Friday, September 18, 2015

Author Interview with Wylde Scott

The DMS was lucky enough to interview Wylde Scott. Lizzy reviewed SEASIDEand it was great to share our thoughts about it and hear yours. So, without further ado... take it away, Wylde!

What inspired you to write SEASIDE?


Seaside is an entirely true story as told to me by the very people who were there. A long time ago I was the proprietor of a Giggle Shoppe in the market square, just next to the baker. The events that take place in the book occurred just before I arrived in Seaside. The very first time I met young Robert O’Malley and Walter I asked how the two unlikely friends had met. In writing Seaside the book, I tried very hard to recall the story as they described it. 

How did you come up with your characters, Bobby and Walter? 

It was easy. I knew them both personally and I used the names their mothers had given them. 

SEASIDE is told from different points of view. What was the most challenging part of weaving together both sides of the story?

Telling great stories is always challenging in that you want to share all of the best parts and not leave anything out. In writing Seaside I don’t think this was actually intentional. The day that Bobby and Walter told me the story, they were frantically speaking at nearly the same time, each stepping over each other to tell me each of its bits and pieces from their point of view.  I think the style I used in the book simply reflects the way I remember it being told. I have been telling stories verbally since I was a child. Growing up in a gypsy caravan we did not have televisions or phones or any of the stuff children use today so storytelling was a big part of what we did. I learned how to tell stories from my grandfather. He was always so visual and descriptive and took the time to tell all about the people and places in the stories. Now when I sit down to write a story as a book, I try and remember what it was like to sit in front of a fire and listen to him.

What are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors who inspired you? 

I am a relentless reader, so I am inspired by many writers. I would have to say that two writers likely had the most impact on me. Charles Dickens, because I was very familiar with the worlds he created and they always spoke to me personally, and Raold Dahl, because his imagination was so unlimited. I knew he was going to take me on a fantastic journey. My own childhood was rather unique so I was always drawn to books with children in very unique situations. 

If you could become a sea creature for one day, what would you want to be? Why?


Of course I should like to be an octopus as they have so many arms to work with. I would love to know what that is like. In fact, Bobby and I made up a game where we pretended to have as many arms as Walter. We played it all of the time and had lots of fun, but I think Walter found it boring. 

If you could befriend a character from one of your books, who would you befriend? Why? 

Walter and Bobby are still two of my very closest friends. I don’t want to spoil the end of the book but Bobby became quite the seaman. We had many adventures together.

I think I should like to meet Bonicelli’s father, who was long gone before I came to Seaside. He was said to be the greatest fisherman the town had ever known, and I would have liked to been with him on some of the fishing expeditions the town talked about for generations after he passed. He must have been something extraordinary! 

What is your favorite color? How about smell? 

If you haven’t already figured it out, I have a very particular shade of blue that I am very fond of. My grandfather used to wear a hat very similar to mine that was made of this color and it reminds me of him. All of my favorite colors are other shades of blue. 

My favorite smell in the whole entire world is cotton candy. 
Are you currently working on a new book? Can you tell us a little about it? 

I will be coming out with two books next year and am working on a new one currently: 

The Fun Olympics is a picture book that talks about my first time attending the event and how I became Champion. 

Starship Diwicki is my next chapter book for young and middle grade readers. It’s a comical adventure that follows eleven year old Tyler Diwicki, who leads his family into a modern day gold rush in space. Caught between a universe full of dangerous criminals and corrupt villains, the family must stay alive and find their way home. In the process, the Diwicki’s unexpectedly become heroes, and the saviors of an entire race. 

So many people have been asking me about my childhood, so I am going to tell the story from the earliest events I remember. It’s likely going to be several books, but I will start with the story that changed everything.

Authors, Stephanie Robinson, Wylde Scott, and Jessica Haight
It was awesome to meet Wylde Scott at the BEA this year, and we are happy to spread the news about this seaside adventure.

Enter the rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win a signed hardcover edition of this new middle grade book!  










 


Enter the giveaway and leave us a comment below: What sea creature would you want to become for a day?
 
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48 comments:

  1. The stories that are true, or at least have a bit of truth, sure can be fun to write indeed. Great interview. I'd go for lochness monster if I was turned into a sea creature for a day lol

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    1. Pat- So glad you enjoyed the interview! What an interesting monster to pick! :) ~F

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  2. Sounds like such a cute book!! I think I would like to be a mermaid. Would be fun swimming around underwater without having to worry about oxygen.

    betty

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    1. Betty- It is! Oooh- being a mermaid would be fun! :) ~F

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  3. What an interesting interview. Love the author's perspective

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  4. Wonderful interview. It's so much fun to learn where a story and the characters come from. Best of luck with your book(s), Wylde.

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  5. Oh, and I forgot. I'd like to be a dolphin. They look so smart. :)

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  6. Lovely interview...I really have no knowledge of this author or this book...it looks so sweet!

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    1. Patty- Glad to introduce you to a new book and author. :) ~F

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  7. A great interview. Thank you - and Wylde. Truth is so often stranger (and more entrancing) than fiction.
    I would like to be a cat for the day. Or perhaps longer. Or a dragon...

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    1. Elephant's Child- Ooh- both of those would be interesting! :) ~F

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  8. You grew up in a gypsy caravan? I can only imagine how interesting that was. The cover of SEASIDE is adorable!

    Hmm...I wouldn't mind being a whale. :)

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    1. Chrys- I love the cover of Seaside too. A whale! Such an interesting choice. :) ~F

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  9. I love the color blue and the smell of cotton candy. This is a fascinating interview and I enjoyed reading it.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Medeia! I love blue too! :) ~F

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  10. Awesome interview... I like how the author incorporated actual friends into the story and writing it from the same perspective of hearing the story..., xox

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    1. Launna- I learned a lot from the interview too! :) ~F

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  11. I love the smell of cotton candy. You know there's a grape out now that tastes like cotton candy?

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    1. Mary- A grape that tastes like cotton candy? Wow! Who knew! Thanks for sharing. :) ~F

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  12. What a fun interview! I don't think I'd want to be an octopus--too much of a chance of being eaten :) But something bigger would be lots of fun!

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    1. Meradeth- Love hearing your thoughts! Thanks for visiting. :) ~F

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  13. Seaside sounds fascinating and the interview was fun!

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    1. Romance Reader- It is a great read and so glad you enjoyed the interview. :) ~F

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  14. Wolfe has had quite a life, so full of adventures. I'm glad he's sharing them in his books.

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  15. What a great interview. Having storytelling in your background would be a huge plus as a writer.

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  16. Nice interview. Thank you for sharing. I would like to be an octopus too and travel to the depths where no man ever travelled:)
    Hugs!:)) xxx

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    1. ToTylkoJa- So glad you enjoyed the interview. It would be interesting to be an octopus and see what it is like to travel the way they do and to see things we can't see- yet. :) ~F

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  17. I LOVE that picture of you guys together. So cool! And I agree--cotton candy is a pretty good smell!

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    1. Thanks, Stephanie! It was great to meet him! ~Stephanie and Jess

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  18. Fantastic interview. But the picture is beautiful. :-) Best of luck, Wylde. I think I would love to be a shark. They are my favorite sea creature. They're so kingly (maybe I coined a new word?) and majestic. I love to see them in the ocean.

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    1. Robyn- I bet being a shark would be a whole new world for sure! So glad you enjoyed the interview. :) ~F

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  19. What a fun interview - so sassy and cute! Wishing Wylde much success!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Lexa! I love the word sassy! :) ~F

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  20. What a magical interview. I love the smell of cotton candy too. And what a fun pic of all three of you at BEA!

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    1. Donna- Thanks! We had such fun meeting him at the BEA. :) ~Stephanie and Jess

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  21. Melusine

    Melusine was a feminine spirit of freshwater in sacred springs and rivers in European mythology. She is usually depicted as a kind of mermaid, and may even have wings in some pictures. One story tells us she was born to the fay Pressyne and a common man, and taken to the isle of Avalon when she was little to grow up there. When she heard of her human father betraying her mother, she sought revenge on him. Her mother heard of this and cursed her to look like a serpent from the waste down. She supposedly got scaled arms and fins for hands, and could never change back to her old form.

    Read more: http://www.lenntech.com/water-mythology.htm#ixzz3nXKT2qH9

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    1. Jess- Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment! I love mythology and Melusine is a great choice! We are so happy you stopped by! :) ~F and L

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