“Mercy Watson is pure fun for me as a writer, because I think of her as kind of sorbet - a palate cleanser - between larger works. It's always a relief to come back to her.” ThinkingKindFunPureMercyReliefWorking ItWatsonPalate Author:Kate DiCamillo
“I think of Mercy Watson like a superball; there's a bouncy kind of optimism to her stories. She allows me to play, and she makes me laugh. Hopefully readers feel the same way.” ThinkingWayFeelsKindPlayStoriesLaughingReaderOptimismMercyHopefullyThink Of MeWatsonMake Me Laugh Author:Kate DiCamillo
“Mercy Watson was a character that had been in my head for a long time.” LongCharacterLong TimeMercyWatson Author:Kate DiCamillo
“Mercy Watson is a pig. She lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson, who are not pigs. I had that basic premise, but I couldn't make it work. I would come back to it, try it, see that I was failing, and put it aside.” TryingFailingMercyPigsPremisesWatson Author:Kate DiCamillo
“Mercy Watson is obsessed with toast. What was blocking me was the challenge of trying to understand what she loves, what motivates her. That was the missing piece. Toast became the physical symbol of Mercy's hopefully endearing greed and obsession. Without that element in place, it didn't make sense.” TryingChallengesPiecesMissingElementsMercyGreedObsessionBlockSymbolsHopefullyMake SenseObsessedToastsWatsonEndearingMissing Piece Author:Kate DiCamillo
“The Watsons have lost sight of the fact that Mercy Watson is a pig, and they love her truly, madly, deeply. They live next door to two elderly sisters, Eugenia Lincoln and Baby Lincoln. Eugenia Lincoln is horrified that a pig is living in the house next door. Baby Lincoln secretly likes Mercy a great deal.” TwoFactsNextHouseLostDealsDoorsBabyMercySightLikesPigsElderlyWatson Author:Kate DiCamillo
“Mr. and Mrs. Mr. and Mrs. Watson love Mercy [Watson]. Eugenia hates Mercy. Baby likes Mercy. Mercy loves toast. And the plot, if you want to be so generous as to call it a plot, turns on those elements. love Mercy. Eugenia hates Mercy. Baby likes Mercy. Mercy loves toast. And the plot, if you want to be so generous as to call it a plot, turns on those elements.” IfsWantHateTurnsBabyElementsMercyLikesGenerousPlotToastsHate MeWatson Author:Kate DiCamillo
“The funny thing is, when I've gone through the relentless editing process, my editor and I are amazed the Mercy Watson books still make us laugh. The same jokes that made us laugh the first time around still make us laugh in the 16th rendition.” FirstsMadeStillsBookProcessLaughingGoneJokesFirst TimeMercyEditorsEditingAmazedFunny ThingsRelentlessWatson Author:Kate DiCamillo