I like diversity not being handled super explicitly, but some people really feel like we should be explicit. MM: I’d seen a synopsis that talked about a biracial friendship at the center of the book, and it still took me awhile to identify what race different characters were. I want to use all of the techniques and the strategies that poetry allows me to use - figurative language, sparse text, rhythm, sometimes rhyme - but ultimately I want to tell such a compelling story that by page ten or twenty-seven you’ve forgotten that you’re reading poetry. KA: I try to write stories that have you as the reader forgetting that you’re reading poetry. How do you go about making the poetry so accessible and relatable that it’s actually easier for a reluctant reader than a prose novel? MM: I know lots of adults who are intimidated by poetry, on your website you say if you want to get a reluctant reader engaged with literature, start with poetry. Swing Author Kwame Alexander with interviewer Mary Malhotra at Skylight Books. Music plays a huge role in our lives, and I think that’s why we wanted to write about rock and roll in Solo, and really pay a tribute to jazz in Swing.

Whenever I’m writing, I listen to instrumental jazz, preferably bebop or straight-ahead jazz. KA: I am a jazz aficionado Mary loves jazz. MM: Obviously music is important in the book, and I was curious if Walt’s musical loves mirror yours or Mary’s? It was almost like putting a puzzle together. There were certain times when I took the lead and she was cool with that, and there were times when she took the lead because she had the expertise and I was cool with that. It was her idea, and I thought, “Well, let’s try it.” I’m a huge fan of collaboration and we just seemed to gel. KA : We’re in a writer’s group together, and we had critiqued each other’s work for a couple of years. MM : This is your third book with Mary Rand Hess, so I thought I’d start by asking, how did the two of you decide to collaborate, and how does that work for you? (The transcript below is edited for clarity and length.) Swing is a novel-in-verse about two high school juniors, Noah and Walt, trying to find their “cool.” I enjoyed the event, and later caught up with Alexander by phone to talk about the book and some of his other projects. Alexander is the Newbery Award-winning, NYT-bestselling author of more than two-dozen books.

Kwame Alexander recently celebrated publication of his new book with Mary Rand Hess, Swing (Oct 2018, BlinkYABooks $18.99), at a Skylight Books event that also featured his mentor, acclaimed poet and activist Nikki Giovanni.

Swing Author Kwame Alexander at Skylight Books. AN INTERVIEW WITH KWAME ALEXANDER by Mary Malhotra

Kwame alexander swing