Jeannine Atkins is an American poet and author of historical fiction and children’s books. She was born in 1953 in New Jersey. She now lives and writes near Amherst, Massachusetts. In this interview, Jeannine talks about her books, her love for poetry, reading and writing.
Voicu Mihnea Simandan: You have been a story writer for most of your life. How has your writing evolved over time?
Jeannine Atkins: From childhood, I was interested in history, especially the everyday stories of girls and women. I loved books such as The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louisa Alcott’s Little Women. That passion remains, though the people I “meet” from the past has broadened to include more parts of the world. Recently I’ve come back to writing poetry, which I enjoyed in my teens and early twenties, but left behind before circling back.
VMS: Where did the ideas for the A Name on the Quilt: A Story of Remembrance (1999) come from?
JA: A good friend was involved with the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and I was touched by the way it helped bring a face to people suffering with and dying from AIDS and bring people together, aware of our common humanity.
VMS: Illustrations are a very important factor in any children’s books. Throughout the years, your books for children have been illustrated by various artists. What was your work relationship with the illustrators?
JA: I submitted the manuscripts, and editors chose the illustrators. I was lucky in their choices! Often I saw sketches before the finished work, but mostly commented on historical or cultural accuracy.
VMS: You have started as a children’s book author but have moved on to write poetry. I have in mind Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie, and their Daughters (2010). How did you find the transition?
JA: Most of my writing for children has involved a lot of cutting and trimming of words. Telling a life story within a picture book means you must be succinct, and poetry used those same skills.
VMS: But why poetry?
JA: I thought poetry would be a good way to interest teens, who are busy, but have a great capacity for emotion, to history. So much of what’s in the past has not changed.
VMS: Do you employ similar skills when writing books targeted for an older readership?
JA: Yes, issues of voice, plot, theme, and point of view are often similar.
VMS: Some people believe that children no longer read and, with the availability of affordable e-readers, many believe that, sooner or later, children will no longer want to hold books in their hands. Please comment.
JA: Change is definitely in the air. I think parents will always want to share books on laps, and pass along books as gifts. But I expect more and more stories will be told through new mediums.
VMS: You are very active online and maintain an excellent blog and website. How important is it for writers these days to be “out there” on the Internet, interacting with their fans?
JA: Thank you for reading my blog! I think a web presence helps in ways we can’t always measure. I expect you found my writing there, for instance! I think blogs help pass along information about books we might not hear about elsewhere, and do so in an informal way that makes writers and readers closer, which is a delight. And while it takes a long time to write and publish a book, one can produce a blog fairly quickly, and hear back from readers almost immediately, which is fun!
VMS: You’ve been on a few school visits. What were some of the highlights of these visits?
JA: Writing is done alone, so it’s a treat to meet readers and hear questions and comments directly from them. It helps remind me of why I do this work.
VMS: Do you still read children’s books and young adult fiction?
JA: Yes. I teach children’s literature at the college level to prospective teachers and writers. I learn a lot by examining classics and new books.
VMS: What book are you working on right now?
JA: I’d stopped writing picture books for a while, but teaching them, I remembered how much I love them, so am back to writing a few.
VMS: What is your writing routine?
JA: My daughter is grown and I teach only part time, so I have the luxury of breakfasting at my leisure, reading a bit, then getting to work, often with a dog or two at my feet.
VMS: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
JA: If you love writing, keep at it. Publishing is difficult, so find friends: some online, and some who you can drink coffee with, critique, complain, and celebrate.
VMS: Thank you for your time.
JA: Thank you for your thoughtful questions! Sending my best wishes to you and your readers.
Voicu Mihnea Simandan
Bangkok, Thailand
November 6, 2011
