Ask the Author: Paula Berinstein
Answered Questions (15)
Paula Berinstein
Hi, Linda!
Yes, yes, yes! Thank you so much for your interest in Amanda! I would love to talk with you. My email address is amandalesterdetective@gmail.com.
Solvere scelus!
Paula
Yes, yes, yes! Thank you so much for your interest in Amanda! I would love to talk with you. My email address is amandalesterdetective@gmail.com.
Solvere scelus!
Paula
Paula Berinstein
I love this question! When I first read it I thought, "Everyone is going to say the world of Harry Potter. I should say something different." But as I thought about it I realized that was true for me and I should fess up. So here it is.
I would go to Harry Potter's world and be a double agent. Ostensibly I'd be a death eater, but I'd really be working for Hogwarts. That way I'd get to be both good and evil. What could be better than that?
I would go to Harry Potter's world and be a double agent. Ostensibly I'd be a death eater, but I'd really be working for Hogwarts. That way I'd get to be both good and evil. What could be better than that?
Paula Berinstein
I have decided to undertake a rather ambitious project. I want to read at least one historical novel for every country on the planet. Obviously I won't be able to read all of them during the summer but I'm going to start. I would love suggestions for great books set in the various places!!!
Paula Berinstein
Boy, that's a doozy. You've had me thinking about this question all day.
Whether for good or ill, my life doesn't include mysteries of the whodunit kind. What it has a lot of, however, is psychological mysteries: why has this or that happened? And one of the most baffling of those is, why were my parents' and grandparents' lives so joyless?
As I turn the question over in my mind, I see many possible reasons: personal trauma, flight from repression, daily struggle, a culture that stifles joy. My maternal grandparents fled Russia long before the Bolshevik revolution. I suspect they were fleeing the pogroms that decimated so many Jewish families. My paternal grandparents were born in the U.S., but their parents were immigrants. Perhaps the same was true of them.
My sense, though, is that it goes deeper than that. My father, who was born in Los Angeles in the 1920s, could be downright funereal. Everything was always so serious, so grave. Family get-togethers were so oppressive I felt like I wanted to scream. One of the most vivid memories I have of him was his telling me that this or that relative "passed away," a term I never use as a result.
On my mother's side it was slightly better but a heaviness was always there too. Perhaps it's that people who become refugees are always looking over their shoulders. My grandfather, who left Russia when he was about nineteen, might have felt that way. And yet my grandmother wouldn't have thought of herself that way or even remembered. She left Ukraine for England when she was four, moved to the U.S. when she was eighteen.
Personal trauma? None that I'm aware of. Daily struggle? For a while money was short but I never got the impression that they were desperate. Cultural reasons? We've all heard of Jewish guilt, Jewish seriousness. Could that be it?
There is one other possibility that comes to mind: chemistry. Perhaps my family is simply depressed. My father certainly was. Whether that was genetic or whether the other side of my family had something like that I don't know. But I do think there might be a good story in all this. Now you've really got me wondering.
Whether for good or ill, my life doesn't include mysteries of the whodunit kind. What it has a lot of, however, is psychological mysteries: why has this or that happened? And one of the most baffling of those is, why were my parents' and grandparents' lives so joyless?
As I turn the question over in my mind, I see many possible reasons: personal trauma, flight from repression, daily struggle, a culture that stifles joy. My maternal grandparents fled Russia long before the Bolshevik revolution. I suspect they were fleeing the pogroms that decimated so many Jewish families. My paternal grandparents were born in the U.S., but their parents were immigrants. Perhaps the same was true of them.
My sense, though, is that it goes deeper than that. My father, who was born in Los Angeles in the 1920s, could be downright funereal. Everything was always so serious, so grave. Family get-togethers were so oppressive I felt like I wanted to scream. One of the most vivid memories I have of him was his telling me that this or that relative "passed away," a term I never use as a result.
On my mother's side it was slightly better but a heaviness was always there too. Perhaps it's that people who become refugees are always looking over their shoulders. My grandfather, who left Russia when he was about nineteen, might have felt that way. And yet my grandmother wouldn't have thought of herself that way or even remembered. She left Ukraine for England when she was four, moved to the U.S. when she was eighteen.
Personal trauma? None that I'm aware of. Daily struggle? For a while money was short but I never got the impression that they were desperate. Cultural reasons? We've all heard of Jewish guilt, Jewish seriousness. Could that be it?
There is one other possibility that comes to mind: chemistry. Perhaps my family is simply depressed. My father certainly was. Whether that was genetic or whether the other side of my family had something like that I don't know. But I do think there might be a good story in all this. Now you've really got me wondering.
Paula Berinstein
Claire and Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series. They're unusual because they're a married couple whose passion for each other flourishes over decades. They're still as much in love in their fifties and sixties as they are in their twenties. They're also intelligent, resourceful, and committed risk-takers who believe in helping others as much as themselves. They both have strong consciences and active minds and bodies. Plus they're just so interesting!
Paula Berinstein
Wow, I almost didn't see this question, Derrick. A lot, actually. Some of it is speculative, that is I'm looking for something that will work in the story. I did that with Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy. I did a lot of research on sugar before I started. I originally intended to feature a panel of sugar tasters, kind of like the way there are olive oil tasters and wine tasters. I wanted to know everything I could about sugar. And then I dropped the idea.
But I also do research on technologies and facts that I know I am going to use. In Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis, I looked at acoustic levitation, a way of lifting things with sound waves, which is actually real, although I do exaggerate it. In Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle I researched quartz and gold and their tendency to be found together. But I also look at how much things weigh, what they cost, what their chemical components are, and a lot of other things.
I use a lot of images too. Maps, quite often, but also just pictures of things. For the pink book I gathered pictures of factory interiors and exteriors as well as English boarding schools. For the orange book I found pictures of quarries. Some of the research is to help Anna with the covers, such as with the forthcoming red book (Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus), in which I found pictures of crawl spaces under buildings.
By the way, I used to do research for a living, so the process comes pretty naturally to me.
Thank you so much for your question!!!!
But I also do research on technologies and facts that I know I am going to use. In Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis, I looked at acoustic levitation, a way of lifting things with sound waves, which is actually real, although I do exaggerate it. In Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle I researched quartz and gold and their tendency to be found together. But I also look at how much things weigh, what they cost, what their chemical components are, and a lot of other things.
I use a lot of images too. Maps, quite often, but also just pictures of things. For the pink book I gathered pictures of factory interiors and exteriors as well as English boarding schools. For the orange book I found pictures of quarries. Some of the research is to help Anna with the covers, such as with the forthcoming red book (Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus), in which I found pictures of crawl spaces under buildings.
By the way, I used to do research for a living, so the process comes pretty naturally to me.
Thank you so much for your question!!!!
Paula Berinstein
Hi, Lola,
Thanks so much for your great questions!
The best thing about writing middle grade books is the opportunity to combine imagination, humor, and fun. Tweens and young teens will happily suspend their disbelief and embrace exaggeration and silliness in ways that many adults can't or won't. They also appreciate complexity in ways that younger kids aren't yet able to do. They really are the perfect readers--so open and creative.
I write mystery because that's mostly what I read, and I read mystery because I love trying to figure things out. Mysteries are propelled forward by the search for the truth, with each step leading naturally to the next. It's pretty hard to get bored when you're on a quest. Plus I love the variety of detectives that populate mysteries: the amateur sleuths, the professional probers, the noble truth-seekers, the damaged personalities whose twisted pasts (and presents) inform everything they do. And by the way, lots of stories that don't call themselves mysteries actually are, such as the Harry Potter stories.
Thanks so much for your great questions!
The best thing about writing middle grade books is the opportunity to combine imagination, humor, and fun. Tweens and young teens will happily suspend their disbelief and embrace exaggeration and silliness in ways that many adults can't or won't. They also appreciate complexity in ways that younger kids aren't yet able to do. They really are the perfect readers--so open and creative.
I write mystery because that's mostly what I read, and I read mystery because I love trying to figure things out. Mysteries are propelled forward by the search for the truth, with each step leading naturally to the next. It's pretty hard to get bored when you're on a quest. Plus I love the variety of detectives that populate mysteries: the amateur sleuths, the professional probers, the noble truth-seekers, the damaged personalities whose twisted pasts (and presents) inform everything they do. And by the way, lots of stories that don't call themselves mysteries actually are, such as the Harry Potter stories.
Paula Berinstein
Thanks so much for your question, Jason. Very interesting!
The simple answer is no. I'm not avoiding taking risks. I've taken so many risks in my life that I'm not sure there are many left untaken. What I am doing is avoiding doing things I'm not yet ready to do because I haven't finished laying the groundwork yet.
Let me explain. Self-publishing has turned out to be much more difficult than I thought it would be. If you look around, it seems that it's lost most of its stigma and indie writers can succeed as well as writers who go the traditional route. However, that's not quite the case. It is still very difficult to get past the gatekeepers, which means it's difficult to get reviews and to sell books. Many, or should I say most, reviewers will not look at self-published books, and that includes not just Library Journal, etc. but also bloggers. It is also still nearly impossible to get self-published books into libraries, especially school libraries, which in the case of kids' books, don't want to buy books that aren't on the AR (Accelerated Reading) lists, and of course if you're self-published it's very hard to get onto the lists. Of course it's nearly impossible to get *any* book into physical bookstores. Etc., etc.
All of this means that it's very difficult to establish credibility, and without credibility, it's hard to get speaking gigs, do school visits, raise money, win awards, etc. So before I can "take the risk" of attempting to do those things, I have to establish credibility. And that's where I feel stuck at the moment. I have big plans I want to implement. I've just got to get past a few obstacles first.
Just one more note. If you'd asked me this question a decade or two ago, my answer would have been completely different. Experience makes a lot of difference. After a while you can either just do things or don't worry when you can't. Age has its advantages. :)
The simple answer is no. I'm not avoiding taking risks. I've taken so many risks in my life that I'm not sure there are many left untaken. What I am doing is avoiding doing things I'm not yet ready to do because I haven't finished laying the groundwork yet.
Let me explain. Self-publishing has turned out to be much more difficult than I thought it would be. If you look around, it seems that it's lost most of its stigma and indie writers can succeed as well as writers who go the traditional route. However, that's not quite the case. It is still very difficult to get past the gatekeepers, which means it's difficult to get reviews and to sell books. Many, or should I say most, reviewers will not look at self-published books, and that includes not just Library Journal, etc. but also bloggers. It is also still nearly impossible to get self-published books into libraries, especially school libraries, which in the case of kids' books, don't want to buy books that aren't on the AR (Accelerated Reading) lists, and of course if you're self-published it's very hard to get onto the lists. Of course it's nearly impossible to get *any* book into physical bookstores. Etc., etc.
All of this means that it's very difficult to establish credibility, and without credibility, it's hard to get speaking gigs, do school visits, raise money, win awards, etc. So before I can "take the risk" of attempting to do those things, I have to establish credibility. And that's where I feel stuck at the moment. I have big plans I want to implement. I've just got to get past a few obstacles first.
Just one more note. If you'd asked me this question a decade or two ago, my answer would have been completely different. Experience makes a lot of difference. After a while you can either just do things or don't worry when you can't. Age has its advantages. :)
Paula Berinstein
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Paula Berinstein
I'm not sure inspiration has much to do with it. I treat my writing as a job. I sit down and do it every weekday. I get excited when I'm doing it, but I don't think that's the same thing as inspiration.
Paula Berinstein
Detail and specificity is everything. That means you will have to become a psychologist, set designer, costumer, architect, film director, and a whole lot of other things you never expected, but it's worth it for the richness you'll bring to your story.
Oh, and pay attention to your timeline. Don't do what I did: have your characters do more in 24 hours than they could possibly do and then have to back up and change everything.
Oh, and pay attention to your timeline. Don't do what I did: have your characters do more in 24 hours than they could possibly do and then have to back up and change everything.
Paula Berinstein
I am finishing up the outline for the fifth book in the Amanda Lester, Detective series. I have written books one through three and outlined number four. Next up: write #4.
Paula Berinstein
I get to live my dream. What could be better than that?
Paula Berinstein
I don't get writer's block per se. Sometimes it takes me a while to work out a plot point or a specific detail, and then I brainstorm and/or do research. The research is important because my books have a lot of science and technology in them, and I don't know it all off the top of my head. But because I plan out my books in great detail before I write them, I don't get blocked at all during the writing period.
When I brainstorm, I try to think of the craziest possibilities I can. I want my books to be fun and different, so I never settle for the first idea that pops into my head. Sometimes I free associate, sometimes I envision my setting in my head and mentally explore it, and sometimes I just take my characters through various scenarios. I also find that writing things down on a grid with my story beats, characters, and sub-plots help the juices flow.
When I brainstorm, I try to think of the craziest possibilities I can. I want my books to be fun and different, so I never settle for the first idea that pops into my head. Sometimes I free associate, sometimes I envision my setting in my head and mentally explore it, and sometimes I just take my characters through various scenarios. I also find that writing things down on a grid with my story beats, characters, and sub-plots help the juices flow.
Paula Berinstein
I love mysteries, and I’ve always wondered if I could write them. But before I could start, I had to invent a detective. I wanted it to be a woman because I thought I could get inside a woman’s head better than a man’s, and I wanted her to be unusual. I came up with the idea of a young woman who would rebel against her upbringing. Her family would be intellectual and college-educated, but she wouldn’t want to be anything like them, so she’d become a plumber. And so I made her a plumber’s apprentice. In the first story, she’d find a dead body under a house when she crawled underneath to fix a pipe.
I got the idea of her being descended from the fictional character Inspector Lestrade because unlike Amanda, I love Sherlock Holmes and I wanted to use him in the story, but only indirectly. Trying to follow Conan Doyle’s amazing act was just too intimidating, so I didn’t want to write about Holmes himself. Since I like the idea of finding out more about minor characters, Lestrade was the perfect choice.
I also thought that being American, I would naturally be able to write about an American character, so I made Amanda American. At first the entire setting for the story was going to be Los Angeles—specifically Woodland Hills—which I know really well. But I couldn’t make that setting interesting enough, so I moved the story to England, which is where my husband, Alan, comes from.
But I still had difficulty—until I came up with the idea of making Amanda a kid. Once I did that, I was able to invent a school for her to attend, and everything fell into place. Writing for kids allowed me to come up with some crazy ideas, such as a sugar conspiracy, which adults might have trouble taking seriously.
I got the idea of her being descended from the fictional character Inspector Lestrade because unlike Amanda, I love Sherlock Holmes and I wanted to use him in the story, but only indirectly. Trying to follow Conan Doyle’s amazing act was just too intimidating, so I didn’t want to write about Holmes himself. Since I like the idea of finding out more about minor characters, Lestrade was the perfect choice.
I also thought that being American, I would naturally be able to write about an American character, so I made Amanda American. At first the entire setting for the story was going to be Los Angeles—specifically Woodland Hills—which I know really well. But I couldn’t make that setting interesting enough, so I moved the story to England, which is where my husband, Alan, comes from.
But I still had difficulty—until I came up with the idea of making Amanda a kid. Once I did that, I was able to invent a school for her to attend, and everything fell into place. Writing for kids allowed me to come up with some crazy ideas, such as a sugar conspiracy, which adults might have trouble taking seriously.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more