Good morning everyone. Today author Kathryn Fitzmaurice is talking to us again about her work. This is the second entry in our ongoing series of blog articles. You can read my reciprocal blog on her website.
"I have taken to stalking my latest main character. He is quite elusive, though. He won’t tell me much about what he wants. He tries to hide behind the pages of my manuscript. He smiles when I’m forced to delete paragraphs that don’t match who he is. I see him in the back corner of my depiction of who he is, smiling. Arms crossed tight at his chest. He’s not ready to talk yet.
“That’s okay,” I tell him. “I can wait.”
He nods like he knows I have no choice.
I wave a bundle of papers at him. “You see this?” I say. “It’s a character study. I’m going to fill it out today, and then, then, I’ll know better who you are.”
He raises his eyebrows and walks away. This is typical behavior for him.
I grab my pencil and get to work. I know he’ll talk sooner or later."
Thank you Kathryn. Now I know that the troublesome behavior exhibited by my characters is not unique. They truly have a life of their own.
The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice. Bowen/HarperCollins, 2009.
Gr. 4 – 6
It’s bad enough that Eleanor Robinson (called “Groovy” by her father and all her friends) has to watch her dad being arrested, but then she learns that her mom is the one who turned him in – for stealing Groovy’s $25,000 inheritance from her grandmother and losing it betting on the wrong horse.
Not only does Groovy’s dream of going to culinary school some day start to look unlikely, but she’s angry at her feckless father, whom she also can’t help missing. Her best friend Frankie is having problems, too – his mom suddenly shows up two years after leaving on what was supposed to be a two-week trip, and Frankie can’t bring himself to forgive her.
Just a few characters in Groovy’s small California town are highlighted – her beauty-stylist mom, Frankie’s stepbrother (and guardian) Luis who runs the Swallow Shop and Ferry, a mysterious street person named Mr. Tom, and a classmate named Marisol, whose ambition matches Groovy’s own. The characterization was the least effective part of the book for me – although all characters certainly felt realistic in both action and speech, no one came alive for me or felt particularly fleshed out or intriguing. Well, except that I wouldn’t mind Luis as a son-in-law. Mr. Tom, with his wise and insightful (though out of left field, as befits a mysterious street person) comments, feels a bit forced, but his physical description is vivid.
The easy tone and fluid writing make reading this book a breezy pleasure; the pace pulls readers along at an even clip. Earthquakes and the return of the San Juan Capistrano swallows, both slightly heavy-handed metaphors in the story, effectively evoke Groovy’s seaside town. Groovy is a likable girl with a huge amount of energy and drive (something I always find awe-inspiring in any person, as I have to fight off the urge to drift lackadaisically through life) who narrates her story with simplicity, immediacy, and insight.
This is a pleasant read that will appeal to kids who enjoy realistic fiction about friends and family.
Oh what a lovely little book this was! I enjoyed it from the opening page, all the way until the end, smiling, tearing up a bit...it's a wonderful, beautifully written story, one that all of you should run out and get a copy of!
The Year the Swallows Came Early is written by Kathryn Fitzmaurice and introduces us to Eleanor "Groovy" Robinson, a smart and articulate eleven year old, one that loves to cook and dreams of attending culinary school. When she witnesses her father being arrested, escorted by a local policeman into the back of his police car, Groovy is hurt and confused. To her, her father could never do anything wrong, he was a fantastic man that would steal the moon to make her happy.
When the reason her father was arrested is revealed, Groovy's whole world changes. She no longer has those aspirations of culinary school, her best friend's absent mother comes waltzing back into his life, and the swallows that migrate to her seaside town every year show up early. Nothing is the same, nothing is normal, and Groovy isn't quite sure how to handle the new stuff.
Throughout the book, Groovy slowly starts to understand what friendship and forgiveness really mean, as well as how growing up is a process that is not easy, but can still be enjoyable if you just take the bad stuff as it comes.
Kathryn Fitzmaurice has created these amazingly rich characters, a vibrant setting, and a brilliant plot. I loved every second of this book and even a week after finishing it, I'm still craving some of Groovy's chocolate covered strawberries!
To learn more or to purchase, click on the book cover above to link to Amazon.
The Year the Swallows Came Early
Kathryn Fitzmaurice
288 pages
Middle grade fiction
HarperCollins
9780061624971
February 2009
Good morning everyone. Today I will be interviewing Kathryn Fitmaurice, the author of The year the swallows came early. This gracious lady has a wonderful story about how this book came about.
Marya: Where did the idea for this story come from?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: First I’d like to thank you very much for interviewing me. I’ve read your blog for awhile now, so this is very exciting for me. The idea for the story came to me the year my youngest son was assigned his fourth grade Mission Project. Many students in the state of California complete an extensive Mission Project in fourth grade, in addition to learning about California’s history. Of course, we went to the San Juan Capistrano Mission the day the swallows returned, which is March 19. I knew then I wanted to write about the swallows because they always come back. No matter what else happens, there they are, year after year, like a promise.
Marya: You have put some of your own life experiences into this story. What does it feel like to see moments from your life on a printed page?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: This is very exciting, and I think many other writers also put their own experiences into their stories. But when my grandmother passed away, and left her entire collection of unfinished manuscripts to me, I was overwhelmed with joy and inspiration at the thought of having them. It was what pushed me to finally write my own novel after so many years. I suppose that’s why I included it in the story. It was such a force for me, and I wanted my main character to have that same special gift that would keep her going when she felt the obstacles of life that were in the path of where she wanted to go.
Marya: Do you see a lot of yourself in Groovy, your main character?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The main character is a combination of two students I had when I last taught, and myself. Like my main character, I connect food to events and people. I make the same menus and dishes over and over because the food reminds me of certain things. For example, we always make crème brulee on Christmas. Using the kitchen torch is a lot of fun. Scrambled eggs are the first thing I’ll cook if there is some kind of small crisis, and so on. And then, also, I’m a little like Groovy in that I knew what I wanted to be someday when I got older.
Marya: The arrival of the swallows is an important moment in the story. What did you want it to signify?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The swallows symbolize the love of one’s family and the security of knowing that no matter what happens between those we are related to, that there is always a bond between us. Even though we may have been hurt, or disappointed, many of us still come back eventually, and hopefully, try to make things right.
Marya: I understand that you are now writing a second book. Is the process different now from when you were writing the first book?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I think the process of writing a new story is both the same and different. It’s the same because as a writer, you’re still trying to hear the main character’s story and get it right. But it’s different because you’re writing in a new voice, and sometimes, at least for me, it’s hard to perfect that new voice.
Marya: You have been a teacher for many years. Have your experiences in this job helped you to write this story?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Well I wish I could’ve taught longer than I did. But I remember the week The Tale of Despereaux came out. Three of my third graders were reading it during silent reading time. I remember sitting with them and talking about what made the story so great. Sometimes I wish I could go back and ask them questions I didn’t think of, now that I’m actually really writing. I do know this, though; kids will read what they connect to.
Marya: Do you have ideas for other books that you hope to write? Do you think you might use some of the story ideas that you came up with when you were a teenager?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I do have other ideas, and I’m looking forward to writing those soon. When I was a teenager, I wrote mostly poetry, but one short story I wrote might work for a full length novel. I think teens today are such better writers than I was at that age. They are learning so much more about grammar and developing their own individual style. They are assigned a lot more reading than I was, which also helps them to become better writers. I’m amazed at the clarity and pulled-togetherness of the essays and stories I read of my son’s high school friends.
Marya: You mention on your website that you love to organize things. Are you organized when you are writing?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I’m pretty organized when I’m writing, but I don’t write from an outline. Instead, I have paragraphs or scenes jotted on a sheet of paper, places I know I want the story to go to, and then I fill in the parts in between. The story usually changes from my original vision. It has a way of almost writing itself. I’ll suddenly see places and events that I think should happen, that I hadn’t thought about in the beginning. Those are the best surprises, the ones I hadn’t planned on.
Marya: What was your favorite book when you were Groovy’s age?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: My favorite book was one of my grandmother’s, entitled Chrysalis of Death. It was a science fiction book for adults. I read it a few times, and just recently again But I also liked the Little House on the Prairie books. I have every one of them, and used them in my classroom for literature studies.
Marya The Year the Swallows Came Early has been very well received. What is your reaction to its success?
Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Thank you for thinking that. Nothing could make me happier to think someone is reading the book, and likes it. I only wish I could give it to my grandmother, and ask her what she thought of it. And did she think my opening paragraph was enough of a hook, and were my characters developed enough. You know, things she would’ve pondered over for hours with me. I can see her in her chair, her typewriter in front of her, her serious look on her face. “Now, Kathy, “she’d say, “let’s talk about your character’s arc a little.”
Marya: Thank you so much Kathryn, for this warm and enlightening inteview. I have learned a lot about you, and have been given yet another interesting peek into the life of a writer.
Please visit the other sites participating in this blog book tour.
A Christian Worldview of Fiction,
All About Children’s Books,
Becky’s Book Reviews,
Booking Mama,
Cafe of Dreams,
Dolce Bellezza,
Fireside Musings,
Homeschool Buzz,
Hyperbole,
KidzBookBuzz.com,
Looking Glass Reviews,
Maw Books Blog,
Never Jam Today,
Novel Teen,
Reading is My SuperpowerJoin me tomorrow for a treat and for a discussion about food.
Every so often a book comes along that leaves a lasting impression on me. The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice is just such a book. This is a book that I would - even though I have a ton of books to read for my work - read again. I love the characters and the setting. I like the way the author explores human emotions and reactions, and I like the fact that the story is true to what happens in real life: endings tend to be a combination of good things and some less than perfect things. Here is my review of the book:
The Year the Swallows Came Early
Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Fiction
Ages 9 to 12
HarperCollins, 2009, 978-0-06-162497-1
Groovy Robinson’s father has been arrested and taken to jail. This is bad enough in itself, but when she finds out that her mother was the one who had him arrested Groovy is shocked. Groovy has no idea why her mother did this, and she feels as if her life has been turned upside down.
Groovy loves to think about and to cook food. In her opinion one can match food to situations and to people. Groovy loves cooking so much in fact, that she hopes to go to culinary school when she gets older. Groovy’s great-grandmother Eleanor left Groovy some money, which Groovy hopes to use to pay for her schooling. She is therefore, devastated when she learns that the reason why her father is in jail is because he took her inheritance out of the bank and gambled it away.
Groovy cannot understand why her father would have done such a thing, but she tries not to be too angry with him. She starts working on raising money herself by making chocolate covered strawberries. One thing Groovy notices is that her friend Frankie refuses to forgive his mother who abandoned him some years ago. Groovy does not want to be like Frankie because she can see how damaging his anger is. Despite her good intentions however, when Groovy’s father’s true betrayal is revealed, Groovy’s anger takes over, and she is in real danger of turning into a bitter person, just like Frankie is.
This powerful and meaningful book explores the nature of forgiveness, the meaning of true friendship, and the love of family. The author beautifully weaves her message into the rich and warming story. Sprinkled with vivid and incredibly genuine characters, this story will delight readers with its unique style and its compelling narrative.
Please take a look at the other sites that are participating in this blog book tour.
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Novel Teen, Reading is My Superpower
Join me tomorrow for an interview with Kathryn.
Good morning everyone. Today author Kathryn Fitzmaurice is talking to us again about her work. This is the second entry in our ongoing series of blog articles. You can read my reciprocal blog on her website.
Sounds like you need to take him somewhere he'll be comfortable, get him drunk and then have him tell you his life's story.