Her new book, Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One, is in stores.
TFK:You wrote The Pain and the Great One more than 30 years ago. Why revisit these characters now?
Judy Blume:I've always wanted to. I have had story ideas for years in a little file and, finally, I felt that it was now or never.
TFK:Are the stories in Soupy Saturdays based on your kids?
Judy Blume:No, but the characters and their relationship are.
TFK:You portray kids' emotions so realistically. How are you able to do that?
Judy Blume:I have no idea. I identify with kids, and I remember my childhood anxieties very clearly. Maybe that's it.
TFK:Are there things you try to include in every book?
Judy Blume:Good characters. Every character has a story. I'm a character-driven writer. They are the most important thing for me. I also love to write dialogue. I like to know what's going on inside somebody's head and what she is thinking--even if she is saying something else.
TFK:What do you want readers to get out of this book?
Judy Blume:I want them to have a good time reading it. It's a funny book with funny illustrations. I want readers to know that reading is fun.