[Jade]

1. What was the funniest scene you've ever written?

2. What is the funniest joke you've ever written?

3. What was the weirdest, most obscure thing that gave you inspiration for writing?

4. What was the most random idea that flourished into a novel?

5. What's a book you've written that you took way more energy than you thought it would?

6. What's a book that was much easier to write than you thought it would be?

7. What's the best part of your job?

8. Do you ever cringe at your old, bad writing? [not your books] (But to answer that, you'd have to have bad writing, and I don't know if you do...)

9. Do you write more for the market, or more what you want? Is there a balance?

10. Have you ever written in languages other than English? Do you want to?

11. What is it about mystery that draws you in, or makes you want to write it? (I notice that there are lots of mysteries in your stories...)

12. How do you manage your time and skill? Specifically regarding writing, since you write so quickly but always at a high caliber.

13. Do you ever feel drained of creativity? If you do, how do you remedy it?

14. How do you deal with writer's block?

15. What is one tip/habit that revolutionized your writing?

 

Be blessed,

Jade

P.S. I hope these questions aren't personal, I tried to keep it strictly about your craft! 

Oh, Jade,

How come your questions are harder than anyone else's? I'll do my best with them:

1. I don't know if it's the funniest, but the tuba scene in RESTART is one I'm really proud of. And I remember laughing like crazy while I was writing it. Plus the small tricycle scene early in "Superteacher."

2. Funniest joke. I don't really write jokes. Like, I don't think there are any one-liners in my stuff. I'm more a scene writer.

3. Weird and obscure inspiration: Learning about the pet chicken they studied in a school I visited. They were doing the food chain, and when it came time to turn the chicken into meat and have each kid taste her, they revolted and refused. It was the inspiration for Henrietta in THE CHICKEN DOESN'T SKATE.

4. Random idea that turned into a novel: A family of con artists turned into FAKER which was, yes, I know, too short.

5. The book that took longer and cost me more energy than expected was my first effort at a trilogy: ISLAND. I had trouble dividing the story into 3 more or less equal parts.

6. Easier than I thought it would be: The second book of ISLAND. The characters were all there, and the story was already planned. Book 3 went fast too. I loved the trilogies.

7. The best part of my job is seeing the finished product for the first time. I'm about to be the Dad of Book # 105, but it never gets old. I also enjoy hearing from my readers -- you might have known that!

8. Until I started writing books, I never wrote anything except creative spelling sentences to amuse my teacher. I don't think my writing was really bad, although I cringe at one column I did for my Mom's newspaper one week when I was 13. I thought it was so sophisticated, but it was just dumb.

9. I write what I want, but of course I have to think about the market.

10. I don't speak any languages other than English, so it's not likely I'd be writing in them! I do have some French left from my Canadian school days, and I've picked up quite a bit of Greek, but not enough to write in that language.

11.It's not the mystery that I like; it's being able to craft a story and then spring a solution that will blow the reader away. I don't love mysteries so much as I love sudden surprises.

12. I manage my time by insisting on a work ethic. I have, at present, 3 publishers. I keep all 3 busy with either manuscripts or proposals at all times. I usually work only on one book at a time, but I often have to pause one to put the finishing touches, or do a small re-write, on another. It's a business, and I have to treat it as one. But I work every day, close to business hours.

13. I have never felt drained of creativity. I kind of dread the feeling that the day will come when it will catch up with me. But so far, so good.

14. I honestly and truthfully do not get writers' block, and I don't believe it truly exists. If a writer is blocked and feels like he's come up against a brick wall, it means he hasn't planned well enough before starting to write. I may have to eat those words someday, but again, so far, so good.

15. The tip that revolutionized my writing came fairly early from one of my cherished editors. She asked for "more heart" in a certain scene. I had always believed that I was a comedy writer, and didn't need to make my characters into real people so long as they were funny. I was wrong, and she was oh so right.

There. I did it. Hoipe those are acceptable replies. If there's more, you know where to find me.                       --G--

Jade -- I cleverly manipulated your reply into the ether, but I did read it first, and you're most entirely welcome!

As for becoming an author -- you already are one because writing is your thing. And the more you write, the more your output sounds like you and reflects who you are. I know I'm going to be able to brag one day that I knew you when you were a teenager.

You are most entirely welcome for all those answers. They seem to have suited your purpose, and that satisfies me.         --G--

[Jade]

Yay! I’m glad you saw it. Thank you, I mean it so much! Happy bookday! My copy just shipped and I can’t wait to read it. Yes, you are gonna be able to flex that you knew me as a kid! That you’re my favorite author, of course! Yup, your answers ROCKED!

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Sydney]

At school, we have to write about our favorite author and learn all about them. I picked you, and I have a few questions. (Also, right now, I am trying my BEST to not go total fan-girl mode on you.)

1. Why did you want to become an author? (More like, why did you follow through with writing after seventh grade?)

2. How do you get your ideas for stories? (Do they just come to you on the spot or do you have a bunch of ideas that you plan to use later?)

3. What was your favorite book that you have written?

4. If you could write a sequel to any singular book that you wrote, which one would it be?

5. Do you have any people that inspired/influenced you?

6. What were some of your obstacles and hardships in your life?

7. When you were young (about elementary school age or younger), what did you want to be when you grew up?

8. What was your first thought when you had total creative freedom?

9. Did you always know you were awesome at writing?

10. If you had one author you would like to collaborate with for a book, who would it be and why?

11. Which characters from your books do you think you would want to be friends with (or enemies with) the most?

12. Do you ever get really interested in writing a book and then about halfway through you decide that you hate it and want to trash it? (Yes, I know, this is super specific, but I want to become an author and I was wondering if it was just me.)

13. I noticed in several of your books, you have mentioned cherry bombs. Why is that?

14. Why are most of your characters around middle school age?

15. What are some hobbies of yours?

16. What is your current life like?

17. What book that you have written are you most proud of?

18. Do you have any tips and tricks you can share with future authors?

Thank you so, so much. You have no idea how excited I am!

Thanks again, 

Sydney Greenwald

P.S. I love all of your books so much, and I can\'t wait for \"Old School\"!

[Karina Rajeev]

Hi Gordon Korman! My name is Karina. Im 10 and from New Jersey. I\'m doing a author study and I picked you as my author. I have a few questions for you to make my author study.

1) What was your early life like?

2) Was it hard to move to America?

3) What inspired you to become an author?

4) What obstacles did you face to become how you are now? Bullying, discouragement, publishing errors?

5) What was your top 12 big accomlishments?(12 is my lucky number.)

6) How is your life today?

7) Do you plan to write more books?

8) What are fun facts about you?

9) When you publish a book, do you get a copy of the book you published?

10) Do you think your family will pass down the gift of writing?

11) When you were a kid, did you get bullied because you wrote books or get bullied because of something else or not at all?

12) When you write, are you in your happy place?

SYDNEY

1. I continued because I liked it and because I had a bestseller on my hands! Nothing succeeds like success, you know!

2. Both. I have a lot of ideas. But when I want them to come one at a time, I concentrate on one particular story and work out the details until I have a comprehensive plan. I believe in planning, and wouldn't begin to write something that wasn't well-planned.

3. I have no favorites, but I'm prouder of some than others. e.g. THE FORT and the MASTERMINDS series.

4. If I could write a sequel, it would probably be to RESTART, because I get so many requests for more about Chase.

5. My Mom, who originally told me I had the imagination and the talent for the use of language, and I could do it.

6. I was 12 when I started, and that was 40+ years ago. I prefer not to share that part of my privacy.

7. When I was under 12, I saw myself as some sort of teacher or scientist. After 12, I was an author, and it was all I ever wanted to be.

8. I always had total creative freedom, so my thoughts wouldn't have been unusual.

9. I knew writing -- like using spelling words in sentences in school -- came easily to me.

10. I would love to have a conversation with an author like Douglas Adams, who wrote THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. But collaborate? No. Most writers like to do our own thing.

11. Among my characters, the one I'd most enjoy meeting would probably be Noah Youkilis from the -GIFTED series. The 3rd volume, HYPERGIFTEDis due out next year.

12. Never. I work on one project at a time, and I have never tossed anything in favor of doing somthing else.

13. Cherry bombs? Really? They're just a nastier form of firecracker. I have no recollection of having mentioned them a lot.

14. Most of my character are around middle school age because that's the age I write for, and I think it's a plus when a reader can identify with a character in a book he/she is reading.

15. Hobbies. I'm a fan of football and baseball. so sports take up a lot of my time. I like the beach, and my whole family is pretty active physically and in sports.

16. I would describe my current life in one word: busy.

17. See answer #3

18. No tips, no tricks. Just read a lot, and write all the time, even if it's in a diary, or a laundry or shopping list! And never set down a word unti your story is well-planned first. Yes, you cn make changes, add and subtract people and even events. But if you don't plan ahead, you don't know what you want to say, and it shows in your work.

OK? Hope you enjoy OLD SCHOOL, which was officially published yesterday.

                                  Regards,                                                                          -----Gordon Korman-----

KARINA RAJEEV

1. My early life was was typical -- Canadian kid,  school, hockey, lots of friends, pretty much fun. Good family life. I was an only child, so the world was my oyster!

2. It was a little scary to move to the U.S., but I wasn't an infant, remember, and I had been to the U.S. for 4 years of college (NYU.) I was a working writer, and my agent and publisher were both in New York, and I had plenty of college friends. So it was basically good.

3. I was "inspired" by a burning desire not  to flunk English! Our teacher asked us for a story that didn't end after the first page -- he called it "a novelette." I got carried away and ended up writing 100 pages of a story I called "Bruno & Boot." It became my first book, and I've been writing ever since then.

4. Frankly, there were very few obstacles other than my own inexperience. Things went very smoothly, if slowly, for me.

5. I have no idea about my top 12. Certainly, my lucky steps involved having parents who were supportive and, themselves, educated enough to see what was required for my education. And I was young enough to be something of a curiosity in the literary world, so I got a lot of attention, which had to help, for sure!

6. My life today is good, thanks! I have my wife of almost 30 years, and 3 grwon kids, two of them still in University. My career has been solid for a long time. No complaints here!

7. I plan to keep on writing as long as my readers keep on wanted to read what I write. The book that came out yesterday, OLD SCHOOL, was #105 on my list. I have several more in various stages of development right now.

8. Fun facts? I'm a Giants fan, which means I have a thick skin and don't disappoint too easily! I like a good burger and fries. I like movies and all kinds of music. And I'm the kind of person who would take a pie in the face to get a laugh. I prize good humor and honesty above everything else.

9. Oh, yes, I get quite a few copies of everything I publish.

10. I have one son who is in the communications business, and a daughter in the filmmaking course at her university. I think there are writing talents in my family. At keast I hope so.

11. I was never bullied, but I know there were some people who thought being a published author at 12 must have made me a snob. Heck, they delivered papers and cut lawns, and I wrote stories. We were the same, working to make a few bucks.

12. In my happy place? I suppose you could say that. Byt basically, when I write, I'm at work.

OK? Thanks for your interest, Karina.                                                     -----Gordon Korman-----

[Karina]

Dear Gordon Korman,

Thanks for answering my question. I can't believe that I'm actually communicating with you. (At least on the electronics.) Your answers seem to help my author study. I apricate it. Thank you!

From,

KARINA!!!!

[Sydney]

Dear Gordon Korman,

Thank you so, so much for answering me. Now I'm so excited for Hypergifted and to buy Old School! Also, I just wanted to mention about the cherry bombs, they are mentioned in Restart, Slugfest, and possibly more, but those are just the ones I can think of right now.

Thank you SO much again,

Sydney

[Raymond Jardine]

Good eye, @Sydney! I'd never noticed before... but... cherry bombs also appear in: 

• The D- Poems of Jeremy Bloom


• No More Dead Dogs


• Kidnapped Book 2: The Search


• Dive Book 3: The Danger


• Ungifted


• Jake, Reinvented


• Son of the Mob


• Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall


• The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note

[Sydney]

Dear Gordon Korman,

Thank you so, so much for answering me. Now I'm so excited for Hypergifted and to buy Old School! Also, I just wanted to mention about the cherry bombs, they are mentioned in Restart, Slugfest, Unplugged, and possibly more, but those are just the ones I can think of right now.

Thank you SO much again,

Sydney

[Karina Rajeev]

Gordon Korman,

Sorry, I have two more questions.

1) Did you ever right a book about yourself?

2) Why do some (A lot) of your books have cherry bombs? (Thanks Sydney for that question. [I know Sydney, she's my friend.])

From,

KARINA!!!!

Hi again, Karina,

1) I never wrote a book about myself. Having said that, I'm probably present in part in a lot of my characters. No writer can keep himself completely out of the characters he creates. (I'm Boots, rather than Bruno.)

2) Cherry bombs! Look at the list compiled by my reader Raymond Jardine. I guess the Cherry bomb was the "weapon of choice" when I was growing up.

                                                                                                                                 --GK--

[Karina]

Gordon Korman,

Thanks! You really help!

From,

KARINA!!!!

[Vyas]

Hi my name is Vyas and I love your books! I know you write so many types of interesting situations with kids so I wasn’t hesitant to come to you with my problem. You see I have recently gotten really interested to chat to people via mail, but the problem is that I have no one to mail to and I was wondering would you want to be pen pals with me? I know this isn’t somewhere you wan to give your address but if you agree I will give you can check my email and you can send me your address. Thanks so much and one more thing I’m just about to hit level thirteen in a week so I’m no creep or a really wired fan.

[Vyas]

From,

Vyas

Hi,Vyas,

Thanks for posting and for being such an enthusiastic fan! 

Your offer is really friendly and generous, Vyas, but I have to refuse. There simply are not enough hours in the day for me to do my writing, and keep up with this Forum. So I promise to answer any letter I get from you, but I can't agree to being a real penpal. 

A lot of my readers have met each other on this Forum, and perhaps that might work for you. If anyone writing to The Forum would like a penpal, here's Vyas, all inked up and ready to go! I can vouch for him. He's a good friendly guy.

Thanks for thinking of me, Vyas. I hope you find what you're looking for.

                                                Best regards,                                                        -----Gordon Korman-----

[Vyas Prakash]

I understand.

from

Vyas

[Jade]

By the way, this probably doesn't mean too much, but at my school they had a little convention for new families. There was a table for after school care, and they had your book RESTART on it and talked about the PAGGERS and our book club. It made me so happy! I hope you enjoyed the little bit of representation... and that the PAGGERS are real! A lot of people came!

 

Hi, Jade,

Thrilled to hear that Pagging has taken on a new life! Good for you for starting the whole thing!                            --G--

[Vyas Prakash]

I thought the pagers was slacker not restart. That book was about a kid with amnesia

Hi, Vyas,

Paggers, not pagers. SLACKER was about a kid who created a group of helpful kids, mostly to get his parents off his back because all he wanted to do was play video games. My friend Jade was talking about RESTART being available on the book table at a certain event.                                                          --GK--