Rachel Hickman, author of ONE SILVER SUMMER, on being inspired by things you love

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re excited to have Rachel Hickman stop by to chat about her debut novel ONE SILVER SUMMER.

Rachel, what was your inspiration for writing ONE SILVER SUMMER?

Love. I hope that doesn’t sound sappy, but it’s true. Love in all its wonderful and confusing forms. This story is about place: my love of a wild and rugged English seacoast called Cornwall. It was written in a tiny hamlet called Portloe on a terrace that looked out on the ocean.

It reflects my life long passion for horses and horse stories that began with 1950s horse and pony books from the library of the Ladies Recreation Club in Hong Kong. Then my later love of my own horse, a thoroughbred event horse called Munch who died sadly last autumn. And a new love in the shape of a bouncy newbie called Miss Marble who arrived with us this winter.

It’s the steadfast love I feel for my family and our history through the generations. And all the heady passionate hair-wrenching heartbreaking stuff that is still as clear as day in my head from when I was teenager. I even married my first love who I met at eighteen (30 years ago).

Finally, it’s chock full of favorite things: riding on a beach, castles, tiny churches, crazy Patterdale terriers, Tiffany silver horseshoes, old Bentleys, Earl Grey tea, abandoned horseboxes, The Plaza Hotel, New York, the Wizard of Oz, Nancy Drew’s titian hair, wild storms, walled gardens. And how my best friend next door when I was fourteen grew up and married (and then divorced) a Danish prince.

What do you hope readers will take away from ONE SILVER SUMMER?

I want readers to be swept up in a gorgeous, sweet and horsey love story that’s set on the most beautiful seacoast in England. I never set out to write something important so much as emotional, escapist, well told, I hope – and just a little bit glamorous. It’s a fairytale of sorts, romantic in the old sense, but gutsy and modern in the attitudes of the lead characters. For me, reading and dreaming have always gone together like fish and chips – and that’s what this book is.

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

In my day job, I’m a publisher in England with Chicken House, so this question is either a cinch or a nightmare, I can’t decide. Nor can I claim to be as good as these authors, but all of their books inspired me to write my own, and I think we share something. FRENCHMAN’S CREEK by Daphne Du Maurier; I CAPTURE THE CASTLE by Dodie Smith; I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson; ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins; ONE DOLLAR HORSE by Lauren St John; FLAMBARDS by KM Peyton. THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY by Jane Austen. THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M L Stedman. EVE GREEN by Susan Fletcher; A MOMENT IN TIME BY H E Bates; DARKMERE by Helen Maslin.

ABOUT THE BOOK

One Silver Summer
by Rachel Hickman
Hardcover
Scholastic Press
Released 4/26/2016

Fifteen-year-old Sass feels like her life is broken at the start of One Silver Summer, the debut YA novel from Rachel Hickman. Sass was sent far from her home in NYC to live with her estranged uncle in rural England after her mother died after a car accident. Her uncle’s tiny house and studio in Cornwall overlook rugged seaside and secluded fields, the perfect place for Sass to quietly mend herself body and soul.

While her uncle works, Sass wanders through the wild with Harry the dog as her only companion. It’s on one of these meandering walks that Sass glimpses a silver horse and soon she is sneaking off whenever possible to spend time with the mysterious creature. During one of these visits, Sass has an unpleasant run-in with Alex, the horse’s snobbish owner, who has nothing but cold indifference for the trespassing American. But soon Sass’s intelligence and empathy for animals touches something inside him and Alex offers to teach her to ride. The two lonely teens find themselves falling for each other as they explore the seaside. But Alex has a bombshell secret, one that could shatter their budding bond. Will Sass and Alex be able to overcome their own pain and trust in true love?

Purchase One Silver Summer at Amazon
Purchase One Silver Summer at IndieBound
View One Silver Summer on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Hickman is the co-founder of Chicken House, the acclaimed children’s book publishing company. She lives in Hampshire, England. One Silver Summer is her first novel.

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Have you had a chance to read ONE SILVER SUMMER yet? Do you pull from your love of a variety of things to inspire your writing? Do you feel reading and dreaming go together like fish and chips? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy reading,

Jocelyn, Shelly, Martina, Anisaa, Sam, Erin, Susan, Lindsey, Sarah, and Kristin

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: Apr 30, 2016

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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