Visit with Barbara Haworth-Attard

www.barbarahaworthattard.com

Today we're visiting with Barbara Haworth-Attard, author of numerous fiction and non-fiction titles for teens and young adults. Her latest release, MY LIFE FROM AIR-BRAS TO ZITS, was released by Flux in February 2009, and was also reviewed on the TRT site!



I had the chance to ask Barbara a few questions about her life and writing - enjoy!

1) If you could bring any character from one of your books to life, who would it be and why?

Dylan from THEORIES OF RELATIVITY because I worry about him. I want to make sure he is okay and getting an education and has goals for himself.

2) You have the chance to spend the day with any character from one of your favorite books. Who would you choose and why?

Rose from LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING because she is a lot like myself and I think it would be interesting to examine me.

3) What was your favorite book growing up as a teen?

So many, so many. Probably ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and EMILY OF NEW MOON.

4) When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A librarian. Back, way back, when I was a kid, you had the choice as a female to be a teacher, nurse, secretary, though women were just starting to break out of this mold and going on to become doctors, dentists, etc. When I was seventeen, at the end of grade 12, my Mom decided I was finished with school and I started work that summer as a file clerk. Eventually I was a legal secretary until 1998, when I started writing full time. I had four brothers and my parents said they would have to educate them i.e. college, as they would have to support a family whereas I would be getting married and be taken care of. (Still the thinking in that day, though it was fast going out of style.) I loved to write, but it was never considered a career – not by me or anyone else. I thought all books were written by English people or dead people. I actually had a poem published in the Toronto Star when I was 13, but I still didn’t know you could be a writer. I did take two college/university night courses in creative writing and started a journalism course, but dropped out to get married at 19. We’re still married – 37 years later.

5) Your favorite subject in high school – and your least favorite.

English and I hated Math. I just didn’t get math. But I could memorize well and still passed with good marks.

6) The one book everyone in the world should read.

All of them. Even the crappy ones – it helps to learn what is a good book and what is not.

7) The book you wish you had written.

Too many to mention. Every time I finish a good book I wish it had been mine.

8) Your five favorite reads from 2009 (books you read during the year; they do not have to have been published during 2009).

Well, let me think…I just finished THE COUNTY OF BIRCHES Judith Kalman, NIGHT DRAWS NEAR by Anthony Shadid (non-fiction), BAG O' BONES by Stephen King (my husband and I have been on a Stephen King read for a few months), INKHEART by Cornelia Funke, THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver. And so many more.

9) The 2010 release you’re most looking forward to reading.

All of them!

10) If your mom wrote the author profile for the jacket of your next book, what would she write?

My Mom passed away in 1997, my Dad in 1994, but I hope they would write that they always knew I was different (little joke there) and are proud of my achievements.

11) Your family has the chance to describe you for an interview. What ten words would they say describe you best?

From my two sons (and I did tell them that their descriptions would NOT have any impact on the quality of their Christmas gifts next year.)

From Jason: Imaginative, Intelligent, Compassionate, Creative, Inspiring and from Jesse: Creative, Enthusiastic, Entertaining, Unique, Supportive

My heart nearly broke when I read these descriptions. I’m a bit of a mushy person anyway, but these descriptions reduced me to tears. Now they are 31 and 27, and if they’d been teenagers, I’m sure they’d have different words to describe me.

12) You have the chance to go back and change a scene from one of your previous releases. What book would you choose, what scene would you change, and how would you alter it?

Okay, every single book I write, I want to change something. I hope that means I’m growing as a writer and will continue to grow because I see lots of mistakes in my past books that I try not to make in my new ones.

13) You’ve invented a new national holiday. What is it called, and what does it celebrate? (Plus, would we get the day off of school and work??)

Definitely it would be called “Beach Day.” The first hot, sunny day of summer should be a holiday for everyone to go to the beach. We have long winters in Ontario.

14) What is your astrological sign? How closely does it match your personality?

Leo and it matches perfectly.

15) You’re going off your diet for one day and only eating food from restaurants. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? (Include the restaurant each meal comes from.)

French toast with maple syrup, Lunch: eggs, bacon and homefries. I’m a great fan of all day breakfast. Dinner: A huge Greek salad. (partially to make up for the other food.) And all followed by chocolate brownies on Turtles Ice Cream.

16) What is your ultimate vacation destination?

My cottage on Lake Huron.

17) The world has suffered from a one-day only loss of power. You have no cell phone, computer, lights, or anything else that requires a computer, cell battery, or electricity. What do you spend the day doing?

Doing appliqué quilting. In the summer a bad storm will often take out our electricity at the cottage and we sit on the covered deck and read or I sew.

18) If you weren’t an author, what job would you be doing?

Librarian.

19) You get the chance to star in an upcoming film release. What movie would you star in for your acting debut? (If you can’t choose an upcoming film, you can choose a past release.)

The Wizard of Oz. I want to be the Wicked Witch of the West because I want to release my dark side.

20) You’re invited to a White House function, and you have the chance to give a 10-minute speech to the President and everyone else attending. What do you speak about?

Well, I’d probably crash the function, invited or not, and I’d speak about the importance of literacy and education to create tolerance for our fellow man. I’d also plug my own books.

21) Your publisher has instructed you to write a new series based on an endangered species. What animal do you choose?

Omigosh! I had no idea there were so many! How scary. I’d choose the Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkey.

22) A movie is being made of ONE of your books. Which book is it, and who will star as the main characters?

THEORIES OF RELATIVITY and Dylan would be played by Robert Pattinson because that would draw in all the teen girls to see my movie.

23) The paranormal genre is big in teen/YA literature right now. Most bestsellers feature vampires, werewolves, faeries, angels, or the like as a main character. In your opinion, why are teens currently fascinated with all things paranormal?

People have always been fascinated by the paranormal because we want our world to have some mystery. I think it also stems from the need to have answers or beliefs, be they religious or otherwise. It gives us comfort.

24) You’re writing a book where you can change one major historical event. Which event do you change? (For example, Abraham Lincoln wasn’t assassinated, or Japan never bombed Pearl Harbor.)

The Holocaust – never happened.

25) Remember those “classics” that you were made to read in high school English class? What was your favorite, and which title should students never have to be subjected to reading?

I loved English class. I did not like Shakespeare and I think it is a bit difficult to read. I can not remember a single title I liked.

26) Someone tells you that you’ll never publish another book that you write. Do you still keep writing?

Yes, probably, because I’ve been writing since I was ten years old. It’s how I view the world and put it in order – with words.

27) A group of teens ask you the best way to become a published writer. How do you answer the question?

Write for your school newspaper, write for a community paper, write anything – it’s all practice - and read everything you can get your hands on. Also, now there are amazing courses for students in creative writing at various universities and colleges that were never available when I was a kid. Take advantage of them.

**Thanks so much to Barbara for visiting with us today! Be sure to visit her website listed above; you can also find her at Facebook and Twitter, or email her directly at battard@rogers.com.

She has been so kind as to offer up two copies of one of her releases today to lucky posters, so be sure to leave any comments or questions you have for her in the comments section. She'll be stopping by later today to see what we're discussing!