*Season #SIX (Summer 2019)
I can imagine a hundred ways that Malcolm’s story might have gone—for example, the decision he makes during the tournament at the end of the book could have gone very differently—but that’s not the story I set out to tell or the character arc I chose to paint. I suppose I could say that I wish I’d written it better, but that’s only because I believe no piece of writing is ever perfect, only finished. I could tinker with sentence structures and diction and metaphors for eternity, but then I’d never make a deadline 😊.
Most of the outside research I did was actually on miniature golf, its history and its current appeal. Also proprietary eponyms. I studied those a lot.
Do you and Malcolm share any similarities?
See #5 above. We definitely share a lot of the same DNA, even down to some of the voices we hear in our heads. One place we differ is that by the end of the book, Malcolm learns not to be so hard on himself. I’m 45 and still working on that.
What was the hardest scene to write about him?
The conversational scenes between him and his parents were tough—especially the heart-to-heart he has with his mother near the end where he learns one of the reasons why his parents sometimes fight about him. Some things are just so difficult to talk about—it takes guts just to open the door—and I often worry that the words I’m choosing as a writer don’t do justice to the emotions that I can feel my characters going through.
That said, all writing is hard. Fun. But hard.
Who do you think was his biggest supporter and why?
I think all three adults in Malcolm’s life evolve in that role (some with more difficulty than others). Obviously Frank comes to be the kind of cheerleader for Malcolm that his father always struggled to be, but even his motives are questionable at the start. If I had to pick any character who believes in Malcolm from the moment she meets him, I’d choose Lex. Sometimes it takes someone your age to know exactly what you’re going through. Waka waka, man.
Why do you think young people, like Malcolm, are sometimes afraid to be their true selves and not share with their parents what they truly want out of their life?
At what point in your life do your parents stop dictating the direction it will take? At what point do you truly find the agency to be your own person, develop your own credo, and make your own choices? That’s incredibly hard to do at age 12 or 13. It’s hard for some people to do at age 30 or 40. Add to this the added pressure of not wanting to disappoint said parents (tick them off, sure, but disappoint them, that’s the worst), and the fact that most people of any age struggle to know what they truly want out of life--not to mention whatever the thing you want always seems to be changing, and it makes sense that this would be something that would cause anxiety. However parents can do a great deal to create a safe and supportive environment for kids to express their hopes, dreams, and insecurities by being encouraging mentors and guides.
What do you think Malcolm is doing as the present time?
I think he would still be playing miniature golf, for starters. It’s nice when you find something that energizes you, that you want to invest yourself in and get better at, and I’m happy that he found his. But right at this very moment I’m guessing Malcolm and Lex are probably playing Pacman, eating Little Debbie Snack Cakes, and discussing why Frisbees are called Frisbees and not flying discs.
SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)
Interview #122 with Tamara Bundy (Author of Pixie Pushes On)
Interview #123 with Lindsay Lackey (Author of All the Impossible Things)
Interview #124 with Tae Keller (Author of When You Trap a Tiger)
Interview #125 with Jamie Sumner (Author of Roll With It)
Interview #126 with Hena Khan (Author of More to the Story)
Interview #127 with Phil Bildner (Author of A High-Five for Glenn Burke)
Interview #128 with Leslie Connor (Author of A Home for Goddesses and Dogs)
Interview#129 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Queen Bee and Me)
Interview #130 with Jody J. Little (Author of Worse Than Weird)
Interview #131 with Jenn Bishop (Author of Things You Can't Say)
Interview #132 with Kaela Noel (Author of Coo)
Interview #133 with Rebecca Stead (Author of The List of Things That Will Not Change)
Interview #134 with Gae Polisner (Author of Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me)
Interview #135 with Emily Blejwas (Author of Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened)
Interview #136 with Joy McCullough (Author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost)
Interview #137 with Kim Baker (Author of the Water Bears)
Interview #138 with Erin Entrada Kelly (Author of We Dream of Space)
Interview #139 with Jess Redman (Author of Quintessence)
Interview #140 with Melanie Conklin (Author of Every Missing Piece)
Interview #141 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of Brave Like That)
Interview #158 with Rebecca Ansari (Author of The In-Between)
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