Ask the Author: Tom Hirschfeld
Answered Questions (6)
Tom Hirschfeld
Since leaving the business world in 2016, I've felt incredibly fortunate to be able to write full time. I love what I do, so if I'm blocked on one project I usually just switch to another. It's good to have a few pots boiling at once!
Tom Hirschfeld
Penguin Random House has signed us up to write a series of IT'S UP TO YOU titles for middle-grade readers. Abe Lincoln is coming out this fall, followed next year by Ben Franklin, and in 2020 by Albert Einstein. We're in editorial on Ben now, and in the middle of writing Albert.
I'm also currently revising a fantasy novel and developing a guide to finance, both for kids. And no, those two are not related!
I'm also currently revising a fantasy novel and developing a guide to finance, both for kids. And no, those two are not related!
Tom Hirschfeld
By reading! Often I stumble across something that piques my curiosity. I dig into it a little, with a few questions in mind: 1) is it truly fascinating? 2) has another author already given it the treatment it deserves? 3) if not, could I be the right person to do that? and 4) would the project be fun? I love to tell the kind of story I'd like to hear: dramatic, new, and hopefully with some bigger meaning to it.
Tom Hirschfeld
My co-author (and daughter) Leila and I love histories and biographies, but they tend to follow a "this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened" narrative. We thought kids might be more engaged if they could imagine THEMSELVES facing the big decisions of Abe Lincoln's life--decisions that did so much to shape our nation's history. We believe, too, that character is defined by the choices one makes. By understanding WHY Lincoln chose as he did, they can understand him better as a human being. That's why our book is written in second person, present tense (you ARE Abe Lincoln!) and focuses on the ten most important decisions Lincoln made in his amazing life--what choice YOU would have made, what Abe actually did and why, and what might have happened if he'd decided differently.
Tom Hirschfeld
I love exploring cool subjects, whether real or fictional, and writing gives me an excuse to do that! I also love writing books that I think could be useful--whether helping you get higher scores at video games, be an even better parent, or put yourself in the shoes of some of history's most interesting people.
Tom Hirschfeld
Don't just write what you know: write what you'd LIKE to know! Whether it's fiction or nonfiction, pick a topic ripe with mysteries that you're hankering to explore. Readers will sense your fascination, and they'll be more likely to come along for the ride.
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