A Special Interview with Ann M. Martin

I recently had the pleasure of an email exchange with Ann M. Martin, author of Belle Teal. I asked her 10 questions that covered everything from her new book to her writing process to what she read as a child (and reads now as an adult). We also talked about how kids can make a difference in our world. Read, and enjoy! -- Linda M. Castellitto

Belle Teal lets us into the life (and mind) of a smart, kind young girl living in a rural area in the early 1960s. It also offers us a look at what happened when a small-town school became desegregated. What inspired you to write about this topic?

I knew that I wanted to write a story that took place in my own childhood (the late 1950s and early 1960s). I was also interested in further developing a character I had originated in a short story, a 10-year-old girl named Belle Teal. And although I was aware that desegregation was taking place when I was Belle Teal's age, I had not witnessed it firsthand. After doing some research, I felt that I would be able to tell the story of this historic civil rights event through Belle Teal's own experiences.

Was writing about the character of Belle Teal very different from writing about your Baby-Sitters Club characters? How?

Belle Teal was different from anyone I had ever written about before, and she very much intrigued me. After I wrote about her in a short story, I found that her voice remained in my head, as strong as ever. Because I had written the BSC books for so many years, I felt very comfortable with their characters, their development, and with the contemporary setting. It was an interesting challenge for me to step out of that familiar time period to create a new character in a new setting. Once I found Belle Teal's voice, however, the writing process was very similar to that of my other books.

Your depiction of Belle Teal's relationships -- with Mama, Gran, Clarice, Little Boss, Darryl, Vanessa -- all ring true. These people are different from one another in many ways, yet Belle Teal's interactions with each of them are united in how they demonstrate the power of friendship and understanding. Would you tell our readers more of your thoughts on friendship and understanding?

Friendship is very important to me, and readers familiar with my books know that friendship tends to be a central theme in the stories I've written. As for understanding, I've always remembered the scene in To Kill A Mockingbird when Scout's father tells her that you can never truly understand a person until you have walked in his shoes. This is true for Belle Teal. For example, before she learns the truth about the personal life of the often-mean Vanessa, she doesn't have a clue as to why Vanessa acts as she does. Vanessa's behavior is much more understandable once her circumstances are known. Understanding where a person is coming from goes a long way toward understanding who that person is.

Was it challenging to write a story set in a time that is nearly 40 years past? What kind of research did you do to get a feel for the time and the location?

Writing a story about a 10-year-old growing up in the early 1960s wasn't as challenging as you might think, considering that this was exactly the time when I was a young child! While the story did take place during my own childhood, it involved an issue -- desegregation -- that I had only read about. I researched major stories of that time, especially those concerning the Little Rock Nine (the name given to the original nine African American students who participated in the 1957 desegregation of the Arkansas high schools). I read about Ruby Bridges, the six-year-old girl who was the first African American to desegregate the New Orleans elementary schools in 1960. Additionally, my father's family is from Kentucky, and because of his roots and our many visits to Louisville, I have always had a certain feel for the South and the people who live there.

You believe strongly in volunteering, and created the Ann M. Martin Foundation (wonderful!). Have you done volunteer work? What are some ways that kids can make a difference?

Most kids are natural "helpers" and really enjoy being involved and lending a hand. But often they don't know where to start. I think one of the easiest ways to get involved (at any age) is in your own neighborhood. Perhaps there are elderly neighbors who need their grass mowed, their sidewalk shoveled, or someone to stop in for an occasional visit. Your local Red Cross chapter may have a youth group that organizes volunteer activities for young kids. Many of the churches and synagogues run soup kitchens, where parents and kids (even the little ones) can be a big help. One of my volunteer activities was being a candy-striper at Princeton Hospital. My sister was part of a club that sponsored car washes and bake sales to raise money for good causes. You don't have to go very far from home to make a difference!

How and where and when do you write?

I have always enjoyed writing in the morning. Most days I have completed my many chores (the list seems to grow daily!) by 9 a.m., and then I am ready to get started. As long as the room is completely quiet, I am able to write just about anywhere. In my pre-computer days, I wrote all my drafts in longhand on yellow legal pads, but now I have wholeheartedly taken on this fabulous technology and I type everything!

Do you base your characters and stories on real people and events?

All of my characters are made up, even the members of the Baby-Sitters Club, but many of them are based on real people. (Longtime BSC readers know that Kristy is based on my best friend when I was growing up, and Mary Anne is based on me.) The ideas for my books come from various places. By talking to kids and reading fan mail, I learn a lot about what's on their minds. My own childhood memories have provided me with tons of ideas. Sometimes I write about something simply because it's a topic that interests me. I also make sure to read a lot of newspapers, magazines, and books so I am familiar with contemporary problems and events.

What are your favorite bookstores?

Like many people, I love the big, sprawling bookstores where you can usually find anything you want every time you go. But I have to admit to having a soft sport in my heart for the small, independent bookstores that used to be everywhere but now are much fewer in number. I'm very lucky because I have a terrific little shop in my town. Even though it's tiny, it has lots of little aisles going every which way, where I can just sit cross-legged on the floor and pore over my selections!

What were (or are!) your favorite children's books?

Although I have trouble narrowing my favorites to any one or two selections, I especially enjoyed fantasy books. I loved the Wizard of Oz series, the Mary Poppins books, the Dr. Dolittle books, and Mr. Popper's Penguins, to name just a few. Roald Dahl's books were just beginning to be published when I was in elementary school, so he also became a favorite author of mine. I also enjoyed Lewis Carroll and Astrid Lindgren.

What are you reading now?

When I last visited my parents, I found a large box of some of my mother's old books. In it were a number of novels written by a British author named Miss Read. She had been a favorite of my mother's, and I can still remember watching my mother read these books. I scooped up the box and took the books home with me, and now I am happily caught up in the fictional lives of the people living in the teeny, tiny village of Thrush Green, England.