About Kathryn Erskine
Where I'm from...THE NETHERLANDS: Where I was born.
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ISRAEL: My first memories--of sand, friendship, and men emptying our house of everything we owned while my mother stood by calmly and they drove away in a truck. (Movers, only I didn't know what that meant at the time.)
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SOUTH AFRICA: Where I slept in the bush, and got the seeds of inspiration for MAMA AFRICA: HOW MIRIAM MAKEBA SPREAD HOPE WITH HER SONG and SEEING RED. More firsts . . . school, where I carried my bookbag on my head and sang African songs . . . first sense of place, believing I was African, despite my sister's insistence that we were Americans . . . first taste of politics, the terrible policy of apartheid . . . first realization that grownups are not perfect and sometimes quite nasty.
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VIRGINIA: This is when I was most like Julian in THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC OF BEING (OK, I still am!).
Also, more seeds of inspiration for SEEING RED.
Note: I frustrated my mother to no end by forgetting to take my sweater off on picture day.
Also, more seeds of inspiration for SEEING RED.
Note: I frustrated my mother to no end by forgetting to take my sweater off on picture day.
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SCOTLAND: Living here inspired THE BADGER KNIGHT (see what I was reading?)!
My school was like Hogwarts, without magic, but complete with: 1. Houses (mine was "Douglas," gold badge) 2. Colorful teacher nicknames (The L, Giant, Furry Forrie) 3. Detentions (I still remember writing lines: "I must ask permission when this is necessary.") 4. Prefects (to be avoided--can lead to #3, above) 5. Plimsoles (sneakers), rubbers (erasers), prep (homework), berets (the hat kind), vests (the undershirt kind), knickers (the underpants kind), "elevenses" (snack), pudding (dessert), eating at high table (think: sitting between Dumbledore and McGonagall in the Hogwarts dining hall), and the best, a "siggie" or "signature" (a coveted slip of paper bearing the Headmistress's signature, recognizing you for a brave act or noble deed, and earning you extra points for your House as well as the admiration of your peers). |
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ALABAMA: Where I won my first writing award! Also, more inspiration for SEEING RED, which is set at the same time that I lived in Alabama.
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NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA: Icebergs in the harbor, Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights), the silver thaw, Bayman versus Townie, cod jigging, caplin running, fish and bruise, curling, screech, mummers, and if none of this makes sense, I hope to one day finish my novel that explains it all (so much to write, so little time!).
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VIRGINIA: Home, though I still love traveling and, as always, learning, reading, writing, playing games, eating chocolate, drinking coffee, and laughing with family and friends.