Interview with Julie Cummins on her book, Women Daredevils
What a delight it was to sit down with Julie Cummins to discuss Women Daredevils! Julie’s natural storytelling ability came through as she talked about the women she discovered through her research, and I could have sat and listened all afternoon. When you really think about what these women did in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries and what was socially and politically acceptable for women of that era, these were truly amazing women. Even by today’s standards some would be considered a tad eccentric, which makes reading about them even more fun. These are the kind of stories you just have to share with a friend. Since each chapter is just a few pages long a teacher could read one a day and develop a wonderful rapport with her students. It would also be a great introduction to share with an American history class.
Sharon Salluzzo: How did you discover these "daredevil" women?
Julie Cummins: In 2001, Tomboy of the Air: Daredevil Pilot Blanche Stuart Scott came out. I was also working on another book about another daredevil. I began to wonder where the women in fields that were considered “daredevils” were. I did not come up with much in my search under that term. I then looked at fields in which I knew there were women performing life-threatening acts. For example, I had learned about women wingwalkers and of course there were circus acts. That led me to research all over the United States. The Performing Arts Library at the New York Public Library had a lot of material, mostly old newspaper clippings. I learned a lot about May Worth, the “World’s Greatest Bareback Rider.” She performed with the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1912 at Madison Square Garden. I was allowed to hold the actual newspaper clippings which are almost 100 years old, very brittle and yellowed. Even wearing white cotton gloves I was afraid they would crumble in my hands.
SS: How did you find other research places?
JC: Annie Edson Taylor went over Niagara Falls in a barrel. I contacted the local history department in Niagara Falls and learned they had letters from family members as well as lots of newspaper clippings.
In Bridgeport, CT, I was able to go to the Barnum Museum and view their book, poster and memorabilia collection. They keep the rare books in cages. It was so exciting to see the huge original circus posters from the P. T. Barnum circus. They are almost broadsides, really.
Sometimes, there isn’t much available about a person. For example, I had a postcard that Gertrude Breton had mailed out from Kansas City that described her act of sailing through the air on a bicycle. I could only find small tidbits about her which I then carefully pieced together.
When I was at an American Library Association conference in San Antonio a few years ago, I had hoped to go to the Hertzberg Circus Museum (famous at one time) which changed governance several times, lastly belonging to the San Antonio Library but storage and upkeep costs meant nobody wanted it, so the contents were given to the science museum, the Witte, where it's now in storage. A sad example of under funding.
Some research happens serendipitously. I went to the Air Museum in San Diego and the exhibit at the time was a gallery of women in aviation. I learned about Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick, the woman who performed the first parachute jump.
Sometimes you discover conflicting information. For example, Mabel Cody’s husband was quite the promoter and he claimed that Mabel was related to Buffalo Bill Cody. However, when I checked this with the International Cody Family Association, they said she was not. Well, then I needed to come up with a way to state this conflict in the book.
SS: How did you decide on the 13 women you included?
JC: Just with the circus people you can find many who perform daring acts. I wanted to include the scariest acts, the wildest tricks, those in which people could die, and I wanted to include non-circus performers as well.
SS: The conversational tone of your writing makes this a very inviting book to read. Was it difficult to write in this way?
JC: That came about in an interesting way. I met with my editor, Stephanie Lurie, to discuss ideas for a new book. I presented her with five picture book ideas but she wasn’t impressed with any of them. I then told her I had an idea for a book, and at this time it was simply that – an idea: She said, “I would buy that!” and that is how it all began. We knew that we did not want it to be simply straightforward information. Stephanie suggested that I keep the text “chatty, or conversational.” That meant using bits of humor and including things that would keep kids interested in reading the whole profile. "Conversational" allowed me to bring in things that gave personality to each performer.
SS: Would you describe your writing process for us?
JC: I read the material I have found on the person and jot down notes. For me, things have to perk for a while until I decide I have enough information. Next, I need to get something down in print. Then I begin to tweak the text. I read it out loud to find the awkward parts. It really helps when you listen to the flow. I want to be able to read it aloud, even if most of the time it will be read silently by an individual.
SS: What in your past has helped your writing process?
JC: I took many journalism classes in high school and college. One aspect of the book that I worked very hard on was making the beginning sentences attention-getters. That came after one or two re-writes. One of the reviews of Women Daredevils states that this book is the best example of a great introductory sentence. It was very rewarding to hear that.
SS: How do you feel about rewrites?
JC: Occasionally, the perfect opening just pops into your mind, but more often that not, it needs a re-write. I don’t mind re-writing. In fact, I probably do up to five before sending the book to my editor who then sends it back with lots of blue lines. I don’t mind these comments from the editor. She is almost always right, and the book is a better book for it. Of course, occasionally, I do stand by a choice I have made.
SS: The captions for each chapter are quite clever. Was it difficult to compose them?
JC: Originally, I had grouped the women by air, land and water. I had one caption for each section. Stephanie, my editor, didn’t want to do it that way. She suggested we present them chronologically and asked me to see if I could do one for each person. Some of them were simple because of the way they were promoted. For example, Georgia Broadwick was called, "The Doll Girl of Aviation." For others, I tried to come up with a clever way of indicating their stunts.
SS: You have included a wonderful chronology of women’s achievements in the back of the book. In addition to the chronological order of the performers, you have managed to place them within a historical context. How important was this to you?
JC: The chronology is very important. I wanted to give a context to the women in the book and to highlight how many achievements women have made and to show their role in society. I want young readers to know what a fight it has been for women to challenge men in traditional male roles.
SS: Do you think these late nineteenth and early twentieth century performers empowered young women of that time?
JC: I think these women would have been seen more as oddballs. And, they wore scandalous costumes. I think they would have had some appeal to the more adventurous and nonconformist young women.
SS: Did you have any contact with Cheryl Harness who illustrated the book?
JC: I sent Cheryl copies of all the visual material that I had so she would have a research base upon which to work. She worked some of that material into some of her illustrations. For other performers, there were no illustrations or photos. I think she captured the playfulness of the text. The red border and the style she uses convey the feel of circus posters. It says this is fun and entertaining. I am delighted, too, that Dutton used red foil for the word "Daredevils" on the cover.
SS: Do you have a favorite daredevil?
JC: Hmmm…..I would say Sonora Carver who rode high-diving horses. She was blinded performing her act yet continued to perform for eleven more years. She lived to be 99 years old and died in 2003, and as I state in the book, “a model of courage, fearlessness, and fervor for performing.”
SS: Is there an act you would like to perform?
JC: (emphatically) NO! Well, maybe a parachutist, but no, I have no dreams of adventures like those.
SS: Have you ever done anything daring?
JC: When I was 10 years old and visiting my grandparents’ farm in Loudonville, Ohio I climbed to the top of the silo and called, "Grandma, look at me!" Grandma almost had a heart attack.
SS: Is there anything special that you would like to say to librarians, teachers, parents, and the young people who will read your book?
JC: I am hoping they will discover that reading about people from the past can be as much fun as reading about movie stars and rock stars. I hope this will point up the struggles that women have had as they faced independence. Most of all, I want everyone to know they can dare to dream big.
SS: What's next?
JC: I am working on a companion book to "Daredevils" about women explorers, and I have a book coming out in the spring about another daredevil, which is Sam Patch: Daredevil Jumper.
Contributor: Sharon Salluzzo
Reviews
Women Daredevils: Thrills, Chills, and Frills
Julie Cummins
Illustrated by Cheryl Harness
&bsp; This is one fun and exciting book! The author highlights 14 women who were the first women daredevils in a number of areas between 1880 and 1929. From “human cannonball” Zazel to bicycle riders Mlle. D’Zizi and Gertrude Breton--forerunners of Evil Knieval and his motorcycling leaps over buses--each of the women is highlighted as to her “extreme sport” and the specifics of that challenge as well as to the personal challenges she faced in life. Detailed pen and pencil drawings provide younger readers with fabulous poster-like visuals of both the woman and her particular circus act or daring escapade. Cultural tidbits, such as the fact that American President Woodrow Wilson came to the circus to specifically watch May Wirth, “The World’s Greatest Bareback Rider,” and the news that parachutist Georgie Broadwick tested an aerial life preserver for the Aviation Bureau of the U.S. Navy, are fun to read. Women wing walkers, the first woman to ride down Niagara Falls in a barrel, the first woman wild animal trainer, and the girl with the high-diving horse help to round out this fascinating book. A must-have for any library or any household with adventurous young women in it! 2008, Dutton Children’s Books, $17.99. Ages 6 to 12. Reviewer: Jean Boreen, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
ISBN: 978-0-525-47948-2
ISBN: 0-525-47948-1
Other books by Julie Cummins
Country Kid, City Kid
Julie Cummins
Illustrations by Ted Rand
&bsp; With the passing of the seasons, two children who are miles apart live their lives in such different ways. Ben lives in the country, closely linked to the earth and its rhythms. Far away, Jody goes about her days working and playing in a city world with its street noises, shops full of people, and conveniences. Both children do the same kinds of things but in such dissimilar ways and yet, when they meet at summer camp, they find that their differences don't prevent them from being good friends. They share what they have in common and explore what they do not. In soft watercolor illustrations and with the clever use of insets and frames, the illustrator has helped bring to life two very different worlds--where a tree flames over a county postbox in the fall and where slush splashes on city boots in the winter. On one side of a double spread one finds the country life and on the other side one finds the city life. Then, as one comes towards the end of the book, both children come together on one page, sharing space and friendship. The author shows us that we can be very different because of where we come from and yet still have enough in common to become friends. A very lovely and special book. 2002, Henry Holt and Co, $16.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Marya Jansen-Gruber (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780805064674
The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries
Julie Cummins
Paintings by Roxie Munro
&bsp; Libraries, big institutions like the Library of congress or small local libraries with children's rooms or a single room open a few hours each week, all serve patrons by making books and other materials available. Special libraries for the blind and physically handicapped, special libraries that house unique collections and libraries in special places, are highlighted as is new technology and the future role of libraries. It is an enjoyable look at library services with wonderful illustrations by Munro. They are filled with detail, but have a warm and informal quality. One quibble, from a Librarian who worked there, the Library of Congress does not keep one copy of every book copyrighted. 1996, Dutton, $15.99. Ages 7 up. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
ISBN: 978-0-5254-5608-7
Tomboy of the Air: Daredevil Pilot Blanche Stuart Scott
Julie Cummins
In 1910 when Blanche Stuart Scott became the first woman to drive an automobile cross-country, there were only 218 miles of paved roads in the U.S. (excluding the cities) and there were road maps for only certain parts of the country. During that trip, she made the statement, "Anyone poking around in the clouds in a glorified kite had to be a nut...a complete and absolute idiot!" Little did she know at the time that within months, she would become the first woman pilot in the U.S. Through daring and tenacity, "Daredevil Pilot Blanche Stuart Scott" set several aviation records for women, years before they had the right to vote. In spite of hate letters, broken bones and attempts on her life, she continued to fulfill her dream. Interesting facts and quotes from the biography are skillfully interwoven in the text and are accompanied by black-and-white photographs. Readers can see for themselves how flimsy these early planes were and how courageous she was. Not only will this fill in some gaps in our knowledge of women's history, it will also empower young women to pursue their own dreams, whatever they may be. Chronology, bibliography and index are included. 2001, HarperCollins, $16.95 and $16.89. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
ISBN: 978-0-06-029138-9
Added 07/30/08
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