Gumbo Yah-Yah

Back when I was in a high school journalism class in the mid-1980s, my teenage self could not have imagined such a thing as the Internet, much less the fact I would be interviewing a published author who happened to be a high school classmate of mine. But here I am, interviewing first-time children’s literature writer/illustrator, Christopher Eck, about his book, The Story of Gumbo Yah-Yah the Blue Alligator and the Big Storm. I discovered his book through our high school alumni newsletter, contacted Eck and he was kind enough to do an email interview about the tale conceived initially for his daughter, but expanded to a larger audience and meaning partially motivated by the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. The book, which tells the “story of Gumbo Yah-Yah the Blue Alligator and his journey in and around New Orleans after Katrina”, can be purchased here and proceeds from the sale of the book will help charities working toward the recovery from Katrina. Eck explains what charities will be supported during our interview. An added bonus in this interview, I found out someone other than myself appreciates the writing of the late Walker Percy.

Tim O’Shea: You started developing this story prior to Hurricane Katrina for your daughter. In fact, she, along with your wife and your son made up the initial critical audience for the book as you were developing it. Can you think of ways that their feedback helped you reshape the way you approached the story?

Christopher Eck: My family was especially helpful in shaping and reshaping the original storyline in many ways. The genesis for the story itself began as a bedtime story for my daughter about a blue alligator when she was age three. As a father, I realized that she and other kids – and later my son – respond really well to stories about animals and vivid colors. So I knew pretty much right away that if she enjoyed the idea of the character of Gumbo that it was something I could work with and further develop.

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