My squirrels became quite real and individual to me while I worked on this book, and they are clearly more human than squirrels actually are. Are there certain challenges or benefits to writing one type of story vs. Writing a book where all of the characters are animals must be different than writing a story where it is clearly realistic fiction.
In NUTS, for example, I loved the moment when Chai, who has been a cautious squirrel and is so terrified when he is in the crevice with the bobcat waiting outside, loses his fear. Then I put them in situations and wait to see what they'll do, like an improv theatre troupe. There is a time in the writing of every book where the characters stop feeling like people/animals I made up, and start to take on a certain independence. I love it when characters surprise me, and they always do. As you wrote NUTS TO YOU, did you have other experiences where your characters surprised you? I loved the author's note and the description of the park and the squirrel and the peanut butter sandwich.
Today, I am welcoming Lynne Rae Perkins to Kid Lit Frenzy.
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