| Jill Ammon Vanderwood was born and raised in | | | | connected to one another, one leading to the |
| the state of Oregon; she now makes her home in | | | | next, or are the adventures written to provide |
| Utah, with her husband, Bill. Jill enjoys spending | | | | variety rather than plot development? |
| time with her family, going to movies, and | | | | Jill: I feel the adventures in the book were written |
| camping. Her hobbies include quilting, reading | | | | in sequence and to move the plot along. |
| mysteries, eating chocolate, and traveling. Growing | | | | Sometimes one wish causes another. When the |
| up, she enjoyed reading books about children | | | | characters make wishes, things move fast. |
| going on magical adventures. Her favorite author | | | | At one point, I thought my book was complete. I |
| was Edward Eager. "Through the Rug" is the | | | | sent it to several people to review for me. |
| author's first children's book. | | | | Everyone said the same thing. "Why do Grandma |
| Tyler: Thank you, Jill, for joining us today. To | | | | and Alyssa have to go home now?" |
| begin, would you tell us a little bit about the plot | | | | I came to realize that if I were on this adventure, |
| of "Through the Rug"? | | | | I wouldn't want it to end. I wanted to make the |
| Jill: Thank you Tyler and Brianne. First, I would like | | | | book like a ride at Disneyland, just long enough to |
| to thank Brianne for her great book review. I | | | | make you feel satisfied, but not so long that the |
| always enjoy sharing my story with kids. Of | | | | reader gets bored. For more adventures, you will |
| course, they have the best imaginations. | | | | just have to wait for my next book. |
| "Through the Rug" is a story about Grandma | | | | Brianne: Did you always want to be a writer? |
| Emma who went to cooking school. She didn't | | | | Jill: When my children were young I made up |
| realize that she was actually learning to do magic. | | | | songs and poems for them. |
| She thinks she was given an honorary degree, | | | | I was always writing letters, keeping a journal and |
| because of her age. | | | | writing stories to send to the Readers Digest, but |
| Her granddaughter, Alyssa, comes to visit for a | | | | I didn't realize I was a writer. |
| week. When she discovers that Grandma has | | | | Brianne: What steps did you take in order to |
| changed her black and white dog to pink and | | | | become a published author? |
| green, she is worried. Grandma's dog, Domino, has | | | | Jill: Since I had been out of school for so long, I |
| caught the attention of the dogcatcher. | | | | needed to learn to write, so I took two creative |
| When Grandma Emma tries a formula for 'more | | | | writing classes. Next, I needed to learn how to |
| days in a week,' the formula expands making a | | | | use a computer. I had keyboard classes in high |
| mess on the kitchen rug. Bending over to cleanup | | | | school, but I was afraid to even try E-mail. |
| the mess, Grandma and Domino fall through the | | | | When I joined the League of Utah Writers, my |
| rug, followed by Alyssa and the dogcatcher. | | | | writing really took off. I found out about different |
| They find themselves in Wishville, where all wishes | | | | kinds of publishing. This book is published by |
| are granted. Grandma and Alyssa experience a | | | | Authorhouse and my next book will be published |
| wedding reception where you can eat as much as | | | | by Mill Creek Press; however, they are both |
| you wish, without getting full. They encounter fish | | | | considered to be self-published books. If you want |
| that dance, and travel to an island with no way to | | | | to self-publish a book, there are many companies |
| return to Wishville. | | | | to help you. It is critical to have your work edited |
| Have you ever seen a grandma riding on a | | | | before publishing. There would be nothing worse |
| skateboard, or a dog walking around with a small | | | | than to have a poorly written or poorly edited |
| body and long spindly legs? Grandma and Alyssa | | | | book with your name on it. If you choose to |
| have many magical mishaps before finally creating | | | | self-publish, you will have most of the |
| the magic of more days in the week. | | | | responsibility for promotion. |
| Brianne: Ms. Vanderwood, where did you get your | | | | Tyler: Jill, it can be difficult to write a book and |
| idea for writing this book? | | | | publish it. What difficulties did you come across |
| Jill: One night I had a dream about a rug with | | | | and what advice do you have for other people |
| green slime. Everyone would jump over the rug | | | | who want to write and publish? |
| so they wouldn't get into the slime. The next day, | | | | Jill: When I thought I had finished writing my book, |
| in a writing class, the teacher asked the class to | | | | I entered it into a contest. Some of the |
| write a story about a visit to Grandma's house, | | | | comments I got back were hurtful, rather than |
| where the grandma wasn't making cookies. That | | | | encouraging. Besides these comments, I was told |
| day I started the story of "Through the Rug." It | | | | that my book needed to be 2/3 longer for the |
| began as a very short story, but included Wishville | | | | 8-12 age group. I went home and threw the |
| and the little man, who pops up and gives advice. | | | | manuscript into a drawer and I was done with it. |
| In my first story, Domino pushed Grandma | | | | Several months later, a friend asked me to be |
| through the rug, but didn't go with them to | | | | the secretary of my writing group. Writing a |
| Wishville. He didn't become an important character | | | | monthly article gave me the courage to start |
| until much later. | | | | writing again. I wasn't sure whether I could do it, |
| Alyssa is the name of one of my granddaughters. | | | | but I began rewriting "Through the Rug." It took |
| I started the story when she was eight years old | | | | me one year to finish the book I had been |
| and published it when she was thirteen. I have | | | | working on for three years. In the end, I had a |
| several other grandchildren waiting for a story of | | | | much better book. I hired my own illustrator to |
| their own. I never intended for "Through the Rug | | | | do my pictures and after editing, it was ready to |
| to be a series." More of my grandchildren will | | | | be published. |
| show up in the second book. | | | | If you are a writer, don't give up. It is time to |
| Brianne: Do you have any good memories of | | | | fulfill your dreams. You are in a business that |
| staying at your grandmother's house? | | | | requires critique, but criticism is difficult to take. |
| Jill: I remember going with my grandmother into | | | | Take the good and helpful remarks and disregard |
| the cellar of her house. We saw an old table and | | | | the rest. |
| chairs down there, very dusty and cobwebby like | | | | Brianne: Do you plan on writing more books? I |
| you might see in spooky movie. I asked, | | | | sure would love to read them. |
| "Grandma, who lives down here?" | | | | Jill: I have completed my second book, "Through |
| She answered, "Nobody lives down here. Well, | | | | The Rug 2: Follow That Dog." It is a continuation |
| maybe some mice." | | | | of "Through The Rug." This book is at the |
| My imagination began to work and I had dreams | | | | publishers right now. I hope it will be available this |
| of a mice family having dinner on the table with | | | | fall. I have begun writing my third book in the |
| cheese and goblets and all the goodies they | | | | "Through the Rug" series. I am also working on |
| scavenged from the house. | | | | the first in a new series of magical adventures. |
| Brianne: Ms. Vanderwood, how many children do | | | | Tyler: Do you think you will always write children's |
| you have? | | | | books or do you think you will write books for |
| Jill: My husband Bill and I have one boy and three | | | | adults too? |
| girls. We are the grandparents of two grandsons | | | | Jill: I have many ideas swimming around in my |
| and four granddaughters. You can see a picture | | | | head. Most of my books will be for children. I do |
| of my grandchildren on my Web site, [ | | | | have an idea for a young adult book and an adult |
| Tyler: Did your family contribute to your ideas for | | | | book, in the future. |
| the book? | | | | Tyler: What do you think is needed to make an |
| Jill: Sometimes when I need inspiration for my | | | | effective children's book? |
| books, I have brain-storming sessions with my | | | | Jill: I have been told in writing groups that a book |
| grandchildren. I ask questions like: "What talent | | | | for children should either teach a moral lesson, or |
| would you wish for if you could do anything you | | | | be educational. There are many good authors |
| want?" or "Where would you go if you could | | | | who write by these principals. |
| travel anywhere you wanted?" The kids call out | | | | The main point of my book is to spend as much |
| ideas and I write them down. There is evidence | | | | time as possible with the ones you love, and to |
| of these brain-storming sessions in "Through the | | | | enjoy every adventure life brings you. |
| Rug" when Grandma and Alyssa are trying to | | | | I think that in a world where there is so much for |
| think of what to do on their special days. | | | | children to worry about, it is enjoyable to read a |
| Tyler: Were you inspired by any other children's | | | | book that is just plain fun. |
| books, such as "Alice in Wonderland" where Alice | | | | Tyler: Jill, I also understand you want to use your |
| goes through the Rabbit Hole to have your | | | | writing to benefit others. Would you tell us a little |
| characters go through the rug? | | | | about your community involvement? |
| Jill: I am always surprised when someone brings | | | | Jill: For my book, "Through the Rug," I held a |
| up "Alice in Wonderland." The thought of Alice | | | | combined book signing and party to benefit the |
| never entered my mind. I really think the only | | | | Literacy Action Center, in 2006. In July 2007 my |
| similarity is the part where they fall through the | | | | husband and I took a trip to the Northwest |
| rug. | | | | Kiwanis Camp to volunteer for a week with the |
| I was most inspired by books written by Edward | | | | handicapped children. While we were there, I did a |
| Eager, "Half Magic" and "Seven-Day Magic." He | | | | reading from for the campers, and taught "The |
| wrote about ordinary children going on magical | | | | Fishy Song" from my book. |
| adventures. I wasn't thinking about his books | | | | When my second book, "Follow that Dog," comes |
| when I wrote mine. But looking back I can see | | | | out, we are planning a fundraiser for the |
| that I was influenced by his books, which I began | | | | Wheelchair Foundation. I will have a book party |
| reading in the fifth grade. | | | | right out of the pages of my book. All proceeds |
| Tyler: Why did you choose for the story to begin | | | | for the party and the sale of books [at the party] |
| at Grandma's house? Since Grandmas are not | | | | will go to provide wheelchairs to children and |
| usually companions in fantasy story adventures, | | | | adults who are in need but cannot afford them. I |
| how did you decide to make her a main | | | | will post information about this party on my Web |
| character? | | | | site. |
| Jill: I'm glad you asked, Tyler. I thought it would be | | | | Tyler: That's wonderful, Jill. What made you decide |
| fun to share a secret adventure, just between | | | | to help handicapped children? |
| the grandma and her granddaughter. After all, her | | | | Jill: When I was in the eighth grade, I was a junior |
| father took her to grandma's house, so he must | | | | counselor at a Kiwanis Camp. After that, I |
| trust his own mother, right? | | | | became a member of a Kiwanis service club for |
| I see the grandma character as myself in a lot of | | | | youth. |
| ways. The part where grandma went to the | | | | A few years ago, I was a reading tutor for the |
| store in her slippers and locked her keys in the | | | | Literacy Action Center. For one year, I tutored a |
| car was also one of my many mishaps. | | | | young woman with Cerebral Palsy. |
| Yes, I do many silly things. I look like a normal | | | | My husband and I are at a place in our lives |
| person, but look out. We really do eat pizza on | | | | where our children are grown and we have nearly |
| the roof. My grandson and I are planning a | | | | everything we need. I feel its time to give |
| midnight picnic and Easter egg hunt in August. | | | | something back. We found a cause we believe in |
| Tyler: Thanks for being honest, Jill. Writers are | | | | and jumped in. |
| supposed to be eccentric after all. Jill, I am always | | | | Tyler: Jill, before we go, I want to say I was very |
| curious in fantasy novels with a series of | | | | impressed with your Web site, which goes |
| adventures how the author decides just how | | | | beyond giving the reader information about your |
| many adventures to include. For example, in "Alice | | | | book and is designed to be interactive for children. |
| in Wonderland," Alice meets many strange | | | | Would you share with our readers your Web site |
| characters--why didn't she meet one more or | | | | address and what they might find there? |
| less? Yet, in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" there | | | | Jill: I'd love to. My Web address is [ My daughter |
| is a progression to the adventures, each moving | | | | Karen has been working on my Web site. |
| the plot along. Are all your adventures in the book | | | | |