Kathleen O'Dell cites the
author Beverly Cleary as a source of writerly inspiration. As she read Cleary's books, Kathy wondered how the author
could possibly know so much about her.
Agnes Parker. . . Girl in Progress was born of Kathy's memories of many of her own experiences, especially those drawn from a time when "my feelings, my friends, and my world were changing so fast." Like Agnes, she broke her arm and got glasses. And, also like Agnes, she still considers herself and her life to be an ever-changing project, one shared with her husband, Tim, and their children, Sam and Charlie. They live in Southern California.
Q. What was life like when you
were a kid?
A. The biggest difference between now and then is that when I
was a kid, hardly anything was made of plastic. Things were made of
either heavy wood or metal. For instance, the lid on the average toy
box weighed about 40 pounds, so you had to be very careful of your head
and fingers. A telephone then was about as heavy as today's chain
saw. You wouldn't want something like that dropping on your foot.
I actually had a miniature car you could pedal around that was made
of solid steel. You could only pedal very slowly, because it was no
lighter than today's Volkswagen Beetle. Frankly, those were
dangerous days to be alive. But I like to think they made us
stronger!
Q. So, aren't you kind of old to have a first novel?
A. Yes, I am terribly old. But it took over ten years of submitting
to sell a book. I feel very fortunate to have found my editor at
Dial Books for Young Readers. I tell myself she was worth waiting
for.
Q. Where do you get your ideas?
A. They come to me after long naps. Once I spent two months
doing research for a historical novel, only to abandon it after an
afternoon nap. That's when the story of Agnes Parker came to me.
Q. What's so fun about being a writer?
A. Working in your pajamas. In bed. At 11 a.m.
Q. Sounds like you don't get out much.
A. That's right. I don't.
Q. What would you like better:
1. Winning the lottery?
2. Successfully climbing Mt. Everest?
3. A world made out of candy?
4. AGNES PARKER being published.
A. Honestly, I pick number four.
Books By Kathleen O'Dell:
Agnes
Parker...
Girl in Progress
Do you need information for a book report? My email address is: kathleenodell5@hotmail.com
But be warned! I'm often out of town and need plenty of time to respond. Please give me a couple of weeks to answer! I'd hate to disappoint you...