A Day in the Life of Kathryn Fitzmaurice - Day Two

Good morning everyone. Today author Kathryn Fitzmaurice is talking to us again about her work. This is the second entry in our ongoing series of blog articles. You can read my reciprocal blog on her website.

"I have taken to stalking my latest main character. He is quite elusive, though. He won’t tell me much about what he wants. He tries to hide behind the pages of my manuscript. He smiles when I’m forced to delete paragraphs that don’t match who he is. I see him in the back corner of my depiction of who he is, smiling. Arms crossed tight at his chest. He’s not ready to talk yet.

“That’s okay,” I tell him. “I can wait.”

He nods like he knows I have no choice.

I wave a bundle of papers at him. “You see this?” I say. “It’s a character study. I’m going to fill it out today, and then, then, I’ll know better who you are.”

He raises his eyebrows and walks away. This is typical behavior for him.
I grab my pencil and get to work. I know he’ll talk sooner or later."

Thank you Kathryn. Now I know that the troublesome behavior exhibited by my characters is not unique. They truly have a life of their own.

The Year the Swallows Came Earl Blog Book Tour - Day Three

For this final day in this blog book tour for The Year the Swallows Came Early I would like to do three things. First of all I want to tell you that the author of this book has generously offered two signed copies of her book which she will send to two of you lucky readers. Drop me a line if you want to be in the drawing for these giveaways. Please give me your name and address in your email.

Next I want to give you a little information about Kathryn:

When Kathryn was thirteen years old, her mother sent her to New York City over the summer to visit her grandmother, who was a science fiction author. After seeing how her grandmother could make the characters in her books into whomever she wanted, Kathryn decided that she, too, wanted to become a writer someday. Years later, after teaching elementary school, and taking many classes, she now writes full time and lives with her husband, two sons, and her dog, Holly, in Monarch Beach, California.

Kathryn was born in New York City, but grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. She holds a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Chapman University. Her favorite thing to do is walk her dog, Holly, who, she says is so smart, she can practically empty the dishwasher. She also likes organizing absolutely anything, including messy garages, closets, and even cluttered junk drawers. If she could, she would eat the same thing for lunch everyday, which would be a ham, Swiss cheese, and tomato Panini, a green apple, and a chocolate soufflé.

You can find out more about Kathryn on her splendid website.

And finally, I want to talk about food. Yes, food. Food plays an important role in this book. More than anything Groovy wants to become a chef, and she begins to see that people often have an affinity for certain foods. They also turn to certain foods when they are upset, happy, or angry. I thought it might be interesting to find out from you what kinds of foods you like to eat when you are happy or sad.



I'll get the ball rolling by telling you what I like to eat at the high and low moments in my life. When I am happy I eat large amounts of fruit. I crave fruit salads and fruit tarts. I like to cook outdoors and enjoy the world around me. When I am blue or upset, I don my cozy clothes and hanker for homemade macaroni and cheese, chicken soup, and baked pasta dishes. I want warm scones and a cup of tea.


I'd like to add that am also very partial to stawberries dipped in chocolate, which is one of the things that Groovy makes in this story. You will find her recipe at the back of the book.

Please visit the other sites participating in this blog.

A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Novel Teen, Reading is My Superpower

Thank you for this splendid book Kathryn. I look forward to the next one.

The Year the swallows came early blog book tour - Day Two

Good morning everyone. Today I will be interviewing Kathryn Fitmaurice, the author of The year the swallows came early. This gracious lady has a wonderful story about how this book came about.

Marya: Where did the idea for this story come from?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: First I’d like to thank you very much for interviewing me. I’ve read your blog for awhile now, so this is very exciting for me. The idea for the story came to me the year my youngest son was assigned his fourth grade Mission Project. Many students in the state of California complete an extensive Mission Project in fourth grade, in addition to learning about California’s history. Of course, we went to the San Juan Capistrano Mission the day the swallows returned, which is March 19. I knew then I wanted to write about the swallows because they always come back. No matter what else happens, there they are, year after year, like a promise.

Marya: You have put some of your own life experiences into this story. What does it feel like to see moments from your life on a printed page?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: This is very exciting, and I think many other writers also put their own experiences into their stories. But when my grandmother passed away, and left her entire collection of unfinished manuscripts to me, I was overwhelmed with joy and inspiration at the thought of having them. It was what pushed me to finally write my own novel after so many years. I suppose that’s why I included it in the story. It was such a force for me, and I wanted my main character to have that same special gift that would keep her going when she felt the obstacles of life that were in the path of where she wanted to go.

Marya: Do you see a lot of yourself in Groovy, your main character?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The main character is a combination of two students I had when I last taught, and myself. Like my main character, I connect food to events and people. I make the same menus and dishes over and over because the food reminds me of certain things. For example, we always make crème brulee on Christmas. Using the kitchen torch is a lot of fun. Scrambled eggs are the first thing I’ll cook if there is some kind of small crisis, and so on. And then, also, I’m a little like Groovy in that I knew what I wanted to be someday when I got older.

Marya: The arrival of the swallows is an important moment in the story. What did you want it to signify?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The swallows symbolize the love of one’s family and the security of knowing that no matter what happens between those we are related to, that there is always a bond between us. Even though we may have been hurt, or disappointed, many of us still come back eventually, and hopefully, try to make things right.

Marya: I understand that you are now writing a second book. Is the process different now from when you were writing the first book?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I think the process of writing a new story is both the same and different. It’s the same because as a writer, you’re still trying to hear the main character’s story and get it right. But it’s different because you’re writing in a new voice, and sometimes, at least for me, it’s hard to perfect that new voice.

Marya: You have been a teacher for many years. Have your experiences in this job helped you to write this story?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Well I wish I could’ve taught longer than I did. But I remember the week The Tale of Despereaux came out. Three of my third graders were reading it during silent reading time. I remember sitting with them and talking about what made the story so great. Sometimes I wish I could go back and ask them questions I didn’t think of, now that I’m actually really writing. I do know this, though; kids will read what they connect to.

Marya: Do you have ideas for other books that you hope to write? Do you think you might use some of the story ideas that you came up with when you were a teenager?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I do have other ideas, and I’m looking forward to writing those soon. When I was a teenager, I wrote mostly poetry, but one short story I wrote might work for a full length novel. I think teens today are such better writers than I was at that age. They are learning so much more about grammar and developing their own individual style. They are assigned a lot more reading than I was, which also helps them to become better writers. I’m amazed at the clarity and pulled-togetherness of the essays and stories I read of my son’s high school friends.

Marya: You mention on your website that you love to organize things. Are you organized when you are writing?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I’m pretty organized when I’m writing, but I don’t write from an outline. Instead, I have paragraphs or scenes jotted on a sheet of paper, places I know I want the story to go to, and then I fill in the parts in between. The story usually changes from my original vision. It has a way of almost writing itself. I’ll suddenly see places and events that I think should happen, that I hadn’t thought about in the beginning. Those are the best surprises, the ones I hadn’t planned on.

Marya: What was your favorite book when you were Groovy’s age?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: My favorite book was one of my grandmother’s, entitled Chrysalis of Death. It was a science fiction book for adults. I read it a few times, and just recently again But I also liked the Little House on the Prairie books. I have every one of them, and used them in my classroom for literature studies.

Marya The Year the Swallows Came Early has been very well received. What is your reaction to its success?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Thank you for thinking that. Nothing could make me happier to think someone is reading the book, and likes it. I only wish I could give it to my grandmother, and ask her what she thought of it. And did she think my opening paragraph was enough of a hook, and were my characters developed enough. You know, things she would’ve pondered over for hours with me. I can see her in her chair, her typewriter in front of her, her serious look on her face. “Now, Kathy, “she’d say, “let’s talk about your character’s arc a little.”

Marya: Thank you so much Kathryn, for this warm and enlightening inteview. I have learned a lot about you, and have been given yet another interesting peek into the life of a writer.

Please visit the other sites participating in this blog book tour.

A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Novel Teen, Reading is My Superpower


Join me tomorrow for a treat and for a discussion about food.

The Year the Swallows Came Early Blog Book Tour - Day One

Every so often a book comes along that leaves a lasting impression on me. The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice is just such a book. This is a book that I would - even though I have a ton of books to read for my work - read again. I love the characters and the setting. I like the way the author explores human emotions and reactions, and I like the fact that the story is true to what happens in real life: endings tend to be a combination of good things and some less than perfect things. Here is my review of the book:

The Year the Swallows Came Early
Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Fiction
Ages 9 to 12
HarperCollins, 2009, 978-0-06-162497-1
Groovy Robinson’s father has been arrested and taken to jail. This is bad enough in itself, but when she finds out that her mother was the one who had him arrested Groovy is shocked. Groovy has no idea why her mother did this, and she feels as if her life has been turned upside down.
Groovy loves to think about and to cook food. In her opinion one can match food to situations and to people. Groovy loves cooking so much in fact, that she hopes to go to culinary school when she gets older. Groovy’s great-grandmother Eleanor left Groovy some money, which Groovy hopes to use to pay for her schooling. She is therefore, devastated when she learns that the reason why her father is in jail is because he took her inheritance out of the bank and gambled it away.
Groovy cannot understand why her father would have done such a thing, but she tries not to be too angry with him. She starts working on raising money herself by making chocolate covered strawberries. One thing Groovy notices is that her friend Frankie refuses to forgive his mother who abandoned him some years ago. Groovy does not want to be like Frankie because she can see how damaging his anger is. Despite her good intentions however, when Groovy’s father’s true betrayal is revealed, Groovy’s anger takes over, and she is in real danger of turning into a bitter person, just like Frankie is.
This powerful and meaningful book explores the nature of forgiveness, the meaning of true friendship, and the love of family. The author beautifully weaves her message into the rich and warming story. Sprinkled with vivid and incredibly genuine characters, this story will delight readers with its unique style and its compelling narrative.

Please take a look at the other sites that are participating in this blog book tour.
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Novel Teen, Reading is My Superpower

Join me tomorrow for an interview with Kathryn.