Recovering The SelfA Journal of Hope and Healing

Author Interviews

Sharon Kennedy on ‘The SideRoad Kids’

This month Modern History Press published Sharon Kennedy’s The Sideroad Kids, a book of short fiction set in Upper Peninsula, Michigan. As published in NewsBlaze, the regional connection comes natural to Sharon whose childhood memories are anchored there. Here, Sharon tells some more about the stories in The Sideroad Kids, its characters, and values reflected in these tales.

The SideRoad KidsHow many stories in total are included in the book?

The book has 33 short stories with numbered chapters including a glossary.

Are these stories 100 percent fiction? And are some of these in first-person, showing situations through a child’s eyes?

Although some of the places mentioned (Castle Rock, Point Iroquois Lighthouse, Soo Locks, Antler’s Bar, etc. are real), all 33 stories are fiction. Every story is told in first person by one of the kids. The author never enters into any dialogue or narration. That’s all done by the kids. It was rather challenging because the child’s name had to be mentioned early in the story or the reader would be confused as to which child was talking. This was achieved by one of the kids saying something like, “Gee, Squeaky. I never thought of that,” to let the reader know this chapter was told by Squeaky.

Why/how you came to choose Upper Peninsula as the setting of the stories? Any relation to the real Chippewa County of today?

It was my publisher’s idea to use a regional setting as I had already written some of the stories for the monthly magazine, the Mackinac Journal, and mentioned various local areas of interest. I live in Brimley in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula so it was only natural I would chose towns and/or businesses in this area. Chippewa County is pretty much as I remember it as a child with the exception that it no longer has lots of small shops and clothing stores along the main street, Ashmun.

Why the years 1957 and 1958 for these stories? What’s special about that particular time in history of U.P.?

Other than the Russian’s “Sputnik” in 1957, there’s no particular reason why I chose this school year other than it’s the last year the kids will spend in the elementary school. The sixth grade is the grade I remember the most as a rather difficult one. One of the girls in the book gets “paddled” by the teacher. That girl was me, but the character who portrays “me” is not me. The timeframe has nothing of historical interest or importance in the stories.

Do you think today’s teenage kids, particularly those in U.P. region, will find these stories interesting or relate to them?

No, I do not think “today’s teenage kids” even those in the U.P. region will find these stories the slightest bit interesting unless they are home-schooled or are members of the Amish. We have a large Amish population in the Sault Ste. Marie area. Many read my newspaper column and have told me they enjoy it because the stories I tell of the “old” days ring true for them today. I think my main audience will be Baby Boomers who will recall the days of their youth. Older readers often tell me they send my columns to their children and grandchildren to remind them that life was not always easy and technology was an old manual typewriter, a telephone with a crank, a car void of air conditioning, etc.

What values or traditions do these stories celebrate?

There’s an honesty in my stories that transcends the popular world of wizards, witches, warlocks, magicians, etc. Traditional values like obedience to parents and teachers are also paramount. Even if sometimes the kids get disgusted with both, they would never challenge anyone in authority. There’s also an innocence to the kids. There’s no foul language, sexual intercourse, delinquent behavior, back talk, violence, or any other negative actions within this group. Modesty is a must for girls. Loyalty for the boys. There’s a strong feeling of camaraderie, inclusion, and respect among the kids including for Daisy who has a club foot and Larry who is Native American.

More about The SideRoad Kids and author Sharon M. Kennedy is online at her website www.AuthorSharonKennedy.com.

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