Nancy Pearl talked about A Brief History of Montmaray this week in her regular book spot on KUOW-FM, a Seattle radio station. I am very chuffed about this – not only to hear someone on the other side of the world recommending my book, but also because this was NANCY PEARL. The most famous librarian in the world! Probably the only librarian to have her own action figure1 and trading cards and to have a tribute bluegrass band named in her honour!
The interview with Marcie Sillman includes some discussion about what distinguishes Young Adult fiction from adult fiction (“Marketing,” Nancy Pearl astutely observes) and the role of history in historical fiction. You can listen to more book recommendations at the KUOW website. Thank you, Nancy Pearl. Thank you, KUOW. And thank you, book people of Seattle.
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Fame at last! Congratulations. I wish we had a celebrity librarian like Nancy Pearl in the UK (imagine having someone like her on Celebrity Big Brother!)
Thank you! I was trying to think whether there are any celebrity librarians in Australia. While I do know the names of quite a few librarians, I don’t think any of them are famous outside of their libraries, which is a pity.
I heard that very broadcast on KUOW with Nancy Pearl, and went immediately to the library on my small island (San Juan Island, between the US and Canada, larger than Montmoray, but still…..). For some odd reason, they had only the middle volume, so I ordered 1 and 3 through inter-library loan, and had to wait more than a week to start reading. I just finished the second book, and have decided that Sophie and I must be related—at least, I know she is one of my favorite narrators and protagonists of all time. I can’t wait to start book 3, yet I’m so reluctant to have the story be done. I have recommended these books to many people, especially other adults, as I know not enough of them read “young adult” fiction. Poor them.
Thank you, Michelle, for some of the best writing and most wonderful books in the world. Now I have to take a deep breath and tackle the 3rd book, which I know will be intense and tough and leave me crying.
Thank you very much, and I’m so glad you’re enjoying the books! I’m also very pleased to hear from an island reader. I’d never heard of the San Juan Islands till now (although I have been to Vancouver), so I looked them up and your island looks very beautiful (although the winters are probably quite similar to Montmaray’s). I am also completely charmed by the names of the islands! Puffin Island, Bird Rock, Geese Islets, Rum Island, The Sisters, Gossip Island . . .
Oh, well done, Michelle! They are wonderful books indeed and I’m really chuffed that an Aussie writer should be recommended by such a famous person. I had a giggle over the action figure, complete with push-button “Shh!”
Thanks, Sue! Do you have a librarian action figure in your own library? The more celebration of librarians, the better!
Afraid not. 🙁 But I do have some gifts from students on display. 🙂 And I’ve never said, “Shh!” in my entire career.;-)