Wendy's Answers (Updated 01.19.2010) 2008 Archive | What is your number one best seller - corionna I think Nim's Island has now passed Peeling the Onion. How did you come up with the name "Nim?" I watched the Nim's Island and it struck me as an odd name so I was just curious as to why you chose it. - Samantha I wanted an unusual name for such an unusual girl, and while I was looking up interesting facts about coconuts I discovered that the Hawaiian world for coconut was niu. That didn't sound quite right for a name, but I played with it and decided on Nim. Who is your favorite character in Nim's Island - Tori? It's hard to choose... but today it's Fred. Dear Mrs. Orr, I just wanted you to know that your books, "Nim's Island" and "Nim at Sea", are the best books I've read, and I read a LOT of books! Thank you for writing those stories. Love (as much as Fred loves Selkie), Courtney K. Thanks very much! It's always wonderful to hear from people who love the books - and especially nice to hear about Nim at Sea, since it's newer and I haven't heard back so much about it yet. Dear Wendy, This might sound strange, but is Orr your maiden name? The reason I ask is because my maiden name is orr and there are orr relatives of mine in canada from my dad's uncles. I've never met any of these, but I was just curious if you might be part of that line of Orr's. My dad's grandfather was David T. Orr and he was born and raised in and around montpelier Idaho, where he grew up. But during the summer the family would go to canada to work. I would be very pleased if you could help me out on this matter--perhaps we are distant cousins of something. Thank you. Tina Orr-S. Orr is my married name. But you and my husband could be distant cousins - most of his great grandfather's family went to the US when his great grandfather came to Australia (from Ireland.) So who knows! We are looking for books to suggest to our twelve year old daughter. We have just finished wathcing Nim's Island and she enjoyed it. So I'm hoping that maybe she would like reading similar stories. Right now all she wants to read are Harry Potter and other books about vampires and such. I knosw they are popular with her peers but we would like her to have more variety in subject matter. Which of your books would be suitable for that age group. Thank you. - David Nim's Island would be an easy read for her, but she should enjoy it if she enjoyed the movie, and also Nim at Sea (which is quite a bit longer). If you're in Australia she might also enjoy Spook's Shack, which does at least have a ghost if you want to wean her off vampires gradually! Leaving it to You is her age group but is realistic fiction (also only available in Australia). Where was your favourite place to live? - Ebony I've enjoyed all the places I've lived in different ways. Do you have any animals? Right now we just have one dog, named Harry. He's a poodle cross. What school did you go to when you were little? I went to elementary school in France, and also in Canada: Ottawa (Bayview); Red Deer (Mountview), and USA: Colorado Springs (Mountain View). Did you have a grest time while writing your books? Yes, I love writing my books! Did you enjoy your time in school and did you go onto year 11 and 12? Yes, I enjoyed school and finished Yr 11 and 12. I am Alex from St Josephs East Maitland school. In the book titled "Peeling The Onions", You say it was about a recovery from an accident that you were involved in, what was the accident? The accident was the same as described in the book except that I was the driver, and the other car hit the driver's side of the car. What was the first novel you ever wrote? My first book was Amanda's Dinosaur; that was a picture book. The first novel was Leaving it to You. What is your favorite book and Why? Thanks Alex My favourite book of my own is Ark in the Park, because it still makes me feel happy when I read it. why is it that chika is in the book more than the movie? -Claudia Sea turtles are endangered and so people are not allowed to bother them - so they couldn't use a real sea turtle in the film. Also, a film can never fit in all the things in a book into an hour and a half. Hello Wendy, I am from Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. I started writing for kids some years ago and coincidentally one of my books is about an island, too. The name of the book is 'The lizard and the island'. It's a tale about love, affection and friendship. I have shown it to a few writers and publishers and, thou' I got lots of compliments on this, I could never ever publish it because my country gives no support to new writers. I wish you could say me what I could do to have my book published overseas, since it seems to be impossible in my own country. Thanks. -Nilton That is a big coincidence! It's funny how often people around the world are playing with similar ideas at the same time. I'm sorry you're having no luck with publishing - it is tough everywhere in the world. One thing I'd suggest is joining SCBWI: the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. It's an international group - I don't know if there's a chapter in Brasil but it's worth looking into: www.scbwi.org. You could also look into writers' associations in your country. Apart from that the best thing you can do is go on practising and trying – and don't despair. Very few authors get their first work published; the important thing is to start a new project and try again. Nothing you write is ever wasted, it all teaches you something and is part of the apprenticeship of becoming an author. Good luck! I loved the movie, but was wondering what was the software that Jodie Foster was using to write? -Hannah I have no idea! I wasn't involved with technical things in the movie. When will Mokie and Bik Go to Sea be published in the USA? I have had it on order for one and a half years, but the publish date keeps slipping. Thanks! - scott I think it will be out next June. Unfortunately the illustrator hasn't been well and publication had to be delayed till he was able to finish the pictures. (I'm sending him lots of get well wishes!) Hello Wendy, I just watched Nim's Island with my 8-yo son, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were very engaging, my son loved all the animals, and I really got into the adventure each individual faced. That's also the basis of my question, and I haven't read the Nim books. How does Alexandra write the fictional Alex Rover's escape out of the volcano?? That thread was never wrapped up in the movie. Thanks so much for the wonderful story. Ann & Alex R. The volcano story isn't in the books, so I don't know how the screenwriters intended Alex to write it. Did you get to meet any of the people from Nims Island in real life?? From Ashleigh I made up all the people in Nim's Island, but I did meet the actors who played them in the film. what genre do you tend to write in with all of you novels? what is you favourite book you have written so far? are you writting a book at the moment? - Hannah I write in different genres, just whatever suits the story I want to tell. My favourite books are probably Ark in the Park and the Nim books. I'm always writing a book! At the moment I'm working mainly on an adventure story, probably for kids aged about 11 to 13. how did you come up with the character Nim, I love her character - Rayne I'm never really sure how I come up with characters; it's more as if I get to know them while I start thinking about the story, and even more when I write the first draft. Probably a lot of Nim comes from thinking about how I'd like to feel if I were in her situation – and of course the way she is with her animals is very much how I am with mine. (Even though I've never had a sea lion or marine iguana!) I think Nim's Island has now passed Peeling the Onion. dear Mrs.Orr , I have a question is there a boy that visits the island where nim lives like in the movie ? If so could you write a book about him wanting to visit again when he's older and meet nim again ? I think it would be a great love story . I like nim shes awesome . your fan, rebecca That does sound like a lovely idea! i found in your description of the book Arabella that you have some copies still available? would it be possible to buy a copy and also is it possible to have it signed to my children? Thankyou Tammi I'm very sorry, I don't have any copies of Arabella still available. Dear Wendy, I'm an elementary school teacher in Oregon, USA. I just saw the movie based on Nim's Island, and I have to say--what a wonderful story! Can't wait to get to the book and your others too. As a teacher who's always looking for stories of adventure that aren't a) all about the good guys beating the bad guys or b) full of terrible violence or inappropriate sex, I'm thrilled to find Nim's Island, which makes it into my category of Strong Girl Stories as well! Keep on writing, and I'll be buying your books! Thanks so much. Trisha W., Drinking Gourd School www.dgschool.org Thank you! Strong Girls just make sense to me.... Hi Wendy! I'm homeschooled and me and my family live near the beach in VIC, AUS and in my house we will take a rare and special day to read and one of the books we read was "NIm's Island." We loved it and enjoyed EVERY word! I'm 14 and i want to be a writer. What is something every writer should do and shouldn't do? What is your favorite kids book? Where do you get your ideas? Thanks every so Much!! Jessica I'm glad you have a special reading day - I think every day should be a reading day! In fact my advice on writing in general is: read a lot - lots of different types of books and different styles of writing - and write a lot. Write what you care about, not what you think other people will want to read and, then just write that story as well as you can. Read it when you've finished, be very critical, fix it all, read it again... keep on doing that till you know that you've done the very best job you can with that particular story. Ideas come from everything you see, do, hear, remember, think or dream! The hard part is deciding which ones you should use, and the only person who can decide that is you. Some ideas will simply stick in your brain and let you know they want to be the seed of a story. Also, although many people will tell you to write what you know, I believe that the world would be full of very boring literature (and films) if everyone followed that advice as far as plots. What you need to know is the emotion that you might feel in a particular situation - you don't need to have won a lottery to know that you would be happy to know, or have seen a ghost to know that you'd be terrified. However the other thing that's important is to think about how your characters feel - really get inside their skin, and describe the feeling of terror, or describe an action that shows how happy they are: in other words, show, don't tell. Finally - be careful of adverbs. It's almost always better to find a verb that says exactly what you want instead of using lots of adverbs. Is there a Nim's Island 3? How many Nim books will there be? Will Nim meet Edmond, the boy from the cruise ship, again? - Elaine I'm not sure yet whether there'll be a third Nim book - I'd like to spend more time with these characters but am not quite ready to write it yet. Nim meets Erin and Ben again, but I don't think she'll meet Edmond again because he's from the film, not my own imagination - I can only write about characters I've created myself. What is your number one best seller - corionna I think Nim's Island has now passed Peeling the Onion. Hello, Wendy Orr! I very like Your book "Nim's island" !!! And in this book are e-mail adress: jack.rusoe@explorer.com . Are this is true ..? Can I writing for Nim ..? Radvile :) Because Jack, Alex and Nim aren't really real people, I just made up their email addresses too, so I'm afraid I don't think it will work! I can not find the book Nim's Island.I really want to read it do u know were i can get it. I have seen the movie and really like it.Please help me. - Jazmin Just ask at any bookstore or library. If they don't have it they'll be able to order it for you. Where you involved in adapting your story into the film? and if so, how closely did you work with the film writers and directors? - Katie I worked on the first two drafts of the screenplay with Paula Mazur and Joe Kwong, and was a consultant throughout the process. What is your number one best seller - corionna I think Nim's Island has now passed Peeling the Onion. Dear Wendy:I'm a ten year old girl and I was wondering if Nim Is based on a real persons personality? I just read Nim's Island anzagv oops!That would be my cat's fault. Are you any thing like Alex Rover? Is she based on a real person?Is this to long of a letter? I have a good imagination.I have to go now.Laura Ingalls isstarting a game of tag with Nim from...Sydney!Farmington N.Y. Nim isn't based on anyone - I just made her up. That probably means she has a bit of me, and little bits from many of my family and friends, but all mixed up together to make a new person. Alex Rover is also a bit like me (the different parts of me from what I gave Nim) mixed up with lots of imagining. I'm glad to hear that you have a good imagination - it's one of the most important things in life. Nim would like playing tag with Laura Ingalls! how do you write a book do you write it then get a illastrator then get an editor then get a publisher - Keely You write the book to be just as good as you can make it, then send it to a publisher. The editors who work there read it and think about it, and If they decide it's a book they'd like to publish they choose which editor will work with you, and then the editor will choose an illustrator. Good luck! What has changed your life the most from becoming a writer? - Natalie I get to spend my whole time thinking about stories! what sort of audience do you write to?? - Kate Although most writing guides say you you should visualise your audience, I don't really do that. Obviously my audience is different depending on whether I'm writing a picture book or an adult novel. When I'm writing, I feel as if I'm writing for the character in the story, so I guess my audience is whoever identifies with that character. What is your number one best seller - corionna I think Nim's Island has now passed Peeling the Onion. What was your dream Was being authur your dream? - Tara Yes, being an author was my dream from when I was about 7. So dreams can come true! Regarding Nim's Island; I'm not sure how involved you were wityh the movie, but I wanted to ask "do you know what became of the boat?" Shona, the boat is a Walter Reeks design 1911 built sailboat of extraordinary beauty and heritage value. I don't know who else to ask. Someone said it was wrecked in the movie, but I find that hard to believe. - Darryl Thanks very much for telling us what the boat is - and I'm sorry, I've tried but haven't been able to find out what happened to it. But I can't believe it was wrecked. I'll come back to this when I find out! what do you think your favourite book that you've written is? - Cristen It's a tie between Ark in the Park and the two Nim books - (I can't really choose between Nim's Island Nim at Sea - in some ways I'm more pleased with Nim at Sea, but the first will always be extra special to me.) Question = What advice would you give to budding writers like me? - Charan Read lots and write lots! Make sure you read different types of stories, and write different types of things too - the only thing that matters about what you write is that you care about it, and enjoy working on it. If you get stuck on something and can't finish it, that's okay: put it aside. You might go back to it later and write a different ending than you'd imagined at first, or you might rewrite it completely - but if you never go back to it, you'll still have learned something from it. Once you've got a story that you think is good enough to share, read it to yourself and then fix all the bits that you know aren't perfect (never think, "No one will notice that bumpy bit." They will!) Then read it again out loud and fix all the extra things that you notice then. When you do share it with other people, pay attention to their criticisms, but remember that if someone suggests you change something, they don't always have the right answer either - you're the one who needs to work it out. And for writing style: Start with something gripping that will make us want to read more. Don't tell us about the heroine getting out of bed and combing her hair unless that's going to be relevant to the rest of the story. In general, don't use more words just to fill up the page. One good word is better than ten trying to say the same thing. Similarly, never use an adverb unless you absolutely have to - eg: 'she whispered quietly.' Of course she whispered quietly - that's what whispering means. You don't need quietly. Be brave, experiment, and keep on writing! Wendy, do you do school visits? Would you do a video conference hook up? - Dorothy I do school visits - but it has to be practical geographically. For Australian school visits contact Show and Tell: info@showtell.com.au. I will also be visiting LA, Vancouver and New York in late May & early June in 2009. I think video conferencing is definitely the way of the future! I don't have a video camera on my computer yet but I've done quite a few online chats for schools and would be happy to work out something with Skype or similar. The fee for this type of session is $220 (plus GST if within Australia).