Bruce Coville: 100 Books and Counting
Always October, published in July 2012, was Bruce Coville's 100th published book. This feat is all the more remarkable when one looks through his oeuvre and sees that throughout his prolific career, Bruce Coville has never lost touch with a child's sense of wonder or a kid's sense of humor. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the Youth Services Section of the New York Library Association chose Coville as the recipient of the Empire State Award for Excellence in Literature for Young People last year. Past recipients include such luminaries as Maurice Sendak and Linda Sue Park. "It's an august company to be a part of," acknowledges the humble author.
Given for a body of work rather than a specific title, Bruce feels that this award "validates the use of humor in children's books." As fond of a fart as a fourth grader, Coville explains how humor can make the emotional landscape deeper and higher.
"If you go in a straight line, you can only go straight up for a limited time before you peak, but if you break that upward movement with a laugh, you drop back but start again from a higher point." Bruce references the "clowns of God" from early religious ceremonies whose purpose was to break the trance so that worshipers could reenter the sacred experience at a higher level. "It works at everything from building suspense to making love," he adds, with an impish grin.
As much fun as it is to read Bruce Coville's works, it might be even more fun to listen to them on audio, often featuring the man himself as the narrator of a full-cast production. In addition to the popular Unicorn Chronicle books and the Magic Shop series, you can also hear acclaimed recordings from Tamora Pierce, Geraldine McCaughrean, Kristin Cashore and Shannon Hale. Bound to Stay Bound offers these and more Full Cast Audio productions in the popular Playaway format.
If Always October is vintage Coville (and it is), then his next book was something readers would deem just as precious: a new book that is vintage Danziger. Amber Brown Is Tickled Pink is a collaboration between Coville and Elizabeth Levy. The late Paula Danziger's agent and publisher wanted to relaunch the series. "Liz and I were Paula's best friends," confides Coville. "We always referred to each other as 'the other best friend.'" A new Amber Brown presented some feelings that had to be resolved, however, and the creative solution of co-authoring prepared the way for partnership. "It was very important to both of us that it not be seen as trying to trade on our friendship with Paula-- something about the collaboration process felt better."
It was a bittersweet experience for Bruce. "Paula and had I read our books together since the early 90s," Bruce fondly recalls. "I had heard every word of every Amber Brown before it had even been sent to the editor, so I knew the voice very well." Liz had a vision for how the collaboration would work--one that seems to also illustrate her fondness for show business. "Liz and I sat across from each other, both at our keyboards, talking and typing at the same time, writing simultaneously." they quickly fell into a rhythm and understood their strengths. "I'd say, 'It's clothing, you take it.' She'd say 'It's crafts. I hate crafts, you take it.' We wrote simultaneously." Bruce continues that "It was in many ways a three-way collaboration--the third person in the room was Paula. She would be happy it was happening." Bruce then adds, "She would also be pissed that she wasn't here to do it."
This ability to laugh through the tears is at the heart of Coville's appeal and success. Bruce receives much fan mail. Those not begging him to write more Unicorn Chronicles (publishers, take note!) are often in response to his popular Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher. Many of the children writing him admit that the book made them cry. "I get the sense that it was the first book that moved them in that way," the author says. Boys especially often confess to crying to Bruce--he's not only the author but they have a sense that he will understand.
Bruce Coville is also an in-demand speaker. When talking to adults, he wants to give them useful craft information that they can walk away with and add to their repertoire of skills. "But more than that, I want to give them a sense of the importance of what we do, and how much joy we should take in what we do, and how lucky we are to do it." He is especially pleased when someone comes up to him after a speech and tells him, "This is what I needed, this made the whole trip worthwhile." "If I can do that for one person," he states, "then I feel like I've done my job."
Then comes the confession. "My secret goal is to make people both laugh and cry, and, even more, I want to feed their hearts." This is also why he has found a home in books for kids. "I like to work in children's books because it is a less cynical area. One reason my books work and why I work as a speaker is because I am not afraid to show my heart."
That heart beats through the 101 Bruce Coville books available and will no doubt continue unabashed for the next hundred as well.
-- Interviewed by Ellen Myrick, January 2013
