Welcome to BookEnds, Kate Simpson!

I’m so thrilled to welcome Kate Simpson to BookEnds Literary!

Kate has written a fantastic middle grade with just a touch of magic, and I’m so excited to work with her on this and future books. I don’t want to give away too much, but I love so much about this book – the near-future setting, the primary location (Shh! It’s a surprise!), and her solid middle grade voice!

I hope you enjoy learning more about Kate Simpson and her work!

Do you have any writing rituals? 

When I sit down to write, I like to start with a really hot cup of tea or hot chocolate. My favorite mug is one my best friend gave me in high school.

She gave it to me because we kept volunteering each other for clubs and activities so we wouldn’t have to do them alone. But it’s kind of funny that I use this mug when writing because I do very specifically remember the moment in elementary school when I decided I wanted to write a book—so I do remember signing up for this, and I’m thankful every day it’s something I get to work at.

What book do you wish you had written, and why?

There are many, but one is The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. The world she creates is so captivating—there’s darkness and danger, a half-eaten message the main characters have to puzzle out, and bravery, hope, and light.

If you’re not reading or writing, what would we catch you doing?

I work part-time at my town’s library, so you might find me there hugging piles of books, or at home playing Harry Potter Clue or the Oregon Trail Card Game with my family. I also really like typewriters, so you might catch me typing up quotes on old Lincoln four-cent postcards or computer punch cards.

Do you belong to any writing organizations?

Yes, I’m a member of the New England chapter of SCBWI, and Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 picture book challenge. 

What’s the last book you read?

I just read Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett (illustrated by Jon Klassen) to my son at bedtime, but on my own I recently finished Fish Girl by Donna Jo Napoli and David Wiesner, and The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof by Annie M. G. Schmidt. Now I’m reading The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

If money were no object, what would be your dream writing location?

I would love a little shed in the backyard, at the edge of the woods. Simple is good: a door that closes, a chair, paper and pen, and a laptop. A tea kettle would be nice, too. And a window so I could keep an eye out for bobcats and bears.

What’s your favorite quote about reading or writing?

I have two that I often think about together. The first one is: “It is wonderful how much news there is when people write every other day; if they wait for a month, there is nothing that seems worth telling” (O. Douglas).

It might be more about writing letters, but it feels true for writing fiction, too, because there can be so much meaning in the small, seemingly unimportant parts of our days. Which leads to the second quote: “The strongest temptation is to think, Oh, but they wouldn’t be interested in that. But the most ordinary parts of our lives are the very things that tie us to the human condition” (Barbara Scot).

What excites you most about joining the BookEnds family?

Everything! Thank you so much for believing in me and for this opportunity—I’m delighted to be a part of BookEnds.

Thank you, Kate – I’m so excited to have you on #TeamMarchini! You can find Kate Simpson on Twitter at @TypewriterKate.