Author reveals secrets of her writing
The secret of writing is to have a subject interesting enough that the author will do the work to finish it, said children’s author Jeanne Duprau.
There were more spectators than seats for Duprau’s Monday presentation in Charles V. Park Library Auditorium.
Duprau, who also writes nonfiction books, spoke about her evolution as a writer and answered questions about her book, “The City of Ember.”
She said she struggled to write fiction until recently in her life. In the 1980s she began working on a novel about a “dark city” and was able to develop the story because it was like the ones she loved to read about as a child.
“What I didn’t realize was my fiction-writer self was really still 10-years-old,” Duprau said.
The three books in the Book of Ember series focus on big existential questions, she said. Their dark perspective of the future was inspired by the fear of nuclear warfare Duprau said she witnessed growing up in the 1950s.
Guy Newland, philosophy and religion professor, contacted Duprau and organized the event after reading her books.
“The City of Ember has probably been assigned in a lot of classes, but I think that people’s enthusiasm for it seems to go beyond just carrying out an assignment,” he said.
Many students stayed after the presentation to get their books signed by Duprau.
Duprau said issues she cares about appear in her stories even though she’s not an activist writer.
She said the Book of Ember series addresses citizen apathy, resource depletion and the possible annihilation of the human race.
Despite the bleak subject matter, Duprau said she always tries to end her stories on a hopeful note.
Prior to the Book of Ember series, she wrote “The Earth House” which is about her own experiences with Zen meditation.
She also has written supplementary textbook material and said she challenged herself by writing short stories for the children’s magazine “Highlights and Cricket.”
Duprau is currently working on the fourth and final Book of Ember. She said Tom Hanks’ production company recently considered making “The City of Ember” into a movie.
Stacee Parker was required to attend the presentation for ENG 381: Children’s Literature.
The Davison senior has read “The City of Ember” and currently is reading “The People of Sparks,” the second book in the Book of Ember series.
Parker said she learned more about the concepts behind the books and their characters.
“I was amazed by her,” she said.
