Max
kindly agreed to answer some questions about his planned books:
My father was a
librarian and I grew up in a house full of books. I love reading. I always
assumed that my three sons would too. But they don’t. Can you please share
your thoughts on why youngsters today often don't want to read?
Max: Then my father helped provide the books for your father, since mine
wrote over 70 books. He's in his eighties now and still writing. But in our
family, as I was growing up, there were seven children. Two were avid
readers, several were nominal readers, and I hated it. I think the reasons
why children don't like to read may be part genetic - the way we are all
wired differently - and part cultural.
Our culture looks down on people who are smart. And children can be so
cruel, especially in the early formative years. I remember teasing my older
"reader" brother when he wouldn't come out and play with the rest of us. I
have to say we weren't very nice about it either.
When we went on family trips, and this is way before the ease of researching
on the internet, my brother would read everything he could get his hands on
about the sites we were going to visit. On the one hand he was annoying as
this walking spewer of facts, but I kind of envied him for knowing all those
facts. I never told him that though.
But it's the genetic area that I think makes the most difference. In my
case, I don't want to read a page of words. Give me music, moving pictures,
and characters on the screen. I'm much more visual and my career has taken
me in that direction.
You've decided to do something about all this. Please tell me about the
books you've written.
Max: My research began about two years ago. I truly wanted to know why it
was that I grew up as a reluctant reader. I found some interesting patterns
in the books I looked at. In many cases they defied a person like me to get
into them. The style was boring, the dialog was sometimes sparse, or when it
was used, seemed too adult. Some of the Christian kids’ books were too
preachy. As I looked around for books written especially for boys, I found
The Hardy Boys, and only a few others.
Since I still don't like to read, I decided to write a book that I would
like. When I write, I use a free-style approach. In other words, I do have
an outline, but it's only a guide. When the story idea hits me, it comes
fully formed in my mind. That part is frustrating because I wish at the time
I could just do a file dump right then and there and the whole story will be
finished. Writing free-style to me simply means that I go with whatever is
happening and see where events, characters and dialog will take me.
In the case of my first book, Newspaper Caper, there is a character
who just showed up as I was writing. She's an old lady sitting on a bench
outside the library. And when she appeared, she became an integral part of
the story. That's the only time this has happened with a character, but I
have seen it happen as a known character develops, or in plot situations and
dialog.
As I'm writing, I enter the scene, mentally, and become one or all of the
children. In that setting I actually, in my mind, enter into the
conversations, the one-liners and so on. Another thing I do is write to
mood-appropriate music. One of my stories, Reckless Runaway, has
several circus scenes through the story. I played a lot of John Philip Sousa
marches. I have a CD by a Russian composer that is very dark and foreboding.
This I use when, as they say, the plot thickens and there is fear or danger.
The music puts my mind in the mood of what is happening and, I believe,
translates into some of the emotion of what is written in words.
In addition, I like props around that make me think of the people or places
I'm writing about. This can be pictures, another book, posters, an old
clock, etc. In the case of
Forest
of Fear,
which takes place around a logging operation in
Oregon,
I went out in my back yard and caught a chipmunk. I'd put him in one of my
children's old hamster cages and he'd spend the day sitting on my desk. It
really helped put my mind in the mood of the forest. At the end of the day I
let him go. Then the next day, did it all over again until I was finished
with that material. Hmmm...wonder if I owe the little guy any royalties for
that. Probably not. My cat probably ate him by now.
There have been at least two occasions where I sat down to write at around
6:00pm, and the next thing I knew, it was morning. Not only that, over half
the book was finished.
My attempt at writing to address the problem of the reluctant reader, or the
non-reader, was to produce work that is light and breezy, extremely visual,
filled with believable dialog, humour, excitement and scary things.
When I finish the rough draft, I let it sit for a few days. And every time,
when I pick it up to begin editing, there is a detachment from the work. I
do a role reversal and become the poor 8 - 13 year old boy whose mother just
put the thing in front of him. If things don't make it through that
filter...they're gone. I also read the books out loud. It's amazing how our
mind compensates if we read silently. And silent reading is a good thing
once the book is done. But in the editing phase, it causes lots of
imperfections and stodgy dialog to surface.
In order to attract and keep readers, I am working hard to develop a series
of books that will hold interest. That is one of the main reasons I chose
not to do the traditional series where all these fantastic things, that
couldn't possibly happen to any ONE of us, happens to the same kids, in the
same town, over and over again.
My stories all have completely different characters, settings and
adventures. They take place in
Michigan,
Illinois, Oregon, Virginia, Florida, Wyoming, Alabama and so on.
It isn't because I've written them, but I can sit down today and happily
read any one of my manuscripts. And as I do, that detachment sets in to
where I honestly don't have the feeling that I had anything to do with them.
I laugh when something funny happens or is said, and feel all the range of
emotions.
It seems it's been quite difficult for you to get them published. Why is
that?
Max: I found something interesting here. Apart from the fact that some
houses are cutting back due to the economy, most books today are written for
girls. I had an editor tell me, "Now if you could just write a story about a
girl and a horse...that sells every time." To me, that was exactly what was
wrong with what I had found in my research. EVERYONE is trying to do things
in similar ways. Then along comes HARRY POTTER and suddenly writers and
editors think all books need to be fantasy, wizardry, magic or something.
Next, most books are purchased by women. Women like detail, lots and lots of
detail in literature. Guys like humour, action and excitement. If the story
gets all bogged down with a lot of seemingly meaningless detail, you lose
the young male reader in my opinion.
And finally, most editors, the gatekeeper of publishing, are women. I have
nothing against women. My wife and I have been married since our early 20's.
I love my daughter. But we have to face the fact that our minds work
differently.
Beyond these obstacles, publishing is a business. I've been told that in
many publishing houses, only 10% of books ever make money. But when you
think of the fact that when so much that is being written is similar to what
is already there, it isn't difficult to see why this might be so.
So I set out on a different course. I couldn't find one book that was
anything like what I had in mind. I began writing them, even if there would
never be a market for them because I enjoyed reading them myself when they
were finished.
Then a gentleman by the name of Dr. Marvin Baker got in touch with me. We
were on the same writers’ chat board on the internet. It turns out that he
has had an interest in developing books for “tweeners”. He wanted to help in
increasing literacy in
America.
Realizing that most of what was being produced for young readers wasn't
reaching the reluctant or defiant reader, he decided to do something about
it. When he approached me, we were like two halves of the same part. He
wanted to publish for this age group and market, and I was already writing
for them. The similarities in our thinking were stunning. And the market
will have to tell us if we are right or wrong.
What sort of response have you had already to the books?
Max: I have a core group of readers who have been with me from the start. I
like to call them my family, friends, and cheerleaders. They include my
father, along with the two voracious readers from my family. So that brother
I used to tease for being an early reader has now become one of my best
encouragers. The group also includes editors, people who used to be involved
in publishing, parents, and even some reluctant readers. Here is an exchange
from one of those. I think it is typical of what we are going to find when
people discover books by Max Elliot Anderson from Tweener Press:
Email #1: Ethan, my reluctant reader, would like to read either
"Newspaper Caper" or “Mountain Cabin Mystery."
Email #2: You know,
maybe it's really a matter of preference. My reluctant reader is right this
very moment reading one of your stories....and he is very engrossed – keeps
telling me about parts of it....likes the humour.....so you just never know.
I'd say you may be onto something here!
Email #3: Ethan is
still reading.....likes your writing (he said, "Mom, he doesn't write like
you...instead of saying could you, he says couldja, just like we
talk!")....and your humour....I'll have him write you an email.
Email #4: Dear Mr.
Anderson, Your story was funny and exciting. My favourite part was when Tom
was stuck in the building with the attack dogs I liked it cause it kept on
getting more and more interesting and exciting. Other books start to get
boring but this one didn't. Can I read “Mountain Cabin Mystery” next?
Ethan
This past week his
mother wrote to me saying, “Ethan decided he'd buy ALL of your books - so I
guess I'm committed to buying them for a while to come.”
Finally, could you please tell me something about yourself?
Max: I'm 56 years old. I have a degree in psychology. I'm a Vietnam-era
veteran of the US Army. My entire professional life has been devoted to the
production of films, video programs and television commercials. My wife's
name is Claudia. Our son, Jim will enter law school this fall, and my
daughter Sarah begins her teaching career in the field of Early Childhood
next year.
Many of my productions have won local, regional and national awards
including three Telly Awards - the equivalent to the Oscar for
non-theatrical productions. The PBS television special, “Gospel at the
Symphony”, was nominated for an Emmy and the double album won a Grammy.
I have had a private, one-hour video interview with President Ronald Reagan,
and have produced, shot, or directed over 500 national television
commercials for True Value Hardware Stores. My name is listed in several of
the Who's Who volumes including Who's Who in
America
beginning in 1999 and continuing with the current issue.
Five years ago, I produced a video called “Tracy’s Choices”, for teenagers.
The central message is about the consequences of our choices in life. Tracy
eventually died from complications due to AIDS. Her story was an attempt to
reach out to young people and help them avoid the mistakes she made in her
own life.
I received an award for Best Cinematographer for my work on the feature
film, “Pilgrims Progress”. This was the first film Liam Neeson was ever in.
I have also been involved in the production of some of the most successful
Christian films for children, including “Hobo and the Runaway”, “The Mystery
of Willoughby Castle”, “The Great Banana Pie Caper” and many others.
Max,
thank you very much. This is a wonderful new project, and I pray that it
might bless many people.
*
Newspaper Caper, the first book in the new series, will be published
late in August.
July 10th, 2003
