Kathryn Lasky FAQ

About Being an Author Guardians of Ga'Hoole Personal Stuff
How did you become a writer? As a child, I loved to make up stories in my head. I was a compulsive story maker. I say “story maker” because I never told anyone or showed anyone my stories. I first realized I could be a writer when I was about ten years old. I was with my family, driving at night in our car with the top down. The sky looked so interesting—you couldn't see the stars because of these woolly clouds. And I said it looked like a sheepback sky. My mom turned around and said, “Kathryn, you should be a writer.” When my mom said that, I thought, “Wow, maybe I will be.”
Where do you get your ideas? This is the question I think that I am most often asked by people, and I mean all people—kids, the guy who cuts my lawn, the TV repairman, my doctor... It’s as mysterious to me as it is to all of you. I did read someplace that some famous writer (I forget who) said that a writer is not necessarily the smartest person in the room but the most observant. So I think I am just a good observer, and perhaps I see things and wonder about them in odd ways; and this means sometimes making up stories about them. Many Christmases ago, I saw a raccoon in our trash shed dragging away a gingerbread house I had made for my kids. Now, I have never written a story about a raccoon celebrating Christmas. But someday I might, because, for years, I have been thinking about that raccoon waddling out our yard and down the street with that gingerbread house. You get the idea—things come to me in weird ways. I must admit, also, that I read a tremendous amount. I read everything—novels, non-fiction, newspapers. Reading gives me a lot of ideas.
How do you name your characters? Well, names just sort of come to me. I might hear a name I particularly like and say, “okay that might work for this story.” Since I write a lot of historical fiction, I often look for old fashioned names.
How do you think up the titles for your books? My husband! My husband is the best title-maker going. Once in great while I’ll think up a title. The odd thing about that is, usually, a title is thought up after an author has finished writing a book. But, when I think of a title myself, I think of it when I first decide to write a book.
What do you like most about being a writer? First of all, I get to live in the world of my own imagination all the time. It’s great! Secondly, I don’t exactly have a boss. I have an editor, but an editor is not really the same thing as a boss. I work hard, probably as much as people with regular jobs do, but I get to set the hours myself. Finally, I can go to work in my pajamas if I want to. I don’t, but I can if I want to.
What is your favorite book that you wrote? It’s like asking if I have a favorite child. A very hard question to answer as I write many different kinds of books—fiction, non-fiction, and picture books. But I guess I would have to say that, of the novels, I really loved The Bone Wars and True North. And of the non-fiction books, I really loved the one about the rain forest called The Most Beautiful Roof in the World: Exploring the Rainforest Canopy.
How long does it take you to write a book? Anywhere from six weeks to six months. After I finish writing, it goes to the publishers who edit it, I do revisions, and they read it again. So, it takes at least another nine months to a year before it comes out.
What’s the best advice you can give me if I want to become a writer? READ READ READ! And read widely. Read novels, read newspapers, read science, and read history. If you read, you learn how to build characters, structure a story, and handle a plot. So READ!
If I become a writer, will I get rich? As my friend Lois Lowry said, “if you want to get rich, become an orthodontist.” Don’t become a writer because you want to get rich. Become a writer because there‘s a story inside of you that has to get out. Or maybe in a way, it’s the reverse. I sometimes think of stories as visitors knocking at my door, and I just have to let them in and make them feel at home.
Where can I buy your books? Ask for my books at your favorite local bookstore. They are also available in all Barnes & Noble stores, and online at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com.
Will you visit my school? No, I'm sorry but I don't have time to visit schools. I need to spend my time at my desk, writing books.
Will you be my pen pal? No, sorry again. As much as I enjoy hearing from my readers, I simply don't have the time to keep up a correspondence with so many of you.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole How many books will there be in the series? I finished at book 15, The War of the Ember. But I’ve got a new series that is related, Wolves of the Beyond.
Are you going to make a movie? I have signed a deal with Warner Brothers for a movie! How exciting is that?! It is in production now, but could take a long time. I think it will be in theaters in the fall of 2010!
Who is your favorite owl in the series? Oh dear, that is a really tough question. I love them all dearly. Of course, Soren will always have a special place in my heart. This might surprise many readers, but I am very drawn to Otulissa. I know she can be impossibly conceited sometimes and very much of a snob about many things, but she has a good heart and a magnificent gizzard. As a writer, I love her because she is a very complex character. She really challenges me.
What is your favorite species of owls? I think my favorite owl species is the Barn Owl. I find something ghostly and beautiful about those white, almost heart shaped faces with the black eyes.
Do you have any pet owls? No, I don't have any pet owls. I don't want one either, they would make terrible pets. I like to think of them flying free in their natural habitats. BUT AN EASTERN SCREECH HAS APPEARED IN MY BACKYARD!
Where can I see an owl in real life? If you want to see an owl in real life, I suggest calling your local Audubon Society and see if they might have any advice for you. Sometimes zoos have them, and some nature centers have bird rehabilitation programs. Most owls in captivity are ones that have been injured and cannot survive on their own. Chances are, you will not see an owl in the wild as they are nocturnal and very shy.
Why are there no pictures of the owls inside the covers of books #7 and on? Well, my publishers told me it was simply too expensive to print them. I miss those pictures too.
Personal Stuff Are you married? Yes. My husband, Christopher Knight, is a photographer, and has illustrated many of my non-ficiton books.
Do you have children? Yes, I have two terrific kids, a boy and a girl. They’re both all grown up now.
Do your kids read your books ? Sometimes.
Do you get any ideas for books from your kids? Well, it’s not like they say, “Mom, you should write a book about this,” but, by being a careful observer and just listening, I might get some ideas from them. Actually one time I did get a very specific book idea from my kids. My son used to tease my daughter, and call her Porkenstein although she was the skinniest little thing you ever saw. Anyhow, they started talking about this monster pig. It gave me an idea for a book based on the Three Little Pigs story, about how the third pig who was not eaten up grew so lonely that he decided to invent himself a brother pig—Porkenstein! The book is pretty funny and the illustrations are great.

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