Megan Whalen Turner, part 3 of 3

Megan:

Back when the internet was a little newer and more spiffy, I used to get the "Prove to me that you can use the Internet" report-doers.  The teachers obviously wanted the kids to brush up on their net researching skills and were killing two birds with one stone.  They had students pick authors and then do research to find out when they were born, where they lived, where they went to elementary school, who their best friend was.  All kinds of esoteric personal information that, as you know, I'm not really comfortable posting for the world to read.  So I would get these pathetic little e-mails from students saying, "I can't find anything and I'm going to faaiiiillllll."

I usually answered what I could and offered to explain to their teachers why I wouldn't answer the rest.  Probably teachers all over the country now introduce this unit by saying, "And you are not allowed to pick Megan Whalen Turner, so don't even think about telling me you couldn't find out anything about your author."

I went to look at your biography and admired your plastic pig.  And I read your blog where everybody has better answers for that question:  what about writing is different than you expected?   I'm totally with Robin Brande:  What She Said.  I really wish my books would grow like mushrooms when I wasn't looking.  Sometimes I look at the text on the screen and I think how nice it would be if it would write itself and all I had to do was read over it.

Also, I never answered the question you asked in your first e-mail, what would I do if I could do anything I wanted without being arrested or causing world-wide destruction:   I would move into the British Museum.  "So sorry, Your Majesty, but the Elgin marbles are mine now.  The Treasure of Sutton Hoo.  Mine.  The Reading Room, the Court.  Mine, all mine."

I love the British Museum.  We're going to London at Christmas-time and I think we will spend the whole week there.  Of course, the Met in New York is nice; I could live there, too…but no, it's the British Museum for me.  They have a Hands On History program where they let you hold stuff:  those little oil lamps from Sparta, Eye icons from Sumer, Flint Hand Axes that are Eight Thousand Years Old.  Have I said that I love…yes, I did.

Shannon:

*cough* You also haven’t answered the question yet about what you’re working on now, if there will be any more books with Gen...

Oh, that.

I am working on the next book in the sequence.  It is going very slowly and I am behind.  Unless my editor is reading this, in which case, I am writing, Virginia! Writing!

Yay!

I wouldn't know anything about being behind...(still working on graphic novel sequel that was due months ago, first draft of fourth Bayern book due this month and only have 75 pages...). Thank goodness for patient editors. Mine has twin three-year-olds and much understanding.

I think that I already gave you my advice, unsolicited, but I am happy to say again that a number of people warned me that I shouldn't expect to get any real work done until my youngest child was in school full time.  But, I didn't find small children any impediment to writing.  I hired a babysitter (several great ones, actually, thank you Trisha Falvey, thank you Nancy Schaffstall!)  and wrote The Thief and The Queen of Attolia.  It wasn't that hard to find someone to feed babies, change babies and take babies to the park. Then they grew up and went to school.  You can't pay someone else to go on field trips for you, or help them with their homework. Never mind that when you hire a babysitter you get to set the schedule and hire them when it is convenient for you.  The elementary school is just not as accommodating.  So write, quick! Quick!

I am sure you've read L'Engle's obits.  Did you see?  She had a cape.

You knew it! You totally called that. See, we need to score ourselves some capes, and maybe some very long dresses so it looks like we're floating. Oh, and have people play some kind of theme music whenever we walk into a room--something mystical maybe. Or perhaps the theme from Shaft.

That Megan is one bad motha--
Shut your mouth!
I'm just talkin' 'bout Megan.
We can dig it!

Nope.  Sorry, but no.  Not a chance.  Hopeless.
Madeleine L'Engle could wear a cape.
Maybe you can wear a cape.  Maybe you would rock in a cape.
Not me.
I am too short.  I'd look like an ewok.
Not even with musical back-up could I bring it off.

Not even with the ewok theme from the end of Return of the Jedi? That might really rock. I'm just sayin', it might be worth considering. Ewoks are cool. (My husband disagrees, but I'm sticking to it--EWOKS ARE COOL.)

I think I'm a sucker for costumes. I wore a Regency dress to the release party for Austenland, and I'll be wearing a traditional dress for my release party for Book of a Thousand Days. Guess it's my theater background. Maybe it helps me feel less like I'm normal old me up there and more like I'm someone else, The Author, a Woman of Note, a Personage Worth Listening To. Or maybe it's just fun. Most authors I know feel like they're playing a part whenever they do public appearances and book tours, and then go home just exhausted.

Yes, I get tired at public appearances, even though I love meeting people who like my book.

This was fun.  I hope to meet you in person soon, and I hope that when I do, you have your cape on.  Work on the wind-speaking thing, okay?  I don’t want to be disappointed!

Thank you, Megan! Holy cow, folks, wasn’t she awesome? How lucky am I to be in a business where I can trick Megan Whalen Turner into thinking I’m cool enough to hold a long email conversation with me? Lu-cky. I hope I didn’t steal too much of her time away from writing, because we need another book, Megan. We need your words. Please. Soon.

Comments

[Biel]

Thanks! This was a lot of fun to read.

[Gretta]

Hey Shannon [and Megan too, I guess!] Thank you SO much for the interview, it was fantastic! And really fun to read.

[Celes]

You know, Shannon, if you still need a baby-sitter, I only live an hour away, and my last class on Fridays is at 9:00 AM.... ;)

These were SO great. I just barely finished "The Thief" and it was a-mazing. I really hope the other books are back in the library soon... *sigh*

[R.J. Anderson]

Re the revelation that author-mothers do not get more time to write when their youngest child enters school:

*clutches head and staggers*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

But apart from Megan UTTERLY SHATTERING my dreams of creative freedom, this has been a really wonderful interview and I'm so grateful to both of you! I think my favorite thing about it was that you are so obviously huge fans of each other's work, and that gave the interview a spark and excitement that Q&A sessions often lack. I also like the fact that you were interviewing each other, rather than all the answers being on one side -- great idea!

[Michelle]

Wonderful interview. I can't wait for the next book. I am listening to the audio version of the King of Attolia and it is wonderful. It would make an excellent movie or series.

[Michelle]

Also just thought to add, I think the King of Attolia has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. It also perfectly captures the essence of the book in my opinion.

[Celadon]

I need to make a point of searching for Megan Whalen Turner's books in the library. THey sound good. Thanks for posting this interview Shannon!

[Enna Isilee]

Muahaha! That was amazing!

Another book with Gen? YAY!

Just a few things:

1. Ewoks are cool.
2. Someone needs to get that woman a cape!
3. Dressing in costume is fun, no matter what you're doing.

[Enna Isilee]

Celes & Leslie, maybe we could all go together.

Psh. Can you afford three babysitters Shannon, either monetarily or otherwise? ;-)

[Gretchen]

Good call with the British Museum. I've never actually been there, but it sounds amazing.
For the record, Wookies are cool. Ewoks, not so much. Or Gungans.
That's really cool about your editor having twin three-year-olds. You women astound me.
Anyhoo, Shannon, I'll be at your downtown book signing tomorrow. I can't wait!

[Enna Isilee]

Gah! All these people that are going! And the first one I'm NOT going to. Pshaw.

[Rose]

What a great interview! Yes, HarperCollins did awesome work with those MWT covers!

And yes, it is a little-known but true fact that once your kids are in school, you are busier than when they were home and you could set the schedule. Erk.

I'm living in Germany for two years (er, in the real-live Bayern, actually), and you are both among the few, honored authors whose books I've bought here, knowing full well what it's going to take to get them back to the States. My husband shakes his head, but you see, I need these books!

[Jas fr Aus]

Sorry this is an extremely irrelevant comment, but I just wanted to recommend a book I finished last night that was absolutely AMAZING and I know everyone here appreciates a good book! So check out:
The Killer's Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux
Absolutely beautifully written :)

[Emily Jiang]

I, too, recently read all three of the Atolia books back to back (in one weekend no less), and I can't wait to read the next book! Thank you for sharing your great interviews. Every writer needs a cape.

[Inquisitor]

Why doesn't the Bayern universe have any form of religion other than the fire worshippers? Or are royalty worshipped, like pharaohs in ancient Egypt? Why, too, with several nations supposedly each with their own complex history and animosity, do most of them speak the same language? Except Yasid, which seems so random in contrast to the culture, language, and climate of the others.

[Carrie]

Wow! I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed that e-mail chat. Thanks for posting books you like. I tend to botch up when I try to discover new reads for myself, so it's nice to get ideas from others. I was in Salt Lake visiting my family the week of the opening party for Book of a Thousand Days. I'm sad I had to miss it, but when family calls...
Thanks for being such a great author and giving me wonderful places to escape. I just finished The Goose Girl and Enna Burning for the nth time and my husband was probably wondering when I'd ever surface from Bayern.

[Q]

A. Ewoks are way cool.
B. I need a cape too. With a deep hood. Dark blue.
C. I can't find the King of Attolia anywhere. *cries*
D. Blast! Now that you've finished with this thread I have nothing to look forward to specifically!

[Bohae]

This is a way cool post :) Loving It Lots!!

[Amber]

I am rushing to finish my first novel, due at Christmas, while being a stay-at-home mom; it's nice to know that it is possible to be both a writer and a mother, so thank you for your comments about that. I wondered how you managed, and now with two kids! Mine is 13 months, and napping less and less. I've gotten into a routine of writing after everyone else is asleep. Less sleep for me, but as least I'm getting the pages done! Thanks for the frank email-conversation. It was/is motivating.

Amber

[Shelby]

Hey, so guess what! I FINALLY got Book of a thousand Days. I am already half way through and if I didn't have to work then I would be reading it now. But anyways, its great. I'm excited.

[Puppeteer]

Thanks much for posting this! It is very reassuring to hear that Megan is in the process (and yes, I know that the process is not fast) of writing another book.

Not that this will make much of a difference to anyone, but my lil brother is REALLY hoping that Sophos will be in the next book. It's kinda cute. =)

Keep on truckin, Megan!

[Enna Isilee]

Inquisitor,

While the Books Of Bayern never really get into the details of religion, a "Creator" is mentioned in The Goose Girl. Whether they worship this being however… I don’t know.

And if I had to take a jab at the languages I would say that the people from Tira, Kildenree, and Bayern are much like the English in America's own past. They came overseas and then branched off. After all, Canada, U.S., United Kingdom, and even the individual states, all speak English just with different dialects. Whereas I would compare the Yasidians with the Native Americans or people from Mexico that just seem to have always been there. They may have been there long before any of the other nations and therefore kept their own language.

I’ve never really thought about it but if I did I would say that I’ve always pictured in my mind Kildenree as Canada, Bayern as the U.S., Tira as the United Kingdom, and Yasid as Mexico. I’m not saying that there are any similarities such as everyone in Canada is blond or the UK is war hungry, I’m just saying that that’s what I compare them too.

This is all just guess-work. But it’s what I think.

[Melissa aka Librarybooks]

I agree Ewoks are very cool. I've also always wanted to wear a cape but I would want a hooded one - like a jedi. :)

[Mads]

Thanks for the great interview(s), Shannon!

[australiangirl]

I think it would look awesome if Shannon and Megan wore elvish cloaks like from the Lord of the Rings. Then they would kind of mysterious and 'other-worldly'.

[australiangirl]

look* sorry

[Calliope1of9]

Thanks for posting this conversation; it was tons of fun to read!!!

[Ellenboro]

A little late but...
Thank you so much Shannon for this wonderful conversation. It was very fun to read. Also, I love it because it takes my mind off of school and all my creative writing projects.
(I have six due next Friday...)

[Ellenboro]

By the way...Ewoks are too cool, Dean!

[Lindsay]

Thank you for posting this for the rest of us to share.

I am so extremely jealous that I am not cool enough to correspond with either of you. I have to settle for posting little notes like this on your website and hoping that you get chances to read the comments on old posts and not just the new ones. *sigh!*

...*gets new motivation for writing own novel: "if you write it, you can email cool people AND THEY WILL EMAIL YOU BACK."*

[paige]

Thank you for the wonderful interview Shannon! Hearing that we will see more of Gen just made my day! Bring on the Mede war!

[Hannah]

What are these books about? they look really good...

[Rachel]

I was so suprised when I stumbled across this interview, 2 of my favorite authors. Both of you are hilarious and I really enjoyed reading this interview. Childrens books definatly are not only for kids under 14 I am 16 and recently read Megan Whalen Turner's books, and reread Shannon Hale's books all the time. You are both so good at creating characters in distinct, unusual situations that people can still relate to. I love reading your books and cannot wait for another book about Gen. So again great interview and good work.

P.S- not for a school project...

[karthi]

:D I loved all Gen's series hopefully there will be more to come in short period of time.Another thing that I would love to see is this turned into a movie, just like the harry potter series.

[C K]

NOOOOOOOOO!!! no movies! they ruin EVERYTHING!!!!!

[C K]

NOOOOOOOOO!!! no movies! they ruin EVERYTHING!!!!!

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