Episode #119: What is the most surprising thing about writing a book? -with Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev
Welcome back to another Kids Ask Authors! We are joined today by author Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev! Grace Lin and Mayonn will answer this great kid question: “What is the most surprising thing about writing a book?
TRANSCRIPT:
Grace Lin: Hello, I'm Grace Lin, children's book author and illustrator of many books, including the middle grade novel, When the Sea Turned to Silver and the picture book, A Big Mooncake for Little Star. Today, I'm here with Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev, the author of the middle grade novel, The Leopard Behind the Moon. Hi, Mayonn.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Hi, Grace.
Grace Lin: Thank you so much for being here today for the Kids Ask Authors podcast.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Thank you for having me. I am excited to be here.
Grace Lin: All right. I think I messed up saying your name. Could you say your name for our listeners because I think I might have said it incorrectly?
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Okay. No problem. It's Mayonn. So it's ma and yonn and Paasewe-Valchev.
Grace Lin: Thank you. Okay. So thank you Mayonn for coming here. I hope I said that right that time.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yes, you did.
Grace Lin: Okay, good. Are you ready for today's kid question?
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: I am ready. I hope it's a good question. So let's hear it.
Grace Lin: All right. Today's kid question is from a kid named Felix. And Felix asks, what was the most surprising thing about writing a book?
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Oh, that's a good question. Thank you, Felix, for your question. I think for me, the most surprising thing about writing a book is how patient you have to be to write a good story. Before becoming a writer, I was a very impatient person, Felix. But what I've learned is that in order to write a book well, you have to slow down and be patient with the entire process.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: It takes patience to develop characters that readers care about and that readers will remember. And it takes patience to describe the setting of the story, to bring the readers into your imagination. And it takes patience to discover the plot. Sometimes you think you know the story and you think you know where the story is going, but you can get lost as a writer and it takes patience to find your way back to the story. And it takes patience to revise and rewrite and revise and rewrite and revise and rewrite as many times as it takes to get the story to the best possible place it can be. So patience.
Grace Lin: Oh, that's such a good answer. But now I have to ask, how long did it take for you to write The Leopard Behind the Moon?
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Oh my gosh. A very long time, Grace. So the first draft took me 10 months, and then there was an initial editing process and that took maybe about another 11 months or so. And then there was more editing after the book was sold. And that I think took about a year. So I might be getting the number wrong slightly, but overall about three years and a half if you add all of the editing along the way.
Grace Lin: Wow. So about three years and a half. Well, actually, honestly, that sounds about right for me too. It takes me about three years to write a novel. Sometimes it takes me longer.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Okay.
Grace Lin: Sometimes it takes me five or six years. I remember the...
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Wow, that's great.
Grace Lin: ... book I authored as a novel, The Year of the Dog.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yeah.
Grace Lin: It took me I think, because it was the first time I wrote a novel, it took me five years to write. And I remember when I met a student who read my book and he said, "Oh, I loved your book. I read it all in one day." [inaudible 00:03:55] like, "Oh, that book took me five years."
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Oh, that's funny.
Grace Lin: But I thought that it was so sweet. But I think that was the most surprising thing for me. It's like how much easier it is to and how much faster it is to read a book than it is to write a book.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yeah. But maybe the reason he was able to read it so fast too was because the book was well written because you took care in writing that book. So pat yourself on the back for that, Grace.
Grace Lin: I will hope that is the reason. But I do think in general it is faster to read than to write.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yeah. Yeah. You're absolutely right. Absolutely, that is true.
Grace Lin: And I think that was the most surprising thing for me when I started writing. And even when I do picture books too and how long it takes to do the pictures and how fast it is to look at them. So it's such an interesting kind of exchange that we do as authors with our readers.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yeah. This is very true. And I think just over time, more practice maybe makes you faster at it. So maybe, this is my first book, maybe my second book won't take so long.
Grace Lin: I do not wish to discourage you at all, but I will say that I feel like I got slower.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: And that makes sense too because when you learn, you start to realize common mistakes that you make, you become better. And so you, maybe you will slow down just to take care, fix those mistakes that you made in the first novel. You don't want to repeat the same mistakes. So that makes sense.
Grace Lin: But this is not to discourage any kids who are...
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yeah.
Grace Lin: ... listening that it takes so long because as much as it takes a long time, I love writing and I love drawing and illustrating books. So this is time that is very well spent and time that I love doing it. So don't feel discouraged if you are an aspiring author and you hear that we spend so much time writing our books and you think it sounds a little daunting.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. But it's fun. It's a really fun experience. You get to know your characters and you get to bring your dream or your imagination into the minds of other people. And it's great when people tell you that they love your story. I've gotten a few comments already and it just makes it all... I've gotten a few good comments and it makes it all worth it. So you're right, do not be discouraged. It is a rewarding experience.
Grace Lin: Yes. And remember, the best things in life take a long time to make.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Absolutely.
Grace Lin: All right. Well, thank you so much, Mayonn, for answering today's kid question.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Thank you so much. And thank you, Felix, for your question.
Grace Lin: Thanks. Bye.
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev: Bye.
Today’s KID BOOK REVIEW comes from Zahra! Zahra is reviewing The Leopard Behind the Moon by Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev!
The book I am reviewing is The Leopard Behind The Moon, by Mayonn Paasewe-Velchev. It is about a boy named Ezomo and his two best friends, Muja and Chimama. They live in a village that has three very important laws: children cannot go out at night, do not go to the Valley, (which is where people are sent as punishment) and never open the mysterious village door. The door is believed to protect the entire village from the evil that lurks behind it. Ezomo knows that one of the things that lives in the world beyond the door is a leopard–the same leopard that was responsible for killing his father. Ezomo believes that the leopard is coming for his mother, who is extremely sick. Muja and Chimama both suspect that their parents are suffering because of the leopard. Chimama’s mother cannot cook, and Muja’s father cannot speak. All three of them are furious with the leopard, so they decide to find it and hunt it. To do so, they must break all three of the rules, meet another person who was banished for opening the door, and more. Will they be able to save their parents? I enjoyed this book a lot. It was very suspenseful and exciting. Additionally, Ezomo was lovable, especially when he risked his life for his mother. I understood why he broke the rules, because it was for a good reason. I also really loved the friendship between Ezomo, Chimama, and Muja. It shows you that if you work together, you can accomplish almost anything, even if it seems impossible. The Leopard Behind The Moon is a thrilling story that I highly recommend.
Thank you so much Zahara!
More about today’s authors:
Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev was born in Liberia, where she was exposed to a culture of oral storytelling at a young age. She lived in the Netherlands for several years, where she learned to stuff her klompen (wooden shoes) with carrots and developed a love for reading stories—especially tales written by Roald Dahl and Astrid Lindgren. She lives in Georgia with her family.
Grace Lin, a NY Times bestselling author/ illustrator, won the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and her picture book, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, was awarded the Caldecott Honor. Grace is an occasional commentator for New England Public Radio , a video essayist for PBS NewsHour (here & here), and the speaker of the popular TEDx talk, The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf. She is the co-host of the podcast Book Friends Forever, a kidlit podcast about friendship and publishing (geared for adults). Find her facebook, instagram , twitter ( @pacylin) or sign up for her author newsletter HERE.
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