Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Christopher Lincoln (The Night Librarian)!
Meet the Author: Christopher Lincoln
Christopher Lincoln is the author of the Billy Bones series. He graduated from the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University and spent nearly a decade working as an animator. He credits animation for teaching him how to write, because an animator must learn how to inhabit a character’s body and move him in a world of his own.
About the Book: The Night Librarian
Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work.
On a whim, Page and Turner bring their dad’s ultra-rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula to the museum to have it appraised and it mysteriously goes missing. They have to find it and bring it back home or they will be in unthinkable trouble. They embark on more than they bargained for when they uncover a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
The first spark came from the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I thought showing characters in their ongoing lives behind the camera was genius. And hilarious. Later, I wondered how literary characters would react, if they had to live their stories over and over again. Would it bore them to tears? Would they want out of their books?
The next inspiration came from a long ago visit to the New York Public Library with a friend who lives in the city. He’s rightfully proud of New York’s architecture, of which the Stephen A. Schwarzman building is a crown jewel. I was intrigued to find out about the miles of hidden stacks beneath the Main Reading Room and suspected many interesting and secret things could happen down there.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Dracula. He is wonderfully emotional and silly and a treat to write and draw whenever he’s in a scene.
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
Actually, a doodle of Page and Turner, two bookworms, came first. That led to a story of kids who magically worm into a book that brings them to the NYPL where they meet a Night Librarian. Then all that morphed into the story as it is now. Kind of a winding way to get there, but here we are.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
When Page accidentally releases the Hispaniola from Treasure Island and floods the Under Sanctum. It was a challenge to draw and absolutely cracked me up.
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
If you mean way back when I wrote my first book, I’d say just jumping in, seeing where an idea goes, and having fun doing it. The same holds true for me today.
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
We went through many iterations of the cover (as one does), so mostly I like the fact that it’s done. But seriously, I appreciate the wonderful team that helped me do my best every step of the way, both inside and out.
YABC: What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2024?
Clearly, my own. If any author answers differently, I’m not sure they’d be telling the truth. But if Stephen King releases anything new, I’ll be snapping it up.
YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
I just finished Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem and am in the middle of The Dark Forest—amazingly imaginative books. I’m listening to James by Percival Everett and enjoying it very much. (I listen to audiobooks in the morning and read at night.)
YABC: What’s up next for you?
The Night Librarian sequel. I’d tell you what that’s about, but it’s top secret.
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
The baddie battle royale. Lots and lots of elements to manage at one time. And so many characters and complicated backgrounds to draw! As far as emotional scenes go, none were particularly difficult. The characters did all the work. I just had to listen as best I could. Plus there weren’t all that many. I like to keep things fun and moving along.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
If I did have a superpower it would be drawn from the magic of early mornings. That’s when I like to work. And maybe whimsy? That might be my superpower.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
Any organization battling book banning. And libraries, of course.
YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?
It’s never too late to get published. I’ll be seventy-two when The Night Librarian is released in July.
Title: THE NIGHT LIBRARIAN
Author: Christopher Lincoln
Illustrator: Christopher Lincoln
Release Date: July 30th
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers
Genre: Middle grade graphic novel
Age Range: 8 – 12
