J. E. Thomas’s Control Freaks takes readers on a thrilling ride through the competitive world of middle school. When Benjamin Banneker College Prep announces a high-stakes, week-long competition for the prestigious golden B-B trophy, seventh-grader Frederick Douglass Zezzmer is determined to win. But the challenges are as diverse as they are daunting, spanning science, technology, arts, and sports—areas where Doug doesn’t excel. To make matters worse, he’s stuck with a team of fellow misfits and faces his dad’s harsh backup plan: a summer in sports camp with his intimidating stepbrother if he loses. With only a week to go, Doug must turn his ragtag team into winners and maybe even friends in this exciting blend of adventure and heart. Control Freaks is a thrilling blend of excitement and insight, promising an unforgettable adventure for young readers.
What inspired you to write “Control Freaks” and how did you come up with the concept?
I really wanted to write a story about a youngster who’d discovered his passion early on and knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life, yet he was thwarted by grown-ups—albeit extremely well-intentioned grown-ups—who’d mapped out a different path for him. It raises the question, “Who gets to decide what you do with your life?” I think that’s something many young people grapple with. I certainly did when I was in middle school!
How did you develop your characters? Did you base them on real people, or are they entirely fictional?
Well, there’s a little bit of me in every one of the characters. Even Travis! (It’s no secret that I’d love to travel to space one day!) Also, I had an opportunity to work with some of the best teachers I’ve ever seen for several years. Although none of the “Control Freaks” are based on them, I borrowed some general attributes. For instance, I poured their care for students into Dr. Yee, Mrs. Jalil and Coach Judy. That’s as far as basing characters on real people goes, though.
The competition in the book includes a mix of STEM, arts and sports. Why did you incorporate such a diverse set of challenges?
Ah, that’s a great question! There are two reasons I took this approach. The first is that many middle-schoolers I’ve met had already either decided what they were good at and hated the thought of being judged on anything else, or they felt enormous pressure and frustration because they didn’t yet know their areas of strength so every competition was a source of stress. I wanted them to see characters who struggled with those same problems and found ways to deal with those issues that readers might find helpful as well. The second reason is because I think a real- life STEAMS competition would be fun! Many teachers whom I know are constantly searching for learning/demonstrated learning activities to engage students so I wanted to put this option out there.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing the various competitions to ensure they were engaging and realistic for readers?
Surprisingly, one of the most challenging competitions to manage was coming up with more than 50 different team names. I didn’t use AI to create those names. As Doug would say, “That was all me!” My head was spinning by the end of that process. Whew!
Doug’s character evolves significantly throughout the story. How did you portray his growth, especially in terms of teamwork and forming friendships?
Thank you for noticing that! Growth is never easy. When you’re going through it, it can feel like you’re being stretched and squished, turned inside out and bounced up and down. It’s uncomfortable and sometimes it feels as though it will never end. Doug begins the story with a very clear-eyed belief on what he wants, what he needs to do to accomplish his goals, and what obstacles stand in his way. As the story progresses, however, he learns to weigh the relative importance of those goals. He realizes that his friendship with Huey is more important than being on a team that won’t let Huey join. Similarly, taking the time to help T.W. with his paper on Shakespeare becomes more important than just helping him cheat. At other points, Doug learns that the rumors and quick assumptions he made about Padgett, Travis, Liam and even Farrow were wrong. And that this collection of misfit kids would become great friends. Most importantly, Doug learns that defending his stepdad, Julius, when his biological father, EZ, dismisses Julius’s role in Doug’s life is the scariest yet ultimately most transformative action he can take.
The book explores themes of overcoming adversity and working with a diverse group of people. What message do you hope readers take away from these themes?
I hope readers remember how Doug learned that the rumors and flash assumptions he’d made about so many people—Padgett, T.W., and others were wrong—and that they (the readers) give themselves the challenge of getting to know people before making up their minds about them.
Were any of the characters or challenges in the book inspired by real-life experiences or people you know? Somewhat. Like Doug, I knew what I wanted to be at a young age. And, like Doug’s dad, my parents had different dreams for me. I gave Doug the same general inciting incident, but everything else—family members, family dynamics, friends, etc.—was complete fiction. Trust me, my parents saw me play sports. No one envisioned me as a sports superstar!
How do you balance humor and tension in a story where the stakes are high for the protagonist.
Another good question! Have you seen the theater masks where comedy and tragedy are on opposite sides of the face? I took that same approach with “Control Freaks.” I used tension to heighten the comedy and comedy to mitigate the tension, where applicable.
What initially inspired you to become a writer, and how did you begin your writing career?
I knew I wanted to be a storyteller for as long as I can remember. Even before I could write a story, I’d create entire plots in my head. I had a very vivid imagination and was constantly daydreaming as a child. I’m proud to say that I got my creative writing start with “Star Trek” fanfic! I also worked professionally in public relations, marketing and journalism so I did quite a bit of writing there as well.
What themes do you find yourself most drawn to in writing, and why?
I love this question! Friendship, belonging, humor and being a good human are the themes that resonate most with me. The first draft of “Control Freaks” was edgier. Some of the characters were snarkier. But I couldn’t make progress with that manuscript. I literally couldn’t get to page 30. It turns out that that wasn’t the energy I wanted to send into the world. When I write, the characters I create live in my head for months, possibly for years. The themes of the manuscript I’m working on do as well. The themes I mentioned above are the themes that work best for me.
“Control Freaks” includes elements of both academic and personal growth. How did you ensure these elements complimented each other throughout the narrative?
My goal was to have each character take a huge, transformative step forward to reaching their full potential. Often, that involved a big, scary risk. Because “Control Freaks” is set in a school, there were plenty of opportunities to show academic growth. But since the plot wasn’t focused solely on passing a test or advancing from one grade to the next, character transformation wasn’t limited to academics. For instance, after T.W. learns how to use the upside down pyramid hack to structure a paper, he passes his English class but, equally important, he gains the confidence to defend wanting to transfer from his current school to Benjamin Banneker College Prep.
What advice would you give to young readers who might find themselves in competitive environments similar to Doug’s?
The first bit of advice is to understand that you won’t always win. You won’t always come in first. You won’t always get the trophy or the ribbon or the certificate. But how you behave when you lose is just as important as how you behave when you win. The second piece of advice is for students in group projects. As the teams at Benjamin Banneker College Prep discovered, the teams that learned to work together, with each member contributing in one way or another, advanced to higher rounds of the competition.
