Countdown to Author Visit with Mary Pearson

We are very, very excited to be hosting Mary Pearson.  In less than two weeks, she will be at our library talking about her book The Adoration of Jenna Fox, the writing process, and answering your questions about writing, publishing, being an author, and any other burning questions you may have.  If two weeks seems like too long, perhaps an interview with the author will tie you over.

What do you find most difficult about writing?

“Getting started. A blank page is always intimidating. And the middle is difficult too. Whenever I get to the middle of a book I always think I’m totally lost and in trouble—too much is going on in my head! But I know most writers feel that way, and I remind myself that it is normal to feel out of control. The key is to keep moving forward, so I do. I set daily goals for myself to make sure I keep going. If you write only one page per day—about 250 words—in less than a year you can have a whole novel. Small bite-sized goals are easier to swallow and far less intimidating, so I focus on those.”

Which one book had a large impact on your life?

“That’s a tough one. There were so many, but I would have to say The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was a favorite that had a definite impact on my future. It was the first book that I read that felt like it was written for me. I devoured it over and over again and it made me want to write similar relevant books for teens.”

What advice might you have for aspiring writers?

Not so fast, you'll have to go to the Harbinger's online edition to see the answer to this question and others.  A special thanks to Sara Bardool and the folks at the Harbinger for letting us share this interview.

Oh and if you still don't have your free copy of The Adoration of Jenna Fox, just bring a signed permission slip either to the library or the school media center.  Then bring your book the day of the event and Mary will sign your book!  We hope to see you there.