J.M. NORTHUP

My Interview with KELLY BRAKENHOFF!

I worked with OH kids (I am certain they use a different term today) while I was in school and took ASL as my second language during college.  Understanding the need for inclusion and the desire to eliminate all prejudices, I am honored to chat with you, and introduce you to my readers.  Thank you for joining me today!

• The way a person sees themselves is very revealing.  It says a lot about them, so I always kick off my interviews with the same question.  Therefore, please tell us how you’d describe yourself?
  • Thank you so much for having me today, Julie! I’m excited to know that you studied ASL in college too. I juggle a lot of roles, so that’s how I’d describe myself: wife, mom, grandma, ASL Interpreter and author. In between work and play, I squeeze in runner, Husker fan, traveler, and reader. Although I’m pretty busy, that’s the way I like it!
• You write in extremes.  Mystery/thrillers are a whole different ballgame than children’s books.  This intrigues me.  Let’s start learning about your writing habits and preferences as well as your muses.
  • I know you were a young reader and writer.  Can you recall the earliest book(s) and writer(s) to make a lasting imprint on your mind?
    • I’ve been a lifelong bookworm! My early favorites ranged from Erma Bombeck to Nancy Drew.
    • What about them affected you and made them stand out?
      • Erma’s weekly column was in my local newspaper growing up. I remember reading If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits? I was probably twelve and knew nothing about being a funny middle-aged housewife, but Erma had a way of making everyday situations hilarious and poignant at the same time. I still have a few tattered columns I cut out in high school.
      • When I became a mother, I re-read some of her books and understood them in a whole new light. My favorite columns are I’ve Always Loved You Best Because, and If I Had My Life to Live Over.
      • For many years at the end of my emails, the signature read, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.” Erma’s words inspired me to finally finish my first novel when I was 50 because I didn’t want God’s work to go to waste on me.
  • I read you and your sister, Theresa, would make comic books together.  Were you comic enthusiasts, or what encouraged you to create your own?
    • My sister has been an artist since she could hold a crayon in her hand. She refused to write stories with me unless she could draw the pictures. I was a Snoopy and Garfield fan, so making our own comics was a natural choice for our creativity.
      • Were you into the Sunday comic strips?  I have fond memories of the Sunday Funnies.
        • Me too! The Sunday comics were the first thing I read every week when we got the paper. Later, I liked The Far Side. Once Bloom County and Calvin & Hobbes stopped, I moved on to novels.
  • What is your writing process like on a normal day?  Do you have a set writing schedule, where you write a certain number of words a day or for a set duration of time?
    • I wish. I’ve been blocked on my fourth mystery for months! I could give you a litany of tactics I’ve tried to get unblocked, but the most helpful thing so far has been giving myself some grace and learning about better using my strengths from Becca Syme’s Dear Writer series and podcasts.
    • I’ve focused this year on the children’s books more. Usually for the mysteries I’m a binge writer who knocks out the first and second draft quickly before taking longer to revise. During the school year, my ASL interpreting job takes a lot of time and mental energy. I’m excited for the summer so I can finish up the fourth book soon.
      • Do you use an outline or are you a pantser?  How do you plan out a series, if at all?  How do you keep track of characters and details?
        • I have tried jamming my square peg personality into the conventional writing round hole of outlining, but no matter which method I’ve tried, I always abandon the outline once I get about halfway through the book. Becca Syme calls it Intuitive writing and I think that’s a great way to describe it. I need the outline to start, but it only gets me through the first half.
        • There are seven books outlined for the Cassandra Sato mysteries, but that could change. I love Morton College and the town I created in Carson, Nebraska, and I could see adding more series that take place with characters from the same town. I write in Scrivener and keep my series bible all in one Scrivener project binder. I love the search function for when I need to doublecheck details!
      • Do you like to be in a special location with comforts like music or beverages?
        • I used to love writing in coffee shops and the university library where I could people watch and overhear conversations. The pandemic kind of killed that for a while, and I just hopped from room to room in my house or wrote on the back patio. I’m looking forward to getting away from home this summer again. At home I like the quiet, but if I go out, I like listening to classical music without lyrics and use the Brain.fm app to keep me focused.
  • Does your writing change in any way when you are writing mysteries & thrillers opposed to children’s stories?  If so, how, and why?
    • You were correct earlier when you said I write in extremes. This is proof that I had no preconceived plan when I began this author gig. I just wanted to tell stories. I started with the mysteries first, but once I found my voice, I realized I had a lot to say that didn’t involve murders.
      • What do you feel is the most difficult part of writing a mystery or thriller?
        • My favorite mysteries and thrillers to read are the ones with great plot twists and characters I want to know in real life.
        • As an author, I try to make the mystery puzzle complicated enough that it can’t be solved too early. Cozy mystery readers are very smart and it’s a fun challenge coming up with enough plausible suspects and clues.
      • What is the hardest part of writing a children’s book?
        • The mysteries are usually about 70,000 words long. Picture books are less than 500 words. Getting the plot, emotions, and character development shoehorned into 500 words that children want to read over and over is a huge challenge. I have a wonderful critique group who do a great job balancing encouragement and honesty.
        • What is the coolest thing about working with an illustrator?
          • Illustrators are magical beings who take those 500 words and create funny, poignant drawings that relate to both kindergartners and parents. I love how my sister adds little details of our childhood like making folded paper hats into the story. She researched deaf dogs and found out which breeds tend to have hereditary deafness so that she could make Duke more realistic, even though he’s a fictional character. She really went above and beyond to add humor and heart to the books.
        • What unique challenges do you face when working with an illustrator?
          • I just completed a fourth Duke the Deaf Dog book with a new illustrator, named Caterina Baldi, who is from Italy and speaks Italian. All our communication was by emails and sending images back and forth. With the previous books, I just chatted with my sister, and she went off into her drawing cave until she was satisfied it was great. I was concerned that Caterina wouldn’t be able to follow the style my sister began, but she did a great job. We went back and forth about four or five times until I felt she captured the essence of the story and the characters. It required me to articulate my vision more directly.
• You’ve proclaimed a love for mystery and thrillers, even saying they are your favorite genres to read and write in.  I’d like to discuss this if we may.
  • What about these genres endear them to you?  Why do you love them so much?
    • Beyond high school, I fell in love with the Lord of the Rings, books by Tom Clancy, Robert Parker, John Grisham, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, Harry Potter, among many others. I read to escape. Thank goodness my life doesn’t involve monthly murders, terrorist attacks, or epic battles between wizards or orcs. Mostly I like when good triumphs over evil. When the bad guys get what they deserve. When the underdog wins.
      • Mysteries are about the puzzle – solving the problem.  It can unfold in many ways whereas thrillers are about the drive – the constant danger.  Do you want them to be combined, or doesn’t it matter?  What’s your favorite style as both a reader and writer, and why?
        • This is an interesting question. I like my mysteries with action and thrills. I also enjoy thrillers that include complex plots and puzzles. So to answer your question as a reader and a writer, I don’t think it matters as long as the story grabs me.
  • What book(s) or author(s) made a lasting impact on you, and why??
    • For the mysteries, three writers I look up to are Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, and Janet Evanovich.
      • What do you try to emulate from these writers or stories, and why?
        • If you ask any mystery writer, I think to some degree we all emulate Christie’s skill with memorable characters and plotting. Kinsey Millhone was the first badass PI series I read, and I loved how Grafton took us along as she solved the mystery in front of us. Also, I firmly believe in Kinsey’s stretchy black dress philosophy. Someday when I grow up, I want to be as silly as Janet Evanovich. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve laughed out loud reading a Stephanie Plum book. 
      • How did they encourage your preference for mysteries and thrillers, if at all?
        • Writers are readers first. I read the mysteries to pick apart how they do it and how I can improve my stories. The thrillers are just a fun escape, but they also help me incorporate more action sequences into my books. It’s rare these days when I get lost enough in a story to stop analyzing what is working and what isn’t. If I completely let go and just read for pleasure, that’s the mark of an excellent story!
  • When you’re looking for a book to read, what makes you pick a title up?
    • Recommendations from friends and other authors are probably number one. My To Read pile is ginormous at this point and only getting worse.
      • What do you feel is most important to a reader, and does that answer change if you look at it through the eyes of a writer?
        • I’ve been in a book club for 21 years and we take turns choosing a book every month. Listening to my friends react to books has helped me home in on what readers like me enjoy. I think most of us read to be entertained, to escape, and if we learn something about a topic we were unfamiliar with, that’s a bonus.
      • Have you ever had a DNF, and if so, what made you stop reading?  What absolutely turns you off to a book?
        • I have a strict 50-page rule. Like I said, my To Read bookshelf is sagging, and my Kindle is full of books waiting for me to read. If I’m not into a book by the first fifty pages, I will not read it. I feel no guilt about it. Life is short.
        • As a mom and grandma, I’m pretty squeamish about serial killers, child abuse, and sexual assault in books. Usually I avoid horror and super scary types of stories. I’m kind of a wimp about that stuff. Even in movies and TV I have to peek through my fingers on the fight scenes or super creepy scenes.
        • Again, would your answer change if you came at the question from the view of an author opposed to a reader?  Why or why not?
          • The best writing advice I’ve gotten from many teachers was to get the opening chapters right. Begin the story during the action, introduce the characters right away, make readers care about the story. I rewrite my opening chapters 10 or 20 times. At some point, I force myself to stop because they’ll never be perfect, but the extra work is worth engaging the reader from the first page.
• I’d like to talk discuss your involvement with the Deaf Culture, your partnership with your sister, Teresa Murray, and your children’s books.  I feel these are not only an important aspect of your work, but also, vital in understanding who you are.  
  • I read your motivation for learning American Sign Language was to be able to better communicate with High School friends.  How’d this lead to pursuing a career as an ASL Interpreter?
    • I majored in English in college and thought I’d work in corporate communications or journalism. However, once I learned ASL and studied it more, my friends and mentors in the Deaf Community encouraged me to become an interpreter. It turns out that being an expert in English is a great foundation for interpreting between two languages.
      • Did you have experiences within The Deaf Community that may have influenced your reading choices?  And if so, what, and how?
        • Now that you asked, finding Deaf characters in my early reading was rare! I can’t think of any except seeing Children of a Lesser God when Marlee Matlin won the Oscar for Best Actress. All my mysteries include Deaf characters who use ASL because even though there are more stories with Deaf characters now, I hope more are made to show the diversity within the Deaf Community. Every individual has a different path to their education, upbringing, family life and career. I’m glad more stories are finally being made to show that.
      • It’s obvious The Deaf Culture influenced your writing.  It’s hard not to let our passions emerge in our stories.  Still, what inspired you to create your Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Learning Series? 
        • I know this is going to sound woo-woo, but the idea came in a dream. I had prayed for understanding about what my unique writing gift could add to the world. One morning I woke up with the idea and within a month, I had the first story written.
        • My children loved Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter books growing up. I liked how they had the child level stories that taught a lesson, but also helped parents talk about social skills or other issues based on the books’ topics. I wanted the Duke books to be like Little Critter but with my Deaf Culture slant.
  • Why is your Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Learning Series important to you?
    • Deafness isn’t really a disability as far as most of my Deaf friends are concerned. The main challenge they face every day is a communication barrier because hearing people don’t know ASL. I want more children to learn ASL so they can communicate with their classmates. Learning from a fun story is easier than from a dictionary or flash cards.
      • What do you hope readers gain from these books?  Is there a specific message or moral you want to convey?  If so, what?
        • Each book has a message for kids who can hear, Deaf and hard of hearing kids, and parents or educators. In Never Mind, the message is that everyone deserves to be included in conversations. How many times do we tell people “Never mind” when they ask us to repeat ourselves?  Do you have an aging parent or spouse who doesn’t hear well, or do you know someone who is a little slower to act, or understand? We often get impatient and just say, “Forget it. I’ll explain later.”
        • After that first book, I’ve had a heartbreaking number of Deaf people tell me stories of the countless times they’ve been told “never mind.” They have thanked me for sharing their stories so that hearing people could understand how it feels to be left out.
        • The other books have similar messages. From my interpreting experiences, I’ve been in the room for many difficult situations. Professionally I can’t speak up during an interpreting job. These books give me an opportunity to share about Deaf folks’ experience and learning ASL.
      • There are accompanying workbooks for the Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Learning Series.  Does this mean educational materials are available for kids, families, and classrooms to learn ASL together?  If so, how does one purchase these additional books, or are they all inclusive?
        • Yes, every book comes with free links to video tutorials so kids and families can practice making the ASL signs and see the stories signed in ASL by a Deaf teacher. Amy Willman is wonderful and so engaging.
        • The workbooks are sold separately and include scripted lesson plans for teachers or parents along with worksheets and coloring pages. They make a complete curriculum that teachers or libraries can use for day or weeklong lessons in ASL and Deaf Culture.
        • The workbooks are available as downloadable PDFs from my website, or they are also on Teachers Pay Teachers, and Amazon Digital Educational Resources.
  • I assume collaborating with your sister, Theresa, while children would make it a no-brainer to ask her to be your illustrator as adults.  Still, life is hectic, especially when you have families.  How did you get her to partner with you on this project, and what was your experience like working together on such an endeavor?
    • Thankfully my sister wasn’t fazed by my lifelong habit of telling her, “HeyGuessWhat! I have an idea we should try.” She had previously illustrated one picture book, but I think the dog characters were the clinchers. She loves dogs of all kinds, so I didn’t have to work too hard to convince her to help.
      • What was the creative process like?  For example, did you have the text or illustrations first?  What was your methodology like?
        • I didn’t really know the proper process for creating a picture book. I just knew the story I wanted to tell and gave Theresa the text. She did a bunch of background research, chose the dog breeds, and came up with the vision for how to represent Duke and his family. I could gush about how talented she is all day long, but all you have to do is read the books and you’d agree.
      • Do you feel it was easier to work with Theresa because she’s your sister, or were you presented with unexpected challenges? 
        • Living nearby and being able to talk about the illustrations in person along with the moral of the stories was very helpful. My sister doesn’t know ASL so I helped with the ASL references and made sure the Deaf Culture aspects were accurate. She taught me what I could and should do spatially with the pages and art. It’s been a lovely opportunity to work together.
• What can we expect to see from you over the coming year?
  • I have so many ideas! I must pace myself for what I can publish in a year.
• What is your current WIP?
  • I’m finishing up Death 101, the fourth Cassandra Sato mystery and hope to have it ready later this fall.
  • The next Duke the Deaf Dog book is done, and we are finishing the production now. In July, people can order early copies and exclusive Duke swag from my next Kickstarter.
  • What’s the best way for readers to connect with you and your books?
    • You can find everything about me on my website https://kellybrakenhoff.com/
    • Please look me up on Kickstarter. The next Duke project should be live in June. Follow me to get notifications.
    • Chat with me on social media, especially Instagram or Facebook.

Thank you for meeting with me today.  I appreciate you taking the time and wish you much success in all you do!

Thank you for having me on your blog! Have a great day.