THE STORY OF OWEN (Image provided by Lerner Publishing Group)
E.K. Johnston has set her fictional world on fire in THE STORY OF OWEN: DRAGON SLAYER OF TRONDHEIM. Receiving recognition as a finalist for the 2015 William C. Morris Award, the author discusses the relationship between libraries and young readers. She gives us a glimpse into her latest novel, PRAIRIE FIRE, scheduled to be released next month. I received a complimentary copy of THE STORY OF OWEN before participating in this interview as part of a blog tour.
THE STORY OF OWEN has broad appeal for readers with varying interests. How do you briefly summarize this book for the audience not familiar with these characters and their adventures?
I usually tell people that THE STORY OF OWEN is about a dragon slayer from Southwestern Ontario, who moves from Hamilton to a small town called Trondheim, and has to adjust to slaying dragons in a rural environment. You know, passing algebra. Getting his driver’s license. Not getting lit on fire. The usual stuff.
Many professional reviews have noted your skill in world-building. What advice do you have for young writers on how to best develop rich settings?
Steal. Borrow. Incorporate. Whatever word makes you the most comfortable, do that. I took real events, real places, and, despite my editor’s initial impression of Lester B Pearson, real people, and then I added a dragon. The key for me was always to give the reader the actual world…and then light it on fire, and I think that applies to world building in general.
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), selected THE STORY OF OWEN as a finalist for the 2015 William C. Morris Award; according to YALSA, this award honors the year’s best books written for young adults by a previously unpublished author. How did you find out this news? What was your reaction?
I was at a friend’s house, another author actually, baking Christmas cookies when my cell phone rang. I don’t usually leave my phone on when I’m in company, but I was expecting a call from my sister, so I had it with me. It was our agent, and there was certainly some dancing in the living room! And then, you know, we had all those cookies on hand anyway…
E.K. JOHNSTON
(Image provided by Lerner Publishing Group)
This book appeals to readers served both by ALSC and YALSA. Did you write THE STORY OF OWEN with a specific audience in mind, or did the age of the potential reader not influence your process?
I didn’t have a specific audience in mind when I wrote, so no, the age of my potential reader didn’t influence me. I was a pretty voracious reader as a kid, and often read books that had things I didn’t understand in them, and loved them anyway, because the story was good. If I aimed for anything, it was probably that.
Why are awards and professional recognition valuable? How can libraries best promote books for young readers?
Well it certainly helps to bolster my spirit on bad writing days! But in all seriousness, recognition is fantastic because when more people talk about a book, more people buy and read it. That is huge, and I am profoundly grateful for it. I think that sort of communication and accessibility are key parts of what libraries are great at.
How have libraries shaped your life as a reader and a writer?
I did a lot of my reading in libraries. At school, it was because I didn’t want to go outside for recess. My hometown library was also air conditioned, which my house was not. I could read whatever I wanted at the library, whereas at home my parents kept an eye on what I was reading (Mum wanted me to read kiddie CanLit. I wanted to read pretty much anything OTHER than kiddie CanLit). When it comes to writing, libraries are a great place to work and find resources.
Which books were influential to you as a child and teen?
As a child, The Hobbit, Heidi, and The Chronicles of Narnia were the biggest, but The Lord of the Rings, Anne McCaffery, David Eddings were close runners up! As a teen, I read a lot of Sci-Fi, including every Star Trek tie-in I could get my hands on. I didn’t read Tamora Pierce until university, somehow, but she is tremendous.
PRAIRIE FIRE (Image provided by Lerner Publishing Group)
Owen’s next adventures are explored in PRAIRIE FIRE, scheduled to be released on March 1, 2015. How did the experience writing PRAIRIE FIRE compare to your process of writing THE STORY OF OWEN?
Writing PRAIRIE FIRE was a little easier, because I already had everything I needed. I had “seen” the ending before I ever started writing OWEN, and I knew a lot more of the plot. The hard part was crowd management. There are a lot of two person scenes in OWEN, and a lot of 14 person scenes in PRAIRIE FIRE.
What writing projects are you working on at this time? What battles are next for Owen?
Owen’s battles are over, sadly. PRAIRIE FIRE has them until just before Owen’s 20th birthday, and then it’s not a YA novel anymore. It’s up to fic-writers now! I am working on a couple of other projects, though. One, out in the fall, is a re-telling of THE 1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS (“re-telling” might be a strong word). I am quite excited about it.
Thanks to E.K. Johnston for sharing these delightful details about Owen’s adventures and her valuable feedback on the role of libraries!
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