Graham Joyce talks to Noga Applebaum about his books and writing for teenagers...
Your most recent novel, The Devils' Ladder, is different from previous ones in asmuch as you create a parallel world of ghosts and demons which the protagonists have access to through their shared gift of seeing. Is there a reason for this departure?It does move away a little bit, but there is the possibility that these two kids might be having a dream. The old woman is also part of this strange club, and they all may be deluded, but the story does offer ambiguity to a lesser extent. I wondered if what I was trying to write was too confusing for young people so I tried to draw thicker lines between the two positions in this novel. I had feedback when I visited schools. Lots of kids said they had a good laugh reading my books but they wanted a more definite position - was it in the character's head or was it really happening. There are also adults who don't like this ambivalence and I always want to say, 'it's a book, it's not real, I made it so that you would ask this question' - I don't actually say it because it's too cruel. Instead I say 'thanks for asking that question, I wanted someone to ask it, but I'm not going to answer it. When you find the answer, email me'. And they sometimes do...
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