Jana Šrámková is an award winning writer from Czech Republic, part of our Aarhus 39 selection of the best emerging writers from across Europe. Jana will be appearing at the inaugural International Children’s Literature Hay Festival Aarhus 2017 later this month. Here she talks about her new story for Quest, our new anthology of stories for children, inspired by journeys.
Tell us about your story...
My story is about two little field animals, a field mouse and a ground squirrel. They become friends and play as the kids usually do, until the winter comes… So the story is about friendship and its challenges. It’s not built on a strong thrilling story, but on the chain of tiny funny situations. But mostly my story is about language and humour and tenderness.
Why did you pick that theme?
I haven’t pick it up, those characters just came to me and insisted on being written. They were called into being by their names I had in my mind for almost fifteen years. Dagesh and Mappiq are delightful names of two Hebrew diacritics. Both of them are just dots, both of them in the centre of the letter, but different in their function.
When did you decide to become an author?
There was no decision like that. At first I became the reader, then a passionate reader, then a possessed reader and one day I grabbed a pen as a new level of this process.
When did you publish your first book?
When my first child was born, eight years back. But the book was for adults.
What is special about writing for children?
Books for children, at least a sort of them, have totally unique poetics you can’t find in any literary genre for adults. If you like it and want to read it, you must pretend being a kid. If you want to write it, you must pretend writing just for kids. As a compensation you have the illustrations in your book then.
What does it mean to you to be a part of the anthology and the Hay Festival?
It’s a joy and surprise, adventure and responsibility – which sounds like a good story, doesn’t it?
Do you have a favorite spot where you write?
My favorite spot is my home but it’s usually too wild and noisy to write there. So I write in my favorite cafés dreaming about quiet place to hide.
How do you get inspired?
At the beginning there’s usually a single word or two or a short sentence I desire to use. Sometimes it’s a lonely character with no plot, sometimes it’s an image in my head.