Jeff Rosen
When he’s not writing Caley Cross, Jeff Rosen creates award-winning children's television series like Bo on the Go, Poko, Animal Mechanicals, The Mighty Jungle, Pirates!, Monster Math Squad, and Space Ranger Roger. He was the principal writer of the beloved Theodore Tugboat. His programs have been viewed around the world and translated into numerous languages. Jeff was a founding creative partner of WildBrain (formerly DHX Media), a global children’s content company, home to Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou , Inspector Gadget, and Degrassi. Jeff got the idea for Caley Cross when some horses escaped from his daughter’s riding academy and roamed the city, popping into various shops along the way, mixing it up with the locals. The books have nothing to do with that, but you never know where ideas will lead. An accomplished painter, Jeff’s work can be found in galleries, at www.jeffrosenart.com, and on Instagram. Jeff lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his wife and vampire poodle, Vlad.
Instagram: @jeff.rosen
What period of history do you wish you knew more about?
The Paleolithic era, also called the Old Stone Age, a period in human prehistory from about 3.3 million years ago, to around 11,650 BP. Why? Because we don’t know much about what people were really getting up to back then. We know hominins grouped in small societies such as bands and subsisted by gathering plants, fishing, and hunting or scavenging wild animals. And we know they used wood and bone tools. But what, for example, did they do for relaxation? Did they play early versions of Monopoly, but since they moved around so much, hunting and gathering and such, with no fixed address, did they just buy little furry tents for “houses,” and then maybe save up for a cave “hotel”? It’s interesting to think about ancient pets. We know dogs have been domesticated at least 15,000 years, but what if a family didn’t want the responsibility, or there were allergies? Were the kids allowed to keep a gecko or something? And would they have to eat it if the hunting and gathering didn’t pan out? How did they cope with the reality that “Dad ate my pet?” Did they have versions of therapists to deal with the fallout? And would you pay them in shells, or just threaten to eat them, too? Did people try and make some sort of fashion statement with their prehistoric garments? Did someone do interesting things with bark and fish scales that made them look like Lady Gaga? Was there a big brand, like Nike, who made all the cool leather and vine shoes, and were there celebrity endorsements? Like, some dude who was the threepeat bison hunting champion who wore the brand? Did he do a version of un-boxing for the band and it was painted on caves? All we have are handprints, so maybe not. I’d like to know.
Have you ever experienced Imposter Syndrome?
I always feel like a fake. For example, if I put on a certain hoody that I like to wear around the house when I’m writing, that feels OK. But if I go out, say grocery shopping, and I’m too lazy to change, and who cares anyway, I feel inauthentic, because am I a hoodie-wearing person? What is a middle-aged white male doing out in public in a hoodie anyway? Co-opting youth culture? I’m certainly not hip enough to rock a hoodie, so I feel people are laughing behind my back. This hoodie example is just a snapshot of everything in my life. Someone might ask, “How are you doing?” and I’ll say, “Good.” Am I? I’m mediocre (at best). So, again, imposter! This kind of delusional hypocrisy goes on with me all the time, presenting myself as someone I'm not. On the other hand, the Buddhists say there is no inherent ego or existence to anything and everything is fluid, so it's probably cool. The other good news, I suppose, is that I think everyone feels like this, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
If you could create a museum exhibition, what would be the theme?
I would like to create a museum exhibition that focuses on cowlicks through the ages.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
OK, now I’m going to give you a (relatively) straight answer. As a television writer/creator, I normally come up with a story idea for an episode, write out a (very) loose outline, then let it rip, shooting from the hip. I write quickly and pump out a half-hour episode in a day or two (don’t tell the networks, who pay me). Television is a volume business. I found out the hard way this doesn't work when you write a book. You can't just wing it, sail through the story on instinct, then edit as needed. It's like a moon shot and if your rocket is badly built, you end up like Wile E. Coyote – plastered against the side of some canyon. You need a plan; a deep understanding of the characters and their world, a well-thought-out plot, and an end-game. Also, because Caley Cross is a trilogy, the roots had to be deep enough for the plot and characters to have a solid foundation to build on. So the first book took five years to write (on and off – I didn’t quit my day job.) Next time, I’ll do my homework. (Probably not.)
What do you worry about?
I’m Jewish. I worry about everything.
Do you collect anything? If so, what, why, and for how long?
Yes. I collect minor grievances. I tend to hold onto them forever. These include; my inability to look good in hats, pigeons that don’t make up their minds fast enough in the middle of the road, weather forecasts that call for 10% chance of precipitation, but then it rains all day, open-toed footwear on men, people who make too much eye-contact, ads for dog drugs on CNN, the word “tautology” and the fact I can never remember what it means, all-you-can-eat anything, bugles.
