TOM SPEAKS!

As promised last week, here are Tom's opening remarks from the original manuscript of Fouling Out. Perhaps it will provide more insight into his character. Any feedback is welcome. Leave a comment if you'd like.

Life is supposed to be a lot of fun, isn't it? I mean, I'm a kid so that's what it's all about. I don't know about adults. They seem to spend all their time making sure people don't have fun.

I guess they let some people have fun as long as it's the quiet, boring kind of “fun” that I have no interest in. Like reading. Or playing Rummy.

Maybe adults all had bad childhood experiences so they want to make sure I go through my share of them, too. I'm certain I've already had more than enough. Somebody else out there must be getting a free ride.

My name's Tom Hanrahan and I'm twelve years old. In just three months, I'll be transformed from a child to an adolescent as I enter my teen years. I don't usually care much for birthdays, but this one's gonna rock. It'll be a whole new start for me.

I wish you could move out when you're thirteen. I could manage just fine. I don't really see why society would want to fight so hard to keep me with my family. What's that saying about walking a mile in another person's shoes? If some government person or earnest social worker walked even a couple meters in my Nikes, I'm sure they'd tell me to toss the shoes and walk barefoot.

I'm not going to tell you about my family 'cuz I just don't know how to explain it all. My folks are still together, but I wouldn't say that's a good thing. I'm the youngest of four kids. Don't go calling me the baby of the family. I hate that. Who came up with that stupid expression anyway? It must have been someone who's an older brother or sister who wanted the satisfaction of branding the youngest one for life. How can any sane, educated person call a twelve year old the "baby of the family" and not stop to question the sense of it?

See, that's what I do. Anytime someone asks me about my family, I find a way to stray off subject until the person forgets what was asked in the first place.

For a person like me, school should be a welcome retreat. It's not. If I make it through grade twelve, I'll shock not only every teacher that's ever had me, but myself as well. I'm not exaggerating. My teacher last year, Mr. Osmond, actually said to me in front of the whole class that I was "just plain stupid" and that I'd "never amount to anything." Funny how I can't remember anything else he said or taught during the whole year.

He's probably right.

I think teachers get ticked off 'cuz they get stuck with students like me. I wouldn't want to have to teach me. Anyway, school's not really about numbers and verbs. I'm the most popular kid by a long shot. Everyone knows me. Everyone wants me on the same team in P.E. I’ve been the best basketball player in the school for at least the last three years. That makes me extra cool. Everyone wants to be seen with me at lunch and recess.

Too bad they don't give you grades for recess.

My best friend's Craig Trilosky. We've been in the same class together since grade two. We've always done everything together. If he ever moved, I don't know what I'd do. He's the only cool guy in the whole school. (Of course, he's not as cool as me, but I wouldn't want anyone to be cooler than me anyway.)

Lately, he's been acting a little different--like he's too good for me or something. Sometimes he bows out of hanging out after school so he can do, get this,…homework. He's not the homework type. We haven't had a fist fight for two years, but I think that's what it's coming to. It's up to me to remind him that we're supposed to be having fun.

THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST

Fouling Out was originally written from the first-person perspective of both Tom and Craig. In the beginning of the manuscript, they often wrote about the same incident while having wildly different takes on what happened. Then, as the plot evolved and their relationship changed, their alternating accounts chronicled entirely different events. Toward the end of the tale, the accounts referred to similar circumstances once again, keeping in tune with the arc of the story.

And then a funny thing happened on the way to publication. Well, not funny at all. Frankly, it was painful. I’d only submitted the manuscript to one publisher and, while there was initial interest, my work did not fit within Orca Book Publisher’s word count limit. (I’d presented it as a young adult novel, thereby allowing a greater word count, but the editor saw it as juvenile fiction.)

I had the option of either cutting my manuscript by 25,000 words (without any certainty that Orca would ultimately accept it for publication) or shopping it around elsewhere. Since I’d received at least something positive as a response—it wasn’t one of those dreaded form rejections, after all—I decided to whittle the text down. The obvious, if not easiest, thing to do was eliminate one character’s point of view. Tom’s version of events was left on the cutting room floor. Much more had to be done, of course, in terms of deleting but also in adding some essential aspects of the plot that had only been in Tom’s account and ultimately, long story shortened, Fouling Out got the green light.

That was my dream. Every aspiring author longs to be published and I am still proud of that accomplishment. I have no regrets about the compromise I made and, while Tom’s account could certainly shed more light on the personalities of both of the main characters and some of the events that occur, I am thrilled with Fouling Out, as published.

Still, every so often, Tom’s character nags at me.

Why’d you cut me? Why not Craig? You like him better, don’t you?

It’s not a bad thing when your characters talk to you. During the writing process, they have to come to life. In fact, the plot and the dialog for Fouling Out often changed from what I’d initially envisioned because, as the characters become more fully realized, they took control over their thoughts and actions.

Whenever that happens, I’ve hit that sweet spot. The writing flows better and, when I go astray, my characters let me know. And believe me, a character like Tom did not hold back in telling me something was lame. (He used other words, but I did modify his language in deference to the younger target audience—and their parents and teachers.)

Next week in this blog I’ll publish Tom’s opening remarks from the original manuscript. For interested readers, I hope it will provide more enlightenment into a character whom some have misunderstood.

Look for it on March 15. Tom will finally have his moment!

Fouling Out Makes the List for Best Books for Kids & Teens 2009

I got a letter from my publisher last week, informing me that Fouling Out is included in The Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens 2009. According to the Centre, the criteria for inclusion is as follows: "excellence in writing and illustration; quality of production and design; relevance of subject matter; and entertainment and enrichment value." The publication is for purchase and you can go to Centre's site for more information. As so many outstanding children's books are coming from Canadian publishers, I am honoured to have my first novel receive recognition.

In other news, today is my first day of my yearlong sabbatical to pursue writing more seriously as a craft. You can follow my experiences on my new blog, Day Job Gone--It's Time to Write! Click on the link in the top right corner of this site.

How can you be a writer when you're a school principal?

How can anyone be a writer when working full-time at any other occupation? Sadly, that is the reality for most authors. Very few make enough money to quit their day jobs.

When I get that question, it sometimes comes with bit of a sting. It's as if principals are rule enforcers, stuffy folks with ties tightly wound around their necks. (Okay, I do admit to some discomfort whenever I must do up the top button and sport a tie. I imagine ties were invented by the wife of the man who invented girdles.)

Before becoming a principal, I worked as a teacher. I became a teacher because I loved marking papers. Just kidding. I chose the teaching profession because I love working with kids. It is still a treat to create lessons and work them out in the real world of a classroom. Teachers (and principals) can be some of the most creative folks on the planet. They just need to make sure the paperwork doesn't overwhelm them!

I must admit that, after a day at school, I do not feel the energy or the creative spark to write. I have read about authors who schedule in the time to write each day and stick to this commitment. I, however, am not one of those people. Yes, I could sit in my home office and write for the sake of writing. Maybe after an hour I'd have a sentence or two I could salvage, but more likely I'd have a pile of mush that begs for the delete button.

Everyone has his or her own style. I write when I am motivated, just itching to explore some ideas. I am most refreshed and motivated during summer, winter break and spring break. Beginning this summer, I am taking a year's leave of absence from being a principal. I will get to experience a full year of being a full-time writer. No more excuses about fatigue. No more distractions (other than my two schnauzers). Of course, I'll have to live a simple life given that I won't have a steady income. The idea makes me nervous--and excited about the opportunity!

Ask the Author

Every occupation or pastime generates common questions. It's not that our curiosity has limits; rather, certain queries get the conversation started. Sadly, we often don't have enough time for deeper discussions. I shall devote the next blog entries to some of the questions people ask when they discover I have a book in publication or, better yet, after they read Fouling Out.

Some of the questions I will answer include:

• How can you be a writer when you're a school principal?
• Are you more like Tom or Craig?
• Are the characters in Fouling Out based on real people you know/knew?
• Do you really think the responses of the two mothers are realistic?
  
• Is there going to be a sequel?
• Are you writing anything else?
  
• How rich are you now?
  

Seeking Student Feedback

I received an email today from a teacher I'd worked with at Ferris Elementary in Richmond. She informed me that Fouling Out is one of six titles on a Readers' Choice list for students at the school. I am pleased and honored to hear the news! (I am also a little worried about what the other books might be nominated. Oh, I hope I'm not up against works by J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer and Darren Shan! I'm not worthy!) It is particularly special to know that students at Ferris are reading the book since I began writing the book during Spring Break in 1998 while I was a teacher at the school.

Since I am a school principal elsewhere in British Columbia, I don't have enough opportunities for school visits to hear about student reactions to Fouling Out. I would be thrilled to have students post questions and comments on this blog. I will answer as promptly as possible.

Regards,
Gregory

The Twit on Twitter

This week I listened to a podcast interview of author Neil Gaiman on Just One More Book. The interview focused on Gaiman's use of blogs and twitter to heighten his profile among readers. Although I have a few blogs, I have never explored twitter. With the podcast still in mind, I created a twitter account for Gregory Walters. (I had to go with the obvious. Why make things obscure when you are trying to be noticed?)

Who knows if I will maintain the twitter profile?! I have already reached a stumbling block in that all the photos of myself take up too much memory to be successfully downloaded. Yet again, I am perplexed my technology--this time the obstacle involves my digital camera and twitter. Why is it that I can download the same photos to my blog, but not to twitter?

I suppose the answer has something to do with the fact that everything is smaller on twitter. Wordy guy that I am, it seems trivial to post one-sentence remarks for browsers. "I am cutting my toenails." "I successfully cut a slice of bread and left all fingers intact." Hmm, this might be amusing after all!

Neil Gaiman has +17,000 followers on twitter. How about me? Anybody? Anybody?