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MEET MATT FAULKNER (moved to MICHIGAN 2011)
by Bonnie O'Brian

What did you most like to do when you were a child?

Matt Faulkner

Well, gotta be honest here, I watched waaaaay too much T.V. when I was a kid. I did love my T.V.. Especially Bugs Bunny. And, while we all acknowledge the detriments of too much T.V.-watching on a growing mind (and mine is a really good example of the sad affect of too much T.V.) I guess the classic Bugs Bunny cartoons (Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, The Roadrunner and Coyote, Elmer Fudd and who can forget the Tasmanian Devil) are a pretty good indulgence. However, Hogans Heroes, McHales Navy, F-Troop- all left an indelible mark on my feverish little brain. Ok, enough about T.V.! I also loved to make models. I loved the martial arts (again T.V.- “Kung Fu”). I didn’t get into reading until I cracked this book called “The Lord of The Rings” when I was 12. Ever heard of it? It’s really good. By this English guy- Mr. Tolkien. Somebody should make a movie out of it. It was 1973 and I think I was the only kid in my town who ever took the book out of the library. I grew up in Arlington, Ma.- just outside of Boston. Kid’s liked hockey in Arlington- reading…not so much. Hockey-good. Reading-bad. Me, well, I just liked to read and draw. I had a heck of a lot of fun hanging out at the local Boys and Girls Club- playing hoops, ping pong etc. (My Dad was Exec. Director of the joint so, it was like a second home to me and my brother and sisters.) Oh ya, I can’t forget drawing. I was and am mad for drawing. Mad. I drew and drew. Madness.

What books influenced you most when you were growing up?

Mad Magazine, THE PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH, THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS, ILLUSIONS, THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, etc.

Did you write stories when you were growing up? at school? Or at home as a hobby? As a young child, or as a teenager, or both?

Yes, I made stories but they were in Comic Book form. I got convinced by my friends that I should draw- not write. Boy were they ever wrong. Those darn kids. Ha ha, just kidding… again. Anyway, I guess I made more of these stories when I was little. When I got older I liked making art for other peoples stories. Now I like making the art for both my own stories and other peoples too.

When you were a child did you ever have moments when you decided that you were going to be a writer when you grew up?

 Um, yup. When I realized that Mr. Tolkien actually got paid for making all those cool stories. Honestly, I think I was in college when I made this realization. Guess I’m not the brightest light bulb in the cookie jar.

What audience did you have in mind for your career as a writer – adult or children?

I think that I’m about, oh, say… 9 or ten years old inside so- those are the folks I’m writing for, mostly. Grownups are just too weird for me. Kids get it. Plain and simple. Grownups- Goofy. Kids- Kool.

When you went to college, were you already pursuing a writing career? (or a career in illustrating? or just art in general?)

I went to an Art college- called RISD. I knew I was going to do art but when I got there all the other kids were so much better than me that I decided to do graphic design… which, as all the graphic designers know, is not really art. It’s basically, um, organizing. And being tasteful. Tasteful is important in graphic design.

If you didn’t write as a child, then when did you start writing and what inspired you to start?

Hey, I thought I already answered this one. C’mon! I mean, what are ya trying to pull here?! There’s already like a bajillion questions in this quiz! I told ya, I went to Art school. My brain is already killing me from all these questions! Geesh! I think I’ll take a break now and go watch some Yosemite Sam cartoons. At least he appreciates me.

What was your first job when you graduated from college?

Ok, I’m back. Where were we? Oh ya, jobs after college. I worked at a really bad advertising agency in New York City after college. The place smelled like an ashtray. Yuck! I hate that! And all the people were really grouchy. Everything was always supposed to be finished yesterday! They were always screaming and having fits. But, it was kinda cool. They gave me money when I turned in my homework. That part was nice.

How soon after that was your first book published?

Uh, let’s see… I graduated from college in 1983 and my first book, “Jack and the Beanstalk” (I was just the illustrator on this one, some guy named Jack wrote it.) came out in 1984. So I guess it was pretty soon after. Like maybe 2 or three years… or something like that.

When was it published?

Alright now hold on! You’re doing it again! I just answered this one. I’m going to call my agent if you keep this up! Ha! Just kidding. Again.

Was your first book accepted immediately? or did you experience a number of rejections?

The first book I wrote and illustrated came out right after “Jack and the Beanstalk”. It was called “The Amazing Voyage of Jackie Grace”. My editor at Scholastic at that time was Jean Fiewel and she bought the story over the phone. Pretty cool selling stories over the phone, I know. But rest assured that was last time that ever happened. I’m hoping that it might happen again real soon!

What are the topics are some of your books?

Don’t wanna be picky but you made a mistake in this question. You wrote “are” twice. You could get a really bad grade for making a mistake like that in forth grade. I know because that’s just the kind of mistake I made all the time in forth grade. I made that kinda mistake so often I’m surprised I ever made it to fifth grade. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings or anything. Just trying to keep it real. Anyway, I like all sorts of topics for my books- history, heroes, fantasy, pirates and substitute teachers, root vegetables etc.. You know- just your average cool stuff.

Do you focus on fiction or nonfiction? Which do you prefer? Do you find one easier than the other?

What’s “nonfiction”? I looked it up in the dictionary. The dictionary say nonfiction is “1.Boring stuff that most 4 th graders aren’t really interested in. 2.Stinky. Don’t waste your time.” This is what the dictionary said. Honest.

Do you do other types of writing - for example, educational, nonfiction, magazine work?

Yup. I just illustrated a story for an English text book for 9 th graders. That was cool. And I illustrated all kinds of articles for magazines. And, um, by the way- do you know there are 35 questions in this test?! 35! This is harder than that test I took on “Ethan Frome” in 10 th grade! I gotta take another break…

What kinds of things inspire you to write?

Ok, I’m back. I like humor. I like stories that point out just how ridiculous grown-ups can be. I like heroes and humor. I’m inspired by subtlety, simplicity and synchronicity. And funny stuff. I like the funny stuff. Did I say that already?

Where do you get your ideas?

I keep my eyes and ears open. There are wild, ridiculous, funny and dramatic stories going on all the time, all around us. Just keep that sketch book nearby and I guarantee that a story’ll hop into your lap sooner rather than later.

What gave you the idea for A TASTE OF COLORED WATER ?

I got the idea for A TASTE OF COLORED WATER while listening to an African American woman recount her experiences as a child living under the Jim Crow laws during the 1950’s. As well, I realized that intolerance and racism is something that is important to kids but don’t get to talk about it on a daily basis and having a book that brings up the topic for discussion might be a good thing.

What really triggers your imagination?

Sensible footwear.

Have any of your books earned special recognition?

The kids of Indiana and Virginia voted THE MONSTER WHO ATE MY PEAS as their favorite books of 2005 and 2006. That was cool.

How did your life change when you got married? and had children? Did it make it easier or harder to find time to write?

I got married a long time ago. So, not sure if I remember what exactly changed, except maybe that I had to pick up after myself more than I was used to. But when my son Gabe was born and as he grew, I realized that there was a big difference between the books I created before he came along and after. I just feel there was more of an expression of experience to the stories I wrote after than before.

Have any of your fiction stories been about real people or events?

Yep. THE PIRATE MEETS THE QUEEN was based on the real life of Granuaille O’Malley, a waaay cool woman who was a Chief of the O’Malley clan, diplomat, pirate, gambler and all-around genius.

If some of your fiction stories are factual, do you write about people that you have been interested in for a long time, perhaps since childhood?

I really loved the martial arts in elementary school (still do) and so BLACK BELT (Knopf, 1999) was one of the fiction books that I did based on an early interest.

Do you enjoy researching or do you prefer working totally from your imagination?

I get a kick out of doing research and then allowing that to have an effect on my creative process- meaning, I allow a good deal of the factual info to remain while I allow my imagination to re-weave bits here and there to make the story my own.

Do you work on more than one book at a time?

Two or three books at a time is the norm for me right now. It’s nice when I’m working on at least one book that has money attached to it (under contract!) and at the same time I’m developing work for my own new books. I really enjoy working with others and illustrating my own projects at the same time.

Which of your books did you most enjoy writing?

I really dug writing A TASTE OF COLORED WATER and THE AMAZING VOYAGE OF JACKIE GRACE.

What are you working on now? When do you expect to start submitting it to publishers?

I’m working on a project about a family that was interned in the prisoner of war camps for the Japanese Americans during World War 2. That’ll go out at the end of January, 2009.

Do you write every day and do you have set hours that you work?

I write and illustrate every day. Don’t have set hours but I would guess that I work for about 7 hours daily on average.

When is your next book going to be in book stores?

Spring 2010. Can’t tell you the name of it or who it’s by. Very secret.

Do you like to include humor in your stories? Or adventure? Or mystery?

I would say humor and adventure are big aspects of my stories. I love to laugh and characters who go out on a line, taking risks for what they love- I really enjoy stories about folks like that.

When you do school visits, what question do children ask you most?

“How much money do you make?”, “Where do you get your ideas?”, “How many times a week do you take a bath?” etc.

What do you most want the students to get out of your school visits?

Most importantly, I want students to understand that I live my life guided by the gifts I’ve been given. We’ve all come here with gifts. I know so many friends who opted to do something with their lives because they were told to do it, or because they were frightened into accepting less. I keep my eyes and ears open and go where my desire to write, draw and paint tells me. Sometimes it’s scary but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Has anyone ever written you a fan letter that you’d like to share?

Sure. The first fan letter I ever received came in 1985 from a little guy my who dug my version of “Jack and the Beanstalk”. He told me he really wanted to be me when he grew up.

Is there anything about yourself that you’d like to share - hobbies, where you were born, special talents other than writing/illustrating.

Ok. I like pasta. A lot. And, I love lemonade. Lemonade is my elixir. I need lemonade. How do I love lemonade- let me count the ways. LEMONADE. But it’s gotta be real lemonade- ya know. Not that stuff from powder. Yuck- powdered lemonade! Did I say how much I love lemonade? I used to like Oreos when I was a kid but I don’t like them so much now. Tollhouse cookies with walnuts are way up there with Lemonade on my list of really great stuff. I did really badly in trigonometry when I was in high school. Almost failed. Yep, Matt ain’t so good in the math thing. Believe it of not. And, I really like lemonade.

What other jobs you had before you became a writer/illustrator?

Well, I’ve painted houses. Been a life guard. I teach at a college called the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I worked in a men’s haberdashery. Got pretty good at folding shirts while I was there- that was back in the late 1970’s at Beldon and Snow’s Men’s Clothing Shop in Arlington Ma.. I’ve worked in a drug store, advertising agencies and a place that sold lots of dried fruit and nuts- and kitchen gadgets. Geez, I’ve worked in a lot of places.

Guess that’ll do it. Hope I passed the exam. These were some really tough questions. I didn’t even study.