Judi Curtin September 27th 2005

[catherine daly]

Hi All,
Judi Curtin, whose children's book 'Alice Next Door' has just been published, will be on-line on Tuesday the 27th September from 8pm to take your questions.
Judi's adult books include 'From Clare to Here' and 'Sorry Walter'.

[Mary]

Hi Judi,
I won't be able to log on Tuesday night as I visit an elderly cousin (aged 79) every Tuesday night.

I've loved Sorry Walter and From Claire to Here.

What I'd like to ask is how you have found the transition from women's fiction to children's fiction and also whether you are going to write more women's fiction?

[susanmay]

Hi Judi

Congratulations on your new childrens book.

Who are your favourite authors?

Best wishes

Susan

[Tracy]

Hi Judi, looking forward to the interview! I'd like to second Mary's question - how was the transition from adult to children's? They all say children's books are the hardest of the lot - did you find this? How did you get into the mind of children to write to/for them?

All best, Tracy

[Judi Curtin]

Hi everyone. Looking forward to tonight's interview (I think). If you can't join in tonight, please post any questions beforehand, and I'll do my best to reply when I log on this evening.
Thanks
Judi

[Judi Curtin]

Hi,
I'm here.
Is anyone out there?
I'll post this, and then reply to the outstanding questions.
Any lurkers, please post a question. If I don't do this, I'll have to watch champion's league on television.

[claire]

You and me both Judi. My hubby is in bad form as Ajax are already behind!!

Anyway how is the book going, Alice nest door, that's what it's called. Or else I'm mixing it up with someone else.

I read that you have 3 childeren, how old are they? Do they help with ideas when it come to writing childerens books?

[claire]

You've written two adult books, Sorry Walter and From Claire to here. i'm sorry to say that I haven't read either, but they sound interesting. Have you got plans for more and what's the story line?

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Mary,
Thanks for your question. Actually when I first started writing a few years ago, I wrote a children's story. (I've since lost it, which is just as well, as I suspect it was really hopeless.) Then I kind of accidentally switched to writing for adults. The adult books were great fun, and it was only after completing two, and dabbling with a couple more, that I decided to try writing for children again. This time it worked out much better (maybe because I now have children of my own).
Also, with two published novels under my belt, finding a publisher for the children's book was much easier than it would otherwise have been.
As for writing more adult's fiction, that remains to be seen. I've completed a third adult novel. It's called 'Almost Perfect', and is due out early next year. I've a few more ideas, and more half-written novels than I'm proud to admit to. I suppose the next step depends on how well 'Alice Next Door' does.
That's all a bit vague - hope it kind of answers your questions. Anyway - you can't be too hard on me - this time next year, this could be you.

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Susan,
You've hit on the hardest question of all.
I'm going to exclude Irish authors from my answer, as I'd hate to be accused of favouritism - or even worse, I'd hate to leave anyone out.
Outside of Ireland, I really like Anne Tyler and Anita Shreve. They both create really credible, sympathetic characters.
Recently I had to read Nancy Mitford's 'Pursuit of Love' for my book club. That's not a book I would otherwise have dreamed of reading but in fact it was great - really clever and funny.
Besides those - my mind's just gone blank. If I think of anyone else, I'll add them in later.

[charlene]

Hi Judi

I've not read any of your book's yet but I'll get around to it I promise, I just wanted to ask when you are relaxing do you find it hard to switch of if you are in the middle of writting a book
Thanks.

[claire]

Do you ever read other books and find yourself rewriting them in your own head, thinking how different you would have written it? if you know what I mean

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Tracy
One of the great (and undersung) things about children's books is that (Harry Potter excluded) they tend to be shorter than adult's books. Of course, length isn't everything, it's just that starting a children's book isn't quite as daunting as facing into the first of a few hundred pages - it's not quite so far from the first lines to my two favourite words - The End.
It remains to be seen whether I've successfully got into the mind of children. You're right - it is notoriously difficult. I suppose I have an advantage in that I've been teaching for years. I've read aloud to hundreds of kids, and you do get a feel for what they like. Also, with three children of my own, there's usually someone around to put me right if I get stuck on a phrase or an expression.
In the end though, it's only when a book gets on the shelves and children buy it (or not) that you discover whether you got it right or not.
I'll let you know!

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Claire - so many questions and so little time.
Man Utd and Benefica are on in our house. Don't know if hubby is happy - it's half time, and he's gone to pick our daughter up from piano lessons.
Not sure how well the book is going. I don't get figures for a week or two. Response has been good though, and its getting good publicity, which always helps.
My children are a boy of 14, and girls of 12 and 9. Sometimes they get a bit precious and say I'm 'plundering their lives' for ideas. Mostly though, they like to help, and put me right when I seem to be talking down - which is probably the biggest crime for a children's writer.
My third adult book is about two families who go on a canoeing trip on the Dordogne. The women were childhood friends, but they have alot of unresolved issues which only surface as the holiday progresses.
I decided to write family stuff, as that's where I'm at in my life at the moment, and as all the books say - write what you know.

[claire]

And yet again it sounds like an interesting story. I couldn't imagine going on hoilday with an old friend at all!

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Charlene,
Interesting question. I suppose it depends what I'm doing. I play tennis two mornings a week, but I find I can't write before I play because I get totally distracted, and miss shots because I'm writing scenes in my head. (Maybe that says more about my tennis, than about my writing though).
If I'm out with friends though, or doing something really interesting I generally forget about books for a while. I'd hate to become a writing bore.

[Judi Curtin]

Hi again Claire,
Actually I don't try to mentally rewrite other people's books - I don't know why.
On a few occasions though, I've had to read sections of my own books in public. As well as being a bit scary, as I read, I find myself thinking that maybe I should have phrased something a bit better, or left out a few lines here and there.
I'm doing a lot of reading to children next month, as part of Children's Book Festival. I know that by the end of it, I'll have completely rewritten 'Alice' in my head. Still, it will be useful experience, and should help when I begin to edit the sequel.

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Again, Claire. I'm glad you're here.
Yeah, you're right. I'm not sure I'd do it either. In the book, one of the characters bullies the other into taking the holiday. It turns out to be quite traumatic at times, which I think is what would happen in real life too.

[Marisa]

Hi Judi, I was wondering if you are planning a children's series? Is your book illustrated? Children seem to be a lot more sophisticated now than they were when I was growing up. How do you research? How long did it take you to write?

The other thing is if you would like to contribute an animal short story to the book Party Animal, please email me on [e-mail]

I am half way through editing it at the moment but there's still a teeny weeny bit of time, luv Marisa

[charlene]

Thank you for answering my question Judi, your next book sounds really good, can I ask are you books available in the UK or only on line?
thanks again.

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Marisa,
I've written a second 'Alice' book, and if the first two go well, I may well do a third. That would probably be it though, as I wouldn't like to wear the characters out. (I see from my own children though, that they love books in series, so at this stage, I wouldn't rule anything out.)
My book just has line drawings at the start of each chapter - they're kind of cute. They were organised by my publishers.
First draft only took a few weeks. There was a lot of fine-tuning after that though. No need for a whole lot of research, as the story is set in contemporary Limerick - where I live. If I need to know what the latest game or pop-band is, I just grab the nearest child and ask them.
You're right, children nowadays are very sophisticated, but I find that as well as modern stuff, most children will happily read books I read as a child.
Can you let me know more about the Party Animal book? Thanks

[claire]

Well ladies, I'm going to have to go now, falling asleep here.
Judi thanks for the interview, wish you the best with 'Alice' and I hope parts two and three do well too. By the way it's not looking so good for ajax here, as soon as the match is over we'll be off to bed!

see you on the boards, good night all

[Judi Curtin]

Hi Charlene,
My first book, 'Sorry,Walter' was on sale in the UK. It might be a bit difficult to find though, as sadly commercial fiction doesn't have much of a shelf life. Still, I bet there are copies somewhere, just waiting for a nice person to come along and liberate them. Also, if by any chance you're a gifted linguist, Walter is available in Croatian and Indonesian.
Otherwise, Walter, and 'From Claire to Here' are available online - from Amazon, or from Gill and Macmillan - where all books are currently discounted.
'Alice next Door' is only available in Ireland at the moment, but I'm hoping that will change soon.

[susanmay]

Thank you for answering my question, Judi. I enjoyed reading your interview. Best of luck with your latest work.

[Judi Curtin]

Thanks for joining in Claire. Man U winning so all happy here.

[Marisa]

Thanks Judi, Croatia and Indonesia - wow!! Wouldn't it be great if the publishers took you out on a book signing. My books are translated into Japanese and Thai but so far no planned trips, although I might just organise my own trip to Thailand just to see it on the bookshelves!

Email me about Party Animal, won't you? Collette Caddle is another contributor and there are a few more as well as some surprise celebrities!
X

[Judi Curtin]

No problem Susan. Thanks for your contribution. Worst thing would be sitting here on my own with no cyber -friends to talk to. I'd have felt like the loneliest loner of all time.

[charlene]

Good night claire enjoyed tonight

Thanks for answering my questions Judi enjoyed your interview.

[Judi Curtin]

Marisa
Yeah, a book tour of Croatia and Indonesia - in my dreams I think.
Japan and Thailand wouldn't be bad either.
Sadly, for now I think I'll have to settle for Dublin. Not bad though. When I was a teacher I used to dream of a day trip to Mountmellick!
I'll e-mail you tomorrow about Party Animal.

[Judi Curtin]

Thanks Charlene.