Q&A with Diana Harmon Asher

 

 

 

Diana Harmon Asher is the author of the new middle grade novel Upstaged. She also has written the middle grade novel Sidetracked. She lives in Westchester, New York.

 

Q: You played a role in a summer school production of The Music Man as a kid--how did that experience inspire you to write Upstaged?  

                                                                     

A: In the summer before fifth grade, I played Mr. Jacey Squires, and I clearly remember the feeling of wearing a stick-on a mustache, and singing arm in arm with three sweaty boys. 

 

But I wondered, what if this happened to someone a little older, a seventh grader who loves to sing, but is so shy, she doesn’t even want to try out? And what if she were also asked to understudy the leading lady?

 

From there I had fun developing characters and relationships—the barbershop quartet boys, Shira’s best friend Cassie, little sister Sophie, leading man Paul, and of course, diva leading lady Monica. 

 

I added the Blue Marauder pranks to add some mystery, and I’ve been happy to hear that guessing his or her identity has been the subject of great discussions among readers.

                                      

Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, "Shira’s shyness is not portrayed as a flaw but as a hurdle the circumstances she’s thrust into force her to overcome." How did you create your character Shira, and what do you think of that description of her shyness?

 

A: That was so perceptive! In fact, my editor and I discussed the idea in depth, that shyness is a characteristic, not a flaw.  I tried to allow Shira to step out of her comfort zone and find her courage without fundamentally changing the person she is.

 

Even as an adult, I’m amazed by—and often envious of—people who have the confidence to wear or do something outrageous, people who don’t care what anybody thinks. But the “dance like no one’s watching” gene seems to have skipped me.  

 

I identified with Shira and wanted her to be a heroine who’s okay with NOT being the loudest, most confident one in the room.

 

Today, so often strength seems to be measured by visibility and volume—volume, both in the number of views or hits or followers, and literally, being loud and dominant. I hope Shira’s story shows that you can be introverted, but still be brave and talented and strong.

 

Q: We discussed this idea in our previous Q&A, but with this book, did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it?

 

A: I had a pretty good idea about the ending I wanted in terms of the show, Shira’s relationships and her character growth.

 

But Cassie’s story developed a great deal as I was writing the book. She has her own story arc, her own insecurities, and that developed into a very satisfying storyline.

 

Paul’s character also grew, and the mystery element of the Blue Marauder took some twists and turns, before ending up just where we wanted it.

 

Q: You've written two novels about seventh graders--what is it about that age that appeals to you?

 

A: It’s almost a cliche to say that seventh grade is when kids are figuring out who they are, who they want to be, but most teachers and parents can attest to the truth of that. Friendship is also such a huge part of kids’ lives at that age, and I love writing about friendship.

 

But writing about 12 and 13 year-olds also means writing for 8 to 13 year-olds, and they’re a great audience. I feel like there’s still some innocence in the way they view the world. At least I hope that’s still true! 

 

It’s a time when it’s important for them to understand that there can be much more to a person than appearances suggest.

 

It’s also a great age to read a book and say, “I’m like that, too! I’m not alone in feeling that way.” (Come to think of it, it’s always a good age to get that reassurance, isn’t it?)

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m reworking a manuscript that I started years ago. It draws on my own experience of losing my father, and how horrified I was watching my mother start dating. My main character is also thrown in with a group of kids who are out of her usual social orbit.

 

It returns to a theme I seem to gravitate toward— how peer and societal expectations weigh on us, how we form opinions about other people before we really know them. I try to tell every story with humor and honesty, and I hope this will do that as well.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Much as I think theater-loving kids will enjoy Upstaged, I didn’t set out to write a book specifically for them, just as I didn’t write Sidetracked just for cross country runners or kids with ADD.

 

But theater and music are such terrific vehicles for helping kids grow. They have enormous powers, just as cross country does, to bring people together as a team and allow them to achieve something they never thought possible. 

 

Drama especially allows someone to step outside of themselves. As Shira says when she first rehearses as Marian, “I’m not really me, but I’m not pretending, either. It’s some free space in between.”

 

I hope I can keep finding those free spaces for my characters, creating friends and situations that challenge them and help them to grow.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Diana Harmon Asher.

Q&A with Diana Harmon Asher

 

 

 

 

Diana Harmon Asher is the author of the new middle grade novel Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz. Her other books include Upstaged. She lives in Westchester, New York. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz, and how did you create your character Evie?

 

A: I started this book with two story ideas, and I threw both at 12-year-old Evie in the opening chapters. First, she has to deal with the humiliating prospect of her mom going on a date with her school’s assistant principal. Second, she’s volunteered to tutor a boy—a cute boy—who she hasn’t spoken to since their playdates in kindergarten. 

 

Both ideas were inspired by my own experience. But the fun part of writing fiction is that you can start with personal experience and then write a story about what could’ve happened, what would’ve happened, and maybe best of all, what you wish had happened.

 

Like Evie, I lost my dad when I was young.  And like her, I had to watch my mom go on some pretty cringeworthy dates—never the assistant principal, but still, pretty icky.

 

I also remember starting junior high and recognizing a girl I’d played with in nursery school. We were both too shy to acknowledge our long-ago toddler friendship. I thought, what if it had been a boy-girl friendship, and that boy, Joey, now has new friends—and a reputation for trouble.

 

I’m always interested in the labels that kids are saddled with so early in life: good kid, shy kid, picked-on kid, and of course, “trouble.” I wanted to bring two very different groups together on a collision course and dig beneath those labels. Reuniting Evie and Joey in seventh grade, and creating the praying mantis “heist” gave me ways to do that.

 

As for Evie, she’s a lot like me, but she finds herself in situations that help her to question and change. Her identity as the cantor’s daughter makes her an oddity to Joey and his friends. It also colors her view of herself as a good kid, a respectful kid, giving extra weight to the “trouble” she encounters through Joey and his friend Tommy.

 

I loved writing from Evie’s point of view, with her sense of humor, a healthy skepticism and a strength that I probably didn’t have at that age.

 

Q: The writer Terri Libenson said of the book, “A warm, witty, and incredibly engaging story about family, fellowship, and bringing out the best in others.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I love this quote. For Terri to recognize the themes of family and fellowship makes me really happy. Family members have played a part in all of my books, but in this one, Evie’s relationship with her mom really takes center stage.

 

And while I know it’s important in a middle grade book to focus on the protagonist’s character growth, overcoming obstacles, being the hero of their story, I love my secondary characters! It was really rewarding to bring Chaucer’s idea of “fellowship” into the book and to create multiple, unlikely heroes.

 

My books always seem to feature a group of kids who are growing, changing, supporting or opposing one another. In Sidetracked, there’s the cross country team, in Upstaged, there’s the cast of the school musical. In this book, there are Evie’s friends, Joey’s friends, and for added fun, the Lunch Break crew.

 

Terri’s words, “Warm, witty and engaging” are icing on the cake!

 

Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and what does it signify for  you?

 

A: I’m terrible with titles! I needed a lot of help from my editors for both Sidetracked and Upstaged, and Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz is no exception. We went through idea after idea.

 

I tried making it simple, like my previous novels, but just couldn’t come up with the right word. I did want it to be somewhat lighthearted, because there’s a lot of humor and fun in the book. Finally, I found this title to be not overly serious, but relaying the idea that despite her best efforts, “Trouble” is finding Evie. 

 

I was honored that Gary Schmidt, who in my opinion is the best of the best in middle grade literature, said, “The troubles that seem to seek out Evie come quickly and suddenly—and they’re set within the greatest trouble of all: losing someone you love.”

 

Q: You’ve noted that the novel draws on some of your own childhood memories—can you say more about that?

 

A: In my first draft, Evie’s father was a teacher. It wasn’t until I returned to the manuscript after several years that I realized how much more depth, humor, and color I could add to the story by entering into territory that was unique, and familiar to me—being the cantor’s daughter.  

 

I have so many visceral memories of my childhood temple. The big, airy new sanctuary and the small one with its stained-glass windows, the way it felt to be squished into the pew for kiddie services, hearing my father sing, exploring the choir loft and the maze of back staircases.

 

Everyone knew me and I knew everyone, the office staff, the custodian, the rabbis, the smiley congregants and the grumpy ones.

 

I didn’t have to make up Evie’s recollections of the days after her father’s death. My father was funny and smart and so full of life. When adults tell Evie it’s time to stop crying, Evie thinks to herself, “…it will never be time to stop crying. Why should I stop crying? If I stopped, I’d be part of it. An accomplice.”

 

Yeah, that was pretty much me. I’ve never stopped missing my father, but eventually I did stop crying. I guess I wanted to write a story that would take Evie to that place, too. I wanted to answer Evie’s question to herself, “I’m the cantor’s daughter, but my dad died, so who am I now?”

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m working on a book that features the characters from Sidetracked. It’s coming along slowly. It should be easier than starting from scratch, right? But I don’t want to repeat the same story. The challenges have to be different and the characters have grown.

 

I find many ways to be, well, sidetracked—like answering fun questions like these! But as I tell kids on school visits, everyone goes at their own pace, and you do what you can do. I’ll keep you posted!

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I’m really happy that this book is being published by PJ Publishing, a young branch of the incredible Jewish book clubs, PJ Library and PJ Our Way. They will get the book into so many young readers’ hands through those book clubs.

 

But I’m also working hard to get the word out to a broader readership.  I think all young readers will enjoy Evie, and they can access the book via Amazon, Kindle, Libby, and other distribution methods that are in the works.  Readers can check my website, dianaharmonasher.com, for updates.

 

PJ Publishing is young, but I think it will be publishing and distributing many wonderful books in years to come.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Diana Harmon Asher. 

Q&A with Diana Harmon Asher

Diana Harmon Asher is the author of Sidetracked, a new novel for kids focusing on a seventh-grade boy who joins his school's cross-country team. She has worked in the story department at Columbia Pictures, and in subsidiary rights at Doubleday. 

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Sidetracked, and for your main character, Joseph?

A: My first inspiration for Sidetracked was my oldest son’s experience with cross country. He was in the resource room, and, as he’ll be the first to admit, not a gifted athlete. He joined the cross-country team in seventh grade, and he’s now a marathoner and running coach.

I really wanted to portray the world as Joseph saw and felt it, including the confusions and self-doubt. As I started writing, Joseph developed a unique personality, with his own peculiarities and strengths.

When Heather and Grandpa entered the storyline, I realized that a theme common to all of them was the way expectations weigh us down, and I tried to write a story that showed each of them trying to reconcile who they are with what they are expected to be.

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

A: That’s a really interesting question. I’ll try to answer without giving away the ending! I knew that I wanted Joseph to grow, and to have a victory, but in a realistic way. I didn’t want him to join the team and suddenly discover a hidden talent that makes him “okay.” 

But I also didn’t want to give him some consolation prize, like the sportsmanship award. He needed to come through for Heather, and also prove something to himself, but he had to do it using the traits we’ve seen in him throughout the story, and what he’s learned from Coach T and his teammates.

I’ve been to a lot of meets (all three of my sons ran cross country) and it’s common for the faster runners to “lap,” or overtake the slower runners. That gave me a chance to have Joseph cross paths with Trey during the final meet, but it took a while to figure out exactly what would happen there.

I got the idea for Joseph’s other “victory,” when I went to a middle school league meet to cheer on a team that my son was coaching. I realized that there are ways to earn a “win,” while still not being anywhere near the fastest one out there.

Q: Can you say more about the idea of running as the focus of the book?

A: Cross country and track and field are sports that take in all of those kids who have been cut from basketball, soccer, baseball. A lot of kids’ hearts are broken around seventh grade, when they’re told they can’t play those sports for their school. Cross country and track is where they find their “team.” 

There are also some really terrific athletes—boys and girls--who choose cross country and track, so there’s a great mix of talents and abilities. I also love the concept of the PR—the Personal Record. The idea of “doing your best” is great, but trying for a Personal Record is more than that. It means that your goal is to improve, to resist the urge to quit, and to do better than you did last time. 

There’s nothing wrong with competing with others—racing can be incredibly exciting! But for a kid like Joseph, striving for a PR can be so important, as a place to start.

Q: Who are some of your favorite authors?

A: I could re-read Charles Dickens’ novels over and over and never get tired of them. I spent my junior year of college in London, and I used to seek out the nooks and crannies where his novels took place.

I also love Richard Russo’s novels, possibly because there’s something Dickensian in his characters and humor. I feel the same way about J.K. Rowling. I’ve read some wonderful books for kids recently, including Wolf Hollow and Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk, Richard Peck’s The Best Man, Gary Schmidt’s Orbiting Jupiter, Jacqueline Woodson’s Locomotion, and my friend Carol Weston's Speed of Life.

One of my very favorite books is The One and Only Ivan. I love that Katherine Applegate spent years writing the Animorphs series, then came out with this unbelievably moving story, told in the perfect, poetic voice of Ivan, the gorilla. 


And I can't resist a shout-out to my incredibly talented writing pal MacKenzie Cadenhead, whose edgy sci-fi young adult novel Sleeper was published in August.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I’m working on another middle grade novel, this time told from a girl’s point of view. I don’t want to say too much about it, because I’m still working it out, but it moves from the world of middle school running to the world of middle school musical theater.

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: This is my first published novel, and I’ve been waiting and working for a long, long time. It’s hard to convey how much it means to me that Sidetracked has gotten such a warm reception.

I’ve spoken with kids who tell me they trudged through their summer reading assignments, resenting every minute of it, then they flew through Sidetracked and really enjoyed it. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

--Interview with Deborah Kalb