Author Interview- Mary Nethery

We are honored to welcome author Mary Nethery to our blog today!  Ms. Nethery is the bestselling author of many children's books and has been recognized by the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly.  Her touching story Hannah and Jack is one of my twins' favorite and we were lucky enough to join Provato's Blog Tour and  interview her to learn more about her new bookThe Famous Nini.
*Provato and Mary also generously offered to sponsor a giveaway!  Find out how to enter after the interview!*

Your new book, The Famous Nini looks wonderful.  A plain white cat, exotic locations, kings and queens...where did you get your inspiration?

One night I was watching a documentary called Aristocats on the Learning Channel, and a tiny segment caught my attention. It was about a plain white cat who lived in Venice, Italy over one hundred years ago and rocketed to the world’s stage! Nini had a very impressive fan club that included the King and Queen of Italy; the Czar of Russia; the Emperor of Ethiopia; and Giuseppe Verdi, to name a few.

The question then became “How did a plain white cat become such a celebri-kitty?” Jan Morris, the noted travel author and primary source for Nini’s story, had lost track of the notes she’d collected in the 1950s. No answer was forthcoming! But I’d already fallen in love with Nini and I wanted to give him a full and complete story. So I posed this question: “What can a cat do that no other creature in the universe can do?”

The answer to that question created the “rest of” Nini’s story!

How does the writing process work for you?  Do you create your characters first and then a story evolves?  Or does a story play out in your head and you create characters to fit?

All of the above! I see something that really attracts my attention and I write it down. Then other ideas seem to magnetize themselves to that idea. Eventually, out of that web of interesting jewels a story is fashioned.

I like to ponder. I’m not a quick decision-maker. I never just sit down and start writing. Before I map out the story, I’ve spent many, many hours just thinking about how those ideas might play out in terms of characters and events. I explore the thematic possibilities: why does this mesh of attractions interest me? What big ideas am I trying to grapple with? I record my thoughts and any possible scenes or dialogue or settings and refer back to that as I structure and then write the story.

Did you always want to be an author?

My mom says I began to draw in my crib. And as soon as I learned to read, I began to write. My first grade teacher would give each of us a piece of paper with a picture from a greeting card or a magazine glued in the upper right-hand corner. We each got a different picture, one of our very own, and could write any story we wanted about it. I just loved that! In second grade I decided to write a novel (with lots of pictures!). So, I guess you could say I was headed down that road from the very beginning. 

For our readers who are moms, do you have any tips on encouraging reading or creative writing at home for children?

Such a good question. We know that the more one reads the smarter one gets. It’s a matter of growing the thought processes and acquiring content. To encourage reading, I’d suggest allowing children to select any book that interests them. Try to follow their path and find books that please them. Read to children every night at bedtime. Make it a beloved ritual, relaxing and fun. Grow their home library. They’ll take those books with them and share them with their own children. How wonderful is that?!

Who are some authors from your childhood who inspired you?

I was a very picky reader, if you couldn’t tell that from the answer above! I loved mysteries like Nancy Drew; books with talking animals, like The Wind In the Willows; exotic books like Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories; and horse books, such as Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry. My all-time favorite book as a child was The Owl and the Pussy Cat! I also loved Dr. Suess!

Tell us more about your cat, Baby Muse. Was he the inspiration for Nini? 

Ah, my Baby Muse who now practically has his own fan club! And if that isn’t enough, he’s now begging for his own Facebook page! Dashiell Asta Nethery was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and cared for in a foster home (he prefers to call it an orphanage). We found him on Pet Finder but, yipes, he was already spoken for. With the help of my funky altar and some pull from the universe, he ended up with us. We flew him, at two and a half months old, from Atlanta to Sacramento, CA, and my husband drove six hours to pick him up at the airport. Dash was meant to be ours from the very beginning!

He came to us just as Kirby Larson and I were finishing the writing of Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle. And believe me, he was an inspiration and a powerful little muse in getting this story written. He works his Muse job every day and even keeps up with Doctor Dictionary so he can help with vocabulary. He’s now a New York Times Best Selling Muse!

Here is Dash’s official bio:

Dashiell A. Nethery is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling Baby Muse at the tender age of three years and has collaborated with his beloved cousin, Winston B. Larson, on the creation of Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle (Little, Brown, 2009) and Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival (Walker, 2008). His newest muse-inspired book, coming out in June 2010 from Clarion, is The Famous Nini: A Mostly True Story of How a Plain White Cat Became a Star, illustrated by John Manders.

Dash was raised in an orphanage in Atlanta, Georgia; until the age of three months, when luck shone upon him and he was discovered by his true parents with whom he now happily lives in Eureka, California. When he's not hard at work in his muse basket, he likes to conjure up low-tech games like Grab a Leg and Run or Sneaky Spy. He also enjoys lounging, dancing with his favorite ribbon, sampling exotic cuisine, and listening to picture books.

We are thrilled to announce that this fabulous author has shared 3 copies of Hannah and Jack to giveaway to our lucky readers!  To enter, please leave a comment with the name of your favorite childhood book in the comments section below!  Winners will be announced 11/11/11!

Mary, thank you for taking the time to let us interview you!  It is fascinating to see into the mind of an author.  We really appreciate your time and love your work!  

Thanks again to Mary Nethery for appearing, courtesy of Provato Marketing, for other stops on the tour please check www.provatoevents.com.