Just in case you think you may be too old to pursue a career in writing, Kezi offer inspiration on her page for "Late Bloomers".
Her novels make great reading and also provide a framework and examples on how to create compelling characters, how to "write tight" and how to write a story where the plot moves along with each and every word.
Her novels feature strong female protagonists who overcome obstacles and mature in the process. "John Riley's Daughter", has made the "School Library Journal's" Best Book 2002 List and also Children's Literature Choice Book 2001 Award. Readers meet Memphis Riley, a troubled teen who has been abandoned by her father and must struggle with this fact and adjust to living with her grandmother.
Afton Dupree is the 14 year old protagonist from "Scorpio's Child". Afton and her family are grieving the death of her older brother who was killed in the war when an unknown uncle shows up at her house. Afton realizes she doesn't know everything about her family.
"Flying Lessons" presents 13 year old LaMarr who must learn to live with loss and a broken family.
1.SR: When did you first become aware that you wanted to be a writer?
KM: Writing is something I've done all my life. My earliest memories are of writing and drawing. It never occurred to me as a tadpole that I could 'decide' to be a writer; that was something only famous dead people had done.
2.SR: Why do you write for children?
KM: I didn't make a conscious decision to write for children.. It's where my writing falls and even then, it seems a little difficult to classify at times. I've come to think of it as 'tweener' writing because when I go into bookstores, I'll find it shelved anywhere from Young Reader to Teen Fiction. Also, for what it's worth, I don't write to deliberately deliver even a very subtlemessage. I write to tell a story and let the
