S.A. Bodeen has been writing picture books for 10 years. I was lucky enough to read her debut YA novel The Compound, that is set to be released April 29th. I love reading new authors and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more by Bodeen
I was lucky enough to ask her some questions after I was finished reading.
First of all thanks for agreeing to answer some of my questions! When and why did you decide to write a novel aimed and young adults?
I’ve been trying for a while. Since 1997 I’ve written almost ten novels, this is just the first I’ve gotten right.
What challenges, if any, did you face writing for young adults instead of children?
Definitely character development and pacing. I feel like I figured out picture books to a certain extent, but now I’m back to the beginning with this new genre.
How did you get the idea for The Compound?
Actually a dinosaur show my husband was watching on Discovery. One breed of dinosaur did this odd thing to raise their offspring and I wondered what would happen if a human tried that.
The Compound is told in the eyes of Eli, a male character. Did you find it hard to slip into his mind and shoes?
I think one of the flaws in many of my earlier novel attempts was that I couldn’t get far enough away from the character. So making him a male immediately made him not me, and I was able to work pretty well with that. I have hardly anything in common with him, so I think I could take him more places that way.
Are you planning on writing more for the YA genre?
Yes, I have another coming out with Feiwel and Friends.
The Compound is very suspenseful, do you enjoy reading those types of books?
Yes, I love Stephen King, Michael Crichton etc.
What books did you enjoy as a teenager?
Stephen King, classics like Catcher in The Rye, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill a Mockingbird… I really read anything. I remember we had Rif distribution now and then. I would do book reports for boys in my class, then they would let me have their Rif book. I’d go home with a stack every time. (Disclaimer: I do not recommend kids go around doing other people’s book reports!)
When you are not writing what things do you do with your free time?
I have two teenage daughters so my life exists of driving them around, going to their games, etc.( Making sure they do their own book reports)
Your first book Elizabeti’s Doll was based on a family that you spent time with in Tanzania, while in the Peace Corps. What was your experience in Tanzania like?
Sometimes it was fairly adventurous, I climbed Kilimanjaro, went on safari, lived in a mud hut, but other times it was just quiet and I could have been anywhere.
You’ve lived in a lot of places including my home-state of Indiana. Do you like to travel?
Love it. I just got back from Addis Ababa, which I loved. That feeling of stepping on a plane and getting off it halfway around the world never fails to amaze me.
Is there anything else you would like the readers to know about you or The Compound?
The audio book comes out the same day as the hardcover.
note: the very cool image of S.A. Bodeen was provided by V Imagery and Design.