Summer’s almost here and now’s the perfect time for young readers to dive into Steph Katzovi’s MISCOMMUNICAMP! (out now from Brown Books). Noodle Newman is a funny, slightly awkward, totally charming pre-teen and the perfect guide for any kid’s first summer at camp (or second, or third…). Katzovi used her own camp experiences and those of her two boys to bring the story of Camp Hillside to life. For many kids, camp is their first taste of independence and while it can be scary, as any camper – or former camper – knows, it’s also loads of fun.

MISCOMMUNICAMP!

by

Steph Katzovi

“Steph Katzovi has written a story many who have had a camp experience will understand and relate to.”  – Manhattan Book Review (Praise for Hurricamp)

Steph Katzovi’s debut middle grade novel, Hurricamp, was published last year to widespread praise. Cynthia Ellingsen, author of The Girls of Firefly Cabin called the book, “a joyous glimpse into life at sleepaway camp as the charming lead character, Noodle, works through her nerves as a first-time camper. The girls in Noodle’s cabin start off as strangers but become lifelong friends.”

Now Noodle Newman is back at camp for her second year, another year older and ready for whatever camp has in store this summer. Joined by some old friends and some new ones, Noodle is ready for this to be the best summer ever. But when her best friend Aries only wants to work on the camp play rather than help Noodle with her popular radio show like they talked about, Noodle doesn’t quite know how to deal with it. From an enigmatic and theatrical camp counselor to mishaps at the Rock-and-Bowl, there’s one thing Camp Hillside never is – boring! Join Noodle and her friends as they navigate both the pitfalls and perks of growing up and learn that perhaps sometimes all you need when you’re a little lost is a good friend to lean on.

In third grade, Steph Katzovi announced that she was going to be author when she grew up. Realizing that she might want to explore other career options first, Steph got her bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University before attending Brooklyn Law School. She spent the bulk of her 15+ year career at Deloitte as a speechwriter and strategic communications consultant. When the opportunity arose to raise her children and focus more fully on creative writing, Steph decided it was time to take her “When I Grow Up” essay from third grade a bit more seriously. If she’s not busy writing at her desk in New York City, Steph is a sports and exercise enthusiast. She also enjoys playing guitar and piano with her two sons, going out on date nights with her husband, and reading. Preferably poolside. Find her at www.StephKatzovi.com.

A Conversation with Steph Katzovi, author of MISCOMMUNICAMP!

Q: Summer camp is generally a pretty formative experience for kids. What made you decide to set your books at a summer camp?

One of the main themes I explore in my books is adolescent independence.  The setting of sleepaway camp gives my characters a less supervised, but still controlled place to tackle the challenges of growing up. Counselors and peers act as the support network instead of parents, teachers, or relatives. In other words, the characters experience life without the safety net of “home.” By giving the characters a different lens for responding to various coming-of-age situations, it, of course, leads to plenty of drama and comedy!

Q: What are some of the key themes you focus on in your work?

We all struggle with something and we’re all working on something. Trust in yourself, discover what makes you special, then use those strengths to elevate and celebrate others. For me, I was introverted and incredibly shy as a child. When I went to sleepaway camp for the first (and unfortunately, last!) time, kids saw me as this sniffly, quiet, homesick kid. No one saw me as this nice, funny, athletic, kid that I was back home. That was who I was, but no one else saw that. It was a tough realization for me to have. After that not-so-great experience at camp, it made me recognize that I needed to change my approach in handling challenging situations. If I wanted to make friends and show people the real me, I’d need to try harder in being more outgoing. I figured out I could use my sense of humor and genuine interest in hearing about people’s lives and stories to become more of an extrovert. And that’s why I write—to entertain, to make people happy, and to share my stories in the hope of helping others on their journeys.

Q: What is your inspiration for writing?

When it comes to why I write, I borrow a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” My goal in writing is to promote positive values, confidence, and kindness. I hope to inspire kids to be their best selves. There are plenty of role models for kids to choose fr

om . . . I’d like to provide some relatable yet inspiring options through the characters in my work.

Q: Why do I write for children (and not another genre/age group)?

Adolescence is such an important time. It’s when people form their identities. When we understand who we are in the world and what is important to us. In the grand scheme of things, adolescence is a relatively short period of time in one’s life. Think of it as 0-18. Assuming you’re lucky enough to live into your 70s or longer, that’s more than 50 years as an adult. It’s a long time. If I can make a positive impact on someone during that brief period of adolescence, it can set the stage for those next 50 or 60 years.

Q: What do you love about writing?

Books can be mirrors (where you see yourself reflected back) or windows (where you are exposed to a world that is not your own). There’s a great power in creating an emotional experience for people through a story. When people can see themselves or sympathize with the characters, you know that author has done their job. My joy comes in sharing stories and observations from common human experiences—and from finding the humor that comes from these experiences. If I can share a message and also make you laugh, then I consider myself a success.

Q: How did you get into writing and do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

When I was young, I got a lot of positive feedback about my writing abilities from my teachers. (Not great feedback on my handwriting, though!) Because writing was something I enjoyed—and was apparently good at it—it fueled my passion for the written word. As I got older, I always managed to find jobs that were somehow related to writing. In college, I interned at a radio station and convinced the station manager to let me write the scripts for their news updates and advertisements. In law school, I realized early on that I didn’t want to practice law. Knowing that, I always managed to find the very rare writing/editing jobs that didn’t involve working for a law firm. After law school, I worked at Arthur Andersen and Deloitte (both consulting companies), also finding jobs that involved research and writing. Now, I’m grateful that I have professional writing experience and creative writing experience. I feel like I’m using both sides of my writing brain! My advice for anyone seeking to follow your passions is to be creative in how you reach your ultimate goal. I knew I couldn’t go from “kid who loves writing” to “published author” without making sure I honed my skills, background and experience in a variety of ways… the path I took eventually led me to where I am today. But I was flexible and open-minded in how I approached opportunities to reach my ultimate goal. It’s never a straight path, but if keep thinking about ways you can incrementally build towards your goal, the more prepared you’ll eventually be.