by Dave Amaditz
& Marcy Collier
Welcome to April 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 author and National
Book Award Winner, William Alexander's novel, Goblin Secrets.
1) What is your
favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's
development and/or growth?
Dave
- I picked this passage because the main character, Rownie, has just had his
narrow view of the world grow larger. Not only has he met a troupe of goblin
actors, but he realizes that they know of his missing brother, Rowan.
The
circle of goblins all stared at Rownie with their large, bright-flecked eyes.
Rownie tried not to cough again. The world had just changed shape, and he
didn't recognize the new shape it was in.
Marcy – This development comes early in the story, but this
brief snapshot gives the reader a better understanding for Rownie, the main
character’s motivations and actions throughout the novel.
Rownie had a
brother older than any of the siblings who shared Graba’s shack, an actual
birth-brother. They looked alike, both of them dark with dark eyes – eyes you couldn’t easily see the
bottom of. Everyone called the brothers Rowan and Little Rowan. After a while
“Little Rowan” shortened into “Rownie.” Rownie had never had a name of his own.
Their mother drowned before she’d had a chance to name him.
2)
What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?
Dave
- In Zombay, the tunnels are the worst place to go, yet Rownie goes there in
search of his brother. He is confronted in the darkness by Graba, an evil spell
caster, who is after both Rownie and his brother.
Rownie
remained in the dark, with Graba. He tried to remember how to breathe.
Marcy – ***Spoiler Alert*** Poor Rownie has been searching high
and low for his long lost brother the entire novel. The reader peers around
every corner with Rownie, hoping and praying the two brothers will once again be
reunited. I won’t give away the dramatic details, but check out this
cliffhanger:
The railcar shook
and slid to a halt. The lights inside sputtered and went out. “Rowan?” Rownie
asked in the dark.
3) Who is your
favorite secondary character and why?
Dave
- Essa, a goblin, is my favorite secondary character. In the midst of chaos and
danger she maintains her easy-going personality. What's not to like about lines
like these?
The first example comes when she sees Patch, a goblin
whom they feared dead.
"Shut
it, scowly trousers!" Essa came sprinting from the other end of the tower
and knocked both Patch and Nonny to the ground with a tackling hug. Patch held
his leg and winced. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" said Essa. "Are you
hurt? Is it bad? Are you actually drowned and you just came back to haunt us? I
hope not. I would hate it if you said even less than you usually do."
The second example is her explaining to Rownie what a
halberd is.
"If
an ax and a spear had babies, they would be halberds," Essa told him.
"It's a pokey-pokey weapon for convincing things that are taller than you
to stay back, please. Here's one." She handed it to Rownie and grabbed
another.
Marcy – Even
though Rowan doesn’t appear until the end of the novel, I get such a clear
picture of his vibrant and vivacious character through Rownie’s eyes that I
keep hoping that I’ll get to meet the real Rowan, not simply hear about
Rownie’s memories of him. Throughout the novel, little snippets of big
brother’s character shine through like the paragraph below.
Sometimes Rowan had enough to buy an extra fish pastry, and
they would split the third one. He always gave his younger brother the larger
piece.
4)
What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?
Dave
- There were so many fantastic images throughout, but in the end I decided to
pick one that gave a little insight into Rownie's personality as well as his
kid-like voice.
Rownie
understood very little of the conversation, though he listened carefully. He
sifted words through his head like fine dust through his hands, and he caught
what he could. As the youngest he was used to piecing together his
understanding from snatches of overheard conversations, and the rest he set
carefully aside on the shelf in the back of his mind.
Marcy – Like Dave said above, there were so many great lines of
description that I had a hard time choosing as well, but I decided on one
simple sentence. Twelve words. What an image it paints for the reader - well
done!
The gravestones
were all worn and crooked, like teeth badly cared for.
5)
What is your favorite line of dialogue?
Dave
- This comes from Essa, a goblin, and is extremely short. But I loved it. What
else would a goblin actor say to their fellow actor before going on stage?
"Break
your face, everybody!" said Essa. She said it with so much hope and cheer
that Rownie was sure he must've heard her wrong.
Marcy – There is a scene in the novel
where Thomas, one of the Goblins goes on a tirade and is going to curse Cob,
the owner of the alehouse, for not paying the goblins for their performance.
His young daughter comes out to make amends and shows true honor and bravery
toward the goblins. Her sincerity comes through in these lines:
“I’m just sorry he tossed you out,” the girl
said. You should have some payment for the show, so I brought you some bread.”
She lifted the basket she held. “It’s fresh. It doesn’t have maggots in it, not
unless your curses work very fast.” She gave him the basket.
You can find William at:
