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I’d like to welcome Mary Nethery today for an author interview.  Mary is also the author of  Mary Veronica’s Egg (my book review), Hannah and Jack, Orange Cat Goes to Market, and Two Bobbies:  A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival coauthored with Kirby Larson.  I reviewed Two Bobbies:  A True Story of Hurrican Katrina, Friendship and Survival this past fall and highly recommend that you go read the book review and my interview with Kirby Larson and then check out this interview.

Maw Books:  Would you briefly introduce yourself and the picture books that you have authored.

Mary Nethery: I’m the author of picture books Hannah and Jack (Athenuem); Orange Cat Goes to Market (Shaw’s Imprint, Candlewick); Mary Veronica’s Egg Orchard/Scholastic); and The Famous Nini: A Mostly True Story of a Plain White Cat Who Became a Star! (Clarion, Spring 2010). I also co-authored with Kirby Larson, Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival (Walker), and Nubs, the True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle (Little, Brown, Fall 2009).

I live and write in California with my darling husband and a new baby muse, Dash. Our son, H.A., is a Ph.D. student in philosophy at the University of Duquesne.

Maw Books:  What drew you to writing for children?

Mary Nethery: My mom says I started drawing while in the crib, using my fingers to paint pictures on a damp window-a possible prerequisite for writing? I began to write my first “novel” (with pictures-maybe it was a graphic novel!) as soon as I learned to write in first grade. I wrote all the way through high school, but got pragmatic in college. The absolute pleasure of reading to my son, H.A., brought me back to writing. I realized that the people I admired most were writers-the way they can make you laugh, cry, and just shake your head in awe. I wanted to be able to do that.

Maw Books:  In addition to your picture books you also have published stories in magazines.  Is there a different thought process when you sit down to write for a picture book as opposed to a short story?

Mary Nethery: A picture book is an art form that uses words and art to convey the full power of story. When I write a picture book text I think in on-stage scenes. I consider page turns. I think about the arc of the story and how it should progress through 32 pages with a quick denouement (the “aaah” factor) on the final page. A story created for a magazine must also follow story structure but it can’t rely on the art or the picture book format to carry any aspect of it. So that means making different decisions about what you’re going to include or not include in the text so the story is fully comprehensible on its own.

Maw Books:  In my interview with Kirby last September, she talked a bit about what inspired the two of you to write The Two Bobbies.  We’ve heard her side of the story, what’s your side of the story?

Mary Nethery: It was Kirby’s idea for us to consider writing together, and I must say, “Brilliant idea, Kirby!” We decided we wanted to write about animals, specifically relationships between different species. Lots of possible stories later, I saw the two Bobbies on Anderson Cooper 360 and it just hit me like a brick. This was our story to tell, a gift to Kirby and Mary!

Maw Books:  How fun to be looking for a story and finding a great one!  Also, what is it like to co-author a book with another author, particularly Kirby?  Are there advantages and disadvantages to working together?

Mary Nethery: What’s it like to co-author a book with another author? In a word, if it’s Kirby, fabulous! There’s nothing quite like growing a friendship and a story at the same time. We always put our friendship first-we make sure nothing jeopardizes that. Then at the top of the list is story. Always be true to the story, give it everything you’ve got so it has the best chance to move the reader and make a difference in the world. I’m a lucky person. I learn lots from Kirby-not only is she a brilliant writer, but she’s an authentic, generous and lovely person who knows how to live the writer’s life. You just can’t help but adore her! There are no disadvantages!

Maw Books:  What was your reaction to hear of Bob Cat’s passing and do you know how Bobbi the dog is doing?

Mary Nethery: I cried. It broke my heart. Kirby and I had a plaque engraved for Melinda. It reads: “Bob Cat- Bobbi and Melinda’s Angel, An Inspiration to All.” Melinda had Bobbi come into the room to say goodbye to Bob Cat, and I know that had to be hard-beyond-words for both of them. Melinda has since rescued another cat who looks amazingly like the illustrations of Bob Cat and came with the same name! He’s cousin Bob Kitty. Melinda goes into classrooms with Bobbi to read Two Bobbies, and it helps to cushion the sadness children feel when they learn of Bob Cat’s death. But it was that spunky little Bob Cat who brought my new kitten Dash to our family. After Bob Cat’s death, Melinda told us she’d found Bob Kitty on Petfinder. Kirby and I, of course, rushed to Petfinder to see if we could see his picture. But, no cat, no picture. He was actually on another site. While I was rummaging around on Petfinder, I thought I might just sort of see if there might possibly be any rescue Bengal kittens available. My beloved Asta, a marbled Bengal, had died of lymphoma a year and a half ago and I couldn’t stop grieving for him. There was 3 month old Dashiell, cute as a button, already spoken for, but that didn’t stop me. I lit the candles on my funky altar and before long he was flying from Atlanta, Georgia to California to assume his new role as Baby Mewz. Right now, he’s taking a power nap in his favorite chair! Even Muses need a break.  Here he is in all his Baby Mewz glory:

Dash, the Baby Mewz (all he needs is a cigar!)

Maw Books: That looks like one relaxed kitty!  I noticed that in Mary Veronica’s Egg that all the characters are named Mary:  Mary Veronica, Mary Louise, and Mary Margaret.  Your name is Mary too.  I had to ask:  what was the thought process behind naming your characters all Mary, especially because that’s your name?

Mary Nethery: Well, I’ve never quite forgiven my mother for naming me Mary. Somehow it just doesn’t fit. I always wanted a boy’s name and I always liked my sisters’ names better-Gina and Anita. So I gave Mary Veronica two sisters, named everyone Mary and gave them my sisters’ middle names-Margaret and Louise. Any resemblance to actual persons is entirely coincidental.

Maw Books:  I can’t help but notice that all of your books so far are about animals!  Can you tell us about this obvious passion who have for animals and what draws you to write about them?

Mary Nethery: Oh, I’m definitely passionate about animals. I think they’re the most beautiful and under-rated creatures on earth-I believe in the power of animals to evolve the human spirit. I spent most of my childhood in the company of animals. My friends always say, “If I ever came back as a cat, I’d want to be your cat!” I take that as a compliment. One of my fondest dreams is to “sit” with a tiger. Just sit there in peace and feast my eyes on such beauty. I almost got to once, but no cigar. Yet. When my husband and I were in Kenya and Tanzania, every cat came to say “hey.” The other three people on safari with us had begun their safari before we arrived and they’d seen like one cat. I get in the land rover and we’re surrounded!

Maw Books:  Tanzania, how fun!  Education and teaching is obviously very important to you.  You have a degree in music (I’d love to know what you play!) with minors in art and English Literature (now that combination is just begging for a picture book to result from it!) with a Master’s in curriculum design.  You have also taught school and coordinated professional development.  If a child were to tell you that school isn’t important to them or it’s just too hard, what would you tell them?

Mary Nethery:  I play guitar and piano and I also do vocals. I think the minors in art and English Lit were definitely inspired by my days in the crib! A part of my presentations to kids is about the power of intention. Every child in the room has the capacity to create her own life. Some have more resources and support than others. But you work with what you’ve got and you believe in abundance and things happen. I also show kids that in order to become a writer or an artist (and lots of kids wish they were writers or artists) you have to go to school. It’s not going to happen any other way. Go after what you want.

Maw Books:  What is the best thing about going into schools for presentations?  Do you have any favorite experiences that you’d like to share?

Mary Nethery: I really enjoy school presentations. What I see in children is their glorious brilliance-they never cease to impress me with their insights and the quality of their questions. I like the kind of interaction between presenter and young audience-it’s typically more dynamic than adult to adult, I think.

One of my favorite experiences was presenting in Illinois and having two little gentlemen absolutely enthralled because I was from California- which translated to Hollywood for them. They were kids who weren’t doing so well in school, but came up after the presentation to give me their artwork, which when I looked at it, I thought, “Wow, you guys have something going here. Keep it up!”

Maw Books:  Describe yourself as a reader. What books or authors influenced and inspired you as a child? As an adult?

Mary Nethery: My favorite things about reading are finding books with humor, characters I want to keep as BFF, and insights into the human condition that are illuminating. The writer that influenced me the most, early on, was James Marshall. His quirkiness, droll humor, and sense of abandon and authenticity struck me as something I wanted to emulate. But I never got to meet him, drat. One of my favorite novels is How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. I admire how she drips in the back story as if it were on an IV. That book has haunted me ever since I read the last line, closed the book, and said goodbye to her cast of characters and dystopia she so artfully created. I also love Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy (especially the animal daemons); and M.T. Anderson’s Feed because it’s so visionary and written in such a cohesive style. My favorite picture book is Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh-I adore the sentient Martha! Wish I would’ve thought of that conceit!

Maw Books:  If you could have dinner with any three living authors or illustrators whom you have not yet met, whom would you choose?  And are you the type of person who would host at your home or would you go out?

Mary Nethery: Well, if we’re fantasizing here, I’d own a home that looks like it belongs in Tuscany or St. Remy and we’d eat in the courtyard by candlelight and the scent of lavender. And we could do that because I’d have my own chef and housekeeper. I’d invite Meg Rosoff, Susan Meddough, Philip Pullman and M.T. Anderson. There are more, but my courtyard isn’t that big. Oh, but we could fit one more, Maira Kalman, because I adore Ooh-la-la (Max In Love). Just think of the dinner conversation we’d have!

Maw Books:  Perfect!  I love it!  What’s the last book you finished, what’s on your nightstand right now and what’s in the wings waiting for you to read?

Mary Nethery: I just finished Jennifer Allison’s Gilda Joyce, The Ghost Sonata. I’m now reading The Time Thief by Linda Buckley-Archer from the Gideon Trilogy (lovin’ it). And waiting for me is M.J. Rose’s The Reincarnationist, and The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene.

Maw Books:  This is a question that I ask every single author I interview.  And that is to share a recipe with with us which I then later try to make and spotlight on my blog.  You already have a recipe that you’ve contributed to the book Authors in the Kitchen.  Which recipe was it and would you be willing to share it here?

Mary Nethery: Writers in the Kitchen was compiled by Tricia Gardella, a dear friend. Here’s the recipe I contributed in honor of my Italian grandmother:

My Nonna’s Gnocchi

1.5 pounds of potatoes
1 cup flour
1.5 teaspoons salt

Boil, then finely mash the potatoes. Gently knead in the flour and salt. Form the dough into a ball. On a floured board, divide the ball into 4 equal pieces. Make a snake out of each piece. Cut each strip into 1 inch squares. Drop the squares into a pot of boiling water. When they rise to the top, boil for one more minute. Place in a serving dish and add a marinara or pesto sauce, topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Gnocci is an Italian comfort food! Enjoy! (Sorry this is a messy recipe to make, though.)

Maw Books:  What do you do outside the world of books?  Is there a profession other than your own you would like to attempt?

Mary Nethery: I’m always at my computer doing writing things. But I do love to travel to exotic places, eat desserts (especially frosting), play with Dash, find a great fashion piece on sale for lots and lots off, go out to dinner, movies and the theatre with my husband, and spend time with my writing friends. Other professions I’d like to attempt? Maybe a recording artist-I used to sing for my supper when I was in college, or maybe a fashion designer. Sometimes I think it would be exciting to be an ER doctor, but the blood would make me faint. Now that I think about it, I’d love to star in a soap opera!

Maw Books:  In addition to Two Bobbies, I understand you are in the final edits of another book , Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle that you’ve written again with Kirby Larson which will be published this fall.  Will you also tell us about that?

Mary Nethery: What I can say about this story is that it’s truly inspiring, the story of a lifetime. We’ve read about dogs in Iraq who’d been rescued and brought to the states by our men and women in uniform, but none who’d manifested his own destiny like Nubs did. This is a story of the power of love to flourish in even the most dire of circumstances. Everyone involved with Nubs’ story has shown such generosity of talent and love for this project, creating an absolutely stunning book that will make your heart a little bigger after reading it.

Maw Books:  I can’t wait to read it.  Tell us about The Famous Nini:  The Mostly True Story of a Plain White Cat Who Became a Star!

Mary Nethery: I never met a cat I didn’t love! One night I was watching a documentary on cats when I came upon Nini’s story. The idea that a simple white cat could somehow command world attention in the 1890’s didn’t surprise me, but it did intrigue me. Working with the New York Public Library, I found a few books that talked about Nini. Then, finally, I uncovered the person who originally brought Nini’s story to public attention-Jan Morris, a British historian, author and noted travel writer. I contacted her and asked if she knew exactly how Nini became a star. I was surprised and happy when she wrote me back. She said, “Oh I am so sorry, but all I know about the cat Nini I put into those books, and since I gathered the information in the late 1950’s, I’ve really forgotten where it came from!” Now I knew it wouldn’t be possible to solve this mystery. But I remained captivated. What could a cat in Venice in the 1890’s possibly have done to capture the attention of so many celebrities on the world stage-Verdi, the King and Queen of Italy, the Emperor of Ethiopia, Czar Alexander III, Pope Leo XIII? This is what inspired me to write The Famous Nini. I wanted to give Nini his very own story with a beginning, a middle and an end. To write that story, I posed the question: What does a cat have to offer that no other creature possesses? I found the answer in a simple truth- a purr, one of the most primal and soothing sounds in the universe, a gift only a cat can give.  Nini comes out from Clarion in 2010 and is illustrated by John Manders.

Maw Books:  I don’t know anything about Nini.  I can’t wait to read that one as well!  Is there anything else that you’d like to add for our readers?

Mary Nethery: I think I’ve babbled on far too long!

Maw Books:  Thank you so much for joining us today!  It was fun!

Visit Mary at her website.  I loved chatting with Mary and it was my pleasure to host her today courtesy of Provato Marketing, for other stops on the tour please check www.provatoevents.com.

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