It's My TV….It's My Peanut Butter

Cammy:  In honor of her birthday tomorrow* I would be delighted to buy this woman a cup of coffee.  I cannot fathom that she would be anything less than interesting to talk to.  Her books have touched on such a wide variety of topics from science to religion to moral failings in one’s parents to just getting along with those pesky younger siblings.  And those are just the ones marketed at children/young adults.  Her best known book, A Wrinkle In Time, actually employed legitimate science, for which I will be eternally grateful (there are plenty of great fantasy books suited to the younger set, but far fewer actual sci-fi–even more rare to have sci-fi and a female lead).  She produced books that were connected, and yet very different from one another, which always strikes me as awesome.  I’d love the chance to talk to her about the way the different “universes” of her books run next to one another, occasionally glancing off tangentially.  Why did she choose to do it that way?  Why not keep the Austin’s totally separate from the Murrys, or fully integrate them?  How did she really feel about the right-wingers who were down on the subject matter of her books?  Beyond that, I just want to chat with the woman.  After all, she managed to start something with “It was a dark and stormy night…” and turn it into something fabulous and thought provoking, imagine what she could do to having coffee.

Kristy: This is another one of those moments where I confess to a minor heresy: I’ve never read anything by Madeleine L’Engle.  I think in elementary school one of our readers had a chapter from one of her books or something, but that’s it.  It wasn’t a deliberate choice, I just never got around to it.  I was obsessed with history and dance as a child and there were enough books for kids focused on those topics that I never had time for fantasy.  Something I kind of regret as an adult, though I have yet to find the time or inclination to go back and read the things I missed.  So clearly I have some homework to do prior to coffee, but yes, I would have coffee with her.  I imagine we could still have plenty of things to talk about.  I’m interested in how late in life she began her professional writing career–did she ever imagine writing was something she’d do professionally?  Why does she think it took her that long to find her first novel idea?  I’d also love to hear any insights she had into the publishing industry in general.  Heck, I’d love just a list of suggested books for my nieces and nephews.  I’m sure she’d be a very interesting lady with whom to share a cup of coffee.

Cammy:  ZOMG.  I feel like I’ve failed as a roommate for never having made sure you were indoctrinated.  I am going to retire to a corner and cry tears of shame.

*Side Note:  Apparently November 29 is a great day to be born if you want to write a successful youth novel.  C.S. Lewis and Lousia May Alcott share the day with L’Engle.