| Interview with Dan Gutman |
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
Not until I finished college. I was a psychology major, but I didn’t want to be a psychologist. So I thought,
“What do I like to do?” I always liked writing letters to my friends, so I decided to try writing.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
It took me about 15 years to find out what I was good at. I tried writing newspaper articles, magazine
articles, screenplays, non-fiction for adults, non-fiction for kids. Nothing worked. I was rejected hundreds
of times. Then, after my son Sam was born, I decided to try fiction for kids. Suddenly, I realized that THIS
was what I was good at.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing
about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My newest book is called “Getting Air.” It’s about these skateboarders who are on a plane that is taken over
by hijackers. They have to take control of the plane, crash land it in the wilderness, and survive until they
are rescued. It’s inspired by Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My son Sam and my daughter Emma.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
Sam is 17 and Emma is 12. Sam is a musician. He plays guitar and drums and wants to be a rock star.
Emma loves to sing and draw and play softball and read. I met my wife Nina back in 1981 when I was
working on a magazine about video games.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Kit-Kat bars, Werther’s Originals, ice cream, cottage cheese and noodles, popcorn.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Feed my cat. Make a cup of tea for my wife. Wake up my kids.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise
me the most?
That I actually own my own bowling shoes.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If
you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Blue is pretty cool, but to be honest I’m partly color blind so color doesn’t mean that much to me.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Bugs Bunny. Homer Simpson.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history,
where and when would it be—and why?
I would love to meet the Wright Brothers and watch their first flight. They were really cool.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while
you’re writing?
I can’t write with music playing, unfortunately, because I love music. I grew up with the Beatles and to this
day I feel they inspire everything I do. Other favorites: electric blues, classic rock, Motown, Creedence
Clearwater Revival, and my favorite current band, Fountains of Wayne.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows?
The Daily Show, 30 Rock, Scrubs, The Office, Meet the Press.
Movies you watch over and over again?
The first Austin Powers movies.
What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
Blades of Glory
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Read your first draft and then read it again WHILE PRETENDING YOU ARE SOMEBODY ELSE. When you
look at it through different eyes, you can see your mistakes and see where you can make it better. Also, go
to my web site (www.dangutman.com) and click TIPS FOR YOUNG AUTHORS.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I will be writing a sequel to The Homework Machine. Also, the next three baseball card adventures will be
about Jim Thorpe, Ray Chapman, and Roberto Clemente. If you don’t know who they were, Google them!
Thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Not until I finished college. I was a psychology major, but I didn’t want to be a psychologist. So I thought,
“What do I like to do?” I always liked writing letters to my friends, so I decided to try writing.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
It took me about 15 years to find out what I was good at. I tried writing newspaper articles, magazine
articles, screenplays, non-fiction for adults, non-fiction for kids. Nothing worked. I was rejected hundreds
of times. Then, after my son Sam was born, I decided to try fiction for kids. Suddenly, I realized that THIS
was what I was good at.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing
about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My newest book is called “Getting Air.” It’s about these skateboarders who are on a plane that is taken over
by hijackers. They have to take control of the plane, crash land it in the wilderness, and survive until they
are rescued. It’s inspired by Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My son Sam and my daughter Emma.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
Sam is 17 and Emma is 12. Sam is a musician. He plays guitar and drums and wants to be a rock star.
Emma loves to sing and draw and play softball and read. I met my wife Nina back in 1981 when I was
working on a magazine about video games.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Kit-Kat bars, Werther’s Originals, ice cream, cottage cheese and noodles, popcorn.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Feed my cat. Make a cup of tea for my wife. Wake up my kids.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise
me the most?
That I actually own my own bowling shoes.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If
you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Blue is pretty cool, but to be honest I’m partly color blind so color doesn’t mean that much to me.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Bugs Bunny. Homer Simpson.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history,
where and when would it be—and why?
I would love to meet the Wright Brothers and watch their first flight. They were really cool.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while
you’re writing?
I can’t write with music playing, unfortunately, because I love music. I grew up with the Beatles and to this
day I feel they inspire everything I do. Other favorites: electric blues, classic rock, Motown, Creedence
Clearwater Revival, and my favorite current band, Fountains of Wayne.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows?
The Daily Show, 30 Rock, Scrubs, The Office, Meet the Press.
Movies you watch over and over again?
The first Austin Powers movies.
What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
Blades of Glory
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Read your first draft and then read it again WHILE PRETENDING YOU ARE SOMEBODY ELSE. When you
look at it through different eyes, you can see your mistakes and see where you can make it better. Also, go
to my web site (www.dangutman.com) and click TIPS FOR YOUNG AUTHORS.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I will be writing a sequel to The Homework Machine. Also, the next three baseball card adventures will be
about Jim Thorpe, Ray Chapman, and Roberto Clemente. If you don’t know who they were, Google them!
Thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
