Interview With Author Stacey Lee
author of "Under A Painted Sky"
As I said, Evansville Public Library help me host the amazing author by the name of Stacey Lee. The book club that is ,Looking At Lit Teen Book Club, had a great time. This has helped me and friends learn more about the process authors go through to get published, why they start to write a novel, and the amount of time it takes. Stacey answered many questions for us, and we would like to share some with you!
The summary of Under A Painted Sky .....
A powerful story of friendship and sacrifice, for fans of CODE NAME VERITY.
Missouri, 1849: Samantha dreams of moving back to New York to be a professional musician—not an easy thing if you’re a girl, and harder still if you’re Chinese. But a tragic accident dashes any hopes of fulfilling her dream, and instead, leaves her fearing for her life. With the help of a runaway slave named Annamae, Samantha flees town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush.
Sammy and Andy forge a powerful bond as they each search for a link to their past, and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. But when they cross paths with a band of cowboys, the light-hearted troupe turn out to be unexpected allies. With the law closing in on them and new setbacks coming each day, the girls quickly learn that there are not many places to hide on the open trail.
This debut is an exciting adventure and heart-wrenching survival tale. But above all else, it’s a story about perseverance and trust that will restore your faith in the power of friendship.
You may keep up with Stacey at her website.....
Also you may buy her book at theses websites....
INTERVIEW
1. One of the organizations that you work for nationally is called We Need Diverse Books. Can you explain how you got involved with this organization, your role, and how you feel the organization has had an impact on YA literature?
The lack of diversity in children's literature has been a concern for many many years, and finally came to a boiling point after the Children's Cooperative Book Center released its annual study that showed that the number of books with diverse characters has remained at 7% of all children's books published, this despite our population being almost 40% diverse. I happened to be chatting on twitter at the time with other diverse authors, led by Ellen Oh, and we decided to launch a three day campaign where we invited people to tweet pictures of why we need diverse books. After it went viral, we decided to continue the good work and incorporated as a nonprofit, and things have been going full steam ahead since then, with lots of amazing initiatives in the works. We set up an annual Walter Dean Myers award for diverse stories, internships with publishers.
Yes, I think WNDB has definitely had an impact. I think the whole book industry is more aware now that there is a demand for diverse books, from the publishers to the booksellers.
2. Under a Painted Sky is considered a western in the genre of historical fiction. What kind of research was required to write a book about the past? Did you use your local library to do research, the Internet, etc.?
Yes, absolutely. I am a big fan of libraries. I spent a good 2-3 weeks sitting at my local library, reading eight hours a day so that I had a good enough handle to begin writing the story. I read a lot of pioneer diaries, poured over old maps, and then I also did 'field' trips like visiting a working ranch, touring parts of the Overland Trail, going to a cowboy cookout, talking to a stagecoach maker.
3. What kind of future books are you working on now?
I recently completed a last round of edits on my second historical, OUTRUN THE MOON, about a Chinese girl in 1906 San Francisco who impersonates an heiress to gain access to an all white girls' school but her plans are shaken up when the earthquake hits. In addition, next fall I have a contemporary magical realism book called TOUCH ME NOT (working title) about a girl with an extraordinary nose who struggles to undo a mistake when she fixes the wrong woman with a love potion.
4. Many of today’s teens get their reading habits online through social media, websites, etc. Do you feel that books are losing their popularity among teenagers in our digital age? Do you have any advice for teens regarding these changes in our culture?
I think not just teens, but we as a society are getting used to very quick 'bit's of information, a two minute video, a snapshot, a Facebook post. But there's nothing more satisfying than getting lost in a story, the kind of story you want to climb inside and not leave. Stories connect us, they give us common ground. I don't think we're losing our interest in stories; they're who we are.
5. Can you describe yourself in one word. Also can you describe your book in one word?
Me: Curious.
Book: Immersive
6. Do you have any advice for your readers, or a message you would like to send them?
I would love to thank them for reading my words. It's a huge honor to be on someone's lap. I would encourage everyone to be open-minded. I have found the best stories where I least expect them.
Stacey Thank you so much for spending your time with, giving us wonderful answers to inspired our brave minds, and words that will live with us forever! We can't wait for your next book, and good luck with future writings!
Thank you for reading,
Austin Caine-Cook
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