belong," and it was up to me to figure out where this kid feels he belongs, and where he feels he doesn't.

What do you think is his most admirable quality?

I think Cyrus's most admirable quality is how much heart he has. From the beginning he has this excellent moral compass telling him what feels right and what feels wrong. Throughout the book he has to learn how to speak up and say the things that his heart feels (which is so hard!) but he has this excellent sense about him from the beginning, which, I hope, makes him easy to relate to.

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

First, I hope Cyrus just offers a good story that kids fall into. I hope they root for Cyrus and Parker, the dog. I hope he gets them interested in picture books and music and firehouses. Also, I hope Cyrus offers readers the knowledge that they're not alone. Reading is hard, for lots of kids. So is trying to live up to expectations that you don't care to fill. It's hard to feel stuck in something you don't love. It's hard to recognize that your best friends are kind of acting like bullies, and even harder to do anything about it. It's hard to figure out what you love and where you feel like you belong. I hope readers can follow Cyrus though his journey in BRAVE LIKE THAT and feel less alone in all that coming-of-age-ness.

How did you research Cyrus and the circumstances he found himself in?

I didn't have to do much traditional research for this novel. However, during the writing of BRAVE LIKE THAT, I had my second child. And just like her older brother did, she cried NONSTOP FOR MONTHS... And while I was googling "colic" and "inconsolable crying" (New moms, don't do this!! It gets better!) I came across an article about "Safe Haven" laws, basically, that you can leave your newborn at a hospital, police station, or firehouse with no repercussions or questions asked. I wasn't considering this (really!), but I was intrigued by the stories, and with Cryrus's voice strong in my head, and my arms full of crying newborn, I knew this was his story, and this firehouse, with firefighter Brooks and the rest of the crew, was part of right where he belonged.

Do you and Cyrus share any similarities?

Cyrus and I both love music. In fifth grade, when my parents were certain I was coming home from pick-your-instrument day with a flute, I tumbled off the bus with a gigantic trombone which I practiced, loudly, every night, and soaked in their master bathtub the way my band teacher taught me, to keep the slide clean. Even now, I can never keep my feet from tapping when I hear brass. Also like Cyrus, I liked to please people, particularly my parents. I did things that I thought made them happy, I followed what my big brother did because I thought it was expected and I so much wanted to be like him. I spent winter after winter downhill ski racing when I really didn't like it. I loved skiing, I loved being outdoors, I loved the seasoned waffle fries in the lodge, but I was scared of the big icy ruts that sent my skis chattering around the gates and I hated standing on the top of the mountain, waiting for my turn to go down. Just like Cyrus's dad, my parents were so supportive and didn't care one bit if I wanted to ski race or not. It just took me saying, "Hey, I don't actually like doing this," which for some reason was so hard.

What was the hardest scene to write about Cyrus?

It's not necessarily a single scene, but the hardest part for me, in all books come to think of it, is pacing. I get caught up with what day is it? How much time has passed? How do I get to the weekend already? I wrote the first thirty-five pages of this book for six months. I just wrote them over and over again. The first drafts of the beginning had Cy's birthday on the 4th of July, and there was a whole fireworks theme I was weaving throughout. He had loud little lungs, loud like fireworks. He was 7 pounds, 4 ounces. He was rushed to the hospital in Engine number 704. The book begins on his 11th birthday, but then I needed to skip to football tryouts at the start of the school year. But what would happen for all of August?? I was clinging so tightly to the 4th of July and all the writing around it, that it took my editor, the brilliant Erica Sussman at HarperCollins, to say, "His birthday needs to be in late August." It meant re-writing again, dropping the fireworks, and so many pages I loved. But then the story flew.

Who do you think was his biggest supporter and why?

Cyrus comes to learn that he has so many supporters, but I think the biggest is his grandma. Just like Cyrus, she has music deep down in her, and even though she's had a stroke and lost the ability to speak, they have this connection and way of communicating through rhythm. She's fierce and no-nonsense and very much fashioned after my own nana who had a stroke. Her na na nas were the music of my childhood and I was so happy to give Cyrus her strength and loyalty.

Why do you think young people, like Cyrus, and especially boys; feel like they have to fit into a “mold” or “role” for society and/or their family, when their true passion/interest lies elsewhere?

These molds and roles are age-old and pervasive and hard to ignore. They settle on us, literally, at birth with onesies that read, "Macho Man" or "Daddy's Little Girl" and continue on with messages from our nation's top leaders. I know that our generation is making gains to raise all children with inner strength and kindness, but it's hard, maybe impossible, to throw out all expectations. Group-think is so strong and raising our children to be stronger is one heck of a challenge. I hope Cyrus, gentle, kind, foot-tapping Cyrus can show kids how hard it is to be yourself and stand up for others, but also how right and good it feels when you do.