![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/dino23.jpg\")
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Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Eisha, Jane Yolen’s<\/strong><\/a> here! I have to say that this is a big ‘ol highlight in our short, little existence as 7-Imp. Wouldn’t you agree?<\/p>\n And here’s one reason why it’s exciting: As I have been working on her interview, reading and then re-reading her responses, reading other interviews with her online, reading all about<\/em> her, I am struck by her generosity as a writer. I mean, she’s THE one and only Jane Yolen. She’s as prolific a writer as they come, having written over 250 books; Newsweek<\/em> declared her America’s Hans Christian Andersen (and someone else declared her a modern-day Aesop, though I’m not sure who); she’s written in just about every genre for every<\/em> age, from board books to books for adults (even songbooks — and didn’t she write a comic book, too?); she’s an accomplished poet; she’s been awarded many an honor, including a Caldecott, a World Fantasy Award, two Christopher Medals, a Jewish Book Award, a Golden Kite Award, and much more; she’s written books that children are in love with and crazy about, including her dinosaur books<\/strong><\/a> with illustrator Mark Teague<\/strong><\/a> and The Devil’s Arithmetic<\/strong><\/a><\/em>; she’s written one of the top-five best picture books that’s ever existed (in my not-so humble opinion), Owl Moon<\/strong><\/a><\/em>; she is a former president of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America<\/strong><\/a> and served on the board of directors of the Society of Children\u2019s Book Writers & Illustrators<\/strong><\/a> for more than twenty-five years; she is admired and respected by all kinds of readers, from folktale nerds (and I say that lovingly) to science fiction geeks (ditto) to historical fiction nerd-geeks (I say that lovingly and<\/em> respectfully); she has collaborated with a whole slew, to be precise, of illustrators and other children’s book authors, including her own grown children…oh heavens, I could go on. <\/p>\n Know what I mean, E? Whew. Are you still with me? Do you have a favorite Yolen book, or is it too flippin’ hard to pick?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Like you, I could also go on and on, but I’m sure most of our readers are at least somewhat familiar with Jane Yolen’s impressive canon. And if they aren’t… well, this interview should be enough to convince them to remedy the oversight, don’t you think? Especially the so-far-unpublished poems she shared with us… but I’m getting ahead of myself. Ourselves? Whatever.<\/p>\n I’m just so thrilled she agreed to hang out with us for the day on our lil’ blog. Thank you, Jane, for your willingness to be subjected to the 7-Imp treatment, and for being so delightfully candid in your answers. We love you all the more for it.<\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: And I second the thanks! Readers can also note that her web site has a thorough bibliography<\/strong><\/a>. So, let’s get to it, with much gratitude to Jane for stopping by…<\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Since I\u2019d rather write than cook or clean house, and my children were growing up in the late ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, you can just imagine the household! We had a rambling Victorian farmhouse with fifteen rooms (still do), so we can fill up one room and move on to the next. Luckily, I had a saint for a husband who believed in my talent. Also, I made sure the children learned independence early. I think they grazed a lot.<\/p>\n We also had a lot of barns on the property, and in one of them there were about ten craftspeople at any one time working in individual studios, who were all like strange and ditsy aunts and uncles. So there were always plenty of interesting grownups around. Many of them lived with us for months at a time, and one potter stayed for five years in our attic.<\/p>\n It seemed really normal at the time, but as I look back on it now, I see several things. 1. My children really had an idyllic childhood. They had their parent around much more than most kids. (My husband was a college professor.) 2. Many of the things they learned then\u2014reading, writing, poetry from me, bird-watching, math, and computers from their father\u2014are still vital to them as adults and parents themselves. 3. That adults can be healthily creative. They can truly love their work. 4. They saw a long-term loving relationship between their parents that lasted to my husband\u2019s death and\u2014to be frank\u2014beyond. <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: I was a lousy journalist. Hated interviewing people. I was really a poet.<\/p>\n While I was working in publishing\u2014having left journalism behind–I was contacted by an editor in New York (Judith Jones<\/strong><\/a> at Knokpf, who became editor for, among other great folks, Julia Childs.) She had talked to people at my old college and was given my name. Writing to me, she asked to see my work and really, all I had to show were old journalistic pieces and some very jejeune poetry. So I wrote something quickly, and—looking back—I see how bad it was. She passed me on to the children\u2019s book editor, because the \u201cquick\u201d stuff was an attempt at poetry and a book about my father\u2019s kite flying. It was years before I ever published with Knopf, but that suddenly gave me an interest in trying to write something GOOD for children. <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: We know you talk a great deal about the writing process at your site—at the wonderful \u201cFor Writers\u201d<\/strong><\/a> page. And even at your online journal — \u201cto me, {writing} is a combination of pleasure and compulsion and there\u2019s nothing amazing or stunning or astonishing about it. Except when it works well.\u201d We like that. We also like this bit on your web site: <\/p>\n Here is a trick that painters know. They will often turn a picture upside-down to see if it works. Upside-down the painter cannot count on reading the actual figures, only the composition. Well, we can\u2019t read a story or poem upside down, but we can do the equivalent. <\/p>\n Take a story or chapter and break it up into breath spaces as if it\u2019s a poem. Write it down that way. You will very quickly see where you have overwritten a piece, where your repetition is not helpful but just a mistake. When you see a clich\u00e9 on a single line, it leaps out, grabs you by the throat, threatening to silence you. <\/p>\n This is also true with poetry. Break the lines down into the smallest groupings possible. Suddenly the errors are appallingly clear. They wink at you like neon lights.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Do you have any other tips for writers that are not posted at your site?<\/font><\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Well, from a speech I am working on right now:<\/p>\n None of us love what our elbows look like. If any of you are believers in creationism, please ask God about elbows. Except for jamming them into your best friend\u2019s side when she or he is being stupid or annoying or careless, what good are elbows?<\/p>\n For me, books like the <\/em>Gossip Girls<\/strong><\/a> are elbows. They stick out, aren\u2019t particular pretty, and everyone talks about them when they get in the way. Especially other authors.<\/em><\/p>\n And this is also in the speech: <\/p>\n No matter how hard you work on your writing, there will always be other writers who are better, faster, deeper, more popular, richer. And that\u2019s fine.<\/em><\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: On that note, you are known for your generosity toward other writers, particularly those who are just starting out. The aforementioned \u201cFor Writers\u201d page<\/strong><\/a> at your site is testament to that. Tell us about your inspirations when you first began writing books for children. Who inspires you today?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: I have always found inspiration from the books I read and the people I talk to, music, nature, living, life. Early on, three children\u2019s book folks were inspirational: poet and editor Lilian Moore<\/strong><\/a>, editor Frances Keene, and editor Ann Beneduce. They taught me most of what I knew about the field. Also, my husband and children constantly inspired me. <\/p>\n I am in a weekly writing group with six amazing women. And these days I am being inspired by other writers with whom I am working\u2014poets Pat Lewis<\/strong><\/a>, Rebecca Kai Dotlich<\/strong><\/a>, Andrew Fusek Peters<\/strong><\/a>, and my daughter Heidi Stemple<\/strong><\/a>; novelists Midori Snyder<\/strong><\/a>, Robert J. Harris<\/strong><\/a>, my son Adam Stemple<\/strong><\/a>; and my photographer son Jason Stemple<\/strong><\/a>, whose work constantly astonishes me. <\/p>\n But really, once I start work on a book, the book itself unfolding inspires me.<\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Tell us what it\u2019s like to collaborate with your grown children on writing projects.<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Nothing is more exciting to me than working with one of my kids. Heidi and I just sold a book in rhyme to Simon & Schuster called NOT ALL PRINCESSES DRESS IN PINK. We\u2019ve just finished BAD GIRLS (a nonfiction book) for Charlesbridge. Adam and I are working on a book about a Jewish boy being bullied who builds a golem. There\u2019s klezmer music (the golem is the drummer) and a bar mitvah. The book is right now called BUG and is being published by Dutton. We have just sold a gonzo novella about the Russian Revolution and dragons to a Daw anthology. And Jason and I have sold two new books to Boyds Mills — A MIRROR TO NATURE: POEMS OF REFLECTION and THE EGRET\u2019S DAY. <\/p>\n I joke and say, \u201cIt\u2019s easier than giving them money!\u201d But what I really like is how we have gone into real friendships and colleagueship during the process. Each of them has grown from a junior partner, afraid to question my obvious superior knowledge, to a full partner willing to edit me thoroughly as well as take my suggestions on their work. I think they also have a better sense of what drives me.<\/font> <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Does your Muse speak differently to you—rather, handle you differently—when you\u2019re writing a picture book vs. a novel vs. a poetry anthology vs. non-fiction, etc.? Or is your process fundamentally the same, even though those things are, on the surface at least, very different in many ways?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: My process is quite simple, really. Cup of tea. Computer. (It used to be a typewriter.) Start writing. Sometimes what comes out is a poem. Sometimes an essay. Sometimes a story. <\/p>\n I wish I could have all the wonderful tools that artists have: different papers, lots of pens, paints, bits of stuff to use in collages. All lovely tools. I just took a one-day art course with a woman here in Scotland who had us use flowers to color our work. Amazing. <\/p>\n But writers are such simple folk. Black words, white page. <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: You have written, to be precise, a whole slew of poetry books for children -\u2013 rhymed and unrhymed works. Do you find that one is easier than the other to write (rhyme as compared to free verse, that is)? <\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Some individual poems are more difficult than others, and whether they are rhymed or not doesn\u2019t seem to matter. (Though I am terrible at some of the more intricate rhymed forms\u2014triolets and the like, the kind that Pat Lewis<\/strong><\/a> seems to spit out on a bad day.) Sometimes a poem works practically from the beginning. Most take days, weeks, months\u2014even years\u2014to get right. <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Andrew, who had taken some of my poems for anthologies, asked me if I wanted to do a first book of poems for very young children. He had Walker UK sort-of interested, but they wanted an American to do the American choices so that Candlewick would come on line to do it as well. As I already had a picture book with Candlewick (SOFT HOUSE<\/strong><\/a>) and a book of lap games and clapping games (THIS LITTLE PIGGY<\/strong><\/a>) I was thrilled to be asked. I mean—imagine, sitting down and reading reams of poetry and calling it research! What\u2019s not to like? <\/p>\n Andrew and I began by talking about poems we loved, and poets we\u2019d like to approach. And, as we sent poems back and forth (thank goodness for the Internet!), we began to see a pattern for the book. After that, we began to narrow our focus to go with those very organic sections. <\/p>\n My husband and I went down to London from Scotland, where we have a summer home, and in the Walker UK offices met Andrew; the editor, Caroline (Caz) Royds; and Polly for a lunch and a show-and-tell. I was knocked over by the energy of her drawings. I call her Sendak With a Kick. She truly brought the book together. <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: We\u2019re going to be REALLY BOLD and ask if you have a never-seen-before poem you\u2019d like to share here \u2013 a children\u2019s poem or otherwise.<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: This is a poem from an as-yet-unsold book for children: <\/p>\n Consider the Wolverine<\/em><\/p>\n The largest of Mustelidae, He\u2019s strong, he\u2019s big, he lives in snow, He\u2019s always moving, never still, And from an unsold book of poems about my husband\u2019s death: <\/p>\n Christmas Bird Count Night: 2006<\/em> <\/p>\n This was the time you would get out of bed, This was the time I would mumble This was the time I would be grateful for sleep, This was the time you should be here, next to me, <\/font> <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Wow. Thank you very much for sharing, Jane. That’s beautiful. <\/p>\n Switching gears in a big way now…You did school visits for twenty-five years. How do you think school visits with children informed your writing, if at all?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: It reminded me that the books were for real children. Nowadays I have grandchildren for that! <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: If you could change one thing, if anything, about how writing is taught in schools today (whether primary or intermediate or older), what would it be?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Also from that speech: <\/p>\n Now, there are two kinds of writers in the world, and they were described for me by my friend Susan Shwartz<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cI,\u201d she said, \u201cam a mad monk, going up a rock face with a rather large chisel and carving out great swaths of story. But you are a gem polisher. You take a small, wonderful gem of a tale and polish it till it shines.” <\/p>\n I tell you this, because in your classrooms you will have some children who are like Susan and love to tackle large subjects with a great sharp implement, while others want to use a jeweler\u2019s loupe, while picking at short, pithy, gem-like pieces. And I am afraid, my friends, try as you might, you cannot\u2014and should not\u2014try to turn one kind of writer into the other. They are both what they are. You will damage their writing skills and your digestive track trying for a Conversion. Make them better at what they do. Do not try and make them do what they cannot.<\/em> <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: What\u2019s next?<\/font> <\/p>\n What’s next? Well, I have forty books under contract, all but ten of them completely written. I have about fifteen other books, mostly picture book and poetry collections, making the rounds. I have five novels in my head. If I am lucky, I will live long enough to finish all of them.<\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: That I have a new knee so am a bionic woman, but am re-learning how to dance. Took a year of Lindy hop lessons. Now this year I want to learn Scottish Country dancing. <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Even though, as Betsy pointed out in her interview, you\u2019ve met EVERYONE, we\u2019re still going to ask: If you could have three (living) authors and\/or illustrators—whom you have not yet met—over for coffee or a glass of rich, red wine, whom would you choose?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: Shannon Hale<\/strong><\/a>, Kelly Murphy<\/strong><\/a>, Rima Staines<\/strong><\/a>. I may actually have met Shannon at a conference but never actually talked with her. <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Is there something you wish interviewers would ask you -\u2013 but never do?<\/font> <\/p>\n Jane<\/font><\/strong>: What is the difference between your love of writing and compulsive disorder?<\/em> <\/p>\n I don\u2019t think there is much difference from a psychologist\u2019s point of view. I am compulsive\u2014about only this one thing. But, as I love to write and my writing seems to make other people happy as well, what\u2019s the problem? <\/p>\n 7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: What is your favorite word?<\/font> <\/p>\nWhere was I? Yes, so she’s, to put it bluntly, AMAZING…and yet she takes the time to speak and read to children (and write to them<\/strong><\/a>); she advises other authors; she has a very robust online presence…I could go on again. I’m just struck by how this graceful, immensely talented…well, I’ll say it: living legend (as clich\u00e9 as that sounds) takes the time to share her wisdom. And she’s modest, to boot. I mean, really…check out the below photo of her sitting and talking to those child readers (next to the big ‘ol Teague dinosaur). I dare say that photo sums up nicely what Jane is all about: sharing the love of reading with the wee ones of the world. I love<\/em> that picture. <\/p>\n
![\"Here](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/dragons1.jpg\")
eisha<\/font><\/strong>: A single<\/em> favorite? Can’t be done. There are just too many to choose from. Like you, I’m a big fan of Owl Moon,<\/em> which has to be one of the most graceful and seamless pairings of text and illustrations to ever happen between an author and an illustrator. I also have read all of the Teague-illustrated dinosaur books to raucously enthusiastic storytime crowds, so I’m very grateful for their existence. But I’ll add a few you didn’t mention: the “Here There Be…” anthologies<\/strong><\/a>, such as Here There Be Dragons<\/a>, Here There Be Unicorns<\/a>,<\/strong><\/em> and Here There Be Ghosts<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em> You know I loves me some supernatural lit, and Jane’s apparently encyclopedic knowledge of folklore and myth informs her creative and original way with words to great effect in these stories and poems.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/JaneYolenflowers.jpg\")
7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: We know that Betsy Bird already asked you<\/strong><\/a> about your amazing prolificacy and that she double-checked to see if you a). sleep or b). have a robot butler. And we know that you told her you are happiest when you write. But how did you do it when your children were wee? Did you have a regimented writing schedule?<\/font> <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/petticoats1.jpg\")
7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: You talk at your web site<\/strong><\/a> about being surprised when you became a children\u2019s book author, selling your first book (pictured here) on your 22nd birthday. Take us back to that time. What led you to want to write a children\u2019s book after starting out in journalism?<\/font> <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/winterthur21.jpg\")
\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/dinotail1.jpg\")
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<\/em>How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?<\/strong><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n
\n7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Tell us please about the process of choosing the poems—along with Andrew Fusek Peters<\/strong><\/a>—for the superb Here\u2019s a Little Poem<\/strong><\/a><\/em>. And what was it like to see Polly Dunbar\u2019s<\/strong><\/a> illustrations for the first time?<\/font> <\/p>\n
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\nHe\u2019s not real nice and not real shy,
\nHe\u2019s called a bear, I don\u2019t know why,
\nHe really is a weasel. <\/p>\n
\nHis fur is glossy, he\u2019s not slow.
\nBut really, all you need to know
\nIs that he is a weasel. <\/p>\n
\nHe leaves a stench upon his kill,
\nSo no one else will eat its fill.
\nHe\u2019s really such<\/u> a weasel.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\ndress in double layers, thick socks,
\nstick granola bars in your pockets,
\ncheck the owl map, add another ballpoint pen,
\nextra batteries for the recorder, the flashlight,
\nmake the tea with milk and double sugars,
\nhot water in the thermos first to warm it up. <\/p>\n
\n\u201cShould I get up?\u201d and throw back the covers,
\ncounting on you to tell me to sleep in,
\ntake advantage of the freshly warmed side,
\nyour side of the double bed, closest to the door. <\/p>\n
\nfor being the one to stay home with the kids,
\nmaking breakfast for the hardy bird count folk,
\nout all night in the cold, the snow, the ice, the dark,
\nwhile I nestled in our snuggled of blankets, oblivious of owls. <\/p>\n
\nnot spread all over the world in little clumps
\nof cold ash and scorched bone while the owls,
\nlike unfaithful lovers, answer any old birder
\nwho calls them out on bird count night.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/winterthur11.jpg\")
\nJane<\/font><\/strong>: First, What’s Now! I had seven new books out this year. Hey–don’t blame me. Some of these were written years ago. An author is at the mercy of slow editors, slow illustrators, slow money, slow market. I have books out there that took took me ten years to find a home for. Some that are waiting another five years for the illustrators. SPIT HAPPENS, as my twin granddaughters’ bibs announced. In a perfect world, I’d have two books out a year, in spring and fall. In a perfect world, I’d live to 150, still writing. In a perfect world, I could eat all the chocolate I want and weigh what I did in high school. In a perfect world, we’d have world peace, a balanced ecologically safe world, and no child would go to bed hungry or abused.<\/p>\n
So first I had three baby board books out: ONE HIPPO HOPS<\/strong><\/a>, HIP HIPPOS<\/strong><\/a>, and SAD, MAD, GLAD HIPPOS<\/a><\/strong>. Then a picture book about an immigrant girl and the Statue of Liberty: NAMING LIBERTY<\/strong><\/a>. The immigrant part of the story was based somewhat on my own family story. Then for the Fall, a nonfiction book about one of my all time favorite subjects, women pirates: SEA QUEENS<\/strong><\/a>. Another fact-based picture book JOHNNY APPLESEED<\/strong><\/a> that will also be a piece of concert music (with narration) this Fall. And finally a rhymed picture book about mothers and daughters (have I said how much I love my daughter, Heidi?), MAMA’S KISS<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n
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