Featured Interview With Author Emily Kay Johnson
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was a suburban kid with working parents. Now my kids are living the same kind of life. I think a lot of kids experience this kind of quiet, protected childhood. It's what we parents want for them despite how they may crave adventure. This is where the Dudes come in!
I grew up reading Ramona and Henry Huggins and Henry Reed and Alvin Fernald and the Herdmans–kids who lived in neighborhoods where nothing ever happened except the incidents they created. These kids DID stuff (often to the surprise or mortification of their parents). They didn't sit around inside. They responded creatively to their environment. To me, the most exciting stories were the things that I would never do but that could have happened–often with unexpected and hilarious results. The best stories were the ones that made you laugh out loud and want to tell someone about it, maybe your parents even!
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing about the same time I started choosing books of my own. On my 8th birthday, my dad gave me five dollars to spend in the kids section of a bookstore. I came home with Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain and a Paddington book, I believe.
In high school, I took a correspondence course in writing for publication, and continued writing for children's magazines after college. I never considered writing anything for adults. Kids' books always end with hope, and that's me through and through!
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love fantasy and science fiction. I'm inspired by Star Trek too (hopeful!). I also love realistic adventure stories and stories about heroes who find the good in people. Pretty much every story needs to have a little humor in it, because any situation can be funny, and people are funny.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Dudes series alternates three summer books and three school-year books. My latest, Dudes Dystopia, takes place during the pandemic and includes summer, fall, and winter adventures. Of course, the Dudes managed to have wacky fun despite pandemic restrictions. I wish I had had as much fun as they did. I've observed my kids recovering from what became normal there for a while. And I wanted to portray how kids could be empowered to seek out fun, even under difficult circumstances.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles
Emily Kay Johnson Facebook Page
Emily Kay Johnson Twitter Account
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