Are you ready for an inspiring story? Rebecca Stead’s journey from lawyer to mom to secret writer to published author to Newbery Award winning author in just a few skips and a jump. Seriously, watching her writing career might make you think that Rebecca’s Newbery comes from the Lottery of God Given Talent.
But she would say otherwise. I think it’s interesting that motherhood gave her that break in her career to consider other possibilities. She became a “secret writer.” Are there any other secret writers out there? (I’m working on a chapter book!)
I love the idea of a secret writer. It’s not quite bold enough to proclaim: I AM MAKING A CAREER CHANGE AND INTEND TO WRITE SOMETHING PRETTY MIND BLOWING. JUST A HEADS UP. DON’T FREAK OUT MOM AND DAD. YOU’LL BE PROUD!
A secret writer is quite a modest endeavor, equal parts hope, anxiety, and butt-in-chair. And I think that’s the difference between a would-be writer and a secret writer. Discipline. Butt-in-chair. Writing 1,000 words a day. Or some set amount.
Rebecca says that her biggest obstacles to writing are material and quieting her mind so that she can write. Twitter and other social media platforms are the enemy to a quiet mind. I can relate to that! She says that she is a very slow writer because she is always searching for material. Not so much like a squirrel getting ready for winter. I picture it more like her doing a 1,000 piece puzzle. She culls the pieces that need to fit just so.
Have you read Liar and Spy yet? I really loved it. Rebecca uses Georges Seurat’s Pointellism as the metaphor that shapes the story.
In Stead’s chapter book, the dots are the stories of kids living in the same apartment building. There’s 7th grader Georges who has just moved in and attending a new school. Safer is the first friend he makes, a a twelve-year-old self-appointed spy who recruits Georges into investigating a mysterious neighbor.
Who is the Liar and who is the Spy? And when you stand back from the dots, what exactly do you see? Stead’s critics (perhaps only one annoying one) said that the story was subtle, perhaps too subtle. But is neo-impressionism too subtle? Not for the viewer who knows to look closely and then slowly back up and absorb the entire image.
Point by point. Dot by dot. Story by story. Liar and Spy does not disappoint.
Here is Rebecca reading from Liar and Spy.
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Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
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Must read this now. What a great story, and inspiring, too. It’s ironic that it easier than ever (meaning more avenues) to becoming a published writer, because of the internet, yet all that social media distracts to no end.
Hi Jeanette,
I have to say that her idea of getting off social media to have a quiet mind in order to write for 2 hours a day really struck home. But, of course, as a blogger, we are frenetically on social media all day long! (And you do have to shift into an inner-mind-ignore-everything just to write a post, let alone a book!!).
Love the plot line and the picture visualization is so clever!
What a unique story. I like the plot. Will have to check it out.
Thanks Patricia,
Her books are really great. I am surprised that Liar and Spy didn’t win more awards. It’s likely because she already won the Newbery and the bar is pretty high after that!
What an inspirational story! I remember getting “When you reach me ” for my son and he loved it so much I read it too. I can relate to Rebecca when she says “to quiet her mind” is her biggest obstacle. Social media is a killer of that. As a creative person who works from home I have to go on detox for days without it.
Must check out those other books!
Hi Alma,
If you liked When You Reach Me, I think you’d like Liar and Spy too. Her first book sounds more action adventure oriented. I found her “quiet her mind” to be such good advice though the irony of most authors is that they need to be marketers as well. I just don’t know how authors can be on social media to be marketing their books AND write. It does seem like an impossible task.
This book sounds very intriguing – I want to read it!
Hi MaryAnne,
I think Johnny would like it in a few more years! It’s a quietly introspective book but with fits of action and adventure.
Love this post that gives us a glimpse of Rebecca Stead and a little about her writing process. I loved When You Reach Me and also loved Liar and Spy. Stead is inspiring! This reminds me of how important it is to turn off Twitter and everything else when I’m writing. Thanks for posting this!
Hi Kate,
It’s so funny but Rebecca Stead feels a little uncomfortable with having video up about her and so I told her that those two clips are inspiring and had her preview them in order to get her permission for the post. It makes me so happy that you think her clip is inspiring too! She probably doesn’t realize how inspiring she is! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and for your comment!!!
I love the juxtaposition of literature and art. Thanks for hosting the KLBH once again!
Thanks so much Jaymie! It is fun how Rebecca Stead managed to use art as the kernel that Liar and Spy is based on! I have always loved Georges Seurat (and the Impressionist movement in general) and she make me think of his paintings in a whole different way (that each dot has a story to tell too, not just all the dots as a group!).
I have always liked Seurat’s painting and I’m intrigued that Stead used his painterly technique as a metaphor in her story. Can’t wait to read it! Thanks for another great post.
Hi Laura S.,
Love Rebecca Stead and I totally agree with you that Seurat’s painting as a metaphor is unexpected and creative! I think it must be so hard to figure out a metaphor to base a chapter book around but those kind of stories seem to win Newbery awards! Thanks so much for your kind words too! They mean a lot to me!
Very inspiring, thanks for sharing your videos!
Hi Ann,
I’m so glad you said that because Rebecca was embarrassed to be on video but I told her that her story is really inspirational which is why she agreed. I think there are many of us “secret writers” out there! How is your picture book challenge going? I can’t wait to read your first book!