Interview With Author, Grant Overstake

Grant Overstake

                  

Yesterday, I reviewed Grant Overstake's new YA novel The Real Education of TJ Crowley.  Today I am pleased to post an interview with the author. Read it and share with others who are interested in writing a novel, whether for adults or YA. 

Nancy:  You were a newspaper sports writer and editor. When you retired, you started writing YA fiction. What inspired the big change?

Grant:  Becoming a novelist came as an unintended consequence of being unable to find a newspaper job in the same town where my wife could teach middle school science. In 2011, we moved back to Wichita, KS where Claire found a teaching position and I began schooling myself to write fiction. As a newspaper writer, I was a stickler for accuracy and nobody accused me of misquoting them. As a novelist, I get to make up juicy quotes and put in my characters' mouths. It's funny. Everything I write is Fake News.

Nancy:  The first YA novel you wrote, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, was a real winner in my estimation. A Kirkus Review called it "a fine young adult novel about perseverance in sports and in life." What prompted you to write it? And why feature pole vaulting in the story?

Grant:  Maggie is the story of a gutsy Kansas farm girl who overcomes tragedy and soars to new heights as a pole vaulter. I got the idea while watching former Olympic pole-vaulter, Earl Bell, share his wisdom with youngsters. I asked Earl if he would consider coaching a fictional vaulter to new heights. When he agreed, I knew Maggie was destined for big things. With its ever-rising crossbar, pole-vaulting is a great life metaphor. I vaulted myself and was able to express the thrill of flying so high. It's gratifying that coaches have used the story to inspire their athletes. Maggie is the subject of my school presentation "Don't Quit! Use Grit!" She's a resilient character who gets back up time and again after she fails. She's an inspiration to students who have real-life challenges to overcome.

Nancy:  Did your first novel win any awards?

Grant:  I'm happy that the story was inspirational to readers and that the quality of the writing has also been recognized. The strong Kirkus Review was a big affirmation. Having the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) put Maggie on the cover of its statewide journal was a great tribute. The story was named Book of the Week by BookWorks in 2013 and Publisher's Weekly selected it as one of their "Too Cool for School" reads just this past year. The book was published in 2012 so it's gratifying to know the story is standing the test of time. Another awarding experience was having the story performed by Audie Award-winning voice actress, Tavia Gilbert. She received great reviews for her audiobook production of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon.

Nancy:  Your second YA novel, The Real Education of TJ Crowley, was released yesterday, November 5, 2018. The story is set in a period of great civil unrest in Wichita, KS in 1968-69. Young men being sent to Vietnam was also a part of that era. Thirteen-year-old TJ Crowley receives an education in both race relations and competing with the shot put. Why did you include the sub-plot of TJ learning to compete in Track and Field?

Grant:  It's said that an author should write from their most vivid personal experiences, and as a former decathlete and coach, I know about the subject. The late 1960's was an explosive time in US history and TJ Crowley is an explosive young teen. He needed an event to pursue that would match his temperament. Because the shot put is one of the most explosive events in all of sportr, the shot put ring was the perfect place for TJ to channel his fiery temper.  

Nancy:  Why do you want the young people of today to read and learn about the Civil Rights Movement of years ago?

Grant:  They say that history doesn't always repeat itself but often rhymes. The things we experienced 50 years ago during the Civil Rights era need to be taught to young people so they can separate ongoing racial myths from reality, especially with the resurgence of hate groups in our country today. Experts who've read the manuscript are eager to introduce it to their classrooms so students can address these issues while reading and discussing the novel.

Nancy:  Did you base the story on real people or were the characters entirely made up?

Grant:  This story is realistic, historical fiction for young adults. Which means everything about the story is made up, except for the parts that are real. Or, in reverse, everything is real except for the parts I made up. I grew up in that exact time in Wichita so the setting is real but the storyline is almost entirely fictional. Many of the main characters are real people fictionalized for the story. I had some personal experiences that helped me wake up to being White; I did a lot of research and spent many hours interviewing Black people who lived in that time, trying my best to get it right. I received my "real education" first and then I wrote the story the way TJ Crowley might've learned it himself in that period. 

Nancy:  What is your plan for promoting this newest novel?

Grant:  There are several ways we plan to promote the book, which is being produced and distributed through Ingram. We'll be targeting libraries, bookstores, and schools. The first steps have gone remarkably well with outstanding endorsements and reviews locally and nationally. The best way to promote a book is by word-of-mouth. We want readers to tell others that TJ Crowley is a good read.

Nancy:  Do you have plans for a third book? Possibly a sequel to this one? This reader was left with wanting to know more about TJ.

Grant:  I don't think there will be a sequel but I have a couple of stories that I was working on earlier. Now, I'm not quite sure. My main focus right now is acting as the publisher and marketer for this book, which is going to be a full-time job for the foreseeable future. We are going to republish Maggie Vaults Over The Moon as a hardcover soon. There are people who want to collaborate with me on a sequel to Maggie soon.