Interview with Bonnie Shimko

www.bonnieshimko.net

First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.

Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I first knew I wanted to be a writer when I turned 57 (years, not months). I never even thought about writing anything until then. I’d retired after teaching second grade for 33 years and I needed something to do with all that free time, so I started writing novels and found out how much fun it is.

Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?

My first attempt at novel writing was a never-going-to-be-published, really-awful book called Going to War with the Avon Lady. I found a list of publishers in an ancient copy of a how-to-get-published manual. Academy Chicago was the first house listed, so they got the complete, almost-four-hundred-page manuscript with a “Dear Editor” cover letter. (I had no idea that it might be a good idea to address the letter to an actual person). The publisher, Anita Miller (she owns the house with her husband, Jordan), sent back a full-page, handwritten rejection letter. She noted the good parts and gave me advice about how I could improve the rest. And, best of all, she said I was talented and she called me a WRITER. I was hooked!

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?

My latest novel is called The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). Here’s how Girls’ Life magazine describes it: “Amelia pulls you into her ‘personal memoir’ from the start. Befriending Fancy, the first black kid she’s ever seen, the two fight bullies, uncover family secrets and share one unforgettable year you don’t want to miss.”

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

The greatest inspiration for my stories is my own life. For example, the chapter in Letters in the Attic where Lizzy goes on her first date was modeled after my own “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad” date. (Thank you, Judith Viorst!)

Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!

My husband, Bob, is my first reader and my biggest supporter. My son, Rob, is a Theatre History professor. And my daughter, Sarah, is a police officer with a real gun and everything. Matilda, our black cocker sits on my lap while I read the day’s work out loud to her. She doesn’t give much feedback.

Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?

Well, that’s an easy one. Macaroni and cheese. Oh, wait, I meant to say spaghetti. Or tacos. No, bacon. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Squash. Corn chowder. Actually, the only food I don’t find comforting is lima beans. I think God might have been having a bad day when he invented those.

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?

Scratch Matilda’s head. Tell her to wait just a sec, that I’m going as fast as I can. Watch her devour her breakfast in exactly thirty seconds.

If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?

If you looked in my closet, you would see that I still have clothes from when I was young and thin and a little bit cute.

Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?

Navy blue. Blueberries are navy blue. I love blueberries.

Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?

Cathy is my favorite (I was so upset to hear that she’s retiring soon). I’m most like Dagwood. We both enjoy a good nap.

If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?

The roaring twenties. I love the music and the clothes.

So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?

Definitely folk. Joan Baez singing Bob Dylan’s songs would be my favorite. I have a CD of classical music for babies that I sometimes listen to while I write. Very sweet.

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

My absolute favorite TV show was (and still is) is Monk, so now I watch the re-runs. Movies I watch over and over again: Crossing Delancey, The Accidental Tourist, Fargo, Moonstruck, As Good as it Gets. Last movie I saw at the theater: Slumdog Millionaire—I don’t get out much.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?

If you’re having a hard time, just keep on keeping on. Things get better. They really do.

One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?

I’ve finished a young adult novel called The Wrong Daughter and a picture book called Learning to Love Matilda. They’re both on submission, so we’ll see. Now I’m working on another young adult novel called The Voice in Maggie Feigenbaum’s Head. It’s a little bit tender, a little bit funny, and a big bit psychological thriller. I’m not even sure if that combination is allowed. Again, we’ll see.

Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!