Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

Congratulations to Katherine Higgs-Coulthard on the release of Junkyard Dogs

How did you come up with the idea for your second book?

The idea for Junkyard Dogs actually started with Stan’s character. I was waiting in the carpool line to pick my kids up from school when I noticed a man walking along the road in a very quirky way. I was mesmerized by the way he rolled his hands and wanted to know more about him. Since interviewing strangers about their idiosyncrasies is generally frowned upon in polite society, I created a character sketch instead. It took years for me to find the right story for that character.

The story itself is inspired by something that happened in South Bend, IN in 2006. Several homeless men were found dead in manholes as a result of a dispute over a metal scrapping ring. While Junkyard Dogs is not the story of those crimes, Josh (the main character) does get dragged into a metal scrapping operation after his dad goes missing.

What is something you hope your readers will take away from your book?

I think the main message in Josh’s story is that sometimes the people who are supposed to be your family can’t or won’t give you what you need, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve better or that you’re alone. In the end, Josh’s life does not turn out like he expected, but he is okay because people step in to fill the spaces left by his family. Josh’s story doesn’t end with a big happy bow—real life seldom does—but life doesn’t have to be perfect for us to be okay.

What inspires you to write?

I write to give voice to the struggles kids face. Families can be complicated and I explore many of the forms that can take in my stories. My first book, Hanging with My Peeps, is about a girl whose dad is unemployed. His get-rich-quick schemes are funny on the surface, but underneath those humorous moments is a girl who is struggling to fit in when her family can’t afford many of the things that the other kids have. Poverty is also a theme in Junkyard Dogs, but Josh also struggles because the adults in his life either don’t know how or don’t care to provide a nurturing home for him. I wanted Josh and his little brother to be okay, despite the failures of adults.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

There’s a scene where Josh explores the wreckage of his childhood home. That was hard for me to write because a lot of what he’s feeling came from my own memories of when I was a kid. My house burned down in fifth grade and, although no one was hurt, my family lost everything we owned. As Josh walks through the remnants of his house, I could smell the scorched metal, taste the soot and ash. It dredged up many painful memories for me, but it also helped me process them. Writing is great therapy. It gives me the time and space to take out difficult memories and consider them with the benefit of hindsight. Rewriting those memories with different endings for the characters of my stories is also cathartic.

What's next for you?

I am in the process of writing a YA ghost story, although like my other books, it is really a story about family dynamics. The story is inspired by a unique grave near my house—it is totally encased in tree roots.

A little bit about the book . . .

Some people dream of happily ever after, but all 17-year-old Josh Roberts wants is a roof over his head and for his little brother to be safe.

Josh’s father has gone missing without a trace. Now Josh and his 9-year-old brother, Twig, are stuck living with Gran in her trailer. Problem is, Gran didn’t ask to take care of any kids, and she’s threatening to call social services unless Josh can find his dad. After paying off Gran to take in his little brother, Josh risks truancy and getting kicked off his basketball team to take to the streets and hunt for his dad. But when Josh digs too deep, he suddenly finds himself tethered to a criminal scrapping ring that his father was accomplice to. If Josh wants to keep Twig out of the system and return to some sense of normal, he’ll have to track his dad down and demand honest answers.

A little bit about the author . . .

Kat became a writer on the limb of a Sycamore tree when she was in elementary school. Since then she’s written in abandoned buildings, cemeteries, parks, and even on a tall ship, but her favorite place to write has always been the woods. Kat holds a doctorate in Education through Northeastern University. She has taught kindergarten, third, and fifth grades. Now she trains teachers at Saint Mary’s College and offers writing camps and classes for children and teens through Michiana Writers’ Center. She lives in Michigan and loves spending time with her family.

www.writewithkat.com

Twitter @michianawriter1

Instagram kathiggscoulthard