by Dave Amaditz and
Marcy Collier
Welcome to February’s version of - First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut
Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a
debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the
novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into
the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the
author's answers in a follow-up post.
This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist,
Cal Armistead and her novel, Being Henry
David. This is the type of book that
you’ll fly through because you have to find out what happens next. Then you’ll
want to go back and re-read it a second time. We hope you enjoy our answers and
encourage you to buy the book.
1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?
Dave – This is a point in the
story were Hank, the main character, who has lost his memory because of some awful
trauma, is beginning to find out who he was. He is in examining a newspaper
article when this particular connection happens.
With detached curiosity I stare at this Daniel Henderson,
huffing and puffing his way through a race, examine the contorted face of a
stranger. I feel nothing.
But then slowly, a sensation creeps up on me, like a ripple
circling from a stone thrown into a pond. It grows into a wave, starting
somewhere in the roots of my hair, reaching tendrils into my scalp and neck and
face, and I feel the flush, a red burn spreading over every surface of my skin.
And then, with a deep shudder to the bone, to the brain, to the heart, I switch
places and I become that boy.
Marcy – Slowly, Hank learns
about himself and his situation. Emotions run high as Hank realizes bad stuff
must have happened to him before he got amnesia.
And there are the crimes I might have committed before I woke up
in Penn Station. And there’s that other thing. Maybe you killed somebody. Did
somebody hurt my sister? Did I kill the guy? Is this what I’m blocking out?
2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?
Dave - Marcy chose a great chapter
ending that you’ll read about below, but I chose this one because I was worried
while reading the whole way through that trouble from New York City would catch
up to Hank, trouble with guns.
Out of the darkness behind the school comes a raspy shout, and the
two of us freeze. “Back off,” it says. “Or I’ll kill you.”
Marcy –The main character Hank
doesn’t remember anything from his past. The only clue is a book he’s holding –
Walden – by Henry David Thoreau. As
he is reading the book searching for clues, he is transported into Thoreau’s
world. Loved this vivid chapter ending!
Instead of the stink of the alley and the echo of sirens and
honking taxicabs, while I’m reading the book it’s actually like there’s fresh
air rustling leaves in a tree over my head. I hear the water and birds singing.
Somehow, I know this place in Henry’s book. I can remember being outside like
that, in the woods, near a lake. It’s familiar in a way I feel to my bones.
It’s the closet feeling so far to home.
3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?
Dave – Like Marcy, my favorite
character is Thomas. He’s been through so much and hasn’t forgotten where he’s
come from so he is able to help Hank through the dark times while he is trying
to figure out who he really is… And maintain a sense of humor, as evidenced in
this quote.
“So, I suppose this is where you tell me you’re not actually
Thoreau reincarnated.” Thomas says at last.
Marcy – Thomas! He is this
diverse character who’s a kind-hearted, off-the-radar kind of guy and who does
everything he can to help Hank.
Hank asks
Thomas,
“Why would you do this for me?” I whisper.
“Like I told you. When I was younger, some good people helped me
out, and that made all the difference,” he says. “This is my chance to pay that
back. Maybe you’ll do the same someday for somebody else.”
4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?
Dave – There are so many great descriptions throughout the novel
(and you’ll see below that Marcy has the same sentiments) but there were a
certain few that stuck out to me, all of them dealing with the beast, a
metaphor for Hank’s memory returning, that stuck with me the most. I’m torn
between a few of them, so I’m going to give you two separate examples.
He laughs after he says maybe
you killed somebody, loving his own crazy joke, and I tried to join in, but
my face is frozen. My pulse hammers in my ears and something dark lurches in my
chest like a beast waking from a deep sleep. A wave of dizziness breaks over me
and I grip the edge of the table so I won’t fall off the chair.
And, from later in the
book…
I almost fall down the concrete steps, vision bombarded with
black-red flashes as the beast roars to life from its pit inside me. But it’s
just not one beast, not anymore. It divides itself into a billion smaller
versions of itself, each with curled claws, red eyes, rising, choking, leaping
at my throat, trying to kill me for starting to remember what is crucial to
forget.
Marcy – There were so many descriptions that it was extremely hard to
pick – between all of the beautiful quotes by Thoreau and thoughts from Hank.
But, if I had to pick my favorite it would be when Hank is about to perform on
stage with Hailey. He is so nervous, he’s frozen, he can’t play a note.
But then, the silence is broken by the sound of a voice. A
girl’s silky alto voice. At first, I’m so lost in my own head that I don’t
recognize the voice or the song. But it cuts through my panic and I recognize
that it’s Hailey. Singing “Blackbird,” a cappella, without me. Her voice soars
to the rafters, so beautiful.
I’m mesmerized along with the rest of the audience, just
listening, until she reaches the end of the first verse. Then, as if they have
finally come to life, my fingers relax and start to move. They form chords
across the frets, hover above the strings and then come in perfectly for the
intro of the second verse. The music consumes me and the magic takes over at
last, transcending my fear. Hailey joins in and starts singing the second verse
like this is exactly how we planned it all along.
5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?
Dave – This line is simple,
but to me it says what any parent would want someone else to say a runaway, or
a child that is lost.
“Hank, call your mother,” she whispers,
like she knows something about me that I don’t. I guarantee she would sacrifice
her own life just to have you back home. Understand?”
Marcy
– I cracked up when I read this paragraph. Hank walks into Hailey’s house for
the first time so they can practice their song. Her family owns this beautiful,
pristine house.
She
leads me into a room that’s all white. No Kidding. White rug, white sofas,
white walls, even a white grand piano. I’m afraid to have a dirty thought in
this room. Which is difficult, considering the way I’m starting to feel about
Hailey.
To read
more about Cal Armistead’s debut YA novel Being
Henry David please go to:
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