Ernest Cline: On Embracing Your Own Weirdness
Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg. This is his debut middle-grade novel. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Ernest Cline
Photo by Dan Winters
In this interview, Ernest discusses the process of writing his first middle-grade novel, Bridge to Bat City, his hope for readers, and more.
Name: Ernest Cline
Literary agent: Yfat Reis Gendell
Book title: Bridge to Bat City
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release date: April 9, 2024
Genre/category: Middle-grade Fiction
Previous titles: Ready Player One; Armada; Ready Player Two
Elevator pitch: A mostly true tall tale about an unexpected friendship between a young girl and a music-loving colony of bats.
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What prompted you to write this book?
When I first moved to Austin, Texas, back in the 90s, I learned that it was home to the world’s largest urban bat colony. There were over one million Mexican free- tailed bats living under the Congress Avenue Bridge in the heart of downtown, just a few blocks south of the state capitol building. And every evening at dusk, hundreds of people would gather on the bridge to watch the bats stream out from under it and fly up in one long, beautiful, undulating murmuration that filled the sky overhead. The evening I first witnessed this spectacle proved to be one of the most exhilarating and inspiring moments of my life. Ever since, my imagination has continued to wander back to these captivating creatures. Where did these bats come from? How did they end up in Austin? What led to their fame? What challenges did they face on their journey here? What sort of personalities might they have? Did this giant family of bats have anything in common with mine?
As time went on, I learned more about the fantastic true history of Austin’s bridge bats, and it inspired me even more. When the bats first arrived in Austin, a lot of people were completely terrified of them, because countless horror movies had conditioned people to fear bats and associate them with bloodsucking vampires. Some folks wanted to burn the bats out from under the bridge with flame throwers and put up wire screens so the colony couldn’t get back in. But Austinites are famous for embracing all manner of weirdness, and they eventually ended up embracing the bats, too. In just a few years, they went from being considered an invasive species to becoming the town mascots, and one of its biggest tourist attractions.
I was fascinated by this weird and wild tale, because it organically included important themes about the environment and the benefits of living alongside those very different from ourselves. I also saw how the true elements of the bats’ story could serve as the basis for a heartwarming tall tale about a lovable group of misfits who relocate to a new place and try to make a home for themselves among strangers who are predisposed to fear their kind.
After my kids were born, I enjoyed telling them bedtime stories that merged real facts about the bats with a fictional backstory I’d imagined for them. I knew someday I had to write it all down in a book, so that parents and kids everywhere could enjoy my urban fable about Opal and the bats, too.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I first saw the bats in 1996 when I moved to Austin, and that planted the initial seed of the story 28 years ago. It grew and evolved in my mind over the years, and then it changed even further once I began writing it down.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Yes, this is my first time publishing a middle-grade fiction novel, so I had a lot to learn about the genre and the nuances of writing for a younger audience. Thankfully, my wonderful editor, Alvina Ling, shared her expertise with me, and I think it’s a much richer story thanks to her advice.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Yes, I was surprised by how much fun I had working with my illustrator, the incredible Mishka Westell, and how integral her illustrations became to the story as I was writing it. Thanks Mishka!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
A good story, and a renewed sense of pride in their own weirdness.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write about what you love and why you love it. Write the story that you’ve always wanted to read. And remember to have fun. If you don’t enjoy writing your story, it’s doubtful anyone will enjoy reading it.
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