Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Sally J. Pla (The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn!
Meet the Author: Sally J. Pla
Sally J. Pla writes stories for young people. Her books have been translated into many languages, garnered starred reviews, appeared on many “best book” and state lists, and picked up a few awards, but the best thing they’ve done has been to connect her to readers like you. The Someday Birds, Stanley Will Probably Be Fine, Benji, The Bad Day, And Me, and her latest, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn, all portray characters who see the world a bit differently.
Because we are all stars shining with different lights.
Sally has English degrees from Colgate and Penn State, and has worked as a journalist and in public education. You can find her at sallyjpla.com.
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About the Book: The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn
From the acclaimed author of The Someday Birds, this contemporary middle grade novel—that Elana K. Arnold called “gorgeous and bighearted”—follows neurodivergent Maudie during the remarkable summer with her dad that might give her the courage to share the terrible secret about life with her mom.
Maudie McGinn lives for the summers she spends in California with her dad, but this year, she’s shouldering the weight of a big secret, one that her mom warned her never to tell. As much as Maudie wants to confide in her dad, she’s scared to.
When a wildfire strikes, Maudie and her dad are forced to evacuate his cabin in the woods. They head to the small beach town where her dad grew up. Every morning, from their camper, Maudie can see surfers bobbing in the water. Maudie quickly realizes she wants to learn, but how could she ever be brave or cool enough to surf?
As Maudie navigates unfamiliar waters, she makes new friends, and her autism no longer feels like a big deal. But her secret is still threatening to sink her. Will Maudie be able to reveal the awful truth about life with her mom and stepdad before the summer is over?
Praise for The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn
« “A vulnerable portrait of one girl seeking to empower and redefine herself outside of her personal traumas.” — Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
“A perceptive, poignant tale of self-discovery.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will cry, cheer, celebrate, and not soon forget Maudie McGinn.” — Pam Muñoz Ryan Newbery Award-Winning author of Esperanza Rising, Echo, MañanaLand, and many more
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I live not far from an RV campground by the beach in Southern California. I’d sometimes cut through there, during my walks, just for fun. It was interesting to see all the different RVs, trailers, camps and caravans, families cooking food, laundry flapping in the ocean breeze, surfboards leaning up against truck beds. I started imagining what a life lived in that campground might look like—what would a young person find, if they were parked there for, say, an entire summer?
I pictured a girl, standing by one of those rusty, older RVs, staring out at the ocean, wondering why the events of her life were changeable as the tides.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Well, I have spent so much time with her now, that Maudie—sweet, thoughtful, endearing, deep-thinking, kind, fearful, autistic, loveable Maudie— is part of my family now. She feels like my child!
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
First came about one-third of the novel. Then someone asked me that dreaded question, “what’s your new story about,” and I said: “Wellllll……a fire? And the water. And a girl, Maudie….” Bing! The bell went off. The Fire, The Water, and Maudie—then I tried to come up with a good last name that fit that rhythmic phrase. So, McGinn. My editor liked the title and we never considered another.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I love when Maudie lapses into verse, how naturally it happens. So, all those poetic parts—which are the reflective parts. And I loved describing the ocean in all its beauty. Hopefully I was able to instill some sense of how important it is to love, revere, protect, and save the ocean.
Also, the exciting surfing competition was fun to write!
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
That the writing life, like the ocean, ebbs and flows. There are peaks and troughs and waves of euphoric success and waves of failure and despondency and self-doubt and rejection. It’s a long voyage, if writing is in your soul. It’s a voyage of a lifetime, if writing is how you make sense of the world, so resilience is needed!
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
The minute I saw that cover, I burst into tears. It was perfect. Artist Leo Nickolls and book designer Joel Tippie knocked it out of the park. I love, love, love everything about that cover. Everything!
YABC: What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2023?
Any story that lifts up neurodivergent voices and shows how diverse and beautiful and important they are, makes a book of high interest to me. (Check the blog at anovelmind.com if you want to discover more in that category that I love!)
TORCH, YA historical fiction by Lyn Miller-Lachmann, just won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the young adult category. Lyn is a fellow autistic author and friend. In fantasy, UNSEELIE by Ivelisse Housman is on my TBR list (although tbh I’m usually more of a contemporary realism sort of reader). There is C.C. Harrington’s beautiful WILDOAK, which deals with stuttering. And Chris Baron’s THE GRAY, just out in June, deals with mental health issues and is high on my TBR list. There are so, so many other wonderful 2023 books, and not nearly enough time!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
HarperCollins UK BigCat series of levelled readers asked me to write a chapter book for elementary kids with neurodivergent characters. ADA AND ZAZ, about two polar-opposite, neurodivergent best friends, will be out in September in the UK, December in the US. And for Quill Tree Books, my next middle-grade novel is slated for Fall 2024. Prepare for more wonderful neurodivergent girls!
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
There are several flashback scenes where Maudie thinks back on the times her new stepfather, impatient with her autistic behaviors, had anger attacks, losing emotional and sometimes physical control as he lashed out at her. These were difficult scenes, but they were written very carefully, with much respect to the emotional level of the young reader. Sadly, I suspect far too many young readers will understand what this experience feels like.
YABC: What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from this book?
I’m not sure books should have outright “lessons.” But that said, I want readers to close the book feeling inspired by how resilient we can be. If Maudie can “walk through fire,” and find resilience and strength and new life on the other side—maybe we can, too. Especially when we’re shown some love and acceptance. When there’s compassion, and a community that cares. Doesn’t have to be one’s immediate family. A found family, a community, can take so many forms.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
Focus. When I’m in the grip and flow of some good work, nothing distracts me!
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
We Need Diverse Books. Also the website resource, A Novel Mind (anovelmind.com), which is my labor of love—and has been called a “goldmine” of information on mental health and neurodiversity representation in children’s books. Please check out A Novel Mind!
Beyond that, I support: Save The Children, Women to Women International, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, the Environmental Defense Fund, Feeding San Diego (food bank), A Bridge For Kids (high school scholarships), Traveling Stories (early childhood focus), and Reading Legacies (helping incarcerated parents read to their kids).
Also, very importantly, Surfrider Foundation, for their incredible Ocean Conservation work.
YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?
When you get to the point where you can delete big chunks without regret, knowing you can rewrite it better and stronger, then you have turned the first corner of your long, strange writing trip! Keep going, and best of luck!
Title: The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn
Author: Sally J. Pla
Release Date: 7/11/23
Publisher: Quill Tree Books / HarperCollins
Genre: Juvenile Fiction / Neurodiversity
Age Range: 10 up
