Skype connects Naperville students to UK author

It's not every day 127 fifth-graders get invited into the home of a New York Times best-selling author, especially when that writer lives in the UK.

But thanks to Skype, the Web-based video chat software, Victoria Holmes welcomed Kendall Elementary School students into her London home office Wednesday to talk about her wildly popular children's book series "WARRIORS," which has been on The New York Times best seller list for 71 weeks.

Holmes is actually one-third of a trio of children's book authors who write the "WARRIORS" and upcoming "SEEKERS" series under the pseudonym Erin Hunter.

Speaking on a projection screen to fifth-graders in the school's library, Holmes explained the women chose the pen name to avoid confusing readers by having books written by different authors appearing on different bookshelves. Holmes also had an ulterior motive.

"I wanted our books to be located near the 'Redwall' series (a series of fantasy novels by Brian Jacques that features rats, mice and weasels as main characters) on library and bookstore shelves because I hoped readers of that series would greatly enjoy 'Warriors,'" she said.

"Warriors" follows your typical domesticated cats as they venture into the woods, abandoning their pet status and breaking into four cat clans fighting for survival in the wild.

"It was odd to me that I was asked to write a book about cats when I don't like them so I had to find another stimulation," she said. "So I basically ignored the fact that I was writing about cats and added some very real human emotion and themes. It turns out when you have cats as your main characters you can literally get away with murder. Brilliant. I highly recommend it."

She also gave advice to students who fancied a career in writing - "Don't do it!" she joked, adding "Read everything you can get your hands on" - and how she overcomes writers' block during the four months it takes to write each book.

"I just complain a lot and force myself through it if I'm on a deadline," she said. "Otherwise, I'll go out and take my dog for a walk or go shopping."

Library Media Center Director Pam Gutmann coordinated the hourlong Skype discussion with Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville.

"Anderson's told me they had an author who was interested in doing a Skype visit and it wouldn't cost us anything so we checked it out to see if we could do it," Gutmann said. "Then when we learned it was Holmes, we got very excited because her books are wildly popular with our students."

Gutmann called the trial run a "100 percent success" and said she's ready to book more Web chats with authors.

Fifth-grader Katie Sandstrom enjoyed the new way Gutmann has found to bring in guest speakers.

"I haven't read her books but I plan to because she was really cool and the books sound neat," Sandstrom said. "But it was really cool, too, that we got to see her in her home across the world while she talked to us live."