Dear Mr. Kropp,
Please allow us to introduce ourselves.  We are a grade 6/7 class at
McLurg School in Regina.  We are thrilled to be participating in a virtual
convention.  For a reading project our class chose to do an author study
and interview on you!  Why, you ask?  Many of us were fortunate enough to
meet you last year when you came to our school.  Some of us even had the
opportunity to be a part of your writing workshop.  We wanted to get to
know you better and let others know what a great author you are.

The following is a list of interview questions that we developed. 
Pam, Samantha, Jennifer
1.  Out of all the books you have written, which is your favourite and why?

My two Moonkid books are personal favourites, perhaps Moonkid and Prometheus the most.  I think these are the best-crafted books I've done, and the most adventurous in terms of technique.  Others may be funnier, or more gripping, but these are my best.

2.  You said that showers are an important part of your writing process.   How do showers help you think?

It's all about ionization - those free ranging electrons going into your
brain.  Or maybe I just like water, and privacy and the chance to think.
3.  Have you ever thought of retiring?  If so why?

I have thought about working less when I hit my 60s in a few years.  It
seems to me that younger writers should start taking over.
4.  Have any of your real life experiences been part of your books?

Not many.  I used some family elements in Cottage Crazy and Ski Stooges,
years ago, but my own life isn't very exciting.  Sometimes I'll stick in
the odd reference to croquet, or Mozart, or something else I like, but I
don't have enough personal material to create even one novel ... and
I've written 39 (or so).
5.  What inspired you to start writing?

I wanted to write some books for the teenage boys I was teaching at
Parkview Secondary School in Hamilton.  Once I got started, I just
didn't stop (except the teaching, that is).

6.  What do you find is the hardest step in writing and what about it
makes it so hard?

The hardest step for me is letting go, saying that a book is finished
after the 10th or 12th revision.  I have lots of ideas and have no
problem starting a book and few problems in spinning the story forward,
but it's hard to stop tinkering when I get the book done.
Cody, Steven, Jordan
7.  In the book "Dirtbike" why is the character Dennis an alcoholic?

I really wanted to write about teenage alcoholism.  The dirtbike story
is just a teaser to get kids to read the book.
8.   What made you start having showers to get ideas?

Growing up, we didn't have a shower in my house, just a bathtub.  When I
finally found out how showers sparked the imagination, it was truly
thrilling. Now I have two hot water heaters, so if I can't fix the plot
problem, at least I come out very clean.
9.  What gives you your imagination and ideas?

I may just be an imaginative person.  I sometimes have 5 or 6 dreams a
night; my wife rarely has any.  So maybe my brain is just wired that
way.

10.  We noticed that there was no acknowlegment for your illustrations.
Do you do them yourself or does someone do them for you?

The illustrations in the New Series Canada books are all done by Matt
Melanson.  In the old books, the publisher was sometimes negligent in
giving credit where it was due.


11.  Did you have someone special who inspired you in life or is your
mentor?

My high school English teacher, Reid Sanders, was an important mentor
for me.  My elementary school principal, Mrs. Ella Garber, bought every
book I ever wrote up until the day she died.  It's important to have a
few people who believe in you for a career in writing.
Jasmine, Toni, Dakota
12.  Have you ever wanted any of your books turned into a movie?  If so
which one and how do you think it would turn out?

I always thought Ellen/Elena/Luna would be a good film.  So did one
Hollywood studio, but it never worked out.  Most of the Series Canada
books are just too expensive to film.
13.  I have read 3 of your awesome books and all of them contain
violence. Do all of your books have violence?  Is that a theme of yours?  If so,
why?

Violence makes for exciting reading ... especially for boys.  It's not a
theme; it's part of life.
14.  How did your parents support you in writing?  Did they inspire you
in any way? 

My parents were vaguely proud of my writing, but I come from a German
family of engineers, so writing a book was not nearly as important as,
say, designing a car part (which is what my son does).  That keeps me
humble.
15.  What neat and exciting things have happened in your writing career?

I get to do interesting travel: all over Canada, much of the U.S.,
Mexico and Colombia South America.  And sometimes the research is
interesting: I've fallen off trains, been on motorbikes, hung out with
gangs.
Mitchell, Tyson, Nathan, Jordan P.
16.  What do you like about writing books for teenagers?

I think the audience needs more books about their lives and their
problems, so I think the writing is important.  Sometimes I get a nice
note of appreciation back, and that makes it very worthwhile.

17.  Why did you want to become a poet in the first place?

I think our most important and most subtle thoughts are best expressed
in poetry.  The problem is, I'm not very good at writing it.
18.  What's your favorite part of writing?  Why?

I love starting a book - the first few pages are such a rush!
(Ironically, I usually throw out the first few pages when I get to the
second draft.)
19.  How did your childhood affect your life of writing?

My childhood was very typical and not particularly interesting - so I
have to research material that will be interesting to write about.  If
my life had been more exciting, I might just write about myself.
20.  We understand that you began teaching in a vocational school.  How
did you go from teaching to writing?

Gradually.  I began teaching in 1972, writing in 1976.  I cut back to
half-time teaching in 1986, then 1/3 time in 1991, and then no teaching
in 1994.
 Shawn, Evan, Ryan
21.  What do you think is your best written book and why?

As I said above, the two Moonkid books are my favourites.
22.  What is your favorite topic to write about?

I'm not sure I have a favourite topic.  I've written so many books on so
many different topics, but there are some underlying themes: growing
into adulthood, dealing with conflict in life, finding a personal
identity.
23.  How do you get writers to write with you?  Do you enjoy it better
than writing alone?

Writing is a pretty lonely process.  I've worked with many writers, but
it's always one person writing and me suggesting or revising or editing.
I've enjoyed, especially, working with Martyn Godfrey, Gordon Korman and
Sylvia McNicoll.  They are all wonderful writers in their own right, and
a pleasure to work with on a project.

Paul Kropp's Visit to McLurg
(slide show)