Anna Humphrey is the author of two new novels for kids, Megabat and Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle. Her other books include Clara Humble and the Not-So-Super Powers and Clara Humble: Quiz Whiz. She runs a freelance writing and editing business, and she lives in Kitchener, Ontario.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Megabat and his
friend Daniel, and will there be a sequel?
A: I started writing Megabat after my husband, kids and I
moved to a new city. We were all more than a little homesick. What’s more,
there was a weird leak our new roof. Water was dripping from the ceiling onto
the main floor, but everything was dry on the two floors above.
Naturally, I jumped to the logical conclusion: maybe there
was a fruit bat hiding somewhere in the walls and it was crying because it was
homesick too.
What can I say? The brain of a fiction writer can be a
strange place. In any case, Megabat was born. And yes, there will be sequels.
Look for Megabat and Fancy Cat coming in April of 2019 and at least two more
books in the series after that.
Q: Your third book featuring your character Clara Humble has
also recently been published--why did you focus this one on cats?
A: I love everything about cats: their indifference, their
playfulness, their righteousness and independence. I was pretty sure Clara—a
girl who speaks her mind and thinks highly of herself—would relate strongly to
cats, too.
Also, since Clara draws a cartoon about a high-tech cat
named @Cat throughout the series, a book about real cats for the series finale
felt like a natural fit.
Only, this time, instead of drawing comics about her feline
hero, Clara is working on storyboards… because she’s busy saving stray cats
while writing and directing the greatest internet cat video of all time. It’s a
tall order, but Clara Humble is all about tackling tall orders.
Q: What do you think the illustrations--by Kass Reich and
Lisa Cinar respectively--add to the books?
A: When it comes to Megabat, Kass Reich’s illustrations
added a softness and warmth to the book that I couldn’t have imagined.
Megabat’s shenanigans sometimes have a cartoon quality, but the realism and
unbridled cuteness of Kass’s work tone that down and give the story more of a
heart-squish feel.
As for Lisa Cinar’s work, it goes in the complete opposite
direction, and I love that about it too. It’s a loose, quirky, cartoony style
that I think really captures Clara’s off-kilter sense of humor and way of
seeing the world.
Q: Who are some of your favorite children's book authors?
A: There are many… but, off the top of my head: Gordon
Korman, Kate DiCamillo, Sheree Fitch…
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I recently found out that there are miniature spiders
(called demodex mites) living in my eyelashes, and in your eyelashes, and in
everyone’s eyelashes! Isn’t that the coolest and grossest thing?
I’m trying to write a fictional kids’ book about mites and
microbes and tiny things. I have no idea if it’s going to work. For example,
maybe right now you’re wishing that I never told you about your mini eyelash
spiders… and if that’s the case, this idea might make for the most unpopular
book ever. I guess I’ll find out!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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