Interview with Ash Van Otterloo, author of THE BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING ELSE

 

I get to interview Ash Van Otterloo (they/them)!!!! This is only so exciting for me because I absolutely adored their previous books Cattywampus and A Touch of Ruckus, so getting to talk to them about their most recent book was amazing!!!! The Beautiful Something Else is a beautifully written, but quite emotional book. I loved every second of it even when I wanted to cry and wrap Sparrow in a hug.

I got to ask Ash questions about the idea for this book, the entires at the start of each chapter, and how the book got its title. Links to give them a follow on social media or order The Beautiful Something Else will be at the end of the interview. So now: sit back, relax, and enjoy!      

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Where did the idea for The Beautiful Something Else come from?

The story is very, very loosely based on the fairy tale The Red Shoes, which is a cautionary story about trading in your wild, DIY life in for one handed to you by the empty promises of society, and the incredible loss of self and autonomy that comes with that sort of trade. The magical red "stompy" boots Sparrow finds in the thrift store are a nod to that idea of having lost a precious part of yourself, and how renegade acts of self-definition can help you reclaim them.

Ooh, I've never heard of that before. Sounds quite interesting and I see how some of those ideas translated over to the book. I also love that that's the boots! The boots are my favorite part of the book because I kind of get that, having that item that just makes you feel the most like yourself.

Every chapter begins with some notes/assignments that Sparrow has done or journal entries. How and why did you decide to include these?

So, fun fact time: I'm autistic, and I have a lot of specific topics and interests that bring me joy to deep dive into! I'm like Sparrow in that, often, I can find parallel patterns between things I observe about a favorite topic, and something I'm noticing in my life or the world. It makes both of us good writers, I think! Advanced pattern recognition is a lovely thing in that sometimes, it expresses itself as a really well-developed metaphor. And when you've been through a lot in life, coming at a difficult truth sideways (bonus points if it's through the lens of a comforting interest or topic) rather than head-on can be such a kind way for your nervous system to process things.

I love that! I sometimes find myself focusing in and learning all that I can about a certain topic, it's fun! I also love the connections between what Sparrow was talking about and what Sparrow was living! Plus I used to love learning all I can about animals, so it felt good to get to read about them again.

Where did the idea for a monster-themed drag night (and show) come from? Also, as a side note, I need to do this at some point!

So, that chapter comes directly from my own adoration of alternative drag! Alt drag is sort of a gender expression/fantasy character mashup, and really lets people get creative in how they communicate something about themselves or the world around them. And the drag looks are often DIY and made from repurposed things you already have onhand--the perfect thing to do at a sleepover!

That's amazing! It really does sound like such an amazing time!

What themes or ideas do you want readers to take away after reading this book? Or after reading Cattywampus and/or A Touch of Ruckus if you want to include them.

My heart for this book is for kids to know: they don't have to be anything close to perfect or even good all the time, in order to deserve love, support, and community. It's fine to be scared or to feel like you don't know what you're doing. And if you've been unsupported for a long time, it makes sense that you might make some mistakes while you're building relationships with safe people who celebrate you as you are.

Which dovetails nicely with the themes of Cattywampus (You get to take up space and be a soft, whole person) and A Touch of Ruckus (You and your needs matter, just because you are; you don't have to earn that).

I love this! These messages! Kids are kids, they make mistakes and screw up it's part of growing up. But love should never be conditional. The messages in your books always come through really clearly to me and I love them!

I know at one point The Beautiful Something Else went by a different title. What was the process like coming up with and settling on a title?

So, the working title was Sparrow Shining Bright, which I'm grateful for because it helped me focus on the heart of Sparrow's story! But as I was writing, the recurring theme of "Neither, both, something else entirely" kept coming up, and when my editor, Jenne, suggested a variation of it as a title, I loved it immediately.

I definitely get the change. I always loved the title Sparrow Shining Bright, it just tickled the right part of my brain for some reason, but I definitely get playing with that theme! As much as I loved the working title, this title does feel like it just fits better!

All of my eternal gratitude towards Ash for this interview!!! Definitely a dream come true to me! Thank you to everyone who read this interview as well! Make sure to give Ash a follow on their social media accounts and consider ordering their book! I don't think you'll regret it! Have a great day!

If you like what I do, consider giving me a follow on my social media or consider sharing or donating my GCLS GoFundMe. I appreciate any help or shares that I can get! Every little bit matters. Thank you for reading!!

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You can find Ash Van Otterloo on their website, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

You can buy Ash Van Otterloo's books from Ballast Book Co..

If you can't buy their books but you still want to read them, consider requesting them to your local library or suggesting them on Overdrive!