JanashreeKellyEricW

**Meet The Author- Judy Blume**
( H= Host, J= Judy Blume, L= Larry (fudge) )

H= Good Morning! Welcome to Janashree's Talk show. My name is Janashree and I am your host. Today we have a very special guest with us. I'd like you all to meet the one and the only, Judy Blume!

(Applause) ( Judy walks in)

J= Hello everybody, thanks for inviting me!

H= No problem. So how are you doing?

J= I'm doing great. And how are you?

H= I am also doing great. I have a blog for my talkshow and many people have asked what inspires your writing?

J= Well, I usally get inspired by the books I read and also from the trips I go on with my husband George and my grandson Elliot

H= What are some of the trips you go on with your husband?

J= Well I go to Martha's Vineyard, Maine, and many other fantastic places!

H= Speaking about them, could you tell us a little bit about your family, if you don't mind?

J= Yeah no problem. I was first married to John Blume, and then it didn't turn out so well, so I got divorced and got married to Thomas Ktichens. That didn't go so well either, so I got another divorce. After that I married George Cooper who is my current husband and I love him very much. I have 2 sons and 1 daughter. Randy, Larry, are my sons and Amanda is my daughter. I also have a grandson Elliot.

H= And what was your education like?

J= As a child I went to public schools in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where I was born. Later I went to New York University and got my bachelor's degree.

H= I've heard that you were a good student and you liked school very much. Could you tell us a little bit about that.

J= Sure, not to brag, but I was a very good student. All the teachers said I was an A student. And I did like school very much.

H= When I was young I guess I was kind of like you, I liked to get to school and meet my friends. Is that why you like school?

J= Yeah. That was one of the reasons why I liked school. I also liked school when the teacher made the subject come alive in class.

H= Sounds like your classes were fun! Do you think that since the teacher made the subject come alive in class made you want to be an author?

J= Yea! My teachers would always say that I should be an author and I am!

H= well your teachers are very smart!

( they laugh)

H= What were some of your hobbies?

J= I really likes dance was I was young and liked to ride horses occasionally !

H= Fun! Anyway, I've heard that you have won many awards. Could you tell us about them?

J= Sure, I have won many awards. Some examples are the award in 1983 for my book Blubber, which was a Children's Choice Award, and another one in 1987, for my book Superfudge, which was another Children's Choice Award. And to know that my books are good enough for some one to give it an award, I feel great and that is a wonderful blessing.

H= Well you sure do deserve the awards. Talking about Fudge, what inspired you to come up with this crazy character beacuse I have read the Fudge series and the main character is mainly Fudge.

J= Well, I've been asked that many times. How I came up with him was because of my son Larry. Larry was a very crazy kid, and actually, Larry is here today in the audience.

H= Then let's bring Larry up here!

(Applause) ( Larry Walks in)

H= So larry how are you toaday?

L= Doing good thanks!

H= Larry, what is your opinion about Fudge, since he is based off of your life?

L= Well, I think Fudge is a very interesting character whose life is very similar to mine. Most of the books that mom wrote are based on events in my life.

H= So Judy, what do you think about Fudge?

J= I think Fudge is a good character and I think the reason why Larry inspired the character Fudge is because he is a very instresting kid who is very imaginative, very unique too.

H= Yes, i can tell, anyway, Larry what do you think about the books that your mom has written?

L= I think that the books are very fast paced, jumping from one place to another, interesting- really... out of the box, let's say, and reflect off of our life.

H= So Larry when you were young did you ever get bullied beacuse your mom was an author?

L= No, actually all my friends were very supportive.

H= Wow, very cool, anyway thanks for your opinion about the books. Hope to see you soon. Oh, by the way since you are Fudge in your mom's books, we brought some "fudge" for you to pass out to the audience after the show.

L= Oh, great, thanks for having me Kelly. ( Larry leaves)

H= So, Judy, could you tell us the book titles of some of the books you have written? Because I know you wrote many, many books.

J= Yeah, well, some of the books I wrote were Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, Otherwise known as Shelia the Great, SuperFudge, DoubleFudge, and Fudge-a-maina, and of course those books are part of the Fudge series. The books that weren't Fudge-related are mainly books related to teenagers, and some of those books are Deenie, Just as long as we're Together,Here's To You, Rachel Robinson, and Then again, Maybe I won't but there are many more books.

H= So what inspired you to write books related to teenagers?

J= Well, I think it was beacuse I would have liked to have read about some of these topics when I was a teenager so I write them now for teenagers who may feel the same way, you know, most authors don't write about these topics, it's usually just fiction and mystery and all that.

H= So Judy you're 74 years old right?

J= Actually I'm 73 years old. Not that old yet!

H= Oh, I'm sorry.. So when were you born?

J= I was born on February 12, 1938 in elizabeth, New Jersey.

H= Do you have an grandchildren?

J= Yes, well I have one grandson, Elliot, and he is 17 years old. And as I said before he inspires me very often with ideas on some of the books I have written. He is a very sweet guy!

H= Do you enjoy spending time with your grandson?

J= Yes, I do! I love it!

H= When you're not writing, or spending time with George or Elliot, what do you do?

J= Well, I do what any other woman at home would do, I tidy up the house!

H= Well, that sounds like fun!! I do that everyday after I pick up after my kids, and then I turn around to go into the kitchen and then the next thing you know the living room is filled wth barbies.

J= Yeah I remember cleaning up after Larry!

H= Do you have any pets around in your house?

J= Actally, I do I have a dog Mookie! He is such a cute dog I love him!

H= Well he sounds like a lot of fun!

J= He sure is!

H= Anyway, what was your favorite book as a child?

J= I think my favorite book was Madeline, but there are other books that I liked very much too.

H= Are some of the books you have written movies right now?

J= Yes, there are! 2 of my books have been made into movies, Tiger Eyes and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great.

H= How do you feel about that?

J= Well, I certainly feel great!! When you figure out that your book is good enough for someone to spend time making it into a movie, you feel amazing!!!

H= So what inspired you to become an author in the first place?

J= Well I think it was because of some of my dreams, stories I read, and because of the places I have gone.

H= How old were you when you wrote your first book?

J= In 1996, I was 27 years old and my first book I wrote was The One in the Middle Is The Green Kangaroo.

H= Do you have a favorite place to write?

J= Yes, I do during the summer, which is my favorite time of the year, we go to Martha's Vineyard and I like to write there in my cabin where it's quiet.

H= Do you ever have to rewrite?

J= Yes! And actually I love to!

H= WOW ! As a child I hated to rewrite. What is the hardest part of writing, for you, that is?

J= The hardest part is first drafts, which I dread. They're the worst!

H= Are you thinking about writing more books?

J = Actually, every time I finish a book I swear that I will never write another book again, because the process is so terrible and a lot of work, but I always end up writing more books. Actually, I am working on four short chapter books right now. The first book part of the series is Soupy Saturdays,which is coming this fall.

H= Well, I can't wait to read the series. Don't forget to get that book when it comes out in the fall! Thanks for coming!

J= No problem, it was nice talking to you. See you later!

H= It was nice talking to you too! Anyway see you next week on Janashree's Talk Show!