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| TOP PHOTO: Malcolm and me at Tomales, California this past weekend, with the advance copy of Andreo’s Race in our hands. |
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BOTTOM PHOTO: Three years ago in Ecuador, where I met Malcolm and family while researching my novel First Descent. I’m second from left. Malcolm is in the front. To my right are his mother Laurie, my friend Melanie, Malcolm’s father TM, and Malcolm’s brother Thomas. We’re at El Monte, an ecolodge in Mindo: http://www.ecuadorcloudforest.com/ |
Like many young-adult authors, I use a teen editor to ensure that I’m not using outdated teen expressions, that my characters ring true for their age and that the plot and dialogue passes muster with my target audience.
My teen editors read the manuscript before it goes to my editor, and they’re invited to make any input they like, but are asked to focus especially on dialogue. Each teen editor knows from the start that a) ) if they find nothing to change in my manuscripts, they get fired! Jand b) they get retired at age 18 or so. (Malcolm is 16.)
My first teen editor was my son, from the age of ten until he lost interest sometime in high school. During our collaboration, I had to learn to take blunt and opinionated teen feedback (that’s my son for you), and he had to learn a bit of diplomacy.
My second teen editor was Julian Legere, who was thirteen when he enrolled in a youth writing workshop at which I taught. I was so impressed with his writing skills and maturity that I asked if he’d be my teen editor. Only several years and quite a few books later, when he entered college, did I seek out a replacement for him. My favourite moment of our collaboration was when he wrote in the margins of my manuscript, beside my use of the expression “parental units,” “NICE TRY!” (I dutifully edited it out, didn’t I, Julian?)
I met Malcolm Scruggs in Ecuador while researching my novel First Descent. Some readers may recognize the name; the grandfather in First Descent is named after him. Though a little shy of the process to begin with, Malcolm has worked into the job very well, and his knowledge of Spanish was useful for both First Descent (set in Colombia) and Andreo’s Race (set in Bolivia). Andreo’s Race will be out officially in the spring of 2015 but can be pre-ordered here: http://www.amazon.com/Andreos-Race-Pam-Withers/dp/1770497668/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414526550&sr=8-1&keywords=andreo%27s+race
Malcolm will shortly be at work on my next novel, about a canyoneer who gets stalked.
Meantime, my husband and I spent this past weekend in Point Reyes, California with his family — kayaking, beach-walking, marshmallow-roasting, and playing board games in a historic house in Tomales where we were staying. We also walked along the San Andreas fault. I was delighted to hear that Malcolm is taking up extreme sports, including whitewater kayaking.
A good time was had by all, including reminisces of our Ecuador time. You just never know where you might meet your next teen editor!
