Spotlight on Jamie Sumner

Q: A lot of your novels have a meaning or theme that goes beyond then message of the plot. When writing, do you create with a message in mind or plot?

Actually, character comes to me first. It starts with voice. Then I spend some time with that person, getting to know them and their quirks, jotting down dialogue and making playlists that fit their vibe. Once I know them enough, I get a sense of the situation that would most make them grow and then I dive into it. By that point, it feels like we are on the adventure together.

Q:  Your latest release, Time to Roll, brings us back into Ellie’s world. How did you decide that there were still stories to tell with Ellie and her friends?

I have the readers to thank for that! So many kids during school visits asked what happened next to Ellie and her friends and her grandparents. Did she stay in Oklahoma? What happened with her dad? Did she try for another baking contest? What is Bert up to? Is Coralee still bossing people around? They were as real to them as they were to me and knowing they would come back to hear more was all the encouragement I needed to continue the story. And it still continues! The third book in the series has already been written!

Q:  Out of all the books you have published so far, which one is your favorite and why?

That’s like asking who your favorite kid is. I love them all for different reasons. If I had to pick, I would still say Roll with It for sentimental reasons. It was my very first middle grade novel and deeply personal. I have a son with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair. My grandparents lived in a trailer not far from Lake Eufaula. My grandfather had Alzheimer’s. Ellie’s mom has so much of me in her and Ellie’s spunkiness is what I wish for my son as he navigates the world. There’s a reason I keep going back to that place and those characters. 

Q: You have a lot coming up, including a new middle grade novel, Maid for It, which is about another young person in a tough situation. What’s your inspiration for these stories? What other new projects are coming up for you that you can share?

 I will always tell stories about kids who feel different – like they don’t fit in or their life doesn’t look like everyone else’s. I felt that way. I think we all feel that way at times. You assume everyone else has it figured out, so why can’t you? But really, we are all learning how to navigate the world. Knowing that can bring such freedom to be your authentic self. 

It's also why I don’t shy away from tough situations. Kids go through really hard things. To tell a story that does not reflect that would be a disservice to them. Stories offer a way to process the hardest parts of life because they provide a safe space to feel what you need to feel. And honestly, kids are the most resilient of all of us. If anyone can handle it, they can.

As for new projects, my first novel in verse Deep Water comes out next spring! Poetry was my first instinct as a kid when it came to writing. I have always loved playing with rhythm and sound to create word pictures. I think all of my novels have an element of poetry in the prose. Deep Water, however, is the full thing, no holding back. The entire novel takes place over six hours as twelve-year-old Tully attempts to break the record for youngest marathon swimmer to cross Lake Tahoe. It’s fast-paced and intense in ways I could only do through verse. I’m so excited for readers to dive in with me on this one!