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Back to Featured Interviews >> MEET KIRK SCROGGS
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| Kirk Scroggs |
When I was a child I Ioved to draw, re-enact movies and TV shows (I played all the parts), watch old monster movies, read scary stories, and then tell my little brother all about them so he’d have nightmares. I was a mean little thing.
What books influenced you most when you were growing up?
I think anything from Shel Silverstein (especially WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS) because he illustrated his own stories and poems. I can’t imagine his stuff being illustrated by anyone else. I also loved Roald Dahl’s JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. I like authors who don’t talk down to kids and who aren’t afraid to get a little bit dark.
When you went to college, were you already pursuing a writing career?(or a career in illustrating? or just art in general?)
I went to film school with the grand goal of making movies. After moving to Los Angeles and meeting the people that make movies I realized I needed to do something else. So I decided to write a book and see what happened.
What are the topics are some of your books?
I cover the whole spectrum of topics from Were-yote (half man/half coyote) soccer players to zombie barbeques to haunted kitty litter boxes to grandmas who’ve been brainwashed by alien hair products.
When you do school visits, what question do children ask you most?
When’s the next Wiley and Grampa book coming out?
What do you most want the students to get out of your school visits?
First of all, I want the kids to embrace creativity. I show them how fun it is to draw, write, and express themselves, Secondly, I want those kids who rarely pick up books to give these a shot. I’ve had a million teachers and librarians tell me that the reluctant readers eat Wiley and Grampa up. All it takes is one book to get them started. First they’re reading Wiley and Grampa, next thing you know they’re quoting Victor Hugo at soccer practice.
Do you sometimes come up with a sketch of a character and then write a story to fit the character you drew?
I sure do. I like to switch it up. Sometimes I’ll draw the picture before adding text and other times I write the story first. I like to just lay on the floor and spread out with a ton of white paper and a pencil and see what comes out.