Here's our first interview... with one of our favorite authors, Betty G. Birney, author of Humphrey and the Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs. Ever since we first picked up the World According to Humphrey (Olivia, when she was 8, Oscar, when he was 7), we've been in love with Mrs. Birney's creative, fun world of Humphrey. When Olivia was 10, she picked up the Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs and loved it, too. We're thrilled that she'll be our first Celebrity Author... but enough intro.
(KBR: Kid Book Reviewers, Olivia and Oscar, BGB: Betty G. Birney)
(KBR: Kid Book Reviewers, Olivia and Oscar, BGB: Betty G. Birney)
KBR: What’s your favorite part about writing?
BGB: One of the best parts about writing is connecting with readers. After all, if there were no readers, there would be no point to writing! And the other thing I love is when I'm on a roll, writing along and I forget I'm writing. I'm actually in the story and my fingers are flying across the keyboard without my even knowing it. That doesn't happen that often but it's a wonderful feeling!
KBR: What’s an average day for you when you write?
BGB:No average day, but I basically sit at my desk most of the day, writing steadily. I do have to get up and move around though - sitting is very bad for you and very bad for my neck.
KBR: What career did you want to do before writing?
BGB: I always wanted to be a writer from the age of seven. I had jobs before I wrote books, but they all involved writing advertising for a number of years and writing children's television for about 20 years.
KBR: What was your first story about?
BGB: My first story was called Teddy Bear in the Woods. I was seven when I wrote it and I illustrated it and stapled it together, gave it to my parents and said, "I'm going to be a writer."
KBR: Are any of the events in Humphrey inspired by real-life events that happened to you?
BGB: Bits and pieces of things that happened to me or happened to people I know are in the stories but I make things up, too.
KBR: Have you ever had a pet hamster, and if not, where did your inspiration for Humphrey come from? Why did you choose to write from a hamster’s POV?
BGB: My son was in a science classroom with a lot of classroom pets – even a boa constrictor. I wondered what the classroom looked like through the eyes of those animals – what they heard and what they thought. I decided it would be fun to write a book from the point of view of a classroom pet. Later, that turned out to be Humphrey the hamster.
KBR: Who’s your favorite character in Humphrey?
BGB: I like them all but Humphrey is my favorite. He's a lot like me, believe it or not!
KBR: Did inspiration for the Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs come from your childhood? If not so, what inspired you?
BGB: Two things inspired me. First, at a very young age, my son told me he wanted to see the whole world. So that inspired Eben. Also, I wanted to write a book that captured the flavor of the stories my grandmother told about growing up in a rural community in Missouri. I think I accomplished that.
KBR: Are there any obstacles you overcame as a writer, and if so, how did you overcome them?
BGB: Writing is a series of overcoming obstacles. You just have to persist. Most writers, including myself, have a lot of rejection before selling a book. You have to be able to accept rejection and learn from it.
KBR: If you could go back in time and give yourself advice as a young writer, what would it be?
BGB: Believe in yourself, believe in your stories, write the stories only you can write and don't try to copy other writers. And never give up!
KBR: What's the future of the Humphrey series? Could you give us a hint as to your next book?
BGB: Book 12, Spring According to Humphrey, comes out next spring. And there are more Tiny Tales books in the works.
BGB: One of the best parts about writing is connecting with readers. After all, if there were no readers, there would be no point to writing! And the other thing I love is when I'm on a roll, writing along and I forget I'm writing. I'm actually in the story and my fingers are flying across the keyboard without my even knowing it. That doesn't happen that often but it's a wonderful feeling!
KBR: What’s an average day for you when you write?
BGB:No average day, but I basically sit at my desk most of the day, writing steadily. I do have to get up and move around though - sitting is very bad for you and very bad for my neck.
KBR: What career did you want to do before writing?
BGB: I always wanted to be a writer from the age of seven. I had jobs before I wrote books, but they all involved writing advertising for a number of years and writing children's television for about 20 years.
KBR: What was your first story about?
BGB: My first story was called Teddy Bear in the Woods. I was seven when I wrote it and I illustrated it and stapled it together, gave it to my parents and said, "I'm going to be a writer."
KBR: Are any of the events in Humphrey inspired by real-life events that happened to you?
BGB: Bits and pieces of things that happened to me or happened to people I know are in the stories but I make things up, too.
KBR: Have you ever had a pet hamster, and if not, where did your inspiration for Humphrey come from? Why did you choose to write from a hamster’s POV?
BGB: My son was in a science classroom with a lot of classroom pets – even a boa constrictor. I wondered what the classroom looked like through the eyes of those animals – what they heard and what they thought. I decided it would be fun to write a book from the point of view of a classroom pet. Later, that turned out to be Humphrey the hamster.
KBR: Who’s your favorite character in Humphrey?
BGB: I like them all but Humphrey is my favorite. He's a lot like me, believe it or not!
KBR: Did inspiration for the Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs come from your childhood? If not so, what inspired you?
BGB: Two things inspired me. First, at a very young age, my son told me he wanted to see the whole world. So that inspired Eben. Also, I wanted to write a book that captured the flavor of the stories my grandmother told about growing up in a rural community in Missouri. I think I accomplished that.
KBR: Are there any obstacles you overcame as a writer, and if so, how did you overcome them?
BGB: Writing is a series of overcoming obstacles. You just have to persist. Most writers, including myself, have a lot of rejection before selling a book. You have to be able to accept rejection and learn from it.
KBR: If you could go back in time and give yourself advice as a young writer, what would it be?
BGB: Believe in yourself, believe in your stories, write the stories only you can write and don't try to copy other writers. And never give up!
KBR: What's the future of the Humphrey series? Could you give us a hint as to your next book?
BGB: Book 12, Spring According to Humphrey, comes out next spring. And there are more Tiny Tales books in the works.
Again, we're very thankful and excited to have Betty G. Birney as our first Celebrity Author. We hope you enjoyed this interview!
ALSO: look for our review on Mrs. Birney's latest Humphrey book, IMAGINATION ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY!
ALSO: look for our review on Mrs. Birney's latest Humphrey book, IMAGINATION ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY!
RSS Feed
