Rebecca Fjelland Davis is a novelist and YA and children’s book author. She’s also a serious cyclist and loves to write about her passions: bicycling, dogs, farms, family, and friendship.
She currently lives in farmhouse near Good Thunder, Minnesota, where she writes, rides her bike, has bonfires with her friends, plows snow in the winter with her garden tractor, feeds the birds, and walks her Newfoundland, Freya, in the woods.
At 7:30 p.m. on Monday, July 25th, she’ll be reading from her latest young-adult novel Chasing Alliecat at Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. South
What book(s) are you currently reading?
Water for Elephants (because I’ve had it on my pile for ages). The Glorious Adventure by Richard Halliburton (because the protagonist I’m writing is reading it). And on CD in the car: Run by Ann Patchett (I have to admit this: my old car’s tape deck broke, so I listen to books on CD or tape on a boombox plugged into the dash).
Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who?
Oh, wow, yes. A crush as in a childhood-that’s-who-I-want-to-be would be these:
Pippi Longstocking, Katie John (Mary Calhoun), and Caddie Woodlawn (Carol Ryrie Brink).
As a bit older reader, I fell in love with Peekay from The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay.
If your favorite author came to Minnesota, who would it be and what bar would you take him/her to?
I’d take Barbara Kingsolver to the Wine Cafe in Mankato. I couldn’t get a ticket when she did come to MN. I would love to get to talk to her one-on-one. I think she’s brilliant. If we can time travel, how about Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain? How much fun would that be? I’d take him anywhere. With anyone!
What was your first favorite book?
First favorite book my mom read to me: Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder.
First favorite book I read: Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry (which brings up another crush: on Misty the pony, of course).
Let’s say Fahrenheit 451 comes to life, which book would you become in order to save it from annihilation?
Sounds trite, but I have to say To Kill a Mockingbird. There’s no better hero than Atticus Finch, no more delightful narrator than Scout, and few books with more social and political punch. So many of my students have said it’s their favorite book, that I couldn’t let it disappear from the world.
What is one book you haven’t read but want to read before you die?
The Last Temptation of Christ by Kazantzakis–it’s been on my “to read” pile for years.
Love your responses, but more than that… LOVE your books and look forward to more to come!