Q&A with Michael P. Spradlin

 

 

 

 

Michael P. Spradlin is the author of the new middle grade novel Threat of the Spider, the second in his Web of the Spider series. He lives in Lapeer, Michigan. 

 

Q: Threat of the Spider is the second in your series, following Rise of the Spider—what is the relationship between the two books?

 

A: Book two in the Web of the Spider series takes us further along the road of the Nazis’ rise to power in the prewar Germany period. This book picks up right where book one leaves off. Germany is further embracing Nazi ideals, and the characters are beginning to feel the effects of that. The spider is further spinning its web into each character’s life.

 

Q: Why did you choose your character Ansel, who also appeared in the first book, as your protagonist for this new novel?

 

A: The plan all along was for each of the six books in the series to have a different protagonist. The Spider Strikes was the perfect opportunity for Ansel to bring forward his unique point of view.

 

Q: How did you research the book, and what did you learn that particularly surprised you?

 

A: I traveled to Nuremberg and Heroldsburg, Germany to do on-site research. Then I did a lot of what I call “typical research,” reading newspapers, diaries, memoirs,  journals, etc. 

 

What surprised me the most was how much of the Nazi party power was gained through the ballot box, and not by force, as we had been led to believe.

 

Q: In our previous Q&A, when I asked you what you hoped readers would take away from the novel, you said, “I want readers to understand that ‘it can happen here.’ We live in a free society and tend to believe it will always be that way. But it’s important to realize that freedoms are not granted, they are hard won. And they can be taken away.” How would you answer the question this time around?

 

A: I think in this case I would just say reread what I said last time, “The past, as we say, is prologue.”

 

Q: What are you working on now? 

 

A: I am working diligently on book 4 on the series. This will be told from the point of view of the twins, Mathilda and Moritz.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Just tell everyone you know to read the Web of the Spider series!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Michael P. Spradlin.