The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (23 page)

After years of writing mysteries and suspense thrillers for adults, Rodman Philbrick wrote his first novel for young readers,
Freak the Mighty
, in 1993. In addition to being named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and winning several state awards, it was also made into the Miramax feature film
The Mighty
in 1998. Years later, Philbrick returned with a sequel,
Max the Mighty
.

In 1996, Philbrick presented readers with
The Fire Pony
, an award-winning novel about two brothers on the run in the American West.
REM World
, a page-turning fantasy, challenges the nature of reality, while Philbrick’s thought-provoking science-fiction novel
The Last Book in the Universe
takes readers to a chilling futuristic world where books will be wiped out forever unless one heroic boy manages to keep reading alive.

In 2004, Philbrick drew upon his New England roots and knowledge of boat building to write
The Young Man and the Sea
, a poignant tale that parallels Hemingway’s classic novel. Philbrick’s most recent novel,
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
, is a 2010 Newbery Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book.

Rodman Philbrick has also written several spinetingling series for young readers with his wife, Lynn Harnett, including The House on Cherry Street and The Werewolf Chronicles. Rod and Lynn divide their time between Maine and the Florida Keys. Visit him online at www.rodmanphilbrick.com.

Q:
What attracted you to writing about the Civil War?

A:
When I was a kid, some of the coolest (and grossest) bubble gum cards were distributed on the one-hundred-year anniversary of the Civil War. The cards had vivid color illustrations of famous battles that included bayonet charges, cannons firing, men dying — it all seemed very exciting to a ten-year-old boy. Later I read a number of history books and novels about the institution of slavery and the Civil War, including
The Killer Angels
by Michael Shaara. Eventually I decided to write my own version of what happened, and to tell it from the viewpoint of a boy from rural Maine.

Q:
Is this book based on a real story?

A:
The story was inspired by real events and situations, but the main characters are fictional.

Q:
From hot-air ballooning to Civil War spies, what are some of the things in this book students and teachers might not know about this time period? In your research, did you uncover information that was new to you about the Civil War?

A:
I learned a lot while researching this book. One of the most interesting things was how modern the Civil War was in terms of weapons, and how primitive it was in terms of strategy. The new rifles could kill at a range of a half-mile, and yet men still charged one another on foot, often directly into a hail of bullets.

Q:
We’ve heard your family has extensive roots in Maine. Can you tell readers about this part of your family’s history? Did the Maine regiment featured in
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
tie into your family’s legacy?

A:
Although some of my ancestors participated in the Civil War, none fought under the command of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain — at least so far as I’m aware.

Q:
From Squint to Homer to Fenton J. Fleabottom, the names of the characters in this book are unusually colorful. You once said in a previous interview that names are important to you and you take a long time deciding on them. How did you come up with the characters’ names for this book?

A:
It sometimes takes a while, and a few false starts, but the characters eventually tell me their names.

Q:
People have compared your book to Mark Twain’s
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Do you have any comments on that?

A:
The comparison is entirely correct. I greatly admire Mark Twain and had the character of Huck Finn in the back of my mind as an inspiration for Homer Figg, in the sense that Homer is an orphan boy telling his own story.

Q:
This was the first of your many novels to be chosen as a Newbery Honor Book — a highly coveted award. How did you feel when you found out about it?

A:
I felt and still feel profoundly grateful to all the librarians and teachers who have recommended my books, and to all the readers who have read them.

Q:
You’ve mentioned that you wrote almost ten entire novels before one was accepted to be published. That’s a lot of waiting — and writing! How did you stay patient? What made you stick with it? And what advice would you give writers who are struggling because their work is not being noticed?

A:
I’ve never been patient. What I am, in my bones, is stubborn. I wanted to be a novelist and stuck to it until I finally learned how to tell a story that would interest readers. My best advice to aspiring writers? Don’t give up. Don’t ever, ever give up.

Q:
What were some of the challenges you faced when you started your career? Is there anything you would have done differently?

A:
As a young writer, I felt myself to be very much the outsider, in the sense that I didn’t know any published writers, nor did I have connections with any publishers. At times the experience of having novel after novel rejected weighed heavily. But all that rejection forced me to learn how to be a good storyteller, and in that sense those difficult years were probably well worth it.

Q:
Homer rides a horse, takes a train, sails on a ship, and leaps aboard a caravan to get to the different places he needs to go. What’s your favorite mode of transportation?

A:
I prefer to travel by water when possible. So put me down for “boats and ships.”

Q:
How did you come up with the idea of making Mr. Brewster a Quaker?

A:
Quakers were among the first people to openly question slavery. Mr. Brewster is a Quaker, a member of the Religious Society of Friends, because I loved the idea of having a character use the “plain speaking” that Quakers were famous for. It took me several tries and quite a bit of research to get it right. I certainly tried.

Q:
Would you want to live back then, in the nineteenth century?

A:
Oh, I’d love to visit certain times in history, but at the end of the day I want a hot shower and a wide-screen TV.

Q:
This book has garnered an enormous amount of attention and praise. Do you have a favorite part or character?

A:
I think the ending worked out pretty well, and for me the last few pages are often the hardest to get right. As to a favorite character, that would have to be Homer himself, because he never gives up.

Q:
What’s the biggest, best, worst, or funniest lie you ever told?

A:
I’ve never told a lie. Oops, I just did!