Questions about Keir for Young Readers
Young readers are naturally curious. But remember what curiosity did to the cat!
What kind of name is Keir?
Scots Gaelic. My parents, Tom and Nancy, were looking for a memorable name when they saw Keir Dullea in the film David and Lisa. Conveniently, the name Keir also allowed my mother to honor her Scottish heritage (the name Graff already honoring my father’s German heritage). In a strange twist of fate, I played the same role as Dullea in the play David and Lisa during my senior year at Hellgate High School.
How do you pronounce it?
Why, click here and you’ll hear me say it.
Did you really attend a high school called Hellgate?
Yes. I bet you’re jealous, huh?
How about your elementary school? Did that have a cool name, too?
I attended Paxson Elementary, named for the painter Edgar Paxson. I guess it depends on your point of view.
Montana seems so beautiful. Why would you ever leave?
You can’t eat the scenery.
Where do you live now?
Chicago, in the building that inspired The Phantom Tower. (It doesn’t have a thirteenth floor either . . . that I’ve been able to find.)
Do you have a family?
My wife Marya and I have two sons, Felix and Cosmo.
Felix . . . that name sounds familiar.
My first book for middle-graders was called The Other Felix. It was inspired by a series of scary but amazing dreams he had when he was little.
Didn’t Cosmo feel left out?
He got his own book, eventually. The character of Cosmo van Dash in The Matchstick Castle was created in his honor.
Do you have any pets?
We have two cats, Totoro and Toothless. (Don’t worry, Toothless has teeth.) We also recently welcomed Lemon, a leopard gecko, and Hamilton, a bearded dragon. (Their pets are crickets but they don’t last long.)
Are you related to Lisa Graff?
Not at all! We’ve never even met. She’s a great writer, though, so it’s an honor to have my books shelved next to hers.
How did you become a writer?
I’ve always been a writer! When I was five years old, I dictated a play to my dad, who typed it up—and I was hooked. When I was in grade school, I wrote, illustrated, and bound books I could share with my friends. I wrote several unpublished novels in high school and college before finally selling my first book as an adult.
Do you write books for grown-ups, too?
I do. They’re super boring unless you’re a grown-up.
Is it true that you juggle while you write?
That would be impossible. But in cold weather, I do take juggling breaks to keep my fingers warm.
Are you good at it?
Let’s just say I enjoy myself.
What were your favorite books when you were a kid?
Probably my favorite all-time series was The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander. Have you tried them? If not, you should! I also was obsessed with Tintin and Asterix comic books.
Do you have questions not answered here? Send me an e-mail!