Kathy Parks, author of NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY, on the road to publication being full of twists and turns

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Kathy Parks stop by to tell us more about her latest novel, NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY.

Kathy, what scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

The river accident with Adrienne and Dan was difficult just to try to capture the terror and the helplessness of it, moment by moment. The scene where Adrienne’s biological father counsels her on forgiveness is one of my favorite, and that was suggested by my editor.

What book or books would most resonate with readers who love your book–or visa versa?

It’s hard to quantify this particular book because it crosses genres, but I believe readers who love a good romance and a good adventure with high suspense would enjoy this novel.

How long did you work on NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY?

Notes from my Captivity had an abbreviated timeline: The research and writing of the initial draft was probably 3-4 months, then the rewrites went on for several months.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

It left me with a deep appreciation for the beauty and the harsh punishments of Siberia.

What do you hope readers will take away from NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY?

I hope they will take away the fact that we often live in our own bubble of culture, with our own perspective. Then when our perspective is forced by travel or circumstance or accident, we emerge with a deeper understanding of other peoples and a kinder definition of the word “stranger.

How long or hard was your road to publication? How many books did you write before this one, and how many never got published?

The road to publication is as full of twists and turns as any international adventure! I have written somewhere around seventeen novels. Notes on My Captivity will be my eighth published novel. The rest are in a land where unsold novels live, perhaps to one day rise again.

Was there an AHA! moment along your road to publication where something suddenly sank in and you felt you had the key to writing a novel? What was it?

That AHA moment came months or a couple of years before, when I did research on the Lykov family in Siberia, a family I used as inspiration for the Osinovs. Anyone who wants to read a fascinating and true tale of survival in Siberia should look up the Lykovs!

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?

The best time for me to write is the first thing in the morning. I feel a bit like a surfer and I need to ride that wave. I like listening to storm sounds or rushing water. I try to keep visual distractions to a minimum — decorations, photos, etc. My husband is at work and my cats hate me, which does allow for greater concentration. As for venue— sometimes at my house, sometimes at a coffee shop, sometimes in the driver’s seat of my car. I know, I’m a weirdo.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

My advice to other writers is to break down the act of writing a novel into small winnable portions and then keep track. As Stephen King advises, even if you write a mere page a day, in less than a year, you’ve got a full novel.

What are you working on now?

I’m actually writing a book about writing a novel, my attempt to demystify the process.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Notes from My Captivity
by Kathy Parks
Hardcover
Katherine Tegen Books
Released 7/10/2018

Adrienne Cahill cares about three things: getting into a great college; becoming a revered journalist like her idol, Sydney Declay; and making her late father proud of her.

So when Adrienne is offered the chance to write an article that will get her into her dream school and debunk her foolish stepfather’s belief that a legendary family of hermits is living in the Siberian wilderness, there’s no question that she’s going to fly across the world.

But the Russian terrain is even less forgiving than Adrienne. And when disaster strikes, none of their extensive preparations seem to matter. Now Adrienne’s being held captive by the family she was convinced didn’t exist, and her best hope for escape is to act like she cares about them, even if it means wooing the youngest son.

Purchase Notes from My Captivity at Amazon
Purchase Notes from My Captivity at IndieBound
View Notes from My Captivity on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a baby, Kathy Parks was thrown out with the bathwater. This experience shaped her life and art. She is the author of novels including The Lifeboat Clique and Notes from My Captivity, and she also works as an advertising copywriter. She lives with her husband, Michael, in Boulder, Colorado.

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Have you had a chance to read NOTES FROM MY CAPTIVITY yet? Do you need to ride the wave of writing? Do you break down the act of writing a novel into small winnable portions and then keep track of it? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Jocelyn, Halli, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Jul 14, 2018

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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