Han Nolan
Award winning author Han Nolan does not enjoy public speaking. Perhaps it's because writing is such a personal and solitary activity. However, she was the keynote speaker at a recent SCBWI conference where she talked about her fears, but they were overridden by her desire to encourage the next generations of writers. She said that she wanted to give back to the profession and the support that she previously received as a fledgling writer.
Han explained that she strives for excellence and believes it is even more important today with the ease of self-publishing, blogging and writing for other social media. She noted that some might say, "so what if the text has not been vetted by a professional." However, it is the professional's eye that leads to revisions and produces the very best writing. She observed that good writing is really a collection that includes good language, plot, illustrations and more. Young readers need to be inspired and invigorated and most importantly told that they are not alone with their fears and concerns. There is always the danger that the writer may fail and that is what Han meant about writing being a risk.
Han told the story of a book signing that was scheduled after her first book If I Should Die Before I Wake was published. She was at a conference in Vermont with her critique group and later learned that a review has been published that was extremely negative. Her friends knew but had not told her. The worst was yet to come; her book was not on display at the conference and the books never arrived at the book store for the signing. She had to stand in the doorway and turn people away. A couple of weeks later the store owner called to apologize and said that the store was bankrupt but they had been keeping it open just for her. Bad things continued when a well-known author accused Han of copying her book. Fortunately she had sent her manuscript to an editor who had advised her to cut 100 pages so the tempest was eventually resolved.
When asked why she wrote the book, Han responded that it was a story that needed to be written and that she believed it would impact teen's lives. Her first book also became one of her best sellers, in spite of the first negative review. She received many letters from teens telling her how much the story had changed their lives.
After winning the National Book Award for Dancing on the Edge in 1997, Han was obliged to go on the speaking circuit and, as previously noted, this was not an activity that she enjoyed. She went into hiding, so to speak, and worried about suffering from writers block. Was she too ambitious, would she fail, did she need to lower her sights, but still strive for excellence? When she wrote Han said would ask herself "why am I doing this," but the answer was always a compelling need to tell a story. She had to tear down this curtain of fear. One day her daughter (Han has 3 adopted children) brought home a word jumble and Han realized that it was like her brain—and perhaps all of our brains—words and stories just running around in a jumble. "We are really our own worst enemies. We are afraid to risk going beyond what is safe."
She observed that striving for excellence is exhilarating for those afraid to take risks. You need to write new "stuff" and move on. Test yourself and risk it. Go to critique groups, but resist undertaking research that can go on for years and thus become an excuse not to write "the story." Attend conferences and interact with writers, editors and readers. She said that she would love to just have a book flow right out of her, but if that happened she would be fearful that it was not the best that she could do. Truth comes from the gut, and heart and truth in character and voice are critical if a writer is going to strive for excellence. Her goal is to capture an idea in a new way and produce books that will change lives.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
Reviews
Born Blue
Han Nolan
This mesmerizing book details the turbulent childhood of Janie, a.k.a Leshaya. Rescued from the brink of death from a drug-addicted mother, this girl has seen it all—foster homes, physical abuse and teenage pregnancy. This childhood damages Janie and prevents her from bonding with anyone around her, even her own child. The only thing that keeps Janie sane is her desire to sing the blues. Learning to feel compassion and empathy are difficult for her. Written from Janie's perspective, this book makes us struggle with her and feel her internal pain from the years of abandonment and abuse. This book is painful, yet important to read because it reveals the tremendous burden placed on many innocent young children. The book includes profanity and sexually explicit scenes. 2001, Harcourt, Ages 14 up, $17.00. Reviewer: Rebecca Joseph (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152019167
Crazy
Han Nolan
Fifteen-year-old Jason Papadoupolis has recurring nightmares about being buried alive—by his father. The truly horrifying part is that they are not just nightmares, they are a real childhood memory. Jason's father has struggled with mental illness his entire life, but for all of Jason's life, his mother has helped keep the family together. Now, with his mother dead, Jason has had to maneuver through his father's delusions without support. Jason is tired of being alone. There are voices in his head that have helped him manage his life, but Jason is now speaking out for himself and that lands him in group therapy with Haze, Pete and Shelby. Shelby is a short, freckled girl whose mother is dying of ALS and Jason finds himself oddly attracted to her, oddly because he has never before had a girlfriend or even these kinds of feelings. As Mr. Papadoupolis slips deeper into his mental illness, the four classmates band together. Jason learns more about his friends and the difficulties with which they too are dealing. But in the end, Jason needs more support than even his friends can provide. Nolan's novel takes readers deep into the world of mental illness where the conversations can seem so imaginative and the dysfunction can be so deadly. In the midst of his father's crisis, Jason is struck with the identity issues that all young adults face: "Who am I?" More frighteningly, Jason also must ask himself "Am I crazy, too?" His raw emotions and outbursts are both humorous and poignant; readers cannot help but want there to be a resolution for Jason and his father. Picking up where Sonya Sones left off in Stop Pretending, Jason's story takes readers into a darker reality where solutions are very complex. 2010, Harcourt/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 12 up, $17.00. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152051099
Dancing on the Edge
Han Nolan
Raised by her grandmother Gigi in an atmosphere of mystical rules and beliefs, Miracle McCloy is constantly reminded that she was rescued from the womb of a dead woman—a "miracle" birth—and that she is expected to become a prodigy, much like Dane, her moody novelist father. When Gigi claims that Dane has "melted" and can't be found Miracle devotes all of her energies to contacting him and bringing him back. Her descent into a reclusive imaginary world strikes bottom when she sets herself on fire in a desperate dance among lit candles. In the hospital she meets Dr. DeAngelis, a young psychiatrist who helps her to discover the truth about her life. Adolescent girls searching for something different to read will enjoy this unique, well-written story. 1997, Harcourt Brace, Ages 14 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Tim Whitney (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152016487
A Face in Every Window
Han Nolan
Grandma Mary was the glue that held James Patrick O'Brien's family together. When Grandma Mary dies suddenly, JP's family unravels like so much knitting. His father, who has always been "weak in the head," now spends much of his time sitting on the roof, keeping company with a large plastic Nativity scene. And Mam—well, Mam is just not Mam anymore. First, she wins a farmhouse in rural New Hope, Pennsylvania. Then she accumulates the strangest assortment of "artistic" types, misfits ranging from musicians to poets to reformed drug dealers. The worst thing is how Mam spends way too much time with Dr. Mike. JP, who craves order in his life and fears chaos above all else, feels ashamed and angry with his mother. He is an outcast among Mam's eccentric new friends. Finally, Mam does something that JP can never forgive, and JP is alone in his world. In this finely crafted drama about love, pain, grief and ultimately, redemption, Han Nolan paints a poignant picture of a family torn apart by tragedy. 1999, Harcourt Brace, Ages 12 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Christopher Moning (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152019150
Pregnant Pause
Han Nolan
Eleanor Crowe is sixteen and pregnant. National Book Award winner Han Nolan endows Elly with an impressive number of obstacles to cope with: her boyfriend Lam drinks, parties, and gets stoned; her religious parents are furious and soon fly back to Kenya for their work with orphans; her self-righteous sister in California wants the baby; and Elly herself is rebellious, having just given up smoking, boozing, and drugs following two stints in juvenile detention. What options does she have? Just one, really: Marry Lam and spend the summer at his parents' primitive camp for overweight kids, working as a counselor-in-training and waiting for the baby's birth. While Lam continues being an irresponsible adolescent, Elly gradually begins to find herself as a dance teacher, resident cabin counselor, and confidante to one lonely girl. She makes friends with several counselors, and becomes especially close to seductive musician Ziggy, who seems to offer her a lifeline to keeping her baby and finding a decent future. As Elly realizes her marriage to Lam is a dead end, one thing after another starts to go wrong. Since she has avoided seeing a doctor (laying the groundwork for a surprise after the birth), Elly is frightened when told she will need a cesarean section. Although her parents, sister, and Ziggy rally round for the birth, one by one they desert Elly, leaving her with heart-rending choices pulling her between common sense and her desperate dreams. After such agony, the answer to her future seems contrived. Nevertheless, Nolan's characters are well-drawn—Elly is sharp, stubborn, and determined—and emotions run deep. Readers will certainly understand that impulsive actions can have devastating consequences. 2011, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 14 up, $16.99. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152065706
A Summer of Kings
Han Nolan
In the summer of 1963, in posh Westchester County, 14-year-old Esther Young feels like a misfit, perennially left behind: in school, in friendships, and in her family, where the focus is on her talented younger siblings. Whatever she does seems wrong. When a young black man, King-Roy Johnson, is sent north to stay with them after having been accused of murdering the white fireman who turned hoses on him at a civil rights demonstration, she hopes that his visit will provide the longed-for summer adventure. Oblivious of the racial difference between them, she dreams of having a boyfriend—But King-Roy has his own concerns. Disillusioned with non-violence, he joins the Black Muslims and adopts their rejection of the white world. While the romance fizzles, he is the catalyst for her summer of growth. Their arguments illustrate the tensions and varying political beliefs in the black community at that time. She discovers Harlem's poverty, reads Gandhi, Baldwin, and Martin Luther King, and spurs her family to join the March on Washington. Esther's mother looks to her to help manage the complex household that includes her Broadway director father, an aunt who rehabilitates injured wild animals, a brother who sneaks off for ballet lessons while her 6-year-old sister auditions for dramatic roles, and two long-term houseguests, all of whom are recognizably interesting characters and who play some part in Esther's changing view of herself. Rich and thought provoking this is a window into a tumultuous time, as well as a compelling coming-of-age story. 2006, Harcourt Children's Books, Ages 12 to 16, $17.00. Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152051082
When We Were Saints
Han Nolan
This stunning YA novel by National Book Award winner Han Nolan takes on the neglected topic of adolescent spirituality in an intense, probing story of a 14-year-old boy, Archie Caswell, who sets out to strive toward sainthood in the company of a complex, mysterious girl who considers herself to be the current incarnation of Saint Clare. Together, the two run away from their concerned families and close-knit Southern community on a pilgrimage in search of enlightenment at the Cloisters in New York City. They carry no worldly goods, trusting to the Lord (with considerable success) to provide for all their needs. Archie alternates between moments of rapturous ecstasy in communion with God, guilt over leaving his dying grandmother, love for Clare that has more physical yearning in it than he is willing to admit, and increasing anxiety over Clare's mounting fanaticism. At what point does mysticism cross over into mere insanity? What does Jesus really ask of those who commit themselves to follow Him? The novel offers no easy answers, but explores the quest of these two young aspiring saints in remarkable depth, mingling respect for even the most extreme expressions of religious devotion with skepticism regarding the ever-present potential for religious faith to result in self-deception. A brilliant, memorable book. 2003, Harcourt, Ages 12 up, $17.00. Reviewer: Claudia Mills, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780152163716
Updated 11/29/11
To stay up to date on new books by this author, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here.
If you're interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.