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Back to Featured Interviews >> MEET ELLEN A. KELLEY
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| Ellen A. Kelley |
I liked to read and go to the library, and I liked to ride my bike and swim, especially at the beach.
What books influenced you most when you were growing up?
OLD MOTHER WEST WIND, MARY POPPINS, MRS. PIGGLEWIGGLE, BOXCAR CHILDREN
Did you write stories when you were growing up?
I wrote stories in school. I had my first story published in our local newspaper when I was about 8 years old. It was about my pet cat, Felix, and the time he got into some green paint and made green paw prints all through our house! In junior high I published a story about a turkey who is to become Thanksgiving dinner. The story was written in the voice of the turkey. I think that is why I like writing stories in the voices, or from the points of view, of animals. You can read more about my growing up on my website, ellenakelley.com
What was your first job after graduating from college?
I drew charts and graphs to show the findings from deep ocean research by a marine biology laboratory. Later I returned to school to get a teaching credential and I became an elementary school teacher. That was fun because I'd take my students to the library a lot, and also sing with them while playing my guitar. I still sing with students when I visit schools.
Do you do other types of writing?
YES! I love all kinds of writing. I have been a poet for many years. I began my professional writing career in non-fiction. I wrote stories for newspapers, magazines, and arts organizations. I have written a lot of academic papers, too. I tell my college students that ALL writing is creative, including non-fiction.
Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas have a combination of sources. They come from real life experiences—the people and places and events in one's life. They then combine with the magic ingredient of IMAGINATION, the world inside the mind. This mix of outer and inner worlds creates the sparks that become stories and characters.
What gave you the idea for MY LIFE AS A CHICKEN?
My great grandparents had chickens. I got to feed them and look for eggs when I was about 6. I always loved the sound chickens make, that quiet clucking noise as they go about their day. When I became a writer I knew I wanted to create a fast-moving chicken adventure story. The idea just made me laugh and laugh. That's why I wrote about Pauline Poulet and her harrowing journey to find a safe home. I'm so pleased that my book, MY LIFE AS A CHICKEN was nominated in the primary category for the California Young Reader Medal 2009-2010.
What triggers your imagination?
Wherever I go, if I see an animal I can somehow "hear" its voice. I know what it would say if it could talk. This gives my imagination a jump-start. Also, I have taught myself to watch what I call "movie mind". These are the pictures running through our brains 24/7. I like to remind students that each of us has a "movie mind" to watch for story ideas.
What do you want students to get out of your school visits?
I want students to realize their own potential as writers. Writing is like talking on paper. There are many different ways to be a writer—research, poetry, non-fiction, fiction, news articles-- and I like to encourage students to experiment and find the way that suits them best. Young people are filled with marvelous ideas. I hope that they can learn to value, and allow themselves to explore, their own ideas.