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Kate Klise

Biography

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Watch this video interview with Kate Klise.

Kate Klise's previous books, created with her sister, illustrator M. Sarah Klise, have won numerous awards, including the California Young Readers Medal. Deliver Us From Normal, the touching story about an eleven-year-old boy growing up in family that to him feels anything but normal, is her first solo novel and a departure from the more whimsical graphic novels she creates with her sister.

Deliver Us From Normal came about because Kate wanted to write a more serious novel about a big, “beautifully chaotic” family. “The older I get, the more I appreciate the idea of being thrown together with a group of people you might have a lot in common with, or nothing at all,” she says. “You don't have the option of doing anything other than making your family relationships work–forever. I like that. I like that there's no love as fierce as the love you feel for your family; that there's no one you feel more protective of than the very same people who can drive you crazy.”

Kate chose a male narrator because she felt it freed her to be more emotionally honest. “Writing from Charles's point-of-view made it clear from the beginning that while this is a very personal story, it isn't only my story,” she says. “I hope it touches on something more universal: the idea of growing up and finding your own personal truth in the world.”

In addition to writing books for young readers, Kate also works as a correspondent for People magazine. Her recent assignments have included stories about Brad Pitt, Nelly, and the BTK serial killer in Wichita.

Kate Klise lives and writes on her 40-acre farm in a valley just north of Norwood, Missouri.

Visit Kate Klise and her sister, illustrator Sarah Klise's Web site.

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  Far From Normal by Kate Klise In this sequel to Deliver Us from Normal, the Harrisongs continue their financial and domestic struggles. Charles, 14, writes an article about his family that gets published in a magazine through chance connections. He then gets sued by Bargain Bonanza, a discount conglomerate, for defamation. As a result of the legal battle, the Harrisongs find themselves as spokesfamily for the company. They are moved to a posh condo in Dallas and are made into a living, breathing corporate brand. As their exploitation reaches intolerable levels, Charles and his sister Clara hatch a plan to save the family. The whole thing backfires when they find out that the apartment is bugged, they are prisoners in their home, and Charles is questioned about an alleged murder plot. $6.99 books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 12 and Up

  
  Far From Normal
  Ages 12 and Up $6.99
  
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  Deliver Us from Normal by Kate Klise Yes, there really is a Normal, Illinois. Charles Harrisong should know; he was born there. But life is difficult for Charles because his family isn't normal at all. They're poor, for one thing. They stand out, which is the worst thing. After an ugly incident at school, Charles and family leave Normal and begin an adventure that takes them to a houseboat that just might be their new home. And Charles begins a personal journey within his own heart; one that will ultimately deliver him both from a $16.95 Hardcover Book | Grades 4-7

  
  Deliver Us from Normal
  Grades 4-7 $16.95