I'm so honoured to be the featured author on US blogger Deborah Kalb's blog this week! She asked me some great questions about my latest book, FIREFLY, and I had a lot of fun answering them. Thanks Deborah!
We talked about finding story inspiration, how the story started, how it ended, my writing process along the way, what I hope young readers take from the story, and also finding that fine writing balancing act of pain and humour, a delicate combination in a middle-grade book about serious issues like PTSD, homelessness and parental addiction.
Click for the whole interview. Here's Question 2:
"What do you think the novel says about definitions of family?
One thing I’ve learned from raising my family in a busy city is that our definition of family is constantly changing, and that we help, support and love each other in ways that make us family, whether we’re related by blood or not.
Firefly has a friend in the park who looks out for her, a homeless man named Moss Cart, who despite his own challenges helps her as best he can. She helps him, too. There’s also a group of therapists at Jennie’s, a women’s drop-in centre, who teach Firefly coping techniques for PTSD (the therapists don’t know she is only 13).
And there’s Aunt Gayle who barely knows her niece, but agrees to shelter and care for Firefly as soon as the social worker contacts her. Aunt Gayle’s staff at The Corseted Lady all care for Firefly, too. As they spend time together in the days before Halloween (a busy time in a costume shop), they give Firefly support and validation in the most unusual way (and a plot twist that I can’t give away!).
When she starts grade nine six weeks later than everyone else, Firefly also discovers a family of school friends she never expected.
The only traditional family member in the story is her mother (who she calls Joanne-the-mother), who has failed Firefly. At the end of the book, they are not reconciled although there are supports in place for Firefly if she ever wants to connect with her mother.
What is a family? Ultimately in this book, it’s up to Firefly."
NEW: Watch my short 3-minute reading from FIREFLY, on BIBLIOVIDEO
More about Firefly on THIS BLOG.
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