Q&A with Haley Neil

  

 

Haley Neil is the author of the new middle grade novel Greta Grimsdark and the Normal New Neighbor. Her other books include the YA novel Planning Perfect. She is also a children's librarian.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Greta Grimsdark and the Normal New Neighbor?

 

A: Greta Grimsdark and the Normal New Neighbor is dedicated to my best friend growing up. When we were little, we lived two houses away from each other. I was the one who got to be the not-so-normal new neighbor in that case. I moved down the road when I was 5 and she was 6 (a whole grade ahead of me, which at the time seemed like a big deal at the time).

 

Greta lives in a very different world. Human things are confusing to her. Though I would argue that human things can be awfully confusing to a lot of kids, even if they don’t have parents who are dragons. Agnes is a touchpoint into what a reader might think of as “normal.”

 

But even if they come from different backgrounds, they can still go on adventures and have fun and possibly even save the world together. Friendship is a magical thing, for any kid.

 

There’s something so special about growing up with someone else, with discovering the world together. I was lucky enough to have a partner, someone to learn and grow with, living right on the same street.

 

And while we no longer live two houses apart, we still get to grow together. I was the maid of honor at her wedding, next month she will be the matron of honor at mine. A friend like that is worth writing a book about.

 

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Greta and her family members?

 

A: I love these two questions back-to-back, because the answers are different! Greta and her family members came first. So, the idea of Greta and her world was around for YEARS before this particular story took shape.

 

This might be silly, but sometimes, as a writer, it feels like you can tap into some otherworldly place. I remember the beginning feeling a bit magical. I remember thinking this one, this idea, is special.

 

I honestly can’t remember if it was around Halloween when I started to write the original version of the story (at the beginning, it was called “The Children of Grimsdark Castle”). The root of all this is a bit muddled in my mind. Was it because of the season? Was it because I was working with kids?

 

At the time, I was working one-on-one with a little boy in Manhattan, who loved listening to stories. I had just left a position as a preschool teacher so I could go to graduate school and study writing for children and young adults. The very first version of this story was told to that little boy and then submitted as a grad school writing assignment.

 

I remember sitting in the Starbucks in Union Square, writing the opening to that old version of the book, which introduced the Grimsdark family. A ghost, a part-zombie, a possible vampire, and, scariest of all, a human child.

 

They were the core of the story that I loved. So much evolved in the editing process, the characters grew, gained depth and texture; the story shifted and changed. But that foundation remains.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Greta and Agnes?

 

A: Greta and Agnes complement each other in such great ways. They come from two very different worlds, but ultimately that doesn’t prove to be an obstacle. Sure, it leads to some fun shenanigans. But I think that is what you need in a friend. Someone who makes life interesting.

 

I think they are often on the same page, but they got to that page in wildly different ways. The plot lives in the ways that they navigate those differences.

 

Q: You’ve written for different age groups--do you have a preference?

 

A: What a great question! Writing for different ages can be so different. I feel like I’m working a different part of my brain.

 

I have to say, there is a special place in my heart for writing for kids. In addition to being an author, I’m also a full-time children’s librarian. I absolutely adore working with kids and writing for them, too.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m editing the second book in the Greta Grimsdark series! I can’t wait for readers to see what Greta and Agnes get up to next.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Visit your local library and talk to your librarian! Librarians want you to talk to them. They want to help you find just the right book or a bit of fascinating information or connect you with a free program or resource.

 

As a children’s librarian, I’ve seen many kids hesitate to talk to whoever is on desk. I want them to know that they don’t have to be worried. Your question is not silly, we probably can find a book or series based on a vague description, and we definitely want to help you discover your next read. 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Haley Neil.