Liza Ketchum
Author of Books for Children and Young Adults
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| Young Adult Novels | ||
Now back in print: the quartet of connected YA novels:
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Twelve
Days in August Sixteen-year-old Todd O'Connor feels life is going his way, until soccer star Alex Beekman and his beautiful twin sister, Rita, move to town. Alex threatens Todd's position on the soccer team, as well as that of Randy Tovitch, the star striker. Randy starts a name-calling campaign, labeling Alex gay to force him from the team. Todd finds himself stuck in an agonizing dilemma. Should he stick up for Alex, or cave in to peer pressure? His decision affects his own life as well as the future of the team. ALA's list of "Books for the Reluctant Reader;" A "Project 21" Book, 1996; New York Public Library's "Books for the Teenage" list, 1994; Oklahoma Sequoyah Award master list 1995; Recommended by the National Conference of Christians and Jews for their "Human Family, Learning to Live Together" list for 1993. "Sports fiction gains a new dimension with this soccer-based tale of gay prejudice, hypocrisy, and competition…The theme of this novel emerges with subtlety and power through events and dialogue." —School Library Journal starred review "…terrific pacing and a real sense of what makes people tick." —Kirkus Reviews What inspired you to write this story? When my sons were in high school, I heard about a freshman who was forced off the J.V. soccer team by his teammates, who teased him about being gay. Later, I learned that the coach had ignored his players' cruel behavior. I have always been upset by prejudice and injustice. I also love the game of soccer, and I decided that a story that took place on the soccer field would allow me to explore the issues of fairness, peer pressure, and courage that were in my mind as I started the story. FAQ: Was it hard to write a novel from a boy's point of view? Not as difficult as I expected. Todd was a fairly important character in my previous YA novel, Fire in the Heart. And as the mother of two sons, I had spent many years listening while my sons and their friends discussed music, friendship, cars, school, soccer and skiing, politics, girls, movies, and books. But I was surprised to hear Todd's voice in my head, speaking in the first person. It was as if he were tugging at my sleeve, saying "Hey, listen. I've got this story to tell. Write it down, will you?" So I did.
Sequel to the award-winning Twelve Days in August, Blue Coyote follows Alex Beekman—a star soccer player, surfer, and budding graphic artist—to Los Angeles, where he searches for his lost friend Tito. Alex gathers clues from surfers, lifeguards, and a tattoo shop, then gets caught in a raging brush fire as he seeks to uncover the meaning behind Tito's disappearance and faces the truth he has hidden from himself. An adventure that addresses issues of friendship, family, and sexual identity. Nominated for a Lamda Literary Award. A "Project 21" Book for 1998. New York Public Library list of "Books for the Teenage" 1998. "[An] earnest, heartfelt sequel to Twelve Days in August…Intense and rewarding." -Kirkus Reviews What inspired you to write this story? My readers! A number of you wrote to me, after reading Twelve Days in August, and asked: "What about Alex? When will you tell his story?" I wrote the book in response to those questions. Also, my characters often seem real to me. When I finish a book, I hate to leave them behind. I wanted to know more about Alex, just as my readers did. FAQ: Why did you write two books about homophobia and gay issues? Although I'm a straight writer, I have many close gay and lesbian friends who have shared their stories about the pain and confusion they faced growing up. I am also very concerned about the growing violence against gays and lesbians in our culture and hope that my books will help young people to stop and think before they make nasty remarks or lash out against anyone who seems different.
ISBN 0-595-09199-7 When a mysterious letter about her mother's death appears in Molly O'Connor's mailbox, she begins a search that turns her family upside down. Fighting her father's disapproval, Molly enlists the help of her stepmother and an older cousin known as "Crazy Sadie." As Molly gathers clues surrounding her mother's long-ago disappearance, she uncovers a family secret that explains her father's silence. Determined to know the truth, Molly's search leads her to California-and back in time to a gold rush ancestor. An ALA "Best Young Adult Novel;" on Missouri's Mark Twain List, 1992. "An engrossing story of how the need to satisfy curiosity about the past can splinter a family." -School Library Journal starred review What inspired you to write this story? Fire in the Heart and West Against the Wind began as one book, about a girl who finds a pioneer diary in her attic. I wrote the diary first, and it turned into the novel West Against the Wind. After I finished that book, I still wanted to write the other story, of a modern girl who had a pioneer ancestor. I didn't plan it as a mystery at first. That idea came to me in a dream, when I was halfway through the book. I had to rewrite the whole story, adding clues and new characters to fit my plot. FAQ: Where is Griswold, Vermont? Griswold is an imaginary town in central Vermont. It is the setting for my two other YA novels which are companions to Fire in the Heart: Twelve Days in August, and Blue Coyote. My ancestors come from this area of Vermont. One was a Pequot Indian healer and midwife named Margery Dogerill. She married a man named Joseph Griswold. I decided to name my imaginary town after them. My forthcoming novel, Where the Great Hawk Flies, is based on my ancestor’s story. It takes place in the 1780s, in the early days of the town. It is fun to create an imaginary place. I have even drawn maps of the roads and rivers there! Although it is invented, Griswold seems like a real town in my mind, just as my characters often seem real, too. For more information, see Books about American History.
Look for "Sables Mouvants" (which means "Quicksand" in
French) in a new collection entitled On the Edge,
edited by Lois Duncan. My four YA novels are inter-connected, although each one stands on its own. Abby, the main character in West Against the Wind, is an ancestor of Molly, from Fire in the Heart. Molly's brother, Todd, is the main protagonist in Twelve Days in August. Blue Coyote continues Alex Beekman's story, which started with Twelve Days in August. I'd be interested to hear from any of you who dealt with situations similar to those that confront Todd and Alex in the first two novels. Have you encountered prejudice, unfair teasing, or cruelty among your peers? How have you responded? Are there people (either adults or other friends) who have helped you? If so, how? If you feel like talking about it, leave me a message in the Guest Book. |
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