Celebrating Pat Conroy

Happy Birthday to the wonderful Pat Conroy. We miss you.

I'm celebrating him today because he celebrated so many young writers like me.

Throwback Thursday

The first ARCs of SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY featured a lovely cover. In 2012, my best friend surprised me with a cake, featuring that same cover. 

Happy Thursday!

20 Days of Backstory: Day 20

Hi, friends,

This is the final day of my blog series on MAYDAY backstory. Thank you for following along.  

BACKSTORY FACT 20

In the first draft of the story, I wrote an epilogue from Wayne Kovok as a young man in the military. 

The idea to write a letter was a good one, but I decided to include a letter from Grandpa instead. This just illustrates how stories morph over time. 

Here is the epilogue, unedited. The “seven things” was a once, now deleted thread in the novel in which Grandpa gave Wayne advice. It refers to completing seven things a person can take pride in, not own, but can be photographed. 

To: Sandy Showalter

I heard a song the other day. It included the word bewildering in the lyrics and it made me remember you and that time in my life when I wrote letters I never sent. But hearing that word caused me to pause and pick up a piece of paper and a pen. I haven’t done that since school days. Usually I just type. But I thought you’d want to know that today, I’m checking off one of my seven things. Serving my country. There will be a photograph and when I look at it, I’ll remember everything. 

Sincerely,

Wayne H. Kovok

2nd Lieutenant, United States Air Force

--

20 Days of Backstory: Day 19

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

BACKSTORY FACT 19

MAYDAY has a playlist. Most of the time, I bounce around and listen to a ton of songs while I'm editing. For MAYDAY, I had a steady playlist, which provided constant inspiration.

"The Soldier and The Oak" by Eliot Park. (This is the song I heard as Grandpa and Wayne drive East to find the flag.)

"Wave on Ole Glory" by Billy Dean. (Just because.)

"Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down (When Wayne finds out Grandpa's secret and runs.)

"America" by Imagine Dragons (Watch the video here )

"Til There Was You" by Meredith Willson (The Beatles' version. This is Denny's song.)

"Hero" by Family of the Year (I think Wayne feels this way.)

"Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson (Another running song.)

"Learn to Fly" by The Foo Fighters (A must listen after reading the final page. I listened to this hundreds of times as I edited that final chapter.)

20 Days of Backstory: Day 18

Hi, friends,

 In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story.

BACKSTORY FACT 18

- I had a picture of Robert Duvall on my desk while writing the novel. He served as the muse for Wayne's grandfather. I love him! 

Did you know that one of the major charities Mr. Duvall supports is Our Military Kids, whose mission it is to minimize the emotional toll on military children? True story! Check them out and lend your support, too. 

20 Days of Backstory: Day 17

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

BACKSTORY FACT 17

In a crucial scene, Wayne and his grandfather eat at The Hamburger Store in Jefferson, Texas. This is a real place! The meringue on the pies is epic.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 16

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

BACKSTORY FACT 16

In one scene, a Blue Jay lands on a mouse trap with tragic consequences. That happened in my backyard right before I was getting ready to go to the American Library Association Meeting three years ago. I cried. It was really awful. 

--

Want to know more about my writing process? Check out this interview I did with Kidliterati blogger and author of COUNTING THYME, Melanie Conklin.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 15

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

MAYDAY is a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 15

During the first round of edits, my editor remarked that she was “obsessed” with the last line of the novel. I wrote that final line early in the drafting process because author John Irving said he often begins a novel by knowing the last line. I challenged myself to do that. I think it worked. 

See Irving's comments on this idea in "Forward Thinking, Writing Backwards." 

20 Days of Backstory: Day 14

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. (You might remember Wayne from his small role in COURAGE FOR BEGINNERS.) 

MAYDAY is a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 14

Like Wayne, my family has a long, proud history of service.

My brother, Robert Harrington, when he was in the Marines.

My Dad used to talk about our family service a lot. My favorite story too place in 1941. When he was seven, the family sat around one December morning in Stoneham, Massachusetts, listening to the radio. His aunt told him, "Bobby, go run and get your uncle and tell him this. The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor." 

My father ran to the back of the house where his uncle was cutting wood. He gave him the message. His uncle grabbed his tools and ran to the house. He put on his National Guard uniform and went to his post. Soon after, he was inducted into the regular army and was in charge of troop movements in and out of Boston. By 1945, he'd risen to the rank of full colonel, leading his troops in Germany. 

My dad also introduced me to the historical novel APRIL MORNING by Howard Fast when I was in middle school. There are several valiant characters with the last name Harrington in this story. As a kid, that story AND seeing the name Harrington inside a book made a big impression on me.

I chose the photo below to use on my dedication page, where I dedicate the novel to all the men and women who've served in our country, past and present. Take note of the flagpole in the background. It came from the mast of a great ship. My Dad said he remembers his father telling him it came from the navy ship, The U.S.S. Constitution, nicknamed "Old Ironsides." 

My dad and grandfather in 1945.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 13

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

BACKSTORY FACT 13

I watched this neighborhood kid sprint to the bus every morning for a year. Each day, he barely made it on time. I rooted for him. I thought, he must be doing this on purpose. It seemed like this was something Wayne Kovok would do, too. It gave me the idea to include running as a theme in MAYDAY. 

Check out my interview in BOOKPAGE magazine here for more backstory.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 12

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

BACKSTORY FACT 12

After the crash in MAYDAY, Wayne naturally sees airplanes in a new light. He's even more aware that real people are flying miles above the earth at all times. He lays down in his yard and ferries planes in his hands as they pass over his airspace. 

I did that. 

It takes 28-30 seconds for them to pass over my house. Sometimes I made up small stories about the people in the planes.

The view from my backyard

--

Praise for Mayday:

"A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction."
―Kirkus Reviews


"Wayne is an appealing protagonist with a strong voice who develops believably over the difficult months, as do the other characters. A well-done book on all levels."―Publishers Weekly


"The main characters are well depicted and highly appealing.... Thought provoking and touching, Mayday applies to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast and wishes to become someone with a sense of pride."
―VOYA

"Wayne's is an authentic, funny, and sometimes sarcastic teen voice, which comes through clearly, even when he can't speak out loud.... in this sweet tale of survival, heroism, and the search for strength."
―School Library Journal

20 Days of Backstory: Day 11

Hi, friends,

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, which is a PW Pick of the Week!

BACKSTORY FACT 11

In MAYDAY, Wayne's mother creates a Wall of Honor, showcasing photos of Wayne’s ancestors. 

I have a similar collage in our house and use it to tell our daughters about the interesting people they came from. Each photo has a story.

Here are a few of the photos.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 10

Hi, friends,

It's Day 10 of my blog series on backstory about MAYDAY!

BACKSTORY FACT 10

-

I spent a year researching plane crashes. The Congo crash, featured in the opening chapter, haunted me most. It’s a great teacher: group think can be deadly.

--

Praise for Mayday:

"A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction."
―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Wayne is an appealing protagonist with a strong voice who develops believably over the difficult months, as do the other characters. A well-done book on all levels."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The main characters are well depicted and highly appealing.... Thought provoking and touching, Mayday applies to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast and wishes to become someone with a sense of pride."
―VOYA

"Wayne's is an authentic, funny, and sometimes sarcastic teen voice, which comes through clearly, even when he can't speak out loud.... in this sweet tale of survival, heroism, and the search for strength."
―School Library Journal

20 Days of Backstory: Day 9

Hi, friends,

It's publication day for MAYDAY! 

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. 

BACKSTORY FACT 9

-      Wayne gathers lots of research about the debris field of his plane crash. He also matches this with wind speeds on the day of the crash. 

My daughter got so interested in Wayne’s wind speed research that she did her science fair project on wind. It was called BLOWN AWAY. A+! 

If you want to be blown away and/or learn about wind speeds, order your copy of MAYDAY on Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

20 Days of Backstory: Day 8

Hi, friends,

Only one more day until MAYDAY is published!

In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, a story Publishers Weekly gave a starred review and calls "a compelling exploration of life after disaster." 

BACKSTORY FACT 8

I first thought of writing about a plane crash after watching an episode of AIR DISASTERS in which debris trailed out of a doomed plane, landing miles from the actual crash site. 

However, I'm not a nervous flier. I learned from Wayne Kovok's research that 80% of all crashes are survivable.

Also, I like this graphic about how planes fly.

v

--

Find out more at www.karenharringtonbooks.com 

 

"MAYDAY is an utterly engaging and heartwarming novel of loss and redemption. Wayne Kovok is a natural-born wonder." - Mark Goldblatt, best-selling author of Twerp and Finding The Worm.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 7

Hi, friends,

Who likes to know a little behind-the-scenes information about a story? 

BACKSTORY FACT 7

     
Wayne Kovok, the main character, is a fact-loving seventh grader. He shares more than 70 confirmed, true facts in MAYDAY. This was a fun part of the novel to work on because I'm a fact nerd.

I’ve been asked what my favorite facts are and would have to say the history of Arlington National Cemetery and the continued search for Columbia Space Shuttle debris in East Texas. Also, I spent an inordinate amount of time researching the weight and dimensions of the world’s largest matzo ball.

    Here is my copy-editor’s comment that sent me down the rabbit hole.

-          Seems like there have been larger, but I don’t know that any larger than 267 pounds have been recognized officially by Guinness World Records. See http://azjewishpost.com/2010/p-s-tucson-chef-creates-guinness-world-record-matzah-ball-israelis-israel-travels-pilates-guru-hadassah-hears-marquez/

-          http://jewishworldnews.org/worlds-largest-matzo-ball-competition-more-than-just-a-cooked-mass-of-unrecognized-ingredients/

20 Days of Backstory: Day 6

Hi, friends,

Who likes to know a little behind-the-scenes information about a story? I know I do. In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. (You might remember Wayne from his small role in COURAGE FOR BEGINNERS.) 

MAYDAY is a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 6

My good friend Tim is a car restoration professional. He helped me with the Ford Mustang research in MAYDAY. He also told me to put the word “weedwhacker” somewhere in the book. I couldn’t find a spot so I put it in the acknowledgments next to his name. He thinks that's hilarious. 

My friend, Tim,with his custom built Ford Bronco racer.
He and my husband race in the Baja 1000.

Find Tim's other custom projects on his website.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 5

Hi, friends,

Who likes to know a little behind-the-scenes information about a story? I know I do. In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. (You might remember Wayne from his small role in COURAGE FOR BEGINNERS.) 

MAYDAY is a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 5

Caddo Lake State Park in Uncertain, Texas is a key setting in the book. As Wayne's plane comes apart, debris falls to the ground over East Texas. Wayne hypothesizes that his uncle's honor flag may be in or near the park. 

My family camps there every year with family and friends.

With my daughter

Along the river

Praise for Mayday:

"A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction."
―Kirkus Reviews


"Wayne is an appealing protagonist with a strong voice who develops believably over the difficult months, as do the other characters. A well-done book on all levels."―Publishers Weekly


"The main characters are well depicted and highly appealing.... Thought provoking and touching, Mayday applies to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast and wishes to become someone with a sense of pride."
―VOYA

"Wayne's is an authentic, funny, and sometimes sarcastic teen voice, which comes through clearly, even when he can't speak out loud.... in this sweet tale of survival, heroism, and the search for strength."
―School Library Journal

20 Days of Backstory: Day 4

Hi, friends,

Today, I'm continuing my backstory blog series about my new novel, MAYDAY, a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 4

To get a solid understanding of what a pilot would do in an emergency, I interviewed American Airlines First Officer and Air Force Lt. Colonel Gavin Tade. His insights were invaluable.

Check out Lt. Colonel Tade's background from growing up to serving in the Air Force.

20 Days of Backstory: Day 3

Hi, friends,

Who likes to know a little behind-the-scenes information about a story? I know I do. In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. (You might remember Wayne from his small role in COURAGE FOR BEGINNERS.) 

MAYDAY is a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 3

I include homages in each of my novels. There are three in MAYDAY. (There are countless homages in SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY.)

o The last name of my favorite author appears on page four.

o Tim LeMoot’s daughter is named Debra, the name of a funny/scary movie my kids and friends made one year.(Tim LeMoot, the Texas Boot is a famous accident injury lawyer in the story.)

o My favorite radio talk show host is Dennis Prager. He once said that no one ever names their kids Dennis anymore. I gave a hat tip to Mr. Prager when I named Wayne’s best friend Denny (Dennis) Rosenblatt.
- 

My daughter's comment about this was "You can do that?"

Heck yes, you can do this. It's fun. Half of writing is entertaining yourself. 

20 Days of Backstory: Day 2

Hi, friends,

Who likes to know a little behind-the-scenes information about a book? I'm sharing 20 facts in 20 days about my forthcoming novel, MAYDAY.

BACKSTORY FACT 2

The original working title for MAYDAY was Wayne Kovok Flies Again


--

Visit www.karenharringtonbooks.com for more information or to order your copy of MAYDAY, out one week from today!

20 Days of Backstory: Day 1

Hi, friends,

Who likes to know a little behind-the-scenes information about a story? I know I do. In the spirit of Wayne Kovok, the fact-loving protagonist of my new novel, MAYDAY, I'm sharing facts about the story. (You might remember Wayne from his small role in COURAGE FOR BEGINNERS.) 

MAYDAY is a story about friendship, fathers and sons, and the importance of finding one's voice. 

BACKSTORY FACT 1

My publisher presented two covers for Mayday. We chose the first one. I love them both for different reasons. The green cover is super cool and reminds me of a Carl Hiassen novel. Both were created by the very talented, Maggie Edkins.

--

ABOUT MAYDAY 

From Kirkus, starred review 

After surviving a plane crash, Wayne has plenty to cope with.

He’s lost his voice from an injury, his face is badly scarred, his drill-sergeant Grandpa has moved in, he’s lost the flag that draped his uncle’s coffin, the only reason his girlfriend hasn’t dumped him is because she’s sorry for him, and his father is an abusive loser. In sum, the white seventh-grader has to find a way to cope with the sudden disintegration of his world. In the past, he’s been a veritable encyclopedia of random trivia, useful for “sealing up the cracks of awkward silences.” Without a voice, the trivia doesn’t work. Friends could help, but he has none until he discovers Denny, who’s facing his bar mitzvah but suffers from a dreadful stutter—except when he sings—and, surprisingly, Grandpa, who, Wayne discovers, is slowly dying of cancer. Grandpa starts out as a near caricature of a ramrod-stiff career military man but gradually emerges to readers through Wayne’s developing understanding as sensitive and deeply in tune with the boy’s struggles. Wayne’s convincing narration perceptively captures the tribulations of young teens, and even though his problems aren’t commonplace, surprisingly, the resolutions are. Perhaps best of these is Grandpa’s advice: “Before you go taking the bull by the horns, make sure it’s your bull.”

A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction. (Fiction. 10-14)

--

From Booklist

Mayday
By Karen Harrington
May 2016

Middle school is tough for most kids, but seventh-grader Wayne Kovoks is having a particularly bad year. On the way home from his uncle’s funeral, Wayne’s plane crashes. He and his mother are among the survivors, but Wayne walks away from the wreckage with an injured throat and an L-shaped gash running down from his face: L for loser. The severe swelling in the 12-year-old’s neck means no talking. For a kid who copes with social situations by rattling off an encyclopedic number of facts, not having a voice makes life challenging in a whole new way. On top of these major roadblocks, Wayne is navigating relationships with Sandy (his sort-of girlfriend), his dad (divorced), and his grandfather (former drill sergeant and new housemate). Random facts and Wayne’s sense of humor leaven the more serious plot developments, while his forced silence causes him to take a closer look at the people around him. Harrington’s (Sure Signs of Crazy, 2013) latest comes with heft, hope, and scads of trivia.

--

Visit www.karenharringtonbooks.com for more information and to order your copy of MAYDAY today! 

Giveaway alert: Win a signed ARC of MAYDAY by Karen Harrington

Hello, friends,

I'm excited to share this giveaway of my forthcoming novel, MAYDAY, which will be out May 24 from Little, Brown.

The novel has earned two starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly! And one of my favorite reviewer comments came from VOYA, which said "“Thought provoking and touching, Mayday applies to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast and wishes to become someone with a sense of pride."

Love that!

kh

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Mayday
     
     

          by Karen Harrington
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends May 13, 2016.
         
         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         
     
   
   

    Enter Giveaway

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - HOUR OF THE BEES by Lindsay Eagar

 Hello Friends, I haven't done a middle-grade post in a long while, but I was inspired to today. HOUR OF THE BEES by Lindsay Eagar is a remarkable, lyrical debut. It's one of those stories that transcends age. I tried to select a passage to quote from, but just can't. There are too many, particularly the sections that are a story within a story, told from the point of view of the main character's aging grandfather. So wonderful!

Read a little bit of the "Inside Scoop" direct from the author on this Kidliterati Post.

Publisher's Description:  Things are only impossible if you stop to think about them. . . .

While her friends are spending their summers having pool parties and sleepovers, twelve-year-old Carolina — Carol — is spending hers in the middle of the New Mexico desert, helping her parents move the grandfather she’s never met into a home for people with dementia. At first, Carol avoids prickly Grandpa Serge. But as the summer wears on and the heat bears down, Carol finds herself drawn to him, fascinated by the crazy stories he tells her about a healing tree, a green-glass lake, and the bees that will bring back the rain and end a hundred years of drought. As the thin line between magic and reality starts to blur, Carol must decide for herself what is possible — and what it means to be true to her roots. Readers who dream that there’s something more out there will be enchanted by this captivating novel of family, renewal, and discovering the wonder of the world. 

Happy Reading!

kh