Jim Murphy has done it again -- crafted a work of non-fiction so compelling that it will keep kids hooked like an action-packed novel. The fact that Benedict Arnold's life reads like a novel helps. Murphy asks important questions about the man whose name has become synonymous with the word "traitor" and explores those questions with an open mind and an eye for historical detail. THE REAL BENEDICT ARNOLD takes a look at the man behind the label, his early days of the war, his motivations, and the reasons for the decision that ultimately made him infamous.
This is a fascinating book -- one that I'm recommending to teachers as a companion to my own middle grade historical novel SPITFIRE, which tells the story of two young people who were with Benedict Arnold's fleet on Lake Champlain in the fall of 1776. Just as Murphy's AN AMERICAN PLAGUE is a perfect complement to Laurie Halse Anderson's FEVER, this book will prove to be an invaluable resource for teachers looking to add some non-fiction to classroom libraries and discussions.
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By: Kate Messner,
on 11/7/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: spitfire, benedict arnold, middle grade non-fiction, jim murphy, the real benedict arnold, the real benedict arnold, Add a tag
By: Mayra Calvani,
on 11/2/2007
Blog: Mayra's Secret Bookcase (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: kate messner, spitfire, historical, young adult novel, spitfire, kate messner, civil war, young adult novel, civil war, Add a tag
Do you consider yourself a born writer?
A born writer? Unfortunately, no. I love the idea of children showing up in the world with beautiful language just spilling from their crayons, but I’m afraid it’s not much of a reality - at least not for this writer. I’ve always loved stories and books, and I’ve always found magic in literature. When I was a kid, I’d escape into Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume books for hours on end, and after a while, I decided I wanted in on that magic, and I started writing. Like most writers, even though I liked it, it took me lots of practice before I was any good at it (and some days, I’m still not very good at it!).
When did you decide to become an author?
When I was seven. School was over for the summer, and I missed the research and the writing, so I started assigning myself these little reports. The rain forest. Gorillas. Sharks. The shark story was my favorite. My parents put it on the refrigerator, and that’s the first time I was “published.”I’ve always loved learning about history and digging into the past, so historical fiction is a favorite genre for me. I absolutely love having a license to ask zillions of questions and explaining that I’m working on a book. (The truth is, I’d probably be asking the questions anyway, but it sure sounds a lot better this way!)
Tell us about your historical young adult novel, Spitfire. What is it about? What inspired you to write such a story?
Spitfire is about a girl who disguises herself as a boy and fights in a Revolutionary War naval battle on Lake Champlain — the Battle of Valcour Island. If you visit my website, you’ll see some pictures of Valcour Island, which is truly a stunning place. I live on Lake Champlain, not far from there, and I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that an important Revolutionary War battle took place right out there on the lake. Then in 1997, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum was doing a survey of the lake bottom and discovered the last remaining gunboat from Benedict Arnold’s fleet in 1776 on the bottom of the lake. That’s when my fascination turned into a bit of an obsession, and I did everything I could to learn more about that battle. The most exciting thing I learned was that there was a 12-year-old boy involved in the battle. His name was Pascal De Angelis, and he came to the Champlain Valley with his stepfather, who captained one of the ships. The Battle of Valcour Island went on for three days because the Americans escaped from a British blockade and got away for a time before the British caught up and the fighting started again. This boy, Pascal, celebrated his 13th birthday on the lake in the middle of the battle. I knew that was the story I wanted to tell, and I knew that I wanted to connect his story with the story of the missing gunboat, which was identified as the Spitfire.My book is historical fiction, so it’s a mix of historical fact and fictional characters. There are two narrators - the real historical figure, Pascal, and his fictional friend, a girl named Abigail who joins the fleet disguised as a boy so she can search for her uncle. Researching and writing this book was a joy for me, and seeing kids who live in this region read it and appreciate the history of their lake is just incredible.
When working on a novel, what is your schedule like? How long does it usually take you to finish a full-length book? Do you edit as your write or do you cough up the first draft and leave the polishing for later?
Oh boy... the schedule question. I teach middle school English full time, and I have two kids of my own, so it seems like there’s never enough time in the day. I generally write from 9pm to midnight. I’ll turn in earlier if I’m really tired or later if I’m on a roll, but that’s my usual schedule.I’m a spill-out-the-first-draft kind of person. I like to have that draft done so I have an idea where I’m going. Once it’s down on paper, I can settle down and revise. I’m much better at revising than actually writing.Who are your favorite young adult novelists?I have too many favorite middle grade and YA novelists to count, and I read a huge variety of genres. But I love the work of Laurie Halse Anderson, Rick Riordan, JK Rowling, Ellen Klages, Nancy Werlin, Joseph Bruchac, Cynthia Lord, Sonya Sones, Sarah Dessen, John Green, Lisa Yee, Bruce Covillle, and Lois Lowry, to name a few. I’m always discovering new authors, too, and I love reading a book by a brand new author and introducing it to my 7th graders. Some terrific new voices I’ve discovered in the past year are Linda Urban, Sarah Miller, Melissa Marr, and Carrie Jones. Fledgling writers often try to emulate their favorite author's style.
Did you experience this when you first started writing? If yes, who was your role model?
I try to learn from every author whose work I read and admire, but I can’t say that I really emulate any particular style. Voice is tough to fake, and if you’re not writing in a voice that authentically yours, it doesn’t sound true. I worked in broadcast journalism when I graduated from college, and I remember an older anchorman at the NBC affiliate in Syracuse, New York, chewing me out because I admitted that I was trying to sound like another well-established reporter in one of my stories. “You can’t be Sheryl Nathans,” he told me. “Because that job is already taken... by Sheryl Nathans.” It’s advice that I remember to this day - the only voice that will work for you as a writer is one that’s uniquely your own.
With so many books published, how do you promote your work and still have time to write, or vice versa? Do you follow a planned writing/marketing schedule? Any tips you would like to share with other authors?
Juggling marketing and writing with teaching and family is a delicate balancing act for me. I think I make a good go of it, but I’m certainly not in a position to be giving advice!
Any upcoming books in the horizon?
I’m finishing revisions on another historical novel set on Lake Champlain — this one during the 17th century — and I have a middle grade contemporary novel that’s out with a few agents right now. I’m just starting work on a humorous chapter book and polishing up a few picture books.
Do you have a website where readers may find more about you and your work?
http://www.katemessner.com/. Teachers will find the site especially useful, since the full study guide for Spitfire is available as a free downloaded pdf document.
If there was one book you'd recommend as absolute read for aspiring young adult fiction authors, what would that be?
Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. It’s not about YA fiction but about writing in general and the life of a writer. I love this book and recommend it to everyone who will listen. It has lots of great, concrete advice, but more than anything, Anne Lamott has a way of making you laugh and then believe that this whole writer thing will work out. That, for me, is what it takes to stay in my chair and keep working.
What advice would you give to those young adult fiction authors who are trying to break into print?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Join SCBWI and hang out at Verla Kay’s Children’s Writers & Illustrators Discussion Boards. You’ll learn a lot there. Find a critique group with people you enjoy who will challenge you to make your writing stronger. And don’t try to be Sheryl Nathans or anyone else, no matter how much you admire his or her work. Those other jobs are taken. Work to find the voice that belongs to you and let it shine.
By: Kate Messner,
on 11/1/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: historical fiction, children's books, tedd arnold, spitfire, rochester children's book festival, james howe, Add a tag
I have a bad habit with book festivals and book fairs. I know that when I’m participating in one, I should spend the weeks leading up to it preparing my presentation and choosing my readings and things like that. What I tend to do instead is get sidetracked by all the other authors participating and go on a reading binge. My book festival conversations tend to go like this:
Husband: What are you doing for the Rochester Children’s Book Festival?
Me: Did you see who’s going to be there??! James Howe and Tedd Arnold and Michelle Knudsen! Can you believe that? E and I loved LIBRARY LION….
Husband: Yes, but…
Me: I hope I get to sit near Tedd Arnold. He has this new young adult book out…
Husband: Is your presentation ready?
Me: …and Vivian Van Velde is going to be there...and Coleen Paratore...
You get the idea. 
This Saturday, November 3 is the Rochester Children’s Book Festival, with an AMAZING lineup of children’s authors and illustrators. I’m participating in the festival’s “Tween Time” showcase of historical fiction, and my kids have convinced me that I need to dress up as my main character again since it was such a hit in Burlington on Halloween. I'm portraying Abigail Smith, an 18th century girl who disguises herself as a boy to fight in a Revolutionary War battle on Lake Champlain. If you're near Rochester, please drop by 'Tween Time at 10:45. I'll be there with my hardtack and my haversack, ready to share!
In a rare moment of planning ahead, I finished my presentation last week, so I’ve felt entitled to go on a reading binge of other festival authors’ books. Here are a couple reviews….
I loved James Howe’s novel THE MISFITS, where a group of middle school outsiders challenges the school’s name-calling habit as a student council campaign platform. Until last week, though, I hadn’t gotten around to reading the sequel, TOTALLY JOE. This is a lighter look at what it’s like to be a gay kid in middle school. Howe introduces readers to Joe Bunch through his main character’s “alphabiography,” a series of essays he has to write about his life, with each topic starting with a different letter of the alphabet (26 chapters, including one on the ubiquitous alphabet-book xylophone, for those keeping track). Through the assignment, Joe tells the story of his first sort-of boyfriend, middle school bullies, his creative, supportive Aunt Pam, and his quest to be Totally Joe. It’s honest and tough sometimes without losing its fun voice. Howe has provided a particular gift in this novel – a book about being gay that’s age-appropriate for someone who’s still in middle school and not ready for some of the edgier titles that seem to abound in YA literature.
I also want to talk about RAT LIFE, Tedd Arnold's first foray into young adult literature, which was so great that when I finished it, I trotted right over to nominate it for a Cybil Award in the YA Category. (Nominations are open until November 21st, in case you haven't nominated your favorites yet!)
RAT LIFE is one of those books that made me laugh one minute and gasp in shock the next. Its narrator, Todd, is a would-be writer growing up in Upstate NY in 1972. In the first pages of the book, he hears about a body found in a river and meets a mysterious character who calls himself Rat. Todd wonders if Rat, an underaged recruit who's just back from a tour of Vietnam, has something to do with that body in the river, and those suspicions mount throughout the novel, all the way to its dizzying climax. I could go on and on about the humor, the interesting writing strategies Arnold employed, the gut-wrenching scene that almost made me stop reading but is so important to the book... but I'll let you discover this one for yourself. Don't start reading until you have some time; you won't want to take breaks.
By: Kate Messner,
on 10/24/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: jan stanley, bruce hiscock, church st. marketplace, nctrc, suny plattsburgh, bonnie shimko, sheri amsel, north country teacher resource center, burlington halloween, halloween, spitfire, lake champlain, tamia gastio, Add a tag
Question: When does a middle grade historical novel become a Halloween book?
Answer: When the author agrees to dress up as her main character because she can't resist Burlington's Church St. Marketplace Halloween Celebration. Spitfire is about a girl who disguises herself as a boy to fight in a Revolutionary War naval battle on Lake Champlain. That means...you guessed it... On Church St. this Saturday, I'll be an author, disguised as an 18th century girl, disguised as an 18th century boy. Here's the official blurb...
Saturday, October 27, 1:00: Join children's author Kate Messner for a trip back in time to the American Revolution on Lake Champlain at Borders Books and Music, 2nd floor. Kate portrays Abigail Smith, the main character in her middle grade novel SPITFIRE, who disguises herself as a boy to fight in the battle of Valcour Island. Participatory activities for kids are based on the book. A book signing will follow the event.
If you're leaf-peeping in Vermont this weekend, please stop by and say hello!
On Tuesday, October 30, I'll be at the North Country Teacher Resource Center Educator Showcase at Plattsburgh State from 4:30-6:00, with five other fun author/illustrator people. (At this one, I'll just be regular Kate...)
By: Kate Messner,
on 9/13/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: revision, children's books, spitfire, linda urban, burlington book festival, a crooked kind of perfect, elijah of buxton, Add a tag
Some of you have already had the pleasure of meeting the author of A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT on ![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
kellyrfineman's blog this week. If you haven't seen her interview, it's terrific. If you did see Kelly's post, you can consider this your second date with Linda! I'm doing a presentation on my upcoming historical novel SPITFIRE at this weekend's Burlington Book Festival, and Linda's talk on CROOKED is right afterwards in the same room, so I wanted to invite her here for a visit first.
Whether they're adults or kids, people who love reading and writing always want to hear the story of how their favorite books came to be. What was the inspiration for A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT and how did it grow into the middle grade novel it is today?
It started as a picture book. I was telling author/illustrator David Small about my childhood fantasy of playing classical music on a grand piano and how my dad got seduced by the rhythm switches of a mall organ. David said, "I can just see the illustrations for that!" A few weeks later I wrote a picture book, but the voice and pacing were all wrong for a picture book. It wasn't until two years later that I gave it a try as a novel. That's when the story took off.
Many of my blog readers are teachers of writing, and they're always looking for ways to help kids with revision. Would you share with us a few of your favorite revision strategies?
Nothing beats reading your work aloud. That's when you hear all the word repetition and discover the rhythm of the piece. For me, writing is about capturing a sound, a voice, a mood. I can't be sure I've done that until I actually hear the work.
On to the fun stuff now....
Why Neil Diamond?
Many people think I picked "Forever in Blue Jeans" for some sort of cheese factor, but really it is a very sweet, very earnest song that fit Zoe's story perfectly. She has to see past the cheese of it, past the disappointment that her competition piece is not the perfect classical composition she had imagined herself playing, and come to love this simple, honest melody. The lyrics underscore that.
We live in such an ironic age, enamored of kitsch and edge. People are made to feel foolish for feeling things with their whole hearts. If there is anything that I can do to let kids know that it is okay to express what honestly matters to them, I'm all for it. Hence, a little Neil Diamond.
The desserts described in A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT sound perfectly delicious. Are you a great dessert chef, a great dessert eater, neither, or both?
I bake some. Cookies and breads mostly. I have a lot of admiration for people who make beautiful desserts. When you and I spend hours on our writing, part of us is thinking that maybe we'll find a few words that will live on beyond us, bound in a book, available forever and ever and ever. A pastry chef can put her heart into a cake - hours of work - and then the whole thing gets swallowed up and that is that. You really have to care a great deal about making art when you know it is only going to last thirty minutes.
And your favorite dessert is...?
Apple pie. Yum.
What books -- for kids or adults -- have you read and loved lately?
I just finished Elijah of Buxton, the latest historical by Christopher Paul Curtis. What a genius that man is. He starts by letting us meet Elijah at his most silly and, as his Mama would say "fra-gile", falling for an elaborate story about "hoop snakes", playing a practical joke, and getting one played on him in return. It is hysterically funny and perfect for grabbing the attention of young readers. In a few short pages you can't help but know and love Elijah. And then, slowly, and without losing humor or character, we are introduced into the deep and lasting horrors of slavery that have shaped the lives of the townspeople of Buxton. The effect is devastating. You've got to read this book.
What can folks expect if they come to see you at the Burlington Book Festival this weekend?
I plan to read a little from A Crooked Kind of Perfect and talk with kids and grown-ups about writing, perfection, and getting over the fears that stop us from doing those things that really matter to us.
If anyone LJ friends are in the area (or up for a road trip!), I know that Linda and I would both love to meet you. Here's the scoop on our presentations:
Burlington Book Festival
Waterfront Theatre, Burlington, VT
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
KATE MESSNER
Join Kate Messner for a trip back in time to the American Revolution on Lake Champlain. Kate will read from her middle grade historical novel Spitfire, set during the Battle of Valcour Island in 1776, sign books and present an interactive multimedia slide show about the real 12-year-old who fought in the battle. Kids will be invited to taste the food and try on the clothes of an 18th century sailor, handle artifact replicas and design their own powder horns to take home.
Waterfront Theatre Black Box, 3rd Floor
12:30-1:30 PM
LINDA URBAN
Linda will debut her new book for young readers (ages 8-12), A Crooked Kind of Perfect. Listen to excerpts and find out what it's like to write and publish a novel for kids.
Waterfront Theatre Black Box, 3rd Floor
By: Kate Messner,
on 9/5/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, writers, children's books, spitfire, Add a tag
I just got the final word from my editor that SPITFIRE will be available by the end of September! To celebrate the release and the work of all of us who write for young people, I’m hosting a contest and writer-of-the-day feature on my blog…
spitfire: (n) A fiery-tempered, passionate person
My middle grade historical novel is called SPITFIRE for two reasons.
1) On the bottom of Lake Champlain today rests the last remaining gunboat of Benedict Arnold’s Revolutionary War fleet. It sank while American vessels were fleeing from the British during the Battle of Valcour Island in October of 1776. Spitfire is the name of that boat and the setting for much of my novel.
2) My main character, Abigail Smith, is a 12-year-old girl who steals a leaky rowboat and runs away to join the American fleet on Lake Champlain. She is brave, passionate, and more than a little impulsive – a spitfire if ever there was one.
On to the contest…
Are you a SPITFIRE?
The more writers I meet, the more convinced I am that you have to be a real spitfire to survive this career choice. With that in mind, write a brief (300 words or less) essay on what makes you a spitfire in your writing life or in some other way that’s entertaining to read about. I’ll feature some of the essays on my blog in the days leading up to SPITFIRE’s release, along with an author photo and/or a picture of your latest book if you’re published.
Send entries with the subject line “SPITFIRE CONTEST” to kmessner at katemessner dot com (no spaces). Please include:
-Your name
-A link to your website or blog if you have one
-Your essay pasted into the email, with permission to post on my blog
-A jpeg photo of you and/or your latest book attached if you’d like me to post it on my blog with your Spitfire Writer essay to promote your book
The deadline is September 25. Everyone who sends an essay will be entered in a drawing…and if you let people know about the contest on your website or blog and post a link to this page, I’ll enter you in the drawing twice. Just drop me a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
A winner will be drawn at random from all entries, and that person will receive a signed copy of SPITFIRE, along with a box of Lake Champlain Chocolates. Because everyone needs chocolate. Being a spitfire is hard work.
By: Kate Messner,
on 8/15/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: revolutionary war, joyce carol oates, vermont, harry bliss, spitfire, jim arnosky, chris bohjalian, lake champlain, linda urban, barbara lehman, kate messner, children's literature festival, howard frank mosher, james kochalka, barbara seuling, anna dewdney, warren kimble, waterfront theater, marie-louise gay, russell banks, burlington, burlington book festival, tracey campbell pearson, Add a tag
I know it's early, but I want to let everyone know about the Burlington Book Festival coming up next month. Burlington, VT hosts an incredible book festival each fall, just as the leaves are changing color in New England. If you live in the Northeast (or even if you don't but you really, really like autumn leaves and books), it's worth the trip. Most of the events are being held at Waterfront Theater on the shores of Lake Champlain.
I'll be presenting on Sunday, September 16th at the Children's Literature Festival. Here's my blurb from the festival website:
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
KATE MESSNER
Join Kate Messner for a trip back in time to the American Revolution on Lake Champlain. Kate will read from her middle grade historical novel Spitfire, set during the Battle of Valcour Island in 1776, sign books and present an interactive multimedia slide show about the real 12-year-old who fought in the battle. Kids will be invited to taste the food and try on the clothes of an 18th century sailor, handle artifact replicas and design their own powder horns to take home.
Waterfront Theatre Black Box, 3rd Floor
Right after my presentation, Linda Urban (lurban) will read from A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT and talk about the journey of writing and publishing a children's book. (Even though Linda says it will make her nervous, my kids and I are definitely going to be in the audience!)
Also on tap for the Sunday kids' day... Tracey Campbell Pearson, James Kochalka, Anna Dewdney, Harry Bliss, Jim Arnosky, Barbara Seuling, Marie-Louise Gay, Barbara Lehman, and Warren Kimble.
And the rest of the Book Festival is nothing to scoff at either, with writers like Chris Bohjalian, Howard Frank Mosher, Russell Banks, and Joyce Carol Oates speaking on Saturday, September 15th. The full schedule is posted at the festival website now. If you're in the area that weekend, please stop by the Children's Literature Festival and say hello!
By: Kate Messner,
on 7/25/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: teachers, spitfire, clinton community college, benedict arnold, lake champlain, battle of valcour, presentation, Add a tag
I gave my first presentation on SPITFIRE on Monday and couldn't have asked for a more pleasant and receptive audience. Clinton Community College hosts a teachers' historical workshop about Benedict Arnold in the Champlain Valley. Facilitators Tom Mandeville and John Mockry do a fantastic job sharing knowledge about Lake Champlain history and leading field trips around the region. 
I was the after-lunch speaker on Monday. They had lasagna, and I worried about this, but only one person dozed off a little, and I think I woke him up with my bo'sun's whistle. (It's used to issue orders during battle...or to get attention during a presentation as the need arises...)
I presented my PowerPoint about the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain, the real 12-year-old boy who fought in that battle, and how I researched his life and life on board an 18th century gunboat to write SPITFIRE. I also gave teachers a sneak peak at my school presentation, showing some of the artifact replicas, articles of clothing, and other 18th century treats I'll be sharing with students this fall.
I gave my first reading from SPITFIRE to people who don't live with me, and that was a terrific feeling. The teachers were kind enough to laugh in all the right places, had nice things to say about my research and writing, and clapped when I was done.
It was a wonderful afternoon, and it was great to spend time with people who love Lake Champlain and its history as much as I do.
By: Kate Messner,
on 7/22/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book trailers, teachers, spitfire, clinton community college, benedict arnold, lake champlain, battle of valcour, presentation, Add a tag
I'm giving my first presentation for SPITFIRE tomorrow!
The book won't be out for almost two months, but this week's historical workshop at Clinton Community College focuses on Benedict Arnold in the Champlain Valley, so it's a perfect opportunity to share SPITFIRE and the story behind it with a great group of area teachers.
I'll be presenting a PowerPoint on the Battle of Valcour Island and the real 12-year-old who fought in it, sharing some artifacts to give teachers a taste of my program for schools, and... sharing my new book trailer for SPITFIRE!
Have I mentioned how much I love iMovie?
By: Kate Messner,
on 5/23/2007
Blog: Kate's Book Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: nysra, spitfire, reading conference, spitfir, Add a tag
Hurray! SPITFIRE has been mentioned on a website that's not mine! I'm presenting this November at the NYS Reading Association Conference, and the workshop description is posted online now. I'm workshop #110. There's just one problem....
The title of my book has been changed from Spitfire to Spitfir. Makes it sound like I've written a story about a diabolical evergreen that lurks in the forest waiting to hock loogies at unsuspecting hikers.
I sent an email to the conference organizer, thanking her for the listing and asking if my title could be fixed. She promised to have their web person deal with it soon. I thought I'd share the moment, though, since it made me laugh.