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What
was your favorite book when you were a child? When I was young I love to read. My favorite books were biographies. Like most writers I know I have always been interested in people. I like to try to figure out how people think and what they are going to do next. |
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What
kind of student were you? I
loved school and worked hard. The
only time I would get into trouble was for reading instead of doing my
other work. Where
do you get your ideas for the books you write? Most
of my ideas come from my own children and the things that they did.
When Charles invented a food fight catapult at Young
Inventor’s Camp I wrote The Gadget War.
When we were housebreaking our dog, How
long does it take a book to be published? My
books take about a year and a half. How
do you deal with writer’s block? I
make myself come to my computer and get started whether I feel like it
or not. Usually if I sit long enough I’ll become inspired. Are
any of your characters based on real life? When
I create a character I usually start with their appearance. The
physical features come from other people I know.
All the feelings of the character come from me.
All of my characters are a little bit me.
I have Cody’s imagination, Lucky’s optimism, Booker’s
love of words. What
do you like most about your work? Sharing.
I love getting letters from kids who have read my books.
I just had my first Japanese translation and it was a wonderful
feeling to think that a book that I wrote in Least? Discipline.
It takes a lot of self discipline to sit down and write every
day. I think successful writing is about 10% talent and 90%
discipline. Does
anyone else in your family write? My
mother Betsy Byars has written over 50 books. Her best known book is
the Newbery Award winner, The Summer of the Swans.
My sister, Laurie Myers also writes books for children. What
advice would you give a child who wants to become a writer? Read.
When
you’re not writing what do you like to do? My
favorite thing to do in my spare time has not changed since I was a
child - reading Who
has been a role model for you? I
always loved to read but when I was young I didn’t plan to be a
writer. My mother is a writer and I knew first hand what that meant.
You sat at a desk in your bedroom for hours and typed and typed
and typed. It didn’t
seem very exciting. When my children were born I stayed home with them and read to them. I began to get ideas for books of my own and when those ideas came, I knew what to do. My mother had been showing me all my life. Things that are important in life take time and dedication. I sat at a desk for hours and typed and typed and typed and I discovered it was exciting after all.
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