Blast off with New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor-winning Jennifer L. Holm’s out-of-this-world new novel about a kid raised on Mars who learns that he can’t be held back by the fears of the grown-ups around him.
We chat to author Jennifer L. Holm about her latest release, The Lion of Mars, book recommendations, when she first discovered her love for writing, and more.
Hi, Jennifer! Tell us a bit about yourself!
I live in California with two cats, two kids, and a husband. I write novels for children and also make graphic novels with my brother, Matt. We are best known for our Babymouse series which won an Eisner Award.
2020 was an incredibly bizarre year, and it’s rolling on into 2021. Have you set any resolutions for the year?
Stop stressing out about things I can’t control! Also get my kids to clean the litter boxes (we have two cats.)
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I started writing my first novel, Our Only May Amelia, when I was 23. Prior to that, I was a bit intimidated about writing a book. I was not an English major. (I did International Relations.)
Your new novel, The Lion of Mars, is outnow! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Cat, Kids, Mars, Ping-Pong
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
The Lion of Mars is about an eleven-year-old boy named Bell who is living in the American settlement on Mars in the year 2091. He loves cats and is curious about what happens at the foreign settlements. No one is permitted to visit the other countries.
It’s got action, adventure, mystery, danger, friendship, romance, and a whole lot of feels!
What was the inspiration behind this novel?
The idea for The Lion of Mars has been bouncing around my head for most of my life. Growing up, all of the boys in my house (four brothers and my father) gobbled up science fiction books. And I liked them, too. The ships and technology and aliens and strange new worlds. But when I pictured myself in these scenarios, I mostly wondered about something else: what would family look like? Because family is complicated. It’s probably even more complicated when you’re on a planet inhospitable to life itself, millions of miles away from Earth. At its heart, The Lion of Mars is a book about family.
Is there a character or scene that you really enjoyed writing?
I loved writing the scene when Bell, the main character, finally meets children from another settlement on Mars.
What challenges did you face while writing and how did you overcome them?
I wanted this book to be grounded in realistic science, so I had to do a lot of research. More research, really, than I usually do when writing historical fiction!
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
BEST: Try to almost finish a chapter by the end of the day. Then when you sit down the next morning, you can finish it and feel like you have accomplished something. (Thanks, Jeffrey Brown!)
WORST: Sit at your computer from 8am-5pm every day. (I simply can’t sit still that long! I get most of my ideas when I am not at my desk!)
What’s next for you?
I plan to sit back and watch some tv! Specifically, the new SQUISH series on HBO MAX will be debuting in January! It’s based on me and my brother, Matt’s, graphic novels series of the same name. We are soooo excited!
Also, the graphic novel adaptation of my novel, Turtle in Paradise will be out in 2021 and it is gorgeous! The artist who did the adaptation is Savanna Ganucheau.
Lastly, what are you currently reading and what 2021 book recommendations do you have for our readers?
I am looking forward to reading Vera Brogsol’s new graphic novel, Plain Jane.
