Kate Simpson - Author and Librarian

Kate S. Simpson is a librarian at a small, public library. A fan of books, hot chocolate, and rainy days, she loves visiting museums of all kinds. She lives with her husband and two children in New England, along with two cats and five typewriters. Her debut middle-grade novel is The Paper Museum.

1. Do you prefer ebooks, printed books, or audiobooks most of the time?

I mostly prefer printed books, because I love holding a book and turning the pages. But I also read ebooks on my phone using the free library app Libby, especially when I’m reading at bedtime and don’t want to use the lights. And sometimes I’ll download the audiobook on Libby too, for when I’m doing the dishes or driving in my car. So sometimes I’ll have three versions of the same book, and switch between them depending on where I am and what I’m doing.

2. Do you only write for one genre?

No, I write in multiple genres, although I haven’t published in all of them. I’ve published a middle-grade novel and helped edit adult nonfiction books. But I’ve also written picture book manuscripts, a young adult novel, and poetry.

3. What did you like to write and read as a kid?

As a kid, I liked reading Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, Harriet the Spy, A Wrinkle in Time, The Westing Game, The Baby-Sitters Club, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and many more. I liked books about mysteries, fairy tales, history, and science fiction, but really I loved reading anything and I still do today. When I was in eighth grade I wrote a twenty-page story for my English class that was a mix of history and fantasy, and I mailed it to Candlewick Press hoping they would publish it. They didn’t, but I still have the rejection letter they sent me!

4. What do you like to do to inspire yourself when you have a block?

I like to walk in the woods behind my house. Usually, I get stuck on a specific plot point, so I’ll ask myself the same question about it over and over as I walk and try to come up with as many answers as I can until I find the one I think is best.

5. Where do you get your ideas from?

My ideas usually start from an image or a phrase that I see or overhear, or one that just pops into my head. Then I start wondering about it, and adding to it. The idea for The Paper Museum came from an image of a girl typing notes on a typewriter. I asked myself what she was typing, and who she was giving her notes to, and who she was, and eventually it turned into a story. The story changed a lot from my original idea, but that image was the spark.

6. What is something in your field that you don't yet know how to do, but you would like to learn?

I’d like to learn how to write a play or a graphic novel script. My older brother writes screenplays for short films, so I can ask him for advice. I’d also like to learn how to use a letterpress printing press because I love the way it looks, and there are so many interesting fonts and designs.

7. Why did you begin writing? Was it because of a person or something else?

When I was in fourth grade, a kid in my class was taking a survey at recess about what people wanted to do when they grew up. One of my friends said she wanted to write a book and I thought, 'That’s something people can do? I want to do that!' I’d always loved reading and stories, but I think it was that moment that made me realize it was possible to become an author.

8. Do you write on the computer or freehand?

A mix, but mostly on the computer. If I’m writing something short, like a poem or a picture book, I write it by hand and then type it up. For novels, I write most of it on the computer, but I’ll write freehand to make lists of problems I need to solve, or ideas that I’m brainstorming.

9. What is your writing practice like?

I write in spurts. It’s helpful for me to know what scene I’m going to write next, so I can sit down and do it instead of spending time rereading my previous chapter and trying to figure out what to write next. So I try to set up my writing time with a plan of what I’m going to work on. I also spend a lot of time—not at my desk—ruminating and asking myself questions and letting my ideas simmer. I like to listen to podcasts about writing and get inspiration from other writers as well. Some of my favorites are Middle Grade Matters, Writers with Wrinkles, and KidLit Love.

10. Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know (yet)?

I work in a small, public library, and you might already know this, but librarians love when readers ask us questions. We love helping you find books, and we also appreciate when you recommend books that you love—sometimes we can buy them for the library for others to enjoy too. Some libraries have writing groups for young writers and if they don’t, it doesn’t hurt to ask if you can start one.

11. If you could choose only one thing to do/have to inspire yourself, what would it be?

I would love to have a tool that lets me peek into the past. Just set the dial for any time or place and have a little look-see at what the world was really like in a different time period.

Thank you for your insightful interview, Kate, and congratulations on your dystopian middle-grade novel, The Paper Museum! Please follow Kate on social media and share her marvelous interview across platforms. Keep shining!

Website: www.katesimpson.com

Twitter/X: https://x.com/TypewriterKate