Interviews With Authors: Eden Unger Bowditch

I'm so excited to post my second Interviews With Authors!  Eden Unger Bowditch, author of The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black was kind enough to answer some questions about her new book and what it is like being an author.  I highly recommend this book, as it will have you searching for possible clues, being stunned by the five young inventors' intelligence, and laughing along as well.  You can find my full review of The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black here. 

In honor of today's release of The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black here is Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Eden Unger Bowditch!

A Talk With Eden Unger Bowditch

Author of The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black

By T.B.

1) What prompted you to start writing your new book, The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black?

We loved the Harry Potter books. But at some point, my son, Julius, said “I love magic but it’s always disappointing at the end when you can’t do it.” That made me totally bummed out because I feel like there is magic everywhere! A tree grows out of a tiny seed! And science is magic, and invention. Chemistry and invention are both magic you can do! That made me think about real magic…and then the characters began to take form and then the whole world around them.

2) You have been writing ever since you were a child. Has it always been a life-long dream of yours to become an author?

I’ve always wanted to write and always did so. Did I dream of being an author? I’m not sure. When I wrote songs and when I was a journalist, I didn’t even think of writing books. But then, books hit me…sort of…and I just wrote and wrote. The truth is, it is still hard to believe I’m an author. I keep looking around for someone else when people introduce me as an author. I still revere the authors I love. I cried when a couple of my heroes said they loved my book. I can say this, it’s a dream now.
 
3) I’ve heard that you have been a musician, a journalist, a welder, and an editor. How are these occupations different from being an author?

In some ways, writing is writing. Whether you’re writing books or songs or magazine articles. And editing is part of that. Writing books is a big commitment of time, different from writing articles. It’s like the difference between reading books and reading an article. You become involved in writing books in ways that you don’t in shorter writing. It takes longer. As for welding, I made fabricated metal art when I was at university, and then went on to do work after that. With music, we played and toured and it was fun. Being creative and getting to express that is the best.
 
4) This is your first young adult novel. Do you enjoy writing for teens more so than your previous books for adults?

I guess I didn’t set out to write for teens. This is my first novel. The other books were in many ways, to see if I could even write a book. I love research and three of the books were historic nonfiction. Writing novels is closer to my heart, though. And writing YA is REALLY demanding. Adults will read things they are told are best sellers or read authors people say are good. With YA, you have to really be on your toes. I think some of the best literature out there these days is YA.

5) The characters in The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black all have so much personality and individuality. Did you draw on any inspiration to come up with such relatable characters?

Even before I put pen to paper, so to speak, the characters were forming in my mind. I’d wake up in the middle of the night with something in my head that one of them might have said! As the characters develop, they become more and more real to me. Each character is so individual, I feel like they’re in the room with me when I write. And as they become more and more real, they almost speak for themselves. You couldn’t imagine Lucy saying something that Noah says, for example. Occasionally, I’ll meet someone who reminds me of a character.

6) The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black is enveloped in a shroud of mystery. When you were writing this book, was it hard not to give too much away, yet still keep readers interested?

That was SUCH a big challenge. I worry that I might have said too much or not enough. I wanted to be sure to really give a sense of who each character is. I have a giant basket of clues that requires plucking and planting around in the books. For me, the story is enormous. There’s so much to tell.

7) I understand that history is an important aspect in your book. How did you incorporate different aspects of history into The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black?

The turn of the last century was a very interesting time. I spent hours reading about different events and , whenever something was going to happen in my book, I’d go and research everything around that time. I really wanted it to feel real. There are secrets that will be revealed as the story goes along, much of which touches historic times and events.

8) Can you tell us a little bit about book two in The Young Inventors Guild trilogy?

The children will cross one continent and head halfway across another. We will learn more about the MMIB…and about the Young Inventors Guild, with some surprises, for sure.

9) Are you excited for the release of your very first young adult book, and is there anything else you would like readers to know about The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black?

I am SO EXCITED!! This story means a great deal to me. I remember reading that JK Rowling had the whole story of Harry Potter in her head. I didn’t believe it…until the Young Inventors Guild moved into my head.

10) Lastly, what advice would you give to any young readers who someday wish to become recognized authors?

There is a difference between writing as a craft and writing because you cannot do otherwise. If you cannot help but write and are driven to putting word to page, don’t stop! Keep writing. The more you write, the better you will get and you will find more and more stories pouring out of you. Find someone who will be a good reader to help you work on your style. The world needs good writers! And I am always excited to find a new author I love and read.

-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf...

Until Next Time, Keep Reading!

Thank you so much Eden Unger Bowditch for taking the time to answer my questions!  I love what you said about how adults will read a bestseller, but teens will only read what interests them.  I find this so true and I have seen it happen many times.  I can't wait for book two and I wonder what new mysteries will be revealed!  Again, thank you so, so much for all that you have done and for being part of Interviews With Authors!

You can find my full review of The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black here.

The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black is available from Amazon here.

Interested in an another Author Interview?  You can check out my very first Interviews With Authors: A Talk With Richard Harland, author of Worldshaker here.