Bobbie Pyron has worked in libraries and bookstores in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah and has been active in local animal rescue work for many years. She’s the author of A Pup Called Trouble, A Dog’s Way Home, and Stay. Bobbie lives in Ashville, NC, with her husband, Todd, and their dog, Sherlock.

I had the opportunity to interview Bobbie, which you can read below.

CW: Discussion of chronic depression

First of all, welcome to Geeks OUT! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Thanks so much for having me! I live in the mountains of western North Carolina with my husband and two dogs, Barney and Piper. I grew up on the panhandle of Florida (which is really south Alabama), so I have deep southern roots. When I’m not writing, I can be found on a trail in the mountains, wandering behind my dogs.

What can you tell us about your most recent project, Octopus Moon? What was the inspiration for the story?

Octopus Moon is a middle grade verse novel. It follows the journey of ten-year-old Pearl who struggles with depression and anxiety, and her journey from darkness to hope and understanding.

Mental health appears to be a strong element of your book, especially depression. What prompted you to cover this subject?

Like my main character, Pearl, I too struggle with chronic depression and have since I was a child. Back in the early 1960’s, folks didn’t talk about mental illness. They certainly couldn’t conceive of a child having depression! I was labeled by my family and teachers as “overly sensitive,” “moody,” “shy.” “She’ll grow out of it,” they said. I didn’t. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I finally got the help I needed. I wanted to write the book my ten-year-old self so desperately needed. A book that would help me feel “seen,” and less alone. A book that would have helped me understand this insidious mental illness, and see that there is hope. 

As a librarian (retired librarian now), I was well aware that while there were lots of novels for teens where the main character had a mental illness. But younger kids, not so much. Like almost nil. Yet, unfortunately, the number of children diagnosed with chronic depression has surged since the pandemic. 

As a writer, what drew you to the art of storytelling, especially middle grade fiction and novels in verse?

When I was a kid, feeling isolated because of my struggles with depression and anxiety, books were my best friends. By age nine, I knew I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I couldn’t imagine anything more wonderful than to create a book out of my imagination and have another kid fall in love with it. I truly believe that the books we read between the ages of, like, eight and thirteen are the ones that really stay with us. That’s why I decided to write for grades three and up.

I love novels in verse, and I like to challenge myself as an artist. Because of the “heavy” subject matter of Octopus Moon, I thought writing in verse would lighten the story a bit. So that’s what I did! It was much harder than I thought it would be!

How would you describe your writing process?

Ha! As if I have a “process!” I am not a plotter, I don’t outline, I don’t have detailed sketches of my characters, I don’t map out the plot arc. So, in the vernacular of authors, I’m a “pantser.” I fly by the seat of my pants! That being said, I do think about a story for a long time before I sit down to write that first draft. While I’m in the “percolating” stage (often while I’m revising another book), I make notes about the plot, characters, and setting. If need be, do research. That’s about as structured as I get.

What are some of your favorite elements of writing? What do you consider some of the most frustrating/challenging?

I love first drafts! I love creating the characters and watching how they develop and interact. Place is very important to me—it is one of the first things I “know” about the story—so developing that world with all its particulars is fun. Since I don’t outline or plot things out beforehand, it’s exciting, in that first draft, to see where the story and characters want to go. My least favorite part of novel writing? Revision! Octopus Moon will be my eighth novel, so I’m getting less frustrated with it. I don’t find it quite as daunting. But I still love that first draft the most. Oh! And I also love research!

Aside from your work, what are some things you would want others to know about you?

As I mentioned before, I love the outdoors. It’s where I feel the most comfortable. I am also a passionate gardener, animal lover, and movie goer. I’m also a pretty good potter!

What’s a question you haven’t been asked yet but that you wish you were asked (as well as the answer to that question)?

Hmmmm…that’s a good question! 

Ok, here’s one: of all the characters you’ve created in your novels, which one is your favorite? 

The answer would be Rudy, in my 2012 novel, The Dogs of Winter. On the surface, Rudy is a villain in the novel. He exploits the other homeless children and takes their money from them. Sometimes he even beats them. But as I delved deeper into his character, I saw his vulnerabilities, his “soft underbelly.” Although the streets of Moscow had hardened him, he was, in fact, a child himself. I still think about Rudy.

What advice might you have to give for aspiring writers?

Enjoy the journey of creating! Don’t even think about getting your work published, at least not for a long while. When I teach writing workshops for adults, the questions are always about how to get published. How to find an agent. I always tell them to slow down, focus on the craft and the delight of creating this world. My other bits of advice are: 1) don’t try to write to the market. What’s popular with publishers now most likely won’t be two years from now. 2) write what you’re interested in, what you’re curious about. 3) read, read, read, read, and listen to audiobooks.

Are there any other projects you are working on and at liberty to speak about?

As I said, I like to challenge myself. Right now, I’m about half way through a bare bones first draft of a fantasy middle grade novel. Since all the books I’ve written are realistic fiction, this novel is terrifying and exciting! That’s really all I want to say about it at this early stage.

Finally, what books/authors would you recommend to the readers of Geeks OUT? 

Kate DiCamillo is my favorite author. I’ll read anything she writes, even if it’s a grocery list!

If you like verse novel, I would highly recommend books by Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson. Other authors I love are Barbara O’Connor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Sharon Creech, Katherine Applegate, Gary Schmidt, I could go on and on…