Wendy Mills, author of ALL WE HAVE LEFT, on having faith in yourself

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Wendy Mills here to tell us more about her latest novel ALL WE HAVE LEFT.

Wendy, what was your inspiration for writing ALL WE HAVE LEFT?

It was when I realized that neither of my children were alive on 9/11 that I decided that I wanted to write this book—for them, and for all the children who were either not yet born, or too young to remember. Ask any adult where they were on 9/11, and they will not only know, but they will have a story to share. Many of them will say that they knew that the world had changed. Our children today will never know what is was like before 9/11, but through this story, I hope I can show what that day meant to the world.

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?

It’s so important to get the big things right when you are writing historical fiction, but it is the small, prosaic details that make the story come alive for your readers. What I love about this story is not one particular scene, but rather the small details: the slick feel of sweat on the handrails from the thousands of office workers filing down the stairs inside the towers; the cardboard prayer mats in the 106th stairwell used by the Muslim staff of Windows on the World; the mosaic inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum of almost three thousand shades of blue, reflecting the diversity of experiences on that day.

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

For those seeking other fiction books about 9/11, there are several excellent soon-to-be or newly-released books on the subject. Gae Polisner has written a wonderful story called THE MEMORY OF THINGS for YA readers, and I also highly recommend Nora Raleigh Baskin’s NINE, TEN for middle grade readers.

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

I’m not sure I would have had the courage to write this book without the encouragement of my editor, Mary Kate Castellani. It was a big jump for me as an author—not only was I writing about a big, historical event, but I was also writing from a Muslim first-person viewpoint. Either of these alone would have been intimidating enough, but together it sometimes seemed insurmountable. In the end, this is the hardest book I have ever written, but also the one of which I am the most proud. It taught me to have faith in myself, and in my writing gifts, and to not be afraid to make that jump.

ABOUT THE BOOK

All We Have Left
by Wendy Mills
Hardcover
Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Released 8/9/2016

A haunting and heart-wrenching story of two girls, two time periods, and the one event that changed their lives–and the world–forever.

Interweaving stories from past and present, All We Have Left follows two girls, Alia and Jesse, who discover that hatred and love have the power to reverberate into the future.

Then: Alia is a proud Muslim, even if it makes high school more difficult. Grounded for a stupid mistake, Alia decides to confront her father at his Manhattan office, putting her in danger she never expected. When the planes collide into the Twin Towers, Alia is trapped inside. There she meets a boy who risks everything for her.

Now: Jesse is haunted by the past. Ever since her brother died in the September 11th attacks, her dad’s rage and grief has overshadowed their lives. When one hate-fueled decision turns Jesse’s life upside down, the only way to make amends is to face the past and find out the truth of her brother’s last day.

Purchase All We Have Left at Amazon
Purchase All We Have Left at IndieBound
View All We Have Left on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WENDY MILLS was born on the edge of the water and has never left it. She now lives with her family on a small island off the southwest coast of Florida, where she spends her time writing, finding lost socks, and dodging hurricanes. Positively Beautiful is her first young adult novel.
www.wendymillsbooks.com
@WendyMillsBooks

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Have you had a chance to read ALL WE HAVE LEFT yet? Have you written a historical event? Do you use small details to help the scenes come alive?

Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy reading,

Jocelyn, Shelly, Martina, Anisaa, Sam, Erin, Susan, Michelle, Laura, 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: Aug 13, 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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