Photo by Beth Olson
Sara Ryan is the author of the new middle grade novel Mountain Upside Down. Their other books include the graphic novel Bad Houses. They teach at the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, and they live in Portland, Oregon.
Q: What inspired you to write Mountain Upside Down, and how did you create your character Alex?
A: Mountain has multiple inspirations.
In Alex and PJ's relationship, I'm exploring the links between friendship and romantic love, a theme I'm always interested in.
In Alex's struggle to cope with Grandma's memory loss, I'm looking at the very specific sense of helplessness that comes from recognizing that a problem you desperately want to solve is fundamentally not solvable.
The library storyline is informed by my own experiences working in public libraries, and my increasing awareness that many people take them for granted.
I'm also really interested in community and interdependence; with Alex's connections to the other people in her life, I wanted to show how important it is to find the people who'll show up for you, and who you'll show up for.
Alex is the youngest protagonist I've written so far. I was thinking a lot about how it feels to be on the edge between childhood and young adulthood; mature in some ways and very much a kid in others. In creating her, I of course drew on my own feelings at that age, and also on my experience working with kids who are that age now.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book said, “Genuine and grounded; full of warmth and pragmatic realism despite difficult and uncertain circumstances.” What do you think of that description?
A: I think it's accurate! I'm glad that's what the reviewer took away.
On a semi-related note, I also think that Mountain doesn't necessarily lend itself to a pithy elevator-pitch-style summary.
My editor says that it's almost easier to talk about what the book isn't: a library story that doesn't center book banning, a queer coming of age story that doesn't center coming out, a story with a fat protagonist that isn't about her fatness.
Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Alex and PJ?
A: They've loved each other as best friends since third grade; they're just starting to discover how that love shifts with the addition of romantic sparks.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?
A: How important it is to find the people who'll show up for you, and who you'll show up for. And I hope they remember the humor! Humor brings people together and builds resilience for dealing with, in the words of the Kirkus reviewer, "difficult and uncertain circumstances," which so many people are facing.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on a historical YA set in 1935 New York City, and the protagonist, Jacob Eager, is an ancestor of Alex Eager. Again a library will be an important element in the story, which is about finding community and hope in hard times. And there’s a very gay friend group that calls itself the Evil Companions!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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