Saturday, June 21, 2014

Q&A with children's author Dan Gutman


Dan Gutman is the author of more than 100 books for kids, including the baseball card adventure series, the My Weird School series, and The Genius File series. He lives in New Jersey.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your baseball card adventure series, and do you have a favorite player among them?

A: I knew that a lot of kids collect baseball cards, and I also knew that a lot of kids are fascinated by time travel stories. So I thought I would combine the two by having a kid who has the power to travel through time using a baseball card like a time machine. 

Favorite player? Oh, I like them all.

Q: One of your most recent books is My Weird Writing Tips. Why did you decide to write this book, and how are you trying to help kids with their writing?

A: I get a lot of e-mail from readers, and I have been horrified with the spelling, punctuation, and grammar. It was as if the kids never learned how to write. Maybe the texting and cell phones have a lot to do with it. Anyway, I decided to do something about it. 

But it's not some boring writing book. It's a My Weird School book, so it's funny and silly and crazy.

Q: You are extremely prolific. Do you write one book at a time, or do you have several in progress at once?

A: I'm always working on more than one project at a time. I have to--I have a short attention span! I'd get bored if I just worked on one book for months at a time.

Q: Do you have a preference when it comes to writing fiction or nonfiction?

A: I started out writing non-fiction, but now I pretty much just write fiction. It feels more creative. 

Q: What are you working on now?

A: Now that The Genius Files and my baseball card adventure series are winding down, I'm working on a top secret new project that is almost like a combination of the two. I can't tell you anymore about it right now, though.

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: Yes!  Visit my web site! Go to my Facebook fan page! Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dangutmanbooks!

--Interview with Deborah Kalb

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