Writing With a Broken Tusk

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Writing With a Broken Tusk began in 2006 as a blog about overlapping geographies, personal and real-world, and writing books for children. The blog name refers to the mythical pact made between the poet Vyaasa and the Hindu elephant headed god Ganesha who was his scribe during the composition of the Mahabharata. It also refers to my second published book, edited by the generous and brilliant Diantha Thorpe of Linnet Books/The Shoe String Press, published in 1996, acquired and republished by August House and still miraculously in print.

Since March 2024, Jen Breach (writer, VCFA graduate, and former student) has helped me manage guest posts and Process Talk pieces on this blog. They have lined up and conducted author/illustrator interviews and invited and coordinated guest posts. That support has helped me get through weeks when I’ve been in edit-copyedit-proofing mode, and it’s also introduced me to writers and books I might not have found otherwise. Our overlapping interests have led to posts for which I might not have had the time or attention-span. It’s the beauty of shared circles.

Guest Post: Suma Subramaniam on the V. Malar Series
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Guest Post: Suma Subramaniam on the V. Malar Series

Writing the Book Uncle trilogy was a recursive process for me, as I had to go back and read the first book, pretending to be that new, naive reader demanded by revision. I sketched characters in small increments, then let them surprise me as their stories braided together. I became curious about how other writers approach the work of turning a single book into many stories. How do you do this in a way that respects young readers’ intelligence without condescension? Rewriting was where the trilogy found its shape: I pruned sentimentality, sharpened dialogue, and tried to make space for humor and everyday grace.

I read Suma Subramaniam’s first V. Malar book with particular pleasure on account of its setting. It is the precise rural counterpart to the urban setting of my Book Uncle books. I could see these characters talking to each other. I could see my little trio of friends finding themselves enlightened and challenged by the very same forest camp where young Malar finds herself.

So I’m especially delighted to welcome Suma back to talk about writing her second V. Malar book, V. Malar, Greatest Ranger of All Time.

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Process Talk: Zetta Elliott on Dragons in a Bag (Part 2)
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Process Talk: Zetta Elliott on Dragons in a Bag (Part 2)

Here’s Part 2 of my conversation with Zetta Elliott about her Dragons in a Bag series.

[Uma] I was thrilled to see Book 2 weaving in the history of Siddi people in India. It’s a history so subject to centuries of erasure that it just made me happy to see it, particularly this way, so loving and threaded through with magic. Can you tell me more about writing this part of The Dragon Thief?

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