Well, okay, I did set a microwave on fire exactly the same way Taz does in Taz’s Recipe. All the other cooking disasters in that book happened to other people: KL, KL, ET, KL, and KL again. (You do not want to be in the same kitchen as KL without insurance.)
I heard the scene in Red Sea where the pirates kiss Lib is from real life; or did you make that up too?
The piracy scene in Red Sea was based on a real story. A sailing family from Australia (parents, two kids, one of them a young girl) were pirated in the Red Sea. No one was injured but their boat was shot up, their propeller fouled with fishing net, and pirates stole anything and everything of value. And yes, as the pirates were leaving, they kissed the young girl. That, to me, was the biggest theft.
Is Riot Act based on a real riot?
Yes. The mayhem in Riot Act sprung from accounts of the 2011 Vancouver riot after the final game of the Stanley Cup.
Without giving too much away about what happens, I think Lockdown should have ended at Chapter 16.
That is an excellent suggestion—a little late, but excellent. Seriously, you are good. Are you in a critique group where writers share their work with one another? Join one. They will be so grateful for your insights, as I am.
Why do you write books for school-age people?
My favorite books to read feature a main character who is age 13-21 so maybe that’s why I enjoy writing these characters too.
What do you like best about being a writer?
The best part about being a writer is knowing you’re out there, reading my stories, bringing your stories to mine, making them live and breathe.
Do your stories get edited?
Always. And they are always better after the editor is done with them. The real work of writing is re-writing.