John Bonello’s recent foray into children’s detective stories has generated an exciting buzz around books for young readers. He tells Ramona Depares about the process that led to this new direction.
[attach id=421607 size="medium"][/attach]
There’s a huge, haunted house that exists in real life and has fascinated many a commuter wandering around Rabat. There’s a young detective fashioned in the tradition of the greats, appropriately quirky illustrations by Lisa Falzon and a cracking mystery to be solved.
In short, Irvin Vella u l-Każ Manduca brings all the ingredients necessary for a good read to the table. How did its author, John Bonello (of Il-Logħba tal-Allat fame) go about achieving that most difficult of challenges – getting young readers excited about a book?
Were you interested in detective stories as a child?
I was. The books in that genre I remember most fondly are, perhaps, Enid Blyton’s The Five Find-Outers series and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Three Investigators. They solved mysteries, explored really cool places and were so much fun to read.
I must have been about nine or 10-years-old when, together with two friends, I used to role-play at being one of the three investigators on a mysterious case. I still have my Jupiter Jones custom business card hidden somewhere.
What are the elements of a book that you believe make it attractive for children?
A story for children should be fast-paced, with enough child-friendly-intense action and some funny moments to retain their attention, with memorable and likeable characters that are easy to relate to.
Good, attractive illustrations help stimulate the young reader’s imagination while increasing their understanding and sense of observation.
This is how I plotted and wrote Irvin Vella’s first mystery Il-Każ Manduca. I was careful not to over-complicate the plot, while at the same time keep it interesting, with lots of things happening.
The setting I chose was as important as the characters themselves. I wanted the story to unravel inside an awesome location, a place that is both attractive and a little spooky.
Irvin is the protagonist of the story, but he has two helpers – Luca and Laura, his Canadian-born, 11-year-old twin cousins.
Both are computer wizards with very logical minds. Without their help, he will not be able to uncover what lies beneath the mystery of Villa Manduca.
And then, there are Lisa Falzon’s illustrations that complement the story and take it to the next level. I think she did a great job and from feedback I’m receiving readers seem to think so as well.
You’re well-known for your sci-fi and fantasy novels – what made you decide to change genres?
Fantasy and sci-fi are the genres I love most, to read, to watch and to write. However, I have also written a few crime novellas in the past and although these remain unpublished, I believe they helped in preparing me for this new writing adventure.
Apart from this, the story behind the story is that back in July 2012, while having a coffee with my editor/publisher, we discussed the possibility of exploring crime fiction for children.
It was there that the book was conceived. It took me a total of six months to research and write Il-Każ Manduca, a writing project I really enjoyed from conception to realisation.
Feedback from several pre-readers, input from my eight-year-old son and the use of a readability analysis tool helped me keep my writing on the right track
How was the character Irvin Vella born?
Irvin was a nameless teenager, lurking in a corner of my mind, yearning to be discovered. He popped out soon after I left the Saqqajja cafeteria where I was having coffee with my publisher.
In a way, he is a mish-mash of several real and fictional characters that have crossed my path. He is Columbo, he is Frederick Trotteville, aka. Fatty and he is also Jupiter Jones.
Beyond that, Irvin is quite a peculiar character, verging on the eccentric. He is ambitious but not pretentious; intelligent but naive; likes solitude, although he enjoys his cousins’ company. He keeps a diary in Philip Marlowe’s style. And, most of all, he is crazy about good food.
Which other fictional detective would he really feel at home with – and who would he hate?
He would love an apprenticeship with Detective Columbo, even maybe to wear one of his famous Spanish raincoats and have a go at the ‘one more thing’ line. Hate? Irvin is too good for hatred. Although I guess he would be ready to fight anyone who threatened his career as a private eye. Maybe some ill-meaning fictional antagonist ...
Did you find switching from books for adult readers to books for children a challenge? What kind of adjustments did you need to make?
The books I published before Irvin, namely Il-Logħba tal-Allat trilogy and Fil-Mergħat tal-Impossibbli, were aimed at young adults and adults respectively. Switching to a younger audience was indeed a challenge and a good opportunity to experiment with new styles.
I adopted writing techniques to focus the novel to the specific audience. This included experiments in both style and narration. Research was an integral part of the adaptation process, where I read books for children and familiarised myself with elements that are attractive to young readers.
Feedback from several pre-readers, input from my eight-year-old son and the use of a readability analysis tool helped me keep my writing on the right track. Finally, an intense editing cycle shaped up this novel into its final format.
Besides pre-reading, what role did your children play in the story development, if any?
A very important role. During our morning walks, I discussed parts of the plot with my son Luke, and sometimes I would read back parts I wrote to get his feedback. In fact, it was during one of these sessions that he described the scene illustrated by Lisa on page 81.
My younger son Ben loved the spooky scenes as he is very fond of ghost stories. It was fun getting their reactions and having them on board this project.
Why is Irvin described as a ‘virtual’ investigator?
Irvin has a goal in life – to become the best private investigator on the island, and he is working hard to achieve it. In the meantime, while he is still studying for his diploma, he has started accepting some unusual cases on the side.
So he is not quite a ‘private’ investigator yet as he needs to finish his studies before the Commissioner of Police can grant him the licence.
It’s in his character to be cautious, so rather than calling himself a private investigator, he chose to be a virtual one because he knows that if he is caught pretending to be something he is not he may lose the opportunity to gain his licence.
Will we be seeing more of Irvin?
I believe you most definitely will. I want to explore this character more, to develop ideas I have because there is so much more to tell about him and his companions.
I enjoyed myself so much working on this project and everything felt so natural, that a new Irvin Vella mystery is inevitable.
What can we expect next from John Bonello?
At the moment I am working hard on Jien, Wieħed Minnhom, the sequel to Fil-Mergħat tal-Impossibbli. After this is complete, I have quite a few more prospects in the pipeline... and one of them, is something only Irvin Vella can unravel.