Interview with Peggy Eddleman

I have the pleasure of interviewing my delightful Random House publishing sister Peggy Eddleman, with her exciting debut, a middle grade novel called SKY JUMPERS.

Sky Jumpers was recently chosen by the ABA as one of the 2013 ABC Best Books For Children. Congratulations, Peggy! 

 

 

Peggy Eddleman lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Utah with her husband and their three kids. She enjoys painting, playing games with her family (especially laser tag), and of course, reading. You can visit Peggy online at peggyeddleman.com or on Twitter @peggyeddleman

 

Everyone is going to want to know, how did you get the idea for the concept?  Can you trace your steps back that far?

I can— that moment is still very clear. I was on an airplane, flying home from Disney World with my family, staring out the window at the wrong side of the clouds, thinking how much fun it would be to jump out of the plane and have the clouds slow my fall. The entire country was covered in clouds that day, so I seriously sat there for 3 ½ hours, dreaming about it. Over the next 9 months, I spent a lot of time developing the setting and world building, then creating my main character, then coming up with the plot. Once I started hearing my main character’s voice when I thought through the plot, I started writing.

 

Your book starts with a map. Did you suggest it or did that come from your publisher?

I suggested it. They jumped on the idea and made it happen.

 

Hope, your protagonist, is 12. How old were your own kids when you started writing Sky Jumpers and did their ages have an influence on your choice to write a MG novel?

My kids were 8, 10, and 13 when I first started writing Sky Jumpers. They did have a huge influence on it— I had been reading middle grade books to them every night for at least five years before that, and I loved it. Reading a story to them that I wrote was what made me want to be an author. But beyond that, I think my voice really lends itself to middle grade. It was a time in my life that I absolutely loved, and it’s fun to go back to it.

 

Before this book, had you written other manuscripts?

Yep! Sky Jumpers was my fifth manuscript.

 

You’ve gone to several conferences and also studied with Brandon Sanderson. Were you in a degree program at BYU or was that a summer session open to anyone?  That looks like a great class. Did you mention it in your query?

I learned a lot by going to conferences and Brandon Sanderson’s class. He’s an incredible teacher. I wasn’t in a degree program— he was just kind enough to offer to let me audit the class, and I’ll be forever grateful. His classes are online and free now, to anyone who wants to benefit from his teaching. I didn’t mention it in my query.

 

How did it come about that you were invited to view the shooting of your book trailer? Tell us about that.

I decided that I wanted a live action book trailer, and went about making it happen. I picked a bunch of kids who looked similar to my characters, held an audition, hired a videographer and his crew and a make-up person, and had tons of help from friends and family. We filmed at the school my kids went to, and we had a blast. (Probably because I didn’t have to worry about the actual filming or the editing myself.) It was a huge amount of work, but I’m really glad that we filmed it, and that I found someone willing to do a lot of special effects. There’s just not stock video out there of kids jumping into the Bomb’s Breath. ;) I am thrilled with how it turned out.

 

 

Your deal was for two books. Can you tell us whether Sky Jumpers 2 closes out the series or leaves it open for the possibility to continue?

 

It definitely leaves it open for the possibility to continue (while still feeling complete in itself).

Thanks so much for the interview, Pub sister!

Thank you so much for sharing the details of your debut journey, Peggy!

 

 

 

Top Five Reasons You NEED to Read SKY JUMPERS!

SKY JUMPERS, a post-apocalyptic middle grade novel by our very own Peggy Eddleman, comes out tomorrow! So, for the first half of this week, we're going to be telling you guys all about why you should read this book. Because oh, man, you have GOT to read it. Seriously.

The skinny:
The story follows a girl named Hope, who lives in a world left crippled in the aftermath of World War III. Desperate to regain the technology they once had, her town is all about invention—everyone is expected to produce marvels once a year like clockwork. And it seems like everyone lives up, using their strengths to design miraculous devices... everyone except for Hope, whose only talent seems to be getting into trouble. But when danger threatens her beloved home, it turns out that Hope has a different kind of strength, a kind that may just be what she needs to save her town. (Read the full blurb here!)

Top Five Reasons You MUST Read This Book:

1. Marvel at the inventions! Oh, the inventions. These kids invent everything from a better kind of spoon to machines that'll do your chores for you. Seriously, all I want is to kidnap Aaren, inventor prodigy, to come invent me a coaster that will keep my tea warm even when I get lost for hours in a good book.
2. Fall in love with Hope, the badass next door! Rarely do you meet a heroine in a novel that you'll want to cheer for as much as you're going to want to cheer for Hope. She is the perfect combination of girl next door and total badass. It's not that she isn't scared of anything, it's that she's taught herself not to let her fear hold her back. She'll get right under your skin and drag you along through this book at a breakneck pace.
3. Experience the thrill of skydiving without a parachute! Due to an atmospheric anomaly caused by the bombs used in WWIII, there are pockets of dense, deadly air called Bomb's Breath. If you breathe in them, you're dead—but they're so dense that they can slow your fall. Hope and her friends sneak off to base jump off cliffs and through pockets of Bomb's Breath for fun. Through Peggy's description, you get all the fun of free-falling without any of the side effects: you know, mind-numbing terror, the occasional splatting on the ground, that sort of thing.
4. Wish that Hope's friends were your friends! If you're anything like me, you tend to get tired of the stereotypical sidekick archetypes you often find in children's books. (You know what I mean. The smart one, the funny one, the sarcastic one, etc.) Not a stereotype in sight in SKY JUMPERS, though. Aaren, Brock, and Brenna are delightful additions to the cast, and all throughout the book you're going to find yourself wishing you could pal around with them, too. Though maybe not in quite as dire circumstances as Hope finds herself. Call me crazy, but I like to keep my feet on the ground, thanks.
5. Bask in the reminder... that there are different kinds of strength. Though not moralistic in nature, this book is the perfect reminder that not everyone has the same kinds of talents. Hope feels like the odd one out because she's not a born inventor like her peers, but what she lacks in engineering ingenuity she makes up for in spirit and courage, and this is what makes her the perfect person to save her town. I love stories that turn an ugly duckling's weaknesses into strengths—and if you read SKY JUMPERS, you will too!

SKY JUMPERS will be available September 24, 2013, 

from Random House Children's Books. 

Order your copy here!