Brenda Ehrmantraut has written a wonderful book about a soldier sent overseas and his young son waiting for his return. This is the story of a game they play together to keep in touch and to stay connected during the long separation.
1. How did you come to write a story about a deployed soldier and his young son?
My brother is in the Army National Guard. He spent a year in Iraq in 2004. When he was preparing for his deployment, I was pretty torn up over the fact that he would miss a whole year of his two son's lives. Everyone was talking abour care packages and babysitting schedules to help out the suddenly "single" moms left behind. I wanted to do something too. I'm a writer so the obvious answer was that I would write a story for them (and others) that would be a comfort and a connection during times apart.
2. Where did you get the idea for the "traveling star" game of catch? Was that your own idea or had you heard of it from someone else as a way to cope with a long distance separation?
The story was my own idea. But once I wrote it, others shared their similar coping strategies involving the stars and moon. And, in fact, my brother and his wife already had made a deal with each other to look at the moon to feel a connection. They told me this after they read my story.
The game of star catch grew from the traditional game of catch with a ball and glove, one that parents and children have long been playing together to bond. The adaptation worked so well when I began to consider that the star could be viewed by either one or the other at a time. How very much like a game of catch where one person holds the ball at a time.
3. The illustrations by Vicki Wehrman are very beautiful and touching. Do you know the artist? Did you give her special instructions about where the father is stationed when he is deployed? It doesn't say in the story ...but, the pictures imply that he is stationed somewhere in the Middle East.
Vicki and I did not know each other before the book. My brother supplied us with a few digital photos for Vicki to use for reference, but not many. Yes, we wanted the story to suggest that it was in the Middle East without stating it. The text consciously leaves out specifics. Notice the characters have no names - so that it is easy for the reader to insert him/herself in the story.
4. The story gives us a little beginner's astronomy lesson at the end. Why did you decide to include this?
When I visit with students about the story, we talk about what is real in the story and what is imagination. So, even though it is not possible to catch, throw, blow or otherwise make a star move, it is indeed possible to see Polaris from around the globe. I wanted NIGHT CATCH to be more than just a story. I wanted it to be a tool. I would like it very much if, after reading the story, a child and parent use the idea to stay connected. So a little help finding that star seemed in order!
5. The story never mentions what the soldier/dad is going to do on the other side of the world or why he has to go there. Only the pictures give us a hint as to where he is. Did you write it this way on purpose? The pictures seem to tell the part of the story that the words leave out. Once again, did you work together with the illustrator on this?
Yes, I did keep the dad's work vague on purpose. The story is about a relationship between a parent and child who are separated. It is not about the dad's work. And, like I mentioned earlier, it is left open for personal application. We know that he is a soldier. We don't really need to know more to get the point of the story. But, the book is a great jumping off point for family discussion about the Middle East and military involvement at this time.
I did a sketch book for Vicki with my thoughts on the pictures before she beganworking. I conceptualized some of the art - she made it happen. I love the picture book format for the reason that you mentioned above, the pictures go beyond the words to weave together a powerful experience for the reader. When I write, there are always pictures in my head with the words.
6. The book is really fun to read because it is written in rhyming verses. Are you a poet? Why did you write it in that style?
I don't know that I am a poet. I do know that I love rhythm, rhyme and patterns. I felt that rhyme would help establish a lullaby feeling for this story. I imagine a quiet bedtime setting where the story is the last thing read before a child says goodnight to a star and gets tucked in for sweet dreams of a beloved parent far away. Comfort was a word that came to me again and again as I created this story. Rhyme is predictable and comforting and can create that rocking feeling.
7. Where did you get the idea to include the "place for a picture of someone special" at the end of the book? That really personalizes the story for a child who is missing a parent or loved one who must be away from home for a period of time.
That's the reason, to personalize it. This story is written for the people who are apart, so it was natural to look for a way to make it their own. Another personalizing idea is on the website www.bubblegumpress.net. On the Night Catch page there are links for journal pages that match the book. The can be printed out, free, for children to write and draw on for their loved one. Or blank ones can be sent to the parent far away to fill out and mail back to the child. One more way to stay connected.
8. Your biography tell us that you are from North Dakota -- the land of big buffalo and lots of stars. Are you a star gazer? Tell us just a little bit more about yourself and how you came to write Night Catch.
The book came to be because I am a writer and a book freak, not a star gazer. I think a starry sky is one of the loveliest sights, but I am not all that knowledgeabale. I did a lot of research on Polaris when I was editing this book. NIGHT CATCH really came to be in a short amount of time. I was very worried when my brother was leaving for Iraq, which created a feeling of action; I wanted to something to help. When I write, most of the time, I start with a story idea with some sort of plot elements. NIGHT CATCH was so different. I started with a desire to write a story that would comfort and connect. I had no idea what that story would be. But the more I focused on the relationship between a parent and a child, the stronger I felt about writing one. I was driving by myself, when some of the lines to the story popped into my head. I scrawled them on notepaper and the bulk of the story came within days. It felt like a gift to me to pass on. Now thousands and thousands of children have the story as a tool to connect with a loved one far away. I've truly felt honored to be the channel.
More about me? I'm a mother of two amazing kids. I have a terrific husband. We all like to bike, read, and play together. We have a pet dog named Charlie. He's a rat terrier and a big part of our family. We enjoy taking car trips and one of our family goals is to visit all 50 states before the kids graduate. (So far, we've been to 21 together and we have seven years until the first graduation!).
9. What can kids and families do to support children whose parents are in the military? What can kids and families do to support our troops?
The majority of what I've seen communities do is create care packages for the troops and mail them off. I know the soldiers appreciate the thoughts and goodies. But I think one of the nicest things you can do for a military family is to think of all of them and appreciate that they are sacrificing their family time to contribute to the greater good. If you could find a way to tell the children and spouses at home that you appreciate their sacrifice, too, that would be nice. They are experiencing a time of great worry, loneliness and challenges. All the soldier's responsibilities must now be fullfilled by someone else while he or she is away. Shoveling snow, mowing lawns, washing cars, babysitting, and grocery shipping are services that you and your family could help with occasionally. If your group wants to do something nice together, why not put on a pot luck supper for them to give them a break from cooking and say "thanks" and read them all a nice story ... like NIGHT CATCH!
FamilyCares thanks Brenda Ehrmantraut for her creative and comforting story of connecting loved ones who are apart. For more information about Brenda visit Bubblegumpress.com.
