All Rileyed Up

Happy Swallows Day! Today is the day we celebrate the return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano. Parading and festivities to continue on through the weekend. Since not all of you will be able to join me for them, here’s a little online celebration.

Please meet Kathryn Fitzmaurice, a local author whose debut novel, The Year Swallows Came Early, is a work of middle grade fiction featuring Eleanor “Groovy” Robinson. Groovy is an 11-year-old girl with dreams of cooking school and a life full of (sometimes unhappy) surprises. Join her and her best friend Frankie as they take tentative steps into the world of parents’ mistakes, betrayed feelings, and the power of forgiveness. (There’s a more detailed story description on Kathryn’s site).

1. You were first inspired to write by your grandmother, a science fiction author. Have you ever penned any science fiction?

Kathryn Fitmaurice: I have never written any science fiction or fantasy. I always think that those science fiction/fantasy authors must be very talented in order to create an entire world. Just think of all the details they make up!

2. Your main character in The Year The Swallows Came Early, 11-year-old Eleanor “Groovy” Robinson, is named after your grandmother. Are there any personality quirks that your fictional Eleanor and the real Eleanor share?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The only thing they share is their name. But Groovy’s great grandmother, Eleanor Robinson, whom she is named after; her character is almost exactly how my own grandmother was. My own grandmother (the real Eleanor Robinson) had a porcelain owl collection, she wrote very late at night, and was interested in paranormal happenings. I tried to make the character in the book very much like my own grandmother. I did this to honor everything she had done to encourage me in becoming a writer. Of course she never got to read my book, but it still feels really special to me.

3. I love the article in the OC Register about your journey from inspiration to published book and your grandmother’s inscription in the Emily Dickinson book. Have you ever shown your grandmother’s box of unpublished writings to anyone else?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: My family has seen them, and then I showed them to the photographer at the OC Register. My mother and I go through them sometimes, but no one else has seen them. Here is a photograph of a few of them in a pile:

These were from her short story collection. I really love reading them along with the detailed notes she wrote to herself about her characters and their personalities, etc.

4. How long did it take you to write The Year the Swallows Came Early?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: It took me three years to write the story. Of course, a lot of it was done (revised) the last year, after I got an agent.

5. Your second book is about Groovy’s friends. Do you intend to write more books about these characters or are you going to stop at two?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The second book is about Frankie. It’s written from his point of view. I’m still revising it right now. He is more difficult to write about than Eleanor because he’s much more complicated. I’m not sure if I’ll write one about any of the other characters. I think it would be fun to write one about Marisol, though. She’s so bossy and talented at the same time!

6. You’ve woven a lot of food into your tale. Does food play a large role in the second book as well?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: No, food does not play a big part in the second book because food is not really a part of Frankie’s day to day life. In fact, the only thing he really likes is cheese sandwiches!

7. Did you ever attend or want to attend cooking school yourself?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Well, here is where I admit that I completely can’t stand to not only make out a grocery list, but go to the market! I cook because I have to. I have two teenage boys who are always starving, but really, I don’t enjoy cooking that much.

8. How did you come to choose writing Middle Grade instead adult fiction?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Yes, it is considered middle grade fiction, for readers ages 9-12. I enjoy writing for this age because kids these ages are still so hopeful about their world and all the possibilities that may happen. And also, when I first started the book, my own boys were about this age, so I was reading (with them) a lot of middle grade novels.

9. What are some of your favorite Middle Grade (or YA) books?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I enjoy anything written by Kate DiCamillo, Debra Wiles, Sharon Creech, Susan Patron, Ann Martin, and Katherine Hannigan….I could go on for awhile here. There’s so many amazing writers today.

10. What is your writing schedule like, ie do you have a set time every day during which you write?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Usually, I write every weekday between the hours of 9am and 3pm. But that doesn’t always happen. I drink very strong green tea while I write and try not to answer the phone (unless it’s my mother!). My dog, Holly, sits with me in my home office. She is a very big help!

11. Do you find you spend more writing time with the computer keyboard or pen and paper? Pros or cons of either?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I always write the first draft on the computer, then print it and make revisions in pencil. I need to see it on the floor all layed out so I can cut and paste sections together. Then I retype it back on the computer, print it again, make more revisions, etc., until it is done. This usually takes SEVERAL times before it is ready to be read by my agent, who usually (luckily!) sends it back again for another draft. Then, once the publisher, Molly O’Neill at HarperCollins, sees it, she will also have suggestions to make it better. There is the copy editor, who looks at it after the editor and helps me find the discrepancies I may have overlooked. On one page of the manuscript, there could be up to ten sticky notes from the copy editor suggesting changes.

12. Though you grew up in Arizona, you now live in California and set your story in a California town. Do you find the California landscape/environment inspires your writing?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I have always loved living in California. I’ve lived in three houses since I’ve been here, all within a couple of miles from each other. But Arizona is really beautiful, too. I love the desert almost as much as I love the beach.

13. Anything else you’d like to say?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Thank you very much for interviewing me!

Kathryn has graciously offered to give away one signed copy of The Year the Swallows Came Early. To enter the giveaway, please check out Kathryn’s site and leave a comment here by midnight Pacific time Wednesday March 25 (which happens to be my birthday) telling me why you want to read this book or what you enjoyed learning about Kathryn. The more entertaining the comment, the more appreciative I am…

US addresses only.

EDITED: The winner is Edj! Come on down!

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This post contributed to Thursday Thirteen.

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Who among you have read a book and wished it was real?

I want to see Inkheart for the premise alone. Inkheart offers the type of storyline that is so simple and appealing, I am jealous I didn’t think of it myself. I’ve spent a lifetime reading books wishing certain characters were real (Mara Jade) and thankful others weren’t (Hannibal Lector).

Inkheart is a family friendly fantasy adventure about a man and his daughter reading books and bringing the characters to life, you know, that old chestnut. It stars none other than everyone’s favorite family friendly fantasy adventure star, Brendan Fraser (been crushing on him since School Ties).

Over the holidays, I had the opportunity to watch two Brendan Fraser movies: The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Journey to the Center of the Earth. They were about what you’d expect: quick action sequences, seemingly indomitable obstacles overcome with surprising ease, and witty words from Mr. Fraser. And I have to admit, I loved every minute of them. Let me just say, any movie that brings in a team of fighting yetis without any explanation whatsoever is top notch entertainment in my book. That is what all movies need: more yetis.

Inkheart may not have yetis, but it does have unicorns and ferrets. In other words, Inkheart is giving me the two animals my third grade self wished to have as pets rolled up into one big happy film, with a shirtless Paul Bettany playing with fire to boot. Along with Brendan Fraser and Paul Bettany (and the unicorn and ferret), Inkheart co-stars Helen “The Queen” Mirren and Jim “Bridget Jones’ dad” Broadbent, as well as Andy “Gollum” Serkis as the bad guy.

Inkheart comes out January 23, and I can already tell you, Inkheart is awesome. Lack of yetis notwithstanding.

Official Inkheart website here.

Enjoy the preview:

I know it seems like I’ve been reviewing a lot of items this week, but what can I say, it’s summer and all the cool things are coming out.

There is a new being in our house, and she’s called Nana Star. Nana Star and Moon Man, along with their accompanying storybooks arrived on our doorstep last week and have been a big deal since.

Nana Star is the main character in a series of children’s picture books written by Elizabeth Sills and Elena Patrice and illustrated by Linda Saker. Nana Star is a little girl who finds a lost star looking for its Nana and she becomes his Nana Star as she tries to return him to his home in the heavens. Based on the two we’ve read, it seems that in every book, Nana Star and Baby Star will encounter a new friend, like Moon Man. (link to the read aloud video of book one at the end of this post)

First and foremost, let me say, kudos to books that come with a CD that reads the story aloud and sings a song. Why do I like CDs that read the story aloud? Because I DON’T always enjoy reading a story aloud twelve times an hour. I know that’s like some sort of bad parent admission, but so be it. I liken repeated reading aloud to the utmost of irritating songs, 12 Days of Christmas, and by the time my mind is reeling and singing to itself “Fiiiive Golden Reads!” it’s time to pop in the CD. As a bonus, Little No Limit digs the CD. She flips through the pages on her own or just listens to the story while playing with her dolly Nana Star.

Other reasons everyone in the house likes these books:

They make great bedtime stories.
The books always have one mistake in them “because in life, we all make mistakes, yet, even with those mistakes, we can still create something beautiful.” Your kids can also mail in to the publisher telling them they found the mistake to receive a photo of Nana Star.
The characters and illustrations are all sweet-natured.
The toys are very huggable.
ee publishing and productions sends a portion of all proceeds to The Nana Star Foundation for terminally ill children.

So, let’s see. Dolls. Stories. Pretty pictures. Read aloud CDs. Charitable publisher. What more do you want? George Clooney? Well, yes. I can’t help you there my friend. But I can certainly relate.

Things to know:

Buy the book here.

Visit their website here.

Still not sold? Have your daughter watch this video for herself and decide.

Want to review products like this? Go here.

BOB Books have apparently been around for a while, but this is my first introduction to them. I have Set 1 for Beginning Readers, comprised of 12 short booklets. And boy howdy, do they mean short. I wish all books were like this, because as un-motherly as it sounds, sometimes I can’t stand reading aloud with the kids. I used to enjoy reading kid books, but when I’m reading something for the 950th time, it wears on my interests somewhat. Fortunately, no matter how bored I might get of reading BOB books, at least they’re short. Anyone can handle a minute, right?

My kids, ages 3 and 4, enjoy BOB books. They don’t read aloud much (yet), but they will point to the pictures. The sentences are nice and simple (“Mat sat. Sam sat.”) and at the beginning of every booklet, they tell you which sounds are being emphasized (no more than four per book), which is nice for the older children because you can make them point them out while reading. The books are also stick drawings with bits of color, so you could extend the reading activity to an art activity by encouraging your kids to draw them freehand or trace them, and color them. You could even re-enact these stories, as most of them involved easy things like “Dot and Mit sit on a mat” that could get funny when they sit on each other.

I like this one guy, Mac, who looks a little bit like a robot. “Dot and the Dog” involves the story of Dot, a little girl who looks like her hair is permanently in curlers, and her dog, as they try to figure out what is in a bag that Dot has. In the end, they discover “The bag had a hot dog.” I don’t know about you, some mystery bag containing a hot dog sounds pretty suspicious to me.

Then there is “Lad and the Fat Cat” — easily my favorite. First, it contains the sentence: “Lad sat on a keg,” followed up with “Lad had a nap” where he is sleeping against the keg (aka “barrel”). This book also talked about the “fat, fat cat” who at the end we find out was pregnant! Yes! Let’s call the pregnant animals fat! That will make all of us mommies feel great.

In “The Vet,” a veterinarian who goes to the zoo to help the hurt lion, which includes a page where “The cat ran zig zag. The vet ran zip zap.” The picture of the vet makes him look like he is a figure skater, and frankly, I don’t think it’s a good idea to move like that around a big cat (we all saw what happened to poor Roy, of “Siegfried and” fame ). But no worries from The Vet – he and the lion shake hands at the end (“O.K. Cat! O.K. Vet!”)

So, um, yeah. That’s my review of this book. Enthusiastic thumbs up for the little kids! And a few snickers for Mommy and Daddy too.

Important things for you to know:

Buy the book here.

Read more about the book here.

Want to review books like this? Go here.

BTW, Kailani of An Island Life is holding a giveaway to Warm Biscuit Bedding Company. Stop by before September 28th for all the details. They have nice fabric (and I’m into sewing lately).

You can also check out Kailani’s sidebar for info on the Carnival of Family Life, to which this book review is being submitted. See Real Life after Sept 30 for more posts.