Interview: Marina Kuperman

Recently, I met Marina Kuperman, protector of the ocean, advocate for the Leatherback Turtle and now author of a new eco-conscious teen book called Turtle Feet, Surfer's Beat. The idea of a teen book that sucks young girls in with a love story while teaching them some conservation values is really interesting to me. Anything to get young girls to stop thinking about Paris Hilton!

Below, I took the time to ask Marina some questions about her book and her work:

1) What inspired you to write the book?

My inspiration arrived out of nowhere. I went to visit the Leatherback National
Park in Playa Grande and fell in love with this animal. However, when I found out
that it is the most endangered marine animal on Earth I felt a deep need to do
something. I have a 3 year old son, and I realized that with there numbers
plummeting so rapidly, he might never see them in their natural habitat. I had no
idea what to do, but then I decided to write a book for the kids and teens with
the fun aspect of surfing and also with the environment twist.

2) Tell me more about the challenges facing the Leatherback Turtle.

Less than 15 years ago there were 1600 Leatherbacks coming to Playa Grande, one
of the five most important nesting sites in the world for the Leatherback, today
no more than 50 come to lay eggs. They predict that if something isn't done
immediately there will be no more Leatherback turtles within the next 10 years.

3) Surfing plays a central role in the story. Are you a surfer?

I'm not a surfer. I tried it a few times and found it so difficult. However, with
those experiences I met tons of surfers and have developed a deep respect for
them. Not only for them tackling killer waves, but also their knowledge of the
ocean and what lives in it.

4) You make Costa Rica a central location for this story; a place where an
American learns to love the planet and the animals that live on it. Is Costa
Rica more in-tune with the environment than America? Why?

Well the main reason I chose Costa Rica is because I live here, and also the
Leatherback National Park is where I became inspired. However, Costa Rica is
known for their conservational efforts not only for wildlife, but it has the most
amount of National Parks in the world.

5) What role does the love story in your book play?

The main purpose of the love interest is because it is a book for teen girls, and
if you don't have a hot boyfriend the book is not worth reading:) However, the
boyfriend in my book is a surfer who is heavily involved with marine conservation
as well. I'm hoping that this aspect will inspire kids to pay more attention to
the problems our world is facing through the fun point of view.

6) If you could pass one message on to American readers of your book, what would
it be?

Conservation and making a difference doesn't have to be boring or hard work. It
can be done in a fun way and if you join up with super cool groups like surfers,
musicians, artists, we can make a difference and use our voice creatively!