Q&A with Angela May

From my Q&A with Angela May, co-author (with Mary Alice Monroe) of The Islanders:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

When we started writing this middle grade novel, the working title was The Island during the rough draft. It seemed fitting at the time, considering that the setting of the story--Dewees Island, SC--was a special nature sanctuary that my co-author, Mary Alice Monroe, and I absolutely love it. The title seemed to appropriately reflect the strong sense of place we were creating. However, as our characters developed and the scenes crystalized, their adventurous story led us to rename the book The Islanders because that is who they became, together, in their summertime journey together. And, through the characters’ experiences, we felt like the reader would grow to feel like one of the gang too, an Islander who yearns to return to Dewees again and again. You’ll have to let us know if you think we chose the better title after you read the book. We’re curious to know!

What's in a name?

Each character’s name in the book is...[read on]

Learn more about The Islanders and visit Angela May's website.

Q&A with Angela May.

--Marshal Zeringue