Interview: Karen Ruelle
SARAH STEINBACHER: Kirkus called your latest picture book, JUMP FOR JOY, “a wistful meditation on patience and discovery.” Longing for companionship is a great universal theme. Why did you choose to use a dual POV structure to convey this message?
KAREN RUELLE: The whole point of the book was to show the parallel longing of Jump and Joy that eventually leads them to each other, so that would be the obvious structure, wouldn’t it? But honestly, I didn’t start off thinking of structure. I’m an intuitive writer/artist, and when I begin a project I don’t always have a clear idea of how to do it. As I go along, it develops naturally. So I didn’t start off thinking: “Hmmmm, I think I’ll use a dual POV structure.” I just started imagining the longing of each character for the other and it took off from there.
SARAH STEINBACHER: JUMP FOR JOY has been praised for its “tightly structured storytelling” (Publisher’s Weekly) and “impressive amount of clever wordplay in a relatively sparce text” (Kirkus). How did you craft such a tight text rich with wordplay and what advice do you have for authors wanting to do the same?
KAREN RUELLE: I’ve always loved playing with language. (It sometimes drives my friends and family nuts!) When I realized that the expression “jump for joy” could be interpreted literally if I named my characters thusly, everything fell into place. And it set the tone for the text. I really don’t know if this kind of writing can be taught; it’s just the way I think—and every writer has their own voice. If I were to offer any advice, it would be to find your own voice, avoid overwriting and don’t be afraid to revise/chop/edit/revise again until you hit that sweet spot. (What is it they say about “killing your darlings”?)
SARAH STEINBACHER: You’ve said that as a child you wanted a puppy so badly that you made one out of snow. How did your first dog, Angus MacWhat’s-His-Name Paddington Gray, live up to your expectations?
KAREN RUELLE: Angus! Well, he was a terrier. That says it all. Terriers are smart and they’re stubborn, not an easy combination in a pet. And he didn’t sit still for a second. So he wasn’t quite the cuddly, sweet, obedient lap dog I thought he would be. But he was cuter than anything and I loved him very much. He looked exactly like Toto in the Wizard of Oz film.
He wasn’t actually my first dog, though. When I was very young, our family got a dalmatian puppy. We named him Pepper (of course) and he had one blue eye and one brown eye. We had him for about a month. That was how long it took for my folks to realize that my little brother and I weren’t ready for a dog. He went to a good home.
SARAH STEINBACHER: Your middle grade nonfiction book, SURPRISING SPIES, is “an engaging examination of the important although often unsung work of spies” (Kirkus) and “an excellent addition to any collection about World War II” (School Library Journal). Why do you think this historical topic still resonates with young children?
KAREN RUELLE: World War II was a horrific time in world history, a nightmare of cruelty and hatred difficult to comprehend. But wars continue to be fought and hatred and cruelty always seems to be part of it. On a smaller and more personal scale, children often have to deal with bullies and cruelty. As they try to make sense of their lives, they can look at the past to try to figure out how the world works. Since it’s at a remove, it’s safer for them to process. (It’s a bit like reading about the monsters under the bed in order to learn how to handle those irrational fears.) And it’s empowering to learn about the people who battled to save the world from that cruelty and hatred, and children may imagine themselves in that courageous role.
There are always those who are courageous and compassionate, and this is an important lesson. Every single act of kindness makes a difference to someone. I think children absorb this with some relief. Through well-told, engaging stories, they can start to understand the past and make sense of their own world.
SARAH STEINBACHER: What do you find so interesting about spies and if you were a spy what would your code name be?
KAREN RUELLE: In our imagination, spies can slip past any barrier; they’re courageous, smart, strong and resourceful. They save people who are in danger, and help to defeat the bad guys. That also happens in real life. The resourcefulness of spies is especially exciting to learn about. Think Superheroes, but these are real human beings.
I’ve always been obsessed with spies (almost as much as I’m obsessed with dogs). I think it’s partly because I grew up during the Cold War, watching spy shows like Get Smart, The Avengers, The Man from Uncle, and Mission Impossible. And I love the idea of working out puzzles, decoding and deciphering secret messages. I’m a real language nerd. But with all the research I’ve done for my books, I know a bit more now about the real-life world of spies and it’s a lot less glamorous and a lot more dangerous. I don’t think I have what it takes to be a spy. But if I were one, my code name would be Emma Peel (my favorite spy, from The Avengers)!
SARAH STEINBACHER: Kirkus called your nonfiction picture book, THE GRAND MOSQUE OF PARIS, a “fascinating and courageous story, notable as an example of the truly respectful and honorable rapport Muslims and Jews, living side by side, enjoyed for centuries…a must read for today’s multicultural curricula.” The world has changed drastically in the years since the book’s release. Why are stories like this still so important, especially for the children of today?
KAREN RUELLE: I truly believe that stories like this will always be important. But especially now, when the world seems so divided and angry, it’s important to remember that we are all simply people trying to live good lives. We are more alike than we imagine. With respect and compassion, we can bridge our differences and create beauty.
SARAH STEINBACHER: How does your experience as an artist impact your writing?
KAREN RUELLE: I think I experience the world mostly from a visual perspective, and then translate that into my writing. But I also think a lot about the sounds of the world and the music of language. The visual and the audio create a picture that I try to capture with my writing.
SARAH STEINBACHER: What’s it like partnering with an illustrator as an author-illustrator yourself?
KAREN RUELLE: When I’m the author-illustrator, my creative process as a writer can sometimes be constrained because I’m trying to figure out how I’ll illustrate my words. And there are some things I don’t feel comfortable with as an artist. It can be a fun challenge but it can also be an obstacle to freedom with the text. When I’m partnering with an illustrator, I have completely free rein with my text, confident that the illustrator will make something even better with my words. And I’m always curious to see what will happen. With Jump for Joy, I was amazed to see what the illustrator, Hadley Hooper, did. Somehow she looked right into my mind and found the exact image I had for Joy and Jump, and then she ran with it. We never consulted beforehand. It was magic!
SARAH STEINBACHER: You’ve written widely across genres and age groups within the kidlit space. How do the experiences differ and do you have a favorite kidlit genre/age group?
KAREN RUELLE: I truly love writing for all ages (with the exception of YA, which I’ve never done). I enjoy the different challenges of each genre/age group. I adore writing nonfiction for middle-grade readers. They’re old enough to understand a lot but they still feel the magic in the words.
But I especially love writing picture books, because the text can be more poetic and sophisticated. That’s such freedom!
SARAH STEINBACHER: Your impressive writing career spans decades. What’s the key to longevity as a kidlit writer?
KAREN RUELLE: There are so many possibilities in kidlit. It never gets dull or repetitive. I’m always learning and growing. I think because it excites me, I keep on writing. I have a million ideas for new books. There isn’t enough time for it all!
SARAH STEINBACHER: Do you have any other projects you’d like to share?
KAREN RUELLE: I have a couple of picture book texts I’ve been submitting. Fingers crossed! And I’m working on a middle-grade novel right now. I’ve never written fiction for that age, and I’m excited to see where it goes. I’ve also been writing a novel for adults. Also a first. And, naturally, it’s a spy novel.
In addition, I like to create art that’s not for books. I’ve been working on a series of small oil paintings of animals, and another series of collages of fantastical creatures.
Follow Karen on her website.
*****Order Karen’s picture book, JUMP FOR JOY, available now.*****
