Interview with a Wisconsin Author!!!

Welcome to Jagged Edge!

Would you like to tell us a little about yourself?

Thank you for having me. Avery Sawyer is actually a pen name; my real name is Laura Schaefer. I’ve been writing for over ten years, most often for young readers.

I wrote two novels prior to NOTES TO SELF. They're called THE TEASHOP GIRLS and THE SECRET INGREDIENT, and I'd categorize them as middle-grade books. I also write some non-fiction for magazine and travel guides for kids called PLANET EXPLORERS. I live in Wisconsin, I have a ginormous cat named Ramona, and I'm getting married next summer!

What inspired you to write?

I've always been interested in lots of things and writing allows me to pursue scattered interests. I've also always been a huge reader and book-lover, so it's a natural fit for me.

What authors influenced you as a writer?

Meg Cabot, Lauren Oliver, Curtis Sittenfeld, Ann Brashares

What is your favorite Quote? Why is it your favorite?

I love quotes, so I'm going to have to give you three instead of just one:

A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I like this one, because as I grow older my friendships have become ever-richer and more meaningful. Great friendships are the stuff of life, and I think we should put just as much or more energy into them as we do into our jobs. :)
Whatever you can do, or believe you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. ~Goethe

This quote is great because it's a reminder to THINK BIG. I love it.
The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool. ~from the film Almost Famous

I put a lot of stock in being "uncool." It's so freeing.

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world, which would it be?

Pride & Prejudice. But just for a little while. I'd really miss the Internet.

What is at least one thing that every writer needs to have or do?

I think we need to have lots of good ideas. Good ideas come easier after you work on cultivating them. Staying curious about the world, asking lots of questions about why things are the way they are, and making connections between two unlike things or ideas are all good ways to find good ideas.

Are your books different to your personal favorite books by other authors?

Yes, they aren't quite as good yet. :-) But I think they're very special in they're own way. Karen McQuestion, an author and friend of mine, says the books we write are like our fingerprints. We all write only the books we can write and they're completely unique. It's such a cool way to think about it, because it leads to writers supporting each other and growing together. There's no competition. We're all just working to make our thumb prints clearer.

What lead you to writing in this genre?

Two things: one, I read a TON as a kid and a young adult and felt the genre suited my personality and tastes. Two, the YA market is healthy. YA books sell. Writers have to eat! :-)

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

Having a really solid flow going during a first draft. Revising is the true hard work.

Least favorite part of the writing process?

Revising. Blarg.

What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on my seventh Planet Explorers title and thinking a lot about a new middle grade novel I want to write about a girl exploring her past lives.

Where can readers find you?

I'm @teashopgirl on Twitter

I'm also at http://www.teashopgirls.com

http://teashopgirl.blogspot.com

http://www.planet-explorers.net

LAST QUESTION:

Was there a question you wish I would have asked but didn't?

My favorite food is cheese. ON WISCONSIN!