a conversation with sonya hartnett · 2014. 7. 31. · a conversation with sonya hartnett author of...

4
A conversation with sonya hartnett author of the Children of the King Q: You start with a scary opening scene. If I hadn’t been told that this was a “mild ghost story,” I might not have gotten past it. Some of your other writing can be very unsettling. What made you decide that this story would be more mild? A: Questionsofmildnessnevercameintoit.Anideacomestoyou,anditbringswithititsown spirit—someareeerie,somearequiet,someareloud,someareslinky,somearestrange.Iknew thiswouldbeastoryforchildrensetduringthewar.eagegroupcreatescertainlimitsaround whatyoucanandcan’twrite.IneverthoughtofitasbeingaghoststoryasIwroteit,soIdidn’t spendanytimemakingtheboysscary.Iwantedthemtobeabletobemistakenforrealchildren bythereader,soIkeptalidontheirscariness.eopeningsceneis,I’mtold,alittlescary.Ithink abookshouldstartwithabang,andsothesceneisakindofbang.IusedtoplayMurderinthe Darkasakid;itterrifiedme.Iplayitwithmydogsometimes;itstillterrifiesme. Q: What inspired you to write the story-within-the story, weaving the tale of a family evacuating from London to a country estate during World War II with the mystery of the missing princes, nephews of King Richard? How do those two elements, World War II and the mystery of the princes, resonate for you, if they do? A: I’vealwaysbeeninterestedinthestoryofRichardandtheprinces,andI’vealludedtoitafew timesinvariousnovels,butIalwayswantedtowritesomethingmoresubstantialaboutit—to reallylookinsidethecharacters’heads.I’vealsoalwaysfoundthewholeevacuationsagatobe fascinating—howbravethosechildrenmusthavebeen,howwretcheditmusthavebeenfor theparents,howfrightenedanduncertaineveryonemusthavefelt.osechildrenwerereally goingintotheunknown,withnoideaoftheirfate.IstartedthenovelknowingIwouldcombine HC: 978-0-7636-6735-1 • E-book: 978-0-7636-7042-9 272 pages • Age 10 and up Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

Upload: others

Post on 19-Aug-2020

3 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: A conversation with sonya hartnett · 2014. 7. 31. · A conversation with sonya hartnett author of the Children of the King Q: You start with a scary opening scene. If I hadn’t

A conversation with

sonya hartnett

author of

the Children of the King

Q: You start with a scary opening scene. If I hadn’t been told that this was a “mild ghost story,” I might not have gotten past it. Some of your other writing can be very unsettling. What made you decide that this story would be more mild?

A: �Questions�of�mildness�never�came�into�it.�An�idea�comes�to�you,�and�it�brings�with�it�its�own�spirit�—�some�are�eerie,�some�are�quiet,�some�are�loud,�some�are�slinky,�some�are�strange.�I�knew�this�would�be�a�story�for�children�set�during�the�war.�The�age�group�creates�certain�limits�around�what�you�can�and�can’t�write.�I�never�thought�of�it�as�being�a�ghost�story�as�I�wrote�it,�so�I�didn’t�spend�any�time�making�the�boys�scary.�I�wanted�them�to�be�able�to�be�mistaken�for�real�children�by�the�reader,�so�I�kept�a�lid�on�their�scariness.�The�opening�scene�is,�I’m�told,�a�little�scary.�I�think�a�book�should�start�with�a�bang,�and�so�the�scene�is�a�kind�of�bang.�I�used�to�play�Murder�in�the�Dark�as�a�kid;�it�terrified�me.�I�play�it�with�my�dog�sometimes;�it�still�terrifies�me.

Q: What inspired you to write the story-within-the story, weaving the tale of a family evacuating from London to a country estate during World War II with the mystery of the missing princes, nephews of King Richard? How do those two elements, World War II and the mystery of the princes, resonate for you, if they do?

A: �I’ve�always�been�interested�in�the�story�of�Richard�and�the�princes,�and�I’ve�alluded�to�it�a�few�times�in�various�novels,�but�I�always�wanted�to�write�something�more�substantial�about�it�—�to�really�look�inside�the�characters’�heads.�I’ve�also�always�found�the�whole�evacuation�saga�to�be�fascinating�—�how�brave�those�children�must�have�been,�how�wretched�it�must�have�been�for�the�parents,�how�frightened�and�uncertain�everyone�must�have�felt.�Those�children�were�really�going�into�the�unknown,�with�no�idea�of�their�fate.�I�started�the�novel�knowing�I�would�combine�

HC: 978-0-7636-6735-1 • E-book: 978-0-7636-7042-9272 pages • Age 10 and up

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

Page 2: A conversation with sonya hartnett · 2014. 7. 31. · A conversation with sonya hartnett author of the Children of the King Q: You start with a scary opening scene. If I hadn’t

the�two�stories�—�the�princes�and�the�evacuees�—�but�I�was�unsure�how�well�they�would�knit.�In�the�end,�they�worked�easily�together,�I�think�perhaps�because�underneath�all�the�history�and�the�drama�you�have�children�who�are�helpless�and�not�in�control�of�their�destiny.�A�child�is�a�child,�regardless�of�the�era�they�are�living�through.�I�realized�that�the�princes�and�the�evacuees�would�have�much�in�common,�and�so�would�their�stories.

Q: There are a lot of references to Cecily’s not being smart, but she is very astute at summing up people. Her comment about her mother — “She’s always nice, but always cross. She lets me do whatever I want, but everything I do annoys her”(page 67) — really seems to capture that parental conflict. As you created the character of Cecily, did you intentionally make her smart in this way?

A: �Cecily�was�a�great�character�to�write�—�she�proved�to�have�more�spark�than�I�expected�her�to.�I�had�thought�I�would�like�May�best,�but�Cecily�easily�became�my�favorite�character.�I�didn’t�mean�to�make�her�accidentally�astute�—�she�made�herself�that�way.�Some�characters�write�themselves,�and�she�certainly�did�that.�Sometimes�she�surprised�and�delighted�me�with�the�strength�of�her�life.�She�carried�the�book�for�me,�and�I’m�grateful�to�her�for�doing�so.�It�causes�me�some�pain�when�people�say�—�and�they�say�it�often�—�that�they�don’t�like�her.�It�is�important�to�remember�that�she�has�a�good�heart.

Q: Heron Hall is so beautifully and vividly described that you feel as if you could walk through the doors and know just where to find things. Was there a particular place you drew on to create this home, or was it all created in your mind?

A: �I�based�Heron�Hall�loosely�on�a�house�in�Kent�called�Road�Hill�House�—�it�was�the�scene�of�a�famous�murder�in�1860,�and�the�house�is�much-documented�—�as�well�as�on�Byron’s�house,�Newstead,�through�which�I�was�once�given�a�private�tour.�A�lot�of�it,�however,�exists�only�in�my�mind�and�has�no�real�shape�or�layout�but�is�more�just�a�collection�of�images�that�I�altered�as�required.�You�can’t�get�too�specific,�I�find,�with�architecture�and�landscape,�because�you�never�know�when�you’re�going�to�need,�say,�a�tree,�where�there�was�no�tree�before.�I�tend�to�use�small�details�to�define�a�space�or�place�—�a��flock�of�sheep,�a�purply�weed,�a�spacious�fireplace,�a�candle�dripping�wax�on�a�mahogany�side�table�—�and�leave�the�assembling�of�the�whole�to�the�reader’s�imagination.

Q: Peregrine warns his audience that his story “is not a pleasant one” and that “the world was very different then — yet also, underneath, much the same” (pages 98–99). Did you set out to express this message, that war remains the same over time, or did it grow from a desire to write a historical ghost story?

A: �I�think�the�theme�developed�itself�to�a�great�degree�—�I�remember�worrying,�when�I�started�the�book,�about�how�I�was�going�to�draw�the�two�time�frames�together,�but�in�fact�they�meshed�insistently,�and�I�guess�that�was�because�they�both�revolved�around�the�ideas�of�power�and�the�

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

A conversation with sonya hartnett page 2

Page 3: A conversation with sonya hartnett · 2014. 7. 31. · A conversation with sonya hartnett author of the Children of the King Q: You start with a scary opening scene. If I hadn’t

wastage�that�is�war.�It’s�not�just�war�that�remains�the�same�over�time:�it�is�the�world,�or�at�least�the�people�in�it.�Humans�have�always�been�driven�by�greed,�selfishness,�jealousy,�all�the�nasty�kinds�of�things.�They�are�the�underlying�causes�of�war,�and�always�will�be.�Often�I�was�surprised�and�really�pleased�by�how�the�two�time�frames�knitted.�It�was�as�if�the�five�hundred�years�separating�them�were�just�a�blink�—�that�all�the�protagonists�and�their�excuses�for�besieging�each�other�were�almost�interchangeable.

Q: This is one of your three books about war, the other two being The Silver Donkey and The Midnight Zoo. Do you see them working together to convey a common message?

A: �I’m�not�a�great�fan�of�trying�to�instill�any�“message”�in�my�work�—�I�don’t�subscribe�to�that�idea�of�author-as-wise-one.�If�my�books�say�anything,�I�hope�they�say�that�we�should�love�and�respect�animals�and�the�natural�world.�I�suppose�the�three�novels�together�suggest�that�war�affects�the�innocent�in�a�grindingly�brutal,�unforgivable�way,�but�no�one�needed�me�to�tell�them�that,�did�they?

Q: Do you think that Peregrine felt something of the same way for his nephew Jeremy as King Richard felt for his?

A: �I�think�Peregrine�admires�and�likes�Jeremy,�and�sees�himself�in�him,�and�has�great�hopes�for�Jeremy’s�future.�I�don’t�think�Richard�felt�this�way�toward�his�nephews.�In�fact,�I�wouldn’t�be�surprised�if�Richard�felt�somewhat�indifferent�to�them.�He�doesn’t�seem�to�have�known�them�well,�and�it�was�a�time�when�you�could�hardly�afford�to�get�too�attached�to�anyone.�There�was�a�lot�of�unexpected�death�going�around.��

Q: What did you think when King Richard’s bones were discovered beneath the parking lot? It generated a lot of attention about a man immortalized by Shakespeare as evil, but it also brought out his protectors who pointed out (as you do in your book) the many good things he did for his people.

A: �I�have�a�bit�of�a�hard�time�believing�the�bones�are�his,�but�everyone�says�they�are,�so�I�guess�they’re�right.�I’m�confused�about�the�hunchback�question:�it’s�long�been�accepted�that�Shakespeare�made�up�the�physical�deformity,�and�certainly�none�of�Richard’s�contemporaries�mention�any�physical�deformity�—�and�yet�the�bones�are�said�to�show�a�curvature�of�the�spine,�and�suddenly�Richard�is�supposed�to�have�had�a�problem�after�all,�thus�making�the�bones�definitely�his.�It�doesn’t�quite�make�sense�to�me.�Bones�aside,�I�think�Richard�has�been�pretty�unlucky:�he�was�a�product�of�his�rather�fierce�time,�and�no�worse�than�anyone�else�—�in�many�ways,�he�was�a�lot�better.�Dispatching�the�princes�was�never�going�to�look�good�on�his�résumé,�though.�If�he�had�been�living�in�a�slightly�different�time,�he�might�have�got�away�with�it,�but�he�was�living�on�the�cusp�of�historical�change,�and�it�was�a�change�that�went�against�him.�I�think�that�he�was,�ironically,�quite�a�moral�man,�but�he�was�also�a�(rightly)�frightened�and�cornered�man,�and�his�circumstances�drove�him�to�desperate�and�immoral�acts.�And�I�think�he�regretted�this,�but�could�see�no�alternative.

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

A conversation with sonya hartnett page 3

Page 4: A conversation with sonya hartnett · 2014. 7. 31. · A conversation with sonya hartnett author of the Children of the King Q: You start with a scary opening scene. If I hadn’t

Candlewick Press www.candlewick.com

Sonya Hartnett is�the�internationally�acclaimed�author�of�several�novels�and�the�recipient�of�numerous�awards,�including�the�Astrid�Lindgren�Memorial�Award�and�a�Guardian�Children’s�Fiction�Prize.�She�lives�near�Melbourne,�Australia.�

A conversation with sonya hartnett page 4

Phot

o by R

edFiv

eStu

dio

The Silver Donkey HC: 978-0-7636-7211-9 • PB: 978-0-7636-7314-7

★�Delicately�told�and�deeply�resonant....This�tender�fable�of�peace�will�linger�with�both�younger�and�older�readers.”�— Publishers Weekly (starred�review)

The Midnight ZooHC: 978-0-7636-5339-2 • E-book: 978-0-7636-5632-4

Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Winner

Short-listed for the Carnegie Medal

�“An�evocative�story�about�unusual�war�victims�whose�enduring�belief�in�goodness�brings�true�freedom.”�—�Kirkus Reviews

“A�riveting,�edgy�read,�leaving�one�examining�the�whole�notion�of�civilization�versus�wildness.”�— The Horn Book

ButterflyHC: 978-0-7636-4760-5 • PB: 978-0-7636-6334-6 E-book: 978-0-7636-5193-0

★�“The�deliberate�pacing,�insight�into�teen�angst,�and�masterful�word�choice�make�this�a�captivating�read�to�savor.”�— School Library Journal (starred�review)

★�“The�portrait�of�Plum�is�exquisitely�written;�the�third-person�point�of�view�is�steeped�in�emotional�clairvoyance�and�expressed�in�poignantly�age-appropriate�phraseology.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred�review)

The Ghost’s ChildHC: 978-0-7636-3964-8

Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Winner

Sadie and RatzHC: 978-0-7636-5315-6 • PB: 978-0-7636-6461-9 E-book: 978-0-7636-5990-5

A U.S. Board on Books for Young People Outstanding International Book

A National Council of Teachers of English Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts

★�“Hartnett�adeptly�conveys�the�pain�and�loneliness�of�an�older�sibling�facing�a�monumental�moment�of�change�and�captures�what�growing�up�really�means�to�a�child.�This�joyful�choice�for�reading�aloud�serves�as�a�discussion�starter�on�coping,�acceptance,�and�maturity,�and�as�an�instruction�manual�on�personal�narratives.�There�are�myriad�ways�to�appreciate�this�pitch-perfect�story.”�— School Library Journal (starred�review)

Stripes of the Sidestep WolfHC: 978-0-7636-2644-0 • PB: 978-0-7636-3416-2

An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

SurrenderPB: 978-0-7636-3423-0 • E-book: 978-0-7636-6005-5

A Michael L. Printz Honor Book

An American Library Association Best Book For Young Adults

What the Birds SeePB: 978-0-7636-3680-7

More titles by sonya hartnett