First off can you tell the Privateers a little about yourself and how you got into writing?
Hello Privateers and thank you for interviewing me!
I'm J. Lee Graham and I'm a wearer of many hats. I'm a writer, playwright,
musician, actor, astrologer (www.mysticalisle.net) and fluent in ASL as my
second language. Joseph Campbell said "Follow your bliss." I did that
through most of my life, but sadly, writing was a 'bliss' I came into
years later. Growing up, I remember being 'shot down' verbally by my
family whenever I told them about my writing dream. I guess that's the lesson
right there!
Tell us all about your novel!
I integrate accurate historical information as well
as a strong New Age sensibility with my characters in these novels. I enjoy the
synthesis of history and imagination and having the characters use their
ability to work together to tackle whatever situation they find.
What got you into writing middle
grade fiction? Have you dabbled in other kinds of writing?
I'm a playwright
as well. I wrote a Children's Play called "Alana" and an adult two
act play called "Lives of the Saints". I've also written a coming of
age Young Adult novel called THE PROMISE OF LIVING.
I
like the different genres, but Middle Grade is fun because the suspension of
belief for the readers is so much a part of the set up. The people who've read
my time travel novels range from 10-70, yet they're all willing to put aside
'reality' and go for the journey. That creates a lot of freedom within the
work.
What do you find challenging
about writing middle grade as opposed to other forms of writing?
My greatest
challenge is finding the voices for my three main characters: Andy, Roger, and
Miranda. Meaning, they are all 13 years old, and they're intelligent, but they
can't sound like adults. They carry within them an "Indigo Child"
persona, but they can't be spouting off New Age wisdom at the drop of a hat.
Andy especially, as the main character, is very sensitive and has the ability
to converse with his dead grandmother. These mentoring moments cannot be forced
or faked; there is a very fine line between pedanticism and allowing the
characters to discover life. I chose the latter every time.
What do you think is more
important – character development or plot-driven story? How would you advise
people to balance the two?
It would
be easy, especially with MG novels, to choose "plot-driven story",
but in all honesty, I side with "character development". Characters
have to be vivid, 'real' to the reader, identifiable, relatable. Nothing irks
me more when I read a tale where terrific plots unfold, yet the characters have
no emotional, visceral response to any of them. They go along as if none of
what just happened affects them just so we can move on to the next episode. I
love a good cliffhanger and use them frequently in my Middle Grade novels and I
think readers love them, too. It adds new meaning to the term, "page
turner", but if by the end of the novel, we, as readers, feel nothing for
our protagonist, and have no sense of empathy for him, then I think the novel
failed in some way.
Are you currently working on
anything right now?
Yes, I am editing the third book in the time travel
series. It is called ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD. It should be out by October,
2013.
My blog is www.jleegraham.blogspot.com where I keep
followers posted.
Finally if you had one billion
dollars to invest into any charity/project on Earth what would it be and
why?
Education, especially Literacy. Gosh, the ramifications
are endless. I see so many poorly educated people in this world, (is education
losing its value in the home/family and be supplanted by television?) and for
me, literacy beyond just a 4th grade reading level (that's our way to describe
it here in America), is vital: for shaping minds, policies, values, mores,
eradicating prejudice, and creating compassion.
What do you think Privateers? Worth checking out?
Definitely!
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