Author Kate O’Shaughnessy writes some of my favorite middle grade books! I loved her sophomore novel, Lasagna Means I Love You, so much that it was on my list of 2023 middle grade favorites and the 2023 Summer Reading Guide! Imagine my joy reading her latest (forthcoming) title, The Wrong Way Home, and LOVING it! The novel’s premise is so unique I wanted a peek behind the scenes as soon as I finished. So I chatted with Kate about her inspiration for this story, her love for mother-daughter stories, and why food always plays a role in her books. Enjoy!
Hi Kate! It’s such a pleasure to have you on Reading Middle Grade – Welcome!
Thank you so much for having me. I’m a longtime follower and reader of Reading Middle Grade, and I always look forward to your book lists and recommendations!
As you know, I just finished your latest middle grade book, The Wrong Way Home, and suffice it to say you kind of blew my mind. It was the first time I’d read about being in a cult in middle grade literature. Why did you choose this theme to explore?
I’m so, so glad you enjoyed it! I’ve always been fascinated by cults and cult leaders. The original spark of my interest in cults comes from a personal place. In the 1980s, a cult known as Lifespring managed to infiltrate my parents’ community. They weren’t at all interested in joining, and they were kind of shunned by their many friends and family who did join. It was—according to family lore—one of the deciding factors that helped push them to move from the Midwest to the Northeast, which is where I grew up.
But beyond that, I’m really interested in the social element and power dynamics of cults. I think many people find the idea of a tight-knit community very comforting, and unfortunately, many cults prey on people who yearn for that. It’s almost like you get drawn in with promises of a better life, and then before you know it, you’re in an awful and untenable situation.
With the cult in the book—or rather “the Ranch,” as Fern calls it—I really wanted to make it based on something immensely positive, and then twist it. So their base philosophy at the Ranch is one that’s kind of beautiful: living lightly on the earth, raising children together as a community, and being self-sufficient in as many ways as possible. But their leader, Dr. Ben, manages to turn it all upside down, turning this beautiful idea into a dark reality. By doing this, I wanted to show how dogma and the pursuit of power can really pervert anything.
Frankie/Fern is such a relatable kid for me. I know that feeling of wanting to always do the right thing and seeking approval from others we admire. You managed to show us a lot of what Frankie feels, while keeping this book very propulsive. What helps you create such an engaging experience on the page?
Thank you! Creating a propulsive plot is such a big goal for me with every book that I write, so I’m thrilled that was your experience reading The Wrong Way Home.
With this book, there were a number of different sub-plots that I had to weave together to become part of the main narrative. Because the plot was more complex, it was vital to me that I never lost the thread. So, with every scene I worked on, I made sure I knew exactly what I was trying to achieve with it in terms of plot. I wanted every scene to drive things meaningfully forward.
From a character perspective, I also tried to make Fern (who becomes known as Frankie) very proactive to help balance her introspection. It always feels so much more exciting and propulsive to me when a character’s actions and choices drive the plot. Then it feels like every plot point is a natural consequence of their decisions rather than something external they’re reacting to. Like, yes, it would be exciting if an alien showed up at a character’s school. But wouldn’t it be more exciting if that alien showed up because that character accidentally sent a message into the universe while they were working on some madcap engineering project in their basement?
I have to say: you write some truly memorable protagonists. But Mo, from Lasagna Means I Love You, has been my favorite so far. I’ve noticed that although The Wrong Way Home isn’t as food-heavy as Lasagna Means I Love You, food is always a big part of your stories. Does this have to do with your background as a chef?
I love Mo, too. I definitely have a soft spot for her. Maybe because she loves food like I love food. I love eating food, growing food, cooking food, sharing food, coming up with recipes, you name it, and I love it. And I think food naturally flows into stories!
Food is vital in the building and maintenance of community and family. We often center our most joyful and most heartbroken moments around sharing food with one another. It’s my dream to write a middle grade fantasy about food.
I have been working on a concept with my agent for a while now, but wow, fantasy is hard. I can’t seem to de-muddle the idea. I am in awe of fantasy writers. All those rules you’ve got to create and pay attention to!
You also write beautiful mother-daughter stories. Like Maybelle, Fern has just her mom as family. Is there a reason why you’re drawn to these kinds of stories?
I think it’s because there’s something so unique and beautiful about a mother-daughter relationship. I think we can all agree that it’s the responsibility of the parent to show their children how to navigate and survive in society—which, in our case, is a patriarchal one. There’s something inherently radical to me about a mother showing her daughter how to live and thrive in a world that isn’t made for her.
I loved how irresistible a good book was to Fern, despite her self-restraint! Have books always been important to you?
Always! I’ve been a big reader my whole life. Interestingly, I was a delayed reader. I had to go to special classes to catch me up to my peers. I had to work for it! My mom used to read to me and my brother every night before bed, for years. And once I’d gained the skills, I read a ton on my own, too.
I escaped into stories as a kid, particularly when I was Fern’s age. I still remember the way a good book made me feel at that age. Almost breathless. A good story made my heart almost hurt, but in the best way possible. Two of my absolute favorites from that age were Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson.
What do you hope readers take away from Fern’s story?
That you deserve to have the voice in your head be your own voice, instead of someone else’s, telling you what to do or to believe. That you should approach the world with curiosity and wonder. That a truly good community will love and uplift you instead of trying to control you or sway you.
Is there anything else you wish I’d asked?
Yes! I wish you’d asked about the setting, Driftaway Beach, California, because it was heavily influenced by a real place: Rockaway Beach, Pacifica, CA. I live about an hour away, and I’d read about a beautiful hike in the area, so my dog and I went to check it out. I was soooo inspired the minute I set foot in this little coastal neighborhood. My mind just started whirring with ideas.
There is a motel with a parking lot right up against the ocean; a quirky tea shop with many kinds of teapots and teas on offer; and a beautiful bluff that overlooks the ocean. It’s well worth a trip if you’re ever in the Bay Area!
Thanks so much for being here, Kate!
Thanks for having me!
About The Wrong Way Home
Meet Author Kate O’Shaughnessy
Kate O’Shaughnessy writes middle grade fiction. When she’s not writing, you can find Kate in her garden, eating good food, hiking with her dog, and chronically mispronouncing words she’s read but never heard said aloud. Kate is the author of THE LONELY HEART OF MAYBELLE LANE (Knopf, 2020) and LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU (Knopf, 2023). Kate’s forthcoming novel, THE WRONG WAY HOME, will be out in Spring 2024. She is represented by Peter Knapp at Park & Fine Literary and Media.
Kate lives in California with her family.
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