Melissa Roske author

Melissa Roske - author of Kat Greene Comes Clean

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Teacher’s Guide

Ask the Author: Ernesto Cisneros

January 6, 2020 By Melissa Roske Leave a Comment

The Proust Questionnaire, popularized by the French essayist and novelist Marcel Proust, is said to reveal a person’s true nature through a series of probing, soul-searching questions. In the hot seat today: Ernesto Cisneros, author of the contemporary MG debut, EFRÉN DIVIDED (HarperCollins, March 31)

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Happiness means different things to different people. To me, it is feeling enthusiastic about what the day may bring and content with what I have around me. My family provides that for me.

What is your greatest fear? I have many fears. Heights, snakes, sharks… pretty much anything that could kill me.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I tend to worry about things in my life that I have little or no control over. It’s a source of great anxiety.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Unyielding selfishness and lack of empathy for others. Our society is built more so on our “wants” than our “needs.”

Which living person do you most admire? As corny as this might sound, the answer is my parents. Despite the troubles that my siblings and I caused, they only responded with unconditional love. It’s a simple but challenging principal to follow.

What is your greatest extravagance? I don’t have it yet. But I’m eyeing a pair of Bose noise-cancelling headphones. Unfortunately, I’m too cheap to spend that kind of money on myself. Sigh.

What is your current state of mind? I’m good. I’m in a good place right now. There is so much to look forward to this coming year.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Ambition. Too often it becomes a vice that leads to overt greed.

On what occasion do you lie? The only time I lie is to spare someone pain. Other than that, I don’t see the point of doing it.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? That, dude, seriously, and “More ketchup, please.”

Besides writing, which talent would you most like to have? I’d like the ability to play the guitar, sing and dance.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Easiest question yet. My children. They are everything to me.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I’d like to come back as the wind and soar the world without any worries to slow me down.

What is your most treasured possession? A box of old birthday cards from my wife and children that I keep hidden in a box.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Loneliness and hopelessness.

What do you most value in your friends? Their concern for my welfare and ability to make me laugh.

Who are your favorite writers? Paulo Coelho, Sandra Cisneros, Jerry Spinelli, Dr. Seuss, Sarah Scheerger, and Donald J. Sobol.

Who is your hero of fiction? I grew up admiring Encyclopedia Brown because of his willingness to help as well as his ability to outsmart his foes.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? It’s difficult to truly identify with any historical figure because you have to take the good with the bad, and we don’t really have a complete picture of who they really were.

What is your motto? “Only care about what loved ones think of me.”

ERNESTO CISNEROS was born and raised in Santa Ana, California, where he still teaches. He holds an English degree from the University of California, Irvine; a teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach; as well as a master of fine arts in creative writing from National University. As an author, he believes in providing today’s youth with an honest depiction of characters with whom they can identify. The real world is filled with amazing people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. His work strives to reflect that. Efrén Divided is his first book. Learn more about Ernesto on his website and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Filed Under: Ask the Author Tagged With: author interview, children's books, children's fiction, children's literature, mg, middle grade fiction, middle-grade, publishing

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Melissa Roske on Facebook Melissa Roske on Twitter Melissa Roske on Good Reads

Categories

  • Ask the Author
  • Uncategorized

Archives

  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015