December 9, 2018
Authors Talk: a Discussion with Scott Peters
This article is a part of a series of blog entries, which I refer to as “Authors Talk”. You can think of it as an author interview and, indeed, that is the name of the blog category. However, I prefer to see it as a friendly chat between fellow authors. Today I’m having this virtual chat with Scott Peters, author of – among others – adventure stories set in ancient Egypt. A detailed list of useful links to Scott Peters’s work can be found at the end of this article.
A Discussion with Scott Peters: General
Chris Angelis: Taking a look at your profile, the reader discovers a very interesting background – such as being the creator behind hundreds of installations in museums, science centers, and theme parks. Was writing something that began concurrently, or did it come at a later point? And what was the original motivation behind becoming a writer?
Scott Peters: The idea of writing books has intrigued me since I was a kid with my head stuck in the pages of an adventure story. As an adult, while I was creating installations, it struck me that while installations can be fun and exciting, books are really where it’s at. They’re the most immersive media around. It was only after I retired from creating installations, however, that I was able to find time to begin writing.
Chris: I don’t remember who it was that said it, but writers often hate not to write, and hate to write; they only like having written. What does writing mean to you on a more personal level – for example, is it a form of escapism, something to combat daily stress?
Experiencing Stories
Scott: Ha! That is quite a true statement. When the writing is flowing, it’s great. But when it’s not flowing… Yeah, that’s harder.
What does writing mean to me? Personally, I think I write to have a closer relationship with books—to deepen what began as someone who loves stories. From the writer’s perspective, I feel like I get to experience them even more fully, if that makes sense.
Chris: Any recent or upcoming books you’d like to talk about?
Scott: I’m venturing out of ancient Egypt to co-write a middle-grade series with Ellie Crowe, who’s a great writer and has won a number of awards. The series is called I Escaped, and they are short adventures about kids escaping from challenging situations. The first one is called I Escaped North Korea. We’re now working on I Escaped The World’s Biggest Shark Attack, which is about an event that took place during World War II.
A Discussion with Scott Peters: The Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy/ Zet Mystery Cases
Chris: It becomes obvious that Egypt and Egyptology have a central place in your heart. What is it about the topic that fascinates you and, in particular, what do you think your young audience will find fascinating in these stories?
Scott: When I was in middle school, during a museum field trip I came face-to-face with a mummy in a sarcophagus. I was literally gripped to think that here was a real human being who had walked around and hung out with friends thousands of years ago in this really crazy place called ancient Egypt. Between their hieroglyphics and mysterious pyramids, their world seemed magical.
Young readers are still on that cusp of believing magic can be real. So I think ancient Egypt feels exciting because it’s about an actual time in history, yet with mystical elements. On a totally different note, reading about a time before technology can give young readers a break from the stresses of modern day life.
Genre: Originality vs Stereotypes
Chris: I remember a scene in The Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy in which a certain revelation is made (I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything) because a real, entombed mummy becomes upset and starts talking to the human characters. I found that fascinating and memorable, because it’s a clear departure from the scripted stereotype of mummies growling. How does a writer (especially a genre writer) balance between being original and respecting stereotypes since, after all, these help the audiences orientate themselves in the world of the novel?
It’s vital that kids get interested in books at a young age because it will help them through life.
– Scott Peters
Scott: That’s a really great question. I spent a lot of time pondering that myself before I sat down to actually start writing the book. The Zet mysteries are written as historically correct, so I knew I had to be careful about adding supernatural elements. Yet as you say there are these stereotypes people want to see in a mummy story. I did my best to try and balance the two. I’m not sure if every reader will enjoy how I let it all play out!
The Evolution of Childhood
Chris: To me, another fascinating aspect of the Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy was its modernity in terms of its young characters. Although the story is set in ancient Egypt, there are many things a young reader from 2018 can relate to, such as being ignored by the grown-ups. On the other hand, there are many things that are different between being a child in 2018 and being a child in the 1980s (when I grew up), let alone millennia ago. In your opinion, how has being a child changed in the past few decades and, particularly, how does that affect literatures that are targeted at younger audiences?
Scott: I agree that being a child has changed dramatically over the past few decades. With social media and so much technology out there, childhood today looks a lot different. And it’s continuing to change and evolve ever more rapidly. It appears quite stressful to be a child from a grown up’s perspective, but I’m not sure that’s how they experience it. On the one hand, they have so much more access to knowledge. On the other hand, kids need to move around more and play in the real world. And it would be nice if they didn’t have to worry so much about curating their lives for everyone else via social media.
A Discussion with Scott Peters: Writers’ Life
Chris: Someone once said that having an audience for your art is great, but artists forget this audience can be one or two people. How much do reviews, low sales, or other such elements affect you, and what do you think is the best way for a writer to decouple such aspects from the purely artistic part of writing?
Scott: That is a tough one. I rely a lot on several writers’ groups. They give me a chance to enjoy the artistic side of writing in a positive environment. Also, I like to tell myself that if one person has enjoyed the book, I have succeeded in doing something good. And last, I focus on writing what I enjoy, so hopefully at least there’s one person having a good time—me!
Chris: I once talked in my blog about social media and how they exclude proper texts in favor of mindless regurgitation. We live in times where reason, the greater good, or facts seem to be snubbed in favor of sensationalism, egocentrism, and pleasant lies. Would you say literature (and perhaps knowledge in general) is under-appreciated in such a context, and how can a writer overcome the associated problems?
Scott: Yes, that scares me, all this mindless regurgitation. I worry in fact that people will stop reading altogether. What a sad world that would be. But then book sales are up, I’m told, so that gives me hope. Is there a way to overcome all this sensationalism, egocentrism, and pleasant lies as a writer? I’m not sure. Your blog is full of thoughtful, unique writing. You mull over these issues and by doing so, allow others to mull them over with you. That’s one powerful way I think writers can overcome the associated problems and I admire what you’re doing.
Children’s Literature Today and Tomorrow
Chris: Thinking of the previous question particularly in the context of younger audiences, how important is it to inspire children to read more, and how can a writer today inspire a child to drop the cell phone or tablet and read about ancient Egypt instead of playing a mindless tapping game? Overall, are you optimistic or pessimistic about the direction things are taking in that regard?
It would be nice if [children] didn’t have to worry so much about curating their lives for everyone else via social media.
– Scott Peters
Scott: Again, a great question. Parents play a huge role in encouraging kids to read, as do teachers and school librarians. It’s vital that kids get interested in books at a young age because it will help them through life. I firmly believe that and I hope adults will continue to encourage reading.
Chris: I wish they did. Personally, I’m rather pessimistic.
Scott: I come at writing in a way that I hope is fast-paced, because I know I’m competing with tapping games. I try to keep things moving swiftly along so that hopefully young readers feel compelled to turn the page. Hey, here’s a wacky thought. Maybe what’s needed are stories that reward young readers at the end of a chapter with a story-related tapping game? One thing is certain, it’s always going to be a challenge, trying to keep up with newer forms of entertainment.
Optimistic or pessimistic? You know, I’m a little bit on the fence there. But I’m going go with optimistic. I’m still seeing a lot of love for books, and I hope that will carry on for a long time.
Scott Peters: Important Links
Below you can find links to Scott Peters’s work.