Recently, I read a great little book that covers not one but two topics: bullying and the phases of the moon. The title is How the Moon Regained Her Shape , written by Janet Heller. Let me just tell you that this book is a great tool for teachers; not only does it address the issue of bullying and how hurtful it is, but it also covers a science topic! The illustrations are beautifully done and capture the essence of Native American artistry. The story telling is rich yet simple enough for a young reader to understand the concepts and come away having learned something valuable. This is definitely a great book to have in a library or on a personal book shelf!I also was allowed to interview the author Janet Heller. I hope that you all enjoy getting to know her as I did! Janet Ruth Heller is president of the Michigan College English Association. She has a Ph.D. in English from the
Tiffany: What is the title of your book and what message does it
convey to readers?
Janet - My book is How the
Moon Regained Her Shape (Arbordale).
My fiction picture book emphasizes that bullies’ insults are often
false, so children should not believe them.
Also, How the Moon Regained Her
Shape encourages a child to tell friends and family members about bullying
so that they can help him or her. The
story shows that a child can recover from bullying and regain happiness and
self-esteem.
Janet -The sun insults the moon, and the moon feels so badly hurt
that she shrinks and leaves the sky. The moon turns to her comet friend and her
many friends on earth to comfort her. Her friends include rabbits and Native
Americans. Then she regains her full shape, happiness, and self-esteem, and she
returns to her orbit. An educational appendix gives advice about bullying,
scientific information about the moon, and ideas for related activities for
children.
Tiffany: Why did you
write this particular story?
Janet -I was bullied when I was a new student in elementary school,
and I did not know how to handle the situation.
The abuse continued for years. I
wrote How the Moon Regained Her Shape
to help other children so that they would not have to suffer as much. I also wrote my story to help parents and
other family members to assist children to recover from bullying.
Tiffany: Are there
any characters in your book that are modeled from people in your daily life?
Janet -Yes. The moon in my
story is based on me, and the bully sun is based on the girl who taunted me
every day during recess for four years.
Round Arms, who helps the moon, is based on a friend who helped me to
recover after I was bullied as an adult.
Janet -Some of my stories have autobiographical elements, but I
often change the plot to give the main character assistance that I did not get
as a child or as an adult. I also base
my stories, poems, and dramas on tales that friends or relatives have told me
about their own lives.
Tiffany: When was the
point you realized that being an author was no longer a dream but a reality?
Janet -I began to publish poetry, essays, and literary criticism in
nationally circulated journals in the mid-1970s. During this period, I also began to attend
and give readings and other presentations at conferences for writers and
scholars.
Janet -I advise people to avoid self-publishing because than you
have to market and distribute your books by yourself, which is very
time-consuming. I recommend that authors
join a critique group of serious writers and/or illustrators to get feedback on
their work. Take classes about writing/illustrating and current literature at
your local college or university. Also,
if you write for children, join the Society of Children's Book Writers &
Illustrators. It has listserves and
conferences and publications that will give you information and help you
network with other creative people. Purchase the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market book. It lists some agents and many publishers for
books for children. There are also websites like AgentQuery that help you find
an agent. Then send your revised
manuscripts out to agents and relevant publishers. It takes time, but a good final product is
worth the investment.
Tiffany: What
warning(s) would you give them?
Janet -Good writers get constructive criticism on their drafts and
then revise over and over before getting manuscripts published. This process is hard work, it requires being
open-minded about criticism, and it takes a long time. However, many inexperienced writers reject any
suggestions for revision and expect success to come very fast, which rarely
happens.
Tiffany: What do you
enjoy the most about the writing process?
Janet -I enjoy sharing my work with audiences of all ages. I love reading my books and giving creative
writing workshops for schools, bookstores, libraries, and conferences.
Tiffany: How did you
go about getting your book published?
Janet -I wrote How the Moon
Regained Her Shape in 1993. I kept
sending it out to publishers and getting rejection notes. I also brought my manuscript to writing
workshops and conferences to get feedback.
Finally, Arbordale Publishing accepted my story for publication in 2004
and published it with revisions two years later.
Janet -I would take a walk in a beautiful forest with my husband,
and I would play games with my great-nephews.
I would also see a good drama with friends and discuss our reactions. I would write poems, dramas, essays and
stories about my experiences.
Janet -I would like to meet Marianne Evans (pseudonym George
Eliot), the British novelist of the late 1800s.
She wrote about a wide range of characters and ideas, and I would love
to have a long conversation with her.
She was an early feminist, and I respect her writing and her bravery
very much.
Tiffany: Who inspires
you?
Janet -My mother has faced growing older with courage and
dignity. I also respect Alicia Suskin
Ostriker, an American poet and literary critic in her seventies who has the
same attitude toward aging. In fact,
Ostriker published a collection of poetry entitled The Book of Seventy to celebrate her reaching that milestone. The children in the classes that I visit to
do creative writing workshops also inspire me with their creativity and
enthusiasm for life.
Janet -Twelve years ago, I forgot to remove a tiny sewing scissors
from my purse, and the security guards at Detroit Metropolitan
Airport
Janet -I would like to tell the young Janet Ruth Heller that she
could relax more and try more new experiences.
I would also explain to her that bullies usually don’t tell the truth
and that she needed to find someone to help her with abuse. Peer culture misjudges people who don’t
conform, so young nonconformist Janet could take her peers less seriously.
Janet -I’m currently working on a memoir, a poetry book about
nature, and a story about sexual harassment.
blog is http://www.redroom.com/author/janet-ruth-heller/blog
The website for Coleridge,
Lamb, Hazlitt, and the Reader of Drama is http://press.umsystem.edu/otherbooks/heller.htm
The website for Traffic
Stop is http://www.finishinglinepress.com/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=437
The website for Folk
Concert: Changing Times is
