Interviu cu Kimberly Sabatini

Cateva date despre autoare 

 Kimberly Sabatini is a former Special Education Teacher who is now a stay-at-home mom and a part-time dance instructor for three and four year olds. She lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband and three boys. Kimberly writes Young Adult fiction and is represented by Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency. TOUCHING THE SURFACE is her debut novel. (Simon Pulse – Simon & Schuster, October 30, 2012)

 Interviul

1. First of all, I'm really curious, is there a writer who exercised an ascendancy over your writing? And if the answer is "yes", then who was he/she? 

There have been writers and other people who have influenced my writing and my thinking about writing. Lois Lowry, author of THE GIVER opened the door for me to ask questions--hard questions. It helped me to explore uncomfortable things. Laurie Halse Anderson and K.L. Going have inspired me with their honest and gritty writing, but also their support of aspiring authors. They absolutely give back. John Green reminds me that there is no need to ever talk down to YA readers--they are bright and capable of more than most people give them credit for. I could go on forever...I've been so inspired by my heroes--my peers. 

 2. While you're writing, do you ever think about the reaction your readers will have? Or do you just let the story flow? 

Yes and No LOL! There is a piece of me that just pours myself out onto the page. I would prefer to always write my book before I try to sell it because I tend to believe that I have one book in me at a time and I'm going to have to write that one whether someone wants it or not. But at the same time, I can't say that I'm not aware of leaning this way or that way to get the best effect out of what I want to write. I guess I don't compromise on the lion's share, but I'm always willing to tweak it to the best advantage.

 3. When you were little, you wanted to be a writer? Or it just happened this way?

  I always wanted to write. In fact I wrote letters to everyone. I was big on sharing my opinion about social injustices LOL! I wrote stories and poetry and then one day I just had this awful revelation that people would have an opinion about what I was writing and it scared the crap out of me. What if someone read my diary???  Then I read Lois Lowry's THE GIVER in 10th grade and I thought...I think about these things...these very uncomfortable and unpopular things. Part of me wanted to sit down and start writing just like her and the other part said I shouldn't say things that will make other people upset. At the end of the day, I didn't have enough confidence to say what I wanted and I didn't have enough conviction that people wouldn't read what I'd written. So I stopped writing about things that where important to me and then the writing just wasn't very good and I didn't enjoy doing it. I spent many many years away from what I loved and what I needed to do to feel like a whole person. My dad died 7 years ago and I decided to change things... He gave me an open window when a door was closed and I dove through it. I am so happy that for once in my life I decided to be brave because I am so much happier now that I've reconnected with the real me.

 4. Let's pretend for a moment you have the power to go back in time. Who would you like to meet? 

I'd love to meet Anne Frank and Helen Keller. I'm fascinated by both of them. 

 5. From where did the idea for "Touching the Surface" came? 

The story came from two places, but essentially from the need to explore some of my own big questions. Years ago there was a local tragedy involving a teenage girl. This girl made a mistake...just a mistake...but the consequences were epic. Some might say--unforgivable. I was haunted by this girl, perhaps because I had lived my whole life trying to ensure that I was never her. I wanted to be perfect--but no one is perfect and I began to wonder what it would be like to be her. Or to be me and have it all go epically wrong. The other part of the story comes from the death of my dad. He suffered from depression and like me, he spent a huge chunk of his life being what he thought other people wanted him to be. After his death I decided to change my trajectory. I didn't want to follow in his footsteps and I knew he didn't want that for me either. It was like a light bulb had gone off. But it made me wonder about where he was. Was he also working on the same things? I don't think I knew it when I was writing, but afterwards I realized that I'd created the place where I pictured my dad. <3

6. And... I know it's a childish question, but do you have a favorite book? 

You may have guessed...THE GIVER by Lois Lowry. <3

  7. What's your favorite character from your book? And of course, why? 

It's a toss up between Jonah and the giver...they each stood against the tide in a different way and it cost each one differently, but ultimately they both decided to take the blinders off and speak the truth. That has always resonated with me. 

8. Is there something that you like to say to your  future Romanian readers? 

I want to say thank you. I am getting emails from the wonderful book lovers in Romania all the time...before you've even read the book. I've come to think of you all as something special--my international secret weapon. *grin*  I believe that no book becomes a success unless it travels through the world by word of mouth. I think we can market and plan and do our best to give our stories the advantage, but at the end of the day...it comes down to one person telling another person that this author is worth listening to. That this book matters and I want to share it with you. I hope that TOUCHING THE SURFACE lives up to your kind and wonderful expectations. I hope I've written something that you will want to share with the people you care about. <3

Cartile autoarei

 

( inca nepublicata )

Dupa cum vedeti, Kimberly a fost extraordinar de draguta. Am apreciat foarte mult implicarea ei, felul in care a pus suflet in raspunsuri. Eu una, sincer, dupa ce am primit mail-ul cu interviul, am devenit si mai nerabdatoare sa citesc Touching the Surface. Ma astept la o carte care sa imi atinga sufletul, sa ma faca sa nu o pot lasa din mana.