Author Interview: Fran Cannon Slayton

A hearty welcome to Fran Cannon Slayton, author of When the Whistle Blows; the story follows a boy named Jimmy Cannon through several All Hallows' Eves of his life in West Virginia, as he grows up and his world changes. (Read my original (raving) review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/09/reporters-review-when-whistle-blows-by.html)

CBR: Why did you choose All Hallows’ Eve as the day in which your stories are set? Does that day have a special significance for you?

FCS: Legend in our family has it that my grandfather was born and buried on Halloween. I always thought that was a pretty cool fact and it made me think about how the circle of life is made clear when a person dies on the same day that he was born. The beginning is the end, the end is the beginning – all whole; all complete; all one. And in some ways that is what my book is all about: that death – whether it is of a person, or a time, or a place, or a state of being – is not necessarily the “end.” It’s a part.

CBR: In your foreword you mentioned that much of WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS was inspired by stories your father told you growing up… Was it challenging for you to fictionalize these real-life events for the sake of the overall quality of the novel?

FCS: No, it was not hard to fictionalize the real events. I think the reason for this is because they were not events that I myself had lived through. My father had lived through them and knew them firsthand. But I only knew the stories through him – so even as he was telling me these stories when I was a child, I had to create my own visuals. When you create your own vision of an event it is already fictionalized to a certain extent. And because the events were not my own, I think it was easier for me to nip and tuck and let go of some of the realities in order to serve the narrative.

CBR: Would you want to live in 1940’s Rowlesburg if you (magically!) had the chance?

FCS: Not permanently, but I certainly would like to spend a month or so there. I’d love to see (and ride!) the steam engines, watch the railroaders work in the pits and in the shop; watch the ladies sweep the cinders off their porches; swim in the old swimming hole; walk along the old train bridge; meet my grandfather and eat some of my grandmother’s cooking. Sigh.

CBR: Where do you get your best thinking done? Best writing?

FCS:I can think pretty much anywhere as long as it is quiet. Thinking is one of my favorite parts of writing; I suppose my favorite place for it is in front of the fireplace.
In terms of writing, I really like writing late at night until the wee hours of the morning, but it doesn’t suit my family’s schedule very well. So most of my writing I do sometime between 8am and 3pm. I usually like writing best at home or in a coffee shop.

CBR: How do you push through those times when writing is difficult?

FCS: I’ll often revert to thinking about it. Things come in their due time, and I try not to worry about it and give myself space. Sometimes I’ll start working on another project, and let my subconscious percolate for a while. Other times I’ll just try to write through the issue, or approach it from another angle.

CBR: Thank you so much, Fran! Your book was delightful...and we look forward to seeing it come up often during "award season"--it's one of our picks for Newbery hopefuls!