Today on Chatting with Authors, I have the pleasure of welcoming Catherine Austen author of young adult dystopian novel All Good Children. As a part of the stop on the blog tour, Catherine will be sharing some thoughts on getting lost in make believe characters...
The Pros and Cons of Make-Believe Children
by Catherine Austen 2011
Like many writers in their 40s, I balance my time between the fascinating, funny, heroic children I invent in my books and the flesh-and-blood chatterboxes who fight, whine, and rattle LEGO inches from my desk, then pounce on my computer and load Minecraft the second I get up to let the cat in.
It’s a fine balance. On most days, the real kids win my heart. But there are times when it does appear that the fictional children are the more beloved. Say, when I’m writing a pivotal scene – my characters alive in my head, my emotions running high – and one of my sons bursts into the office to ask, “Did you buy more peanut butter?” and I turn on him, shrieking, “Get out! I’m working!”
The characters in my first novel, Walking Backward, borrowed many traits from my real sons. (“I can’t believe you put my Scooby Doo obsession in a book!” my youngest complained.) I thought the love I felt for them was just misplaced maternal instinct. But no. The kids in my two new releases aren't based on mine at all. And I love them just the same.
Becky Lennox, in 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, is funny and feisty and honest. When my youngest son is funny and feisty and honest, he ends up banned from the dinner table. Becky just moves closer to my heart.
Maxwell Connors, in All Good Children, is arrogant and bright and defiant. When my oldest son is arrogant and bright and defiant, he gets suspended from school and grounded at home. Max just gets more heroic.
I loved being in Max’s and Becky’s heads while I wrote their stories. And what I loved most is that I didn't have to be their mother.
I didn't have to ask if Becky did her homework or practiced her drums. Instead, I could shake my head at those ridiculous questions because obviously finding out who Violet has a crush on is WAY more important than homework and drum practice.
I didn't have to remind Max to follow school rules and build a successful career path. Instead, I could roll my eyes at all that line-towing and go spray anti-establishment graffiti because the truth is what really matters.
My fictional children keep me young. (I know people say that about real children, but let’s be honest: real children put grey hairs on your head even as they fill your heart with love. My fictional children won’t ever come home with broken noses or drug addictions or illnesses I’m not prepared to handle. Even if they’re running for their lives, I’ll get my beauty sleep.)
Of course, I would never trade my real kids for invented ones. I wouldn't even want Max or Becky hanging round the house – Max might make fun of me for sport and Becky would say some brutally honest thing without thinking. But I adore them on the page. I’m happy to have them balance out my life. And I hope that inventing them, seeing the world through their young eyes, has helped me connect with my real kids in some way. (Though it doesn't make me any kinder when they barge in while I’m working, at least it lets me see my harpy potential from their perspective. And that’s got to count for something.)
Thanks Catherine for stopping by and sharing those thoughts on your characters. All Good Children was a fun and fast moving read, I loved meeting Max and look forward to sharing my review with readers.......Find out more about Catherine and the see all the stops on the tour at her website. All Good Children released October 1, 2011- grab your copy today.
This sounds like a great read. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Juju! Hope you like the book.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting. I spend a lot of time wishing book characters come to life, but I never thought of them in this particular light. I can see why Max and Becky can be tiresome, but I would still love to meet them!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rummanah. I try not to love my characters more than my kids (very difficult at times).
ReplyDeleteI've heard of a writer whose characters are so alive for her that she tracks their fictional lives long after their stories are published, e.g., 10 years later she thinks of them graduating, marrying, etc. That's fascinating to me.
Thanks for commenting. I hope you meet Max and Becky in a book, if not in life. They're pretty awesome kids.
What a fun post! I can imagine that even though your characters are alive and probably often noisy in your head, it would be nice to not have to worry about them quite as much as you do your real kids:) Looking forward to your review of this one Tina!
ReplyDeleteWhile I still feel some years away from ready to tackle actual motherhood, I do derive keen pleasure from being the Author Momma of my crazy character kids -- many of whom may be older than me and/or holy terrors (lookin' at you, minstrel). Fun bonus: When they're at their most exasperating, I can always blame their other parents. (:
ReplyDeleteDelightful post, Catherine. Thanks for hosting her, TBR!
Thanks, Jenny - I've cried and worried over my fictional kids, for sure, but that's the sign of a good day, not a bad one.
ReplyDeleteAnd Danielle - what an excellent idea to blame the fictional parents. I wonder if they could be blamed for poor dialogue skills or erratic scene-to-scene behaviour? (Not that my kids or yours would have those flaws....)
Thank you both for commenting, and thanks to Tina for hosting me here.
Yikes! Good thing I don't have kids yet because I'd probably trade the real ones of the invented ones. LOL
ReplyDeleteLove that book cover!
Oh, there are times when that would be tempting, Missie. But I'm sure my kids would be tempted to trade me for a fictional Mom every once in a while, too. (And let's not even talk about fictional spouses.)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the book cover - me, too. It's sinister in just the right way.
Ooh I hadn't heard of this one!!! Totally adding it though!
ReplyDeleteMy harpy potential...LOL! I think we all have a bit of the harpy within us, eh!? You real children sound a bit like mine and your fictional children sound a bit like my siblings. Whoa the crazy that is life. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen - maybe a book on "getting in touch with your inner harpy" would be a bestseller?
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks, Brunette - I hope you like All Good Children!
Cute post! I definitely find myself unconsciously channeling friends/family members when writing new characters and sometimes don't even realize it until someone points it out to me.
ReplyDeleteThe good part about those fictional children vs real ones, though, is you can totally torture the fictional ones that would normally have child services come breathing down your neck if it was done to the real kids!
Smiles!
Lori
So true, Lori! What dull books we'd write if we protected our fictional children like we do our real ones.
ReplyDelete