Q&A with Children’s Author Jacqueline West
Jacqueline West is the author of the award-winning middle grade series The Books of Elsewhere. The latest in the series is “The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Four: The Strangers.” The first book in the series, “The Shadows,” garnered starred reviews, several state award nominations and a spot on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Jacqueline’s short fiction for adults and children has appeared in a variety of publications, and her poetry has received many honors, including two Pushcart nominations, a Rhysling Award nomination and a Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg prize.
What’s the funniest/scariest/best interaction you’ve had with a fan?
The letters I get from kids or parents telling me, “These books showed me that reading can be fun,” or “This is the first book I ever read on my own,” or “My child has difficulties with reading, and The Books of Elsewhere made him get excited about books for the first time” are some of the coolest interactions I’ve had. I just float around, glowing, for the rest of the day after getting a message like that. I’ve also met families who’ve told me that they now own cats because of my books. In those cases, I just hope everything works out.
Do/did you have a day job? What was it and how did it influence your writing?
I’m now a full-time writer, but I was an English teacher when I signed my book contract. Having known and worked with lots of young people certainly helps when you’re writing for young people — and it really, REALLY helps when you’re talking to big groups of young people. I’m pretty comfortable in crowds of kids. It’s crowds of adults that scare me a little.
Choose one book you’ve written. Who would you case to play the leading role(s)?
Years of school visits have taken this choice right out of my hands, at least where two of the cats are concerned. The consensus is that Johnny Depp should play the bossy, grand, sarcastic Horatio and Jack Black should play the hyperactive, multiple-personalitied Harvey. Personally, I’d love to have Tim Curry play Leopold, the soldierly, old-fashioned-gentleman cat. And my top choice for the evil Aldous McMartin would be Charles Dance, from Game of Thrones. He could read a menu and make it terrifying.
Why should people come listen to you talk about your book?
I love meeting readers and I love answering questions. (I’ve also been told that I make weird faces and hand gestures while I speak, so that’s a bonus.)
Where do you go to find your ideas?
Anywhere and everywhere: Memories, daydreams, bits of overheard conversation, childhood fears, works of art, questions that I ask myself. The inspiration for The Books of Elsewhere came from something that I saw through a school bus window when I was eleven years old. You never know when ideas are going to strike you. I try to be like a giant lint roller, grabbing wisps of ideas as they float by.
