Author Michael Harmon is not unfamiliar with the lifestyles of his characters in SKATE (Knopf, Oct. 2006). Skateboarding was a part of Harmon’s preteen routine in LA and, after a move to Spokane, WA, with his family, he traveled through “the dark years” of drinking, challenging authority, and, finally, dropping out of high school in his senior year. Through it all, however, Harmon loved reading and writing; this passion is captured in SKATE, and his belief in the importance of encouraging reading and writing is evident:
Mechele R. Dillard: Many writers are inspired by their own lives when writing fiction, especially at the beginning of a career. SKATE is your first novel; do you see yourself in these characters and/or situations?
Michael Harmon: One of the reasons I write Young Adult novels is that my teen years were a struggle, and with struggle comes emotional extremes. I often tap into those feelings, many of which are still raw in my memory. I slice and dice them to fit my characters and the situations they find themselves in, of course, but the emotion is there when I write. So, yes, I do inject parts of myself in my characters, but most times they capture only fragments of me.
MRD: SKATE depicts the grittier aspects of life. Do you feel it is appropriate for a young adult author to bring such realistic “reality” to readers? Is it not the duty of the parents to teach their children about abandonment, alcoholism, drug addiction, etc.?
MH: My writing, particularly SKATE, fills part of a niche in the YA category of literature, especially for teen boys, who are fast becoming left behind in the world of literature. That, to me is appropriate. And if what I write can be used as a tool for parents, I’m all for it, but to be blunt, I don’t consider anything I write as a replacement of parental duty. I simply want teenagers to read.
MRD: You write novels for adults as well as teens. Do you find it difficult to switch gears between these literary genres? What differences do you perceive between the two? Likenesses?
MH: This is a great question, and relates directly to the previous question. As a teen, I read adult novels because there were so few YA titles geared towards my interests and thoughts. Most older teens live in an adult world; working, driving, watching adult oriented media, taking care of younger siblings, being exposed to the vice of our society, etc…YA literature, which is bound by some pretty tight parameters of acceptability when compared to other media formats such as television, movies and video games, is making some big gains in capturing the interests of teens. My publisher, Knopf, has really come through in a fantastic way by offering contemporary, competitive material that challenges other media. Basically, I’m hoping to get the game controller out of a teenager’s hand and put a book in it. The subject matter, emotions and issues in SKATE teeter on the line of adult material, just like most teens do. That being said, the gears I have to switch are directed more at language than actual story, but it’s a blurry line. In a nutshell, a story is a story, and I see SKATE as universal to life, not just teens.
MRD: As writers, we all must “pay our dues.” Were you writing full-time before the publication of SKATE? Did you freelance? What type of writing led to the writing, completion, and publication of SKATE?
MH: Between writing thirty or so hours a week and working over forty hours a week, I spent the first four years of this journey, before publication, living on coffee and the stories whirling around in my head. They kept me going. I never did freelance write, because every moment I could find to write, I devoted to my stories. The inclusion of YA writing into my life came from the realization that my teen years were full of stories. SKATE is actually the third of seven or so YA novels I’ve written, three of which I’ve sold and the rest which my agent is selling now.
MRD: Getting the attention of a publishing house can be difficult without an agent. In fact, many publishers will not even accept submissions directly from an author, making the acquisition of an agent absolutely necessary. What suggestions would you give to a new novelist searching for her first agent?
MH: Get your name out there. Meet people. Correspond. Research agents. Don’t be afraid to put yourself on the line, and don’t take rejection too hard. I know it’s difficult to do, but you’re talking to a guy who dropped out of high school. If there’s anybody who shouldn’t have made it, it’s me, so grit your teeth, put your armor on, and do it. And as you query agents about your work, polish your queries incessantly and learn from your rejections, because you have about fifteen seconds to catch the attention of somebody who may be able to change your life forever.
MRD: You recently started promoting SKATE. Do you enjoy this part of the publishing process? When you began writing, did you anticipate the work involved after your book was accepted for publication?
MH: I do enjoy it. Speaking events, signing books, readings, interviews, it’s all new and different for me, but I’m getting the hang of it quickly. I didn’t, however, realize just how much time would be consumed with it, but I’m happy, because simply put, it means people are reading the book.
MRD: Would you like to give our readers a glance into the future, Mr. Harmon? What upcoming projects should we be expecting from author Michael Harmon?
MH: I’d like to see my future as living in a hut on a tropical beach with two plug-ins. One for my laptop and the other for a lamp. Add a cot, a pair of shorts, some flip-flops, a fishing pole, and I’m all good. My wife enjoys the amenities of civilization, though, so I doubt that’s in the cards for me.
I’ve sold two more YA novels to Knopf, and they’ll be out consecutively over the next couple of years. I’m stoked about both. The next, which is in the editing process, features Bennie, from SKATE, as the main character. Ripe stuff. The third is aptly titled BRUTAL, and this is the first book I’ve written first person from the perspective of a teen girl. She takes on institutional cliques. Poe is her name, and you’d better watch out, because she’s one tough punker girl transplanted from the heart of Los Angeles to a small and rich northern California wine country town. You can check out excerpts and a synopsis of each on my website: www.booksbyharmon.com. It’s still in the building process, but up and running, so come visit!
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Today, Michael Harmon is a happily married 37-year-old with two teenagers of his own. Through the years, he has never forgotten his own struggles growing up in a rigid educational system, where non-conventional learning was neither encouraged nor recognized, but he also doesn't hesitate to let teens know that the road to success is found within one's self:
I read over four hundred novels and wrote reams of poetry and short stories during my high school years, and not a single book was on a classroom book list and not a single story was ever accepted by my teachers …. Pretty much, my message isn't to change the system or bag on teachers; it's to awaken teenagers to the realization that they, and nobody else, are ultimately responsible for success. I spent too many years spiting myself for the sake of others to say anything else.
Michael Harmon is an up-and-coming voice in the world of Young Adult Literature, and we thank him for taking time out of his busy writing, signing, and touring schedule to speak to the readers of Teen Fiction at Suite101.com. Visit Harmon at www.booksbyharmon.com, and pick up a copy of his debut young adult novel, SKATE, available online or at a bookstore near you.
