If we can find space to laugh, we can find space to figure out solutions to our problems.
Natasha Deen believes stories matter because they connect us to ourselves and the people around us. She challenges people to make the world brighter, better and kinder through sharing our stories. Her own voice stories draw from her Guyanese roots. After moving to Canada as a young child, she came to realize that teachers there don’t shut off the lights when it rains so students can create paper boats to float down rivers forming by the sidewalks.
Lyndi: In your young adult novel, The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad, Tuna embraces a belief that her ancestors watch over her and she watches for the signs and listens for messages.
Natasha: Can you share one or two signs or messages that Tuna receives and how they play out in the in the story?
Through the book, Tuna is her trying to help her older brother, Robby, deal with the grief over the sudden death of his husband, David. There’s a moment early on when Tuna is talking to a photo of David. She feels Robby is drowning in his sorrow and she thinks she needs to step in, but she’s not sure. At that moment, a butterfly appears at her window and she takes it as a sign that David is agreeing with her and that she needs to help her brother.
Another example of butterflies is with her crush, Tristan. In one of their initial meetings, he saves a butterfly by picking it off the ground and setting it on a tree. Tuna takes this as a sign that she’s on the right track with falling for Tristan.
It’s really interesting to me to see the different ways readers connect with Tuna’s belief that her ancestors watch over her. For some readers, it’s superstition. For others, it falls in line with their personal/cultural beliefs, and for others, it’s a strong sense of intuition. Reader feedback is a reminder to me that we all come to stories differently. Ahat a wonderful thing it is to create a story that people can pull different meaning and connection.
Lyndi: Not everyone agrees with Tuna’s perspective on receiving ancestral messages and she’s also attempting to support a deeply grieving brother. What message do you hope Tuna conveys to young adult readers.
Natasha: I imagine my stories as playgrounds—I’m going to put in a slide and swings, water fountains and climbing walls—but where my reader chooses to play (and how long they play there) is up to them. In other words, I try hard to create a space where people can find meaning for themselves as opposed to me creating a meaning for them.
In a similar vein, I hope there’s space in Tuna’s story to understand that everyone grieves differently—there’s no right or wrong way to do it (Tuna sees David’s death as a way to rush to love and life. Robby, meanwhile, is shell-shocked and struggling to find meaning in a life after David). I also hope readers see space that even in the darkest moments, there is room for light, love, and laughter.
Lyndi: Your main character, Tuna, is an aspiring screenwriter. How does her perspective on story influence her choices?
Natasha: At the beginning of the story, Tuna is already been accepted into the Savannah College of Art and Design, which is her top choice for learning her craft.
One of the things I loved about writing Tuna is how much she incorporates the lifestyle and philosophy of being a writer/screenwriter into her everyday life. Tuna understands that stories are *everywhere* and everyone is telling themselves a story of who they are and what they can accomplish. It was great fun to write someone who understands the principles of the story format and puts it into her everyday world. For example, there’s a moment when she’s done with Robby’s interference in her life and says, “It’s time for this story to break into two,” which, coincidentally, is the point the novel also breaks into the B-Story. And that break is the chapter heading for chapter eight, “Let the B-Story begin.”
Having meta-references was such a delight to write, and having a character who gets things *so right* and yet, so *very* wrong—with hilarious results for readers—was too much fun!
Lyndi: How important is including humor in your stories and how do you build it into them?
Natasha: to me is always important. If we can find space to laugh, we can find space to figure out solutions to our problems. As for how I build it in, humor is a function of character. How a character finds The Funny and where they find it depends on their personality. Some characters will have a cynical humor, some may have a ludicrous sense of funny. It’s why it’s important as writers to sweat the creation of our characters. The deeper and more realistic our characters, the more our readers will find connection and engagement.
Lyndi: described writing as one the hardest things you do. What are some of the ways you encourage yourself when the writing gets particularly difficult?
Natasha: I time myself, so I only write in 15 minute increments. When the bell goes off, I take a break, then I hit the pages for another 15 minutes. As they day goes on, I take longer breaks (so the morning begins with a 5 minute break. By the late afternoon, it’s about 30 minutes).
When I sit down to write, the only thing I ask of myself is to give it my best shot. Sometimes that means 1500 words, sometimes it means 5. But as long as I know i’ve given it my best effort, then I can count each day/writing time as a successful one.
I also try to give myself rewards. Sometimes they’re big gift, like taking my husband and I out for dinner when I finish a manuscript. Sometimes, it’s simple things, like an extra cookie or a day in my PJs. It’s important for writers to do this (in my opinion) because it can be a long haul to publication. Setting, meeting, and rewarding ourselves for realistic goals is a great way to keep our energy and optimism going.
Lyndi: In addition to writing stories, you also teach a university level introductory children’s writing course. What advice or tips do you provide to new writers for these age groups?
Natasha: You ask great questions! If I had to break it down to point form, it would be, (1) Know your categories and the age range (so, Middle-Grade is 9-12), (2) Understand the reading levels within the categories (are you writing for an at-grade reader or a Striving Reader?) (3) Understand your audience (be aware of your content, vocabulary, sentence structure, etc.).
Lyndi: What marketing strategies have you found effective for promoting your books?
Natasha: I’ve found the best marketing strategy is writing the best book I can and always holding my reader in my mind when I’m writing. That kind of book—the one where we respect our audience—is the book that connects to readers and has them posting reviews, sharing or buying our books for the people in their lives.
NATASHA DEEN writes for kids, teens, and adults, and believes the world is changed one story at a time. As a Guyanese-Canadian and a child of immigrants, she’s seen first-hand how stories have the power to shape the world. Her works include the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Thicker than Water, Guardian which was a Sunburst Award nominee, and the Alberta Readers’ Choice nominated Gatekeeper. When she’s not writing, she teaches Introduction to Children’s Writing with the University of Toronto SCS and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house. Visit Natasha at www.natashadeen.com and on Twitter/Instagram, @natasha_deen.
