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| Author: Steve Reifman |
Steve Reifman, author of Chase Against Time, joins me for another great author interview. I am happy for the opportunity to present some of the authors of books I review on my blog.
Your Chase Manning books are mysteries. Did you love mysteries growing up? If so, what were some of your favorites?
Steve: I did love mysteries growing up. The Encyclopedia Brown books were my favorite, and I read almost all of them.
Are you like any of the characters in your book? If so, which one?
Steve: Chase Manning is a lot like I was as a child.
Chase Against Time takes place within the school music program. Are you a musician as well as a writer?
Steve: I never learned to play an instrument, but I love music. Listening to music is one of my favorite things to do, and I love attending concerts.
What made you decide to write a mystery series?
Steve: For years my friends and I watched the Fox television show “24.” I thought the show’s single-day, real-time format was the absolute greatest, and I felt that the concept would work very well for a children’s mystery. So, I wanted to see if I could write the type of fast-paced, action-oriented mystery that kids would love. Working on the book was an absolute blast, and I discovered that I had a love of writing.
What is the hardest thing about writing and what do you do combat that?
Steve: The hardest part of writing a mystery is organizing all the events, clues, and details so that everything unfolds in the most exciting order possible. I combat this by spending a great deal of time note-taking and outlining before I begin drafting.
Do you have an author you really admire? If so, who is it and why do you admire him or her?
Steve: The author I admire the most is actually not a fiction writer. His name is W. Edwards Deming, and he was a statistician and engineer who helped the Japanese rebuild their industrial base after World War II. His teachings have had an enormous influence on the way I teach my students and the way I live my life. His ideas about quality, motivation, teamwork, and pride will always be an important part of my teaching practice.
What were some of your favorite books as a child?
Steve: In addition to the Encyclopedia Brown books, I loved Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, and Blubber.
What is it like finally seeing your book in print? Describe the process to us.
Steve: The release of Chase Against Time has been about seven years in the making. I have written the first four books in the series and self-published the first two. Then, in early 2011 I found a publisher to take over the series. Instead of moving ahead with the third book, we decided to go back and focus on Chase Against Time, the series debut. Seeing it in its new hardcover format is incredible. Brown Books did a wonderful job re-editing, re-designing the interior, and creating an awesome cover. Every time I pick up the book, I don’t want to put it down.
Tell us what you have planned for Chase Manning in the future.
Steve: Chase has three more adventures ahead of him before his fifth grade year comes to a close and maybe even one additional adventure over the summer.
Check out my review of Chase Against Time. I interviewed the author after I posted my book review so it is interesting that we both mentioned the Encyclopedia Brown Series.
To learn more about author, Steve Reifman, visit his website.
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