Interview With Author Callan Whitley

Assistant Blog Director // Liz Gomez

I don’t know which was better: reading Callan Whitley’s novella Meet Me at Harvest Moon or interviewing her for an hour about the writing process—bonding over our love of Lenny, Harry Potter, and chai lattes. Either way, one thing cannot be denied: Meet Me at Harvest Moon is written by such a compassionate, kind, and beautiful individual. Callan poured her heart into each character; they all mean to world to her. After reading her story, I must agree. I would do anything to protect Ghosty, become friends with Mouse, and party with Lenny.

To fully understand the whimsical tale of a sheet ghost and a cat that always wears a yellow raincoat, you need to buy a copy of the novella, make a cup of tea, and settle down for a beautiful exploration of love, friendship, and forgiveness. Maybe you too will find yourself on the surface of the moon, looking up at the stars and wishing to be forever lost in the Harvest Festival.

ME

What was your favorite story to listen to when growing up as a child? Jack and the Beanstalk? Cinderella? Beauty and the Beast? A family story? Did this story influence Meet Me at Harvest Moon?

CALLAN WHITLEY

I didn’t grow up with fairytales. The closest thing to them that I read was Harry Potter. Those were the books that got me into reading; the thing that stood out to me the most while reading them was The Burrow. I remember reading about the enchanted clock and the potatoes that cooked themselves. The Burrow was so warm and comforting; reading about it was like drinking a cup of tea. I’ve always loved whimsical stories, and I would not be the person I am without them.

ME

How did Meet Me at Harvest Moon begin? As a thought? A creative writing piece? A story you told yourself when you were younger?

CALLAN WHITLEY

It started last semester. I was taking Lise Haines’s workshop class, and it began as a short story assignment. Originally, I was dying because I had no idea what to write. It was around October, so I knew I wanted to write something with fall themes. The first thing I thought of was Mouse—a cat in a yellow raincoat. Mouse needed a companion. I was thinking of Halloween, and the idea of a sheet ghost popped into my mind. I didn’t want him to be a normal sheet ghost, so I added flowers. Then, I listened to “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young, and I knew everything. A cat and a ghost would go to the Harvest Moon.

I took Daniel Weaver’s class, and the final was a book proposal. I used the short story from Lise’s class, and he later pulled me aside and told me that I should publish it. That was what gave me the confidence to turn it into a manuscript.

ME

What, then, was the evolution of your piece like? Did it grow organically—easily? Or was it hard to expand upon it? Did you set out to write a novella?

CALLAN WHITLEY

Not easy at all. I worked on it over December and January. It was difficult because I hadn’t written any full-length piece before. But, when Lenny came into the picture, everything worked out. I knew that there needed to be a scene of them figuring out the Harvest Moon and magic system. I thought of a bear character. At first, I was apprehensive to write him. The second I gave him a Southern accent, though, everything clicked. I thought of my grandpa while writing Lenny, and it was so much fun. The second Lenny came alive, the story became a fun kid’s story. It honestly became a lot less daunting. I forced my best friend to speak Lenny’s dialogue in a Southern accent, and it was so much fun working with her—she isn’t Southern, but she has the best accent! Lenny was supposed to be a one-and-done chapter, but I found myself writing him into too many scenes.

ME

What was your writing routine for Meet Me at Harvest? Did you have any rituals to help get you into the right mindset?

CALLAN WHITLEY

I’m a really big fan of whiteboards. I would book rooms in 172 Tremont and map everything out on their whiteboards. I’m such a Pinterest girlie, and I have a huge board dedicated to the story. I also listened to Folk and Appalachian music while writing. I learned that writing around my friends is more important than isolating myself for weeks at a time.

ME

What was your mindset like when writing this story? Did you tap into your inner child while writing the characters of Ghosty and Franky?

CALLAN WHITLEY

Ghosty is based on who I was as a kid. He’s a little anxious and shy. I had one friend in middle school who was just like Mouse: She bullied you out of necessity. She brought me out of my shell. The feeling that Ghosty is less scared when with Mouse speaks a lot to me. It meant a lot to me that someone was there to protect me. Like Ghosty, I was less afraid with friends.

ME

Why did you decide to write a middle-grade story about the importance of friendship and forgiveness?

CALLAN WHITLEY

I never really imagined myself writing middle grade. At Emerson, there’s such an emphasis on literary fiction and pieces that have a lot to say, but middle grade can do that too. It really just happened, but I’m so glad it did. It opened my eyes up to a whole new writing path. I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t picked up those books in middle school. The idea of an eight- or nine-year-old gaining something from my book makes my heart swell. I had so much more fun writing a middle-grade piece than any other pretentious piece I’ve written. It’s easy to take yourself too seriously as a writer. I had so much fun thinking about what a kid would find funny. These stories are just as important and, if we’re being completely honest, much more fun to read.

ME

Which character in Meet Me at Harvest Moon did you have the most fun writing? Which character was the most difficult to write?

CALLAN WHITLEY

Lenny was hands down the most fun to write. I had so much fun making my best friend do that Southern accent. My grandfather, who partially inspired Lenny’s character, is such a goofball, and I loved thinking about what he would say as Lenny.

Franky was the hardest character to write. I wanted to give her autonomy outside of her relationship with Ghosty. I didn’t want her to be a plot device. Once I got to the apple tree scene, I finally figured it out. The substantive editors, Maggie, and Sam also really helped me with flushing out Franky’s character and creating her own story—her learning to forgive herself. I’m so happy she has her own arc, goes back to her life, and finally gets to grow up.

ME

What part of Meet Me at Harvest Moon was the most difficult to write? Why? Which part was the most cathartic?

CALLAN WHITLEY

The ending was the most difficult to write. I originally had a different ending that I submitted to Wilde Press, and it felt wrong and out of place. It was hard to wrap everything together. The most important thing to me was that Ghosty found a way to accept his death and stayed with Mouse. Mouse was his person, and this ending was true to their characters. As a writer, it’s so hard to be proud of your work. But I’m so happy that the ending ended the way it did. The most magical moments that happened during writing this were when I figured out parts of the characters’ pasts. When I figured out why Mouse had a raincoat, I was on the moon for the rest of the day. Mouse and Ghosty ending up together was definitely the most cathartic thing I wrote.

ME

Were any of the characters in Meet Me at Harvest Moon inspired by real-life people? If so, what was it like translating their personalities onto a page and into a story? Are you the inspiration for any character?

CALLAN WHITLEY

I drew a lot of inspiration from myself while writing Ghosty. Mouse is a congregation of all my friends who have looked after me—all of the people who have made me feel safe. Lenny is a combination of my grandpa and my best friend. It was a lot of fun taking certain traits from the people I knew. I loved expanding upon them and making them my own.

ME

How did writing Meet Me at Harvest Moon help you grow as a person?

CALLAN WHITLEY

In so many amazing and beautiful ways. It gave me a lot of confidence as a writer, specifically when it came to longer fiction. Emerson pushes short stories on its students, so spending time with characters and the concepts of character development and character arcs were so new to me. I have been dealing with some health issues, so having a project that meant so much to me gave me something to get out of bed for. Writing is so hard and difficult: One day, it will be amazing, and other days you lose all your self-confidence and never want to write again. The amazing days gave me so much happiness. The launch too has been the light at the end of the tunnel. I remember getting the email. It was Superbowl Sunday, and my friend and I were trying to find Taylor Swift in the audience. Then, I got the email that my story was selected, and it was amazing. Working with the substantive editing team and seeing how much care they put into my story was incredible. Not having to worry about grammar was the best gift I was ever given. The design team too worked so hard on the story. It gives me so much joy to see how many people have worked on this alongside me.

ME

Did you always plan to have Ghosty stay with Mouse at the end of the story? Or did you write an alternate ending where Ghosty moves on to the next life? If you did write an alternate ending, what caused you to ultimately change it?

CALLAN WHITLEY

I knew there were two paths to go down, but Ghosty had to stay with Mouse—although it needed to be earned. In the original story, Ghosty was going to see a girlfriend sheet ghost, who had blue stars on her sheet. There was no wish; the Harvest Moon was just a festival where you could see your loved ones who’d died. I got great feedback from Lise’s class. At first, I didn’t want to write a story in the first-person perspective, but Lise forced me to. I was resentful at first, but now I couldn’t be more grateful. The story wouldn’t be what it is if I hadn’t gotten into Ghosty’s head.

ME

If you had the ability to, what would you say to readers before they read Meet Me at Harvest Moon?

CALLAN WHITLEY

I love these characters so much, and I hope you will too!