Author Kay Cassidy visits on her blog tour for THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY!

Here's what Kay's bio says:

Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

Here's what she says about her book:

What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

And I will add that she is also another lovely, generous Tenner who volunteered her time for an interview here! Welcome!

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

KC: Can I choose MacGyver? Seriously, that would be my number one choice. He'd have a lodge built with running water and TV in nothing flat.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

KC: When I was first considering writing YA, I stopped into my local library at the time and asked the teen librarian what she would recommend. Based on my adult reading preferences, she suggested THE PRINCESS DIARIES by Meg Cabot, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares, and HOW MY PRIVATE, PERSONAL JOURNAL BECAME A BESTSELLER by Julia DeVillers. I devoured all three in a week and fell in love with YA. So without Meg, Ann and Julia, I might not be a YA author today!

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

KC: I absolutely loved LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I swore I wasn't going to read it because it sounded so despondent, but my friend Tera Lynn Childs insisted I would love it and I finally caved. It made me fret for weeks afterward that we didn't have enough canned goods stored in the pantry, but it was so compelling and human.


CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

KC: I create a playlist for my books because it really helps me make the transition from the real world of laundry, phones ringing and domestic crises to the world of the story. The theme song of the book is SOAR by Christina Aguilera. Jess's theme song is WHO I AM by Jessica Andrews and Ryan's theme song is SAVIN' ME by Nickelback.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

KC: Right now, I'm working on the sequel to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, titled Cindy on a Mission. It follows the further adventures of Jess and the Sisters as the Wickeds launch an offensive that threatens everything the Cindys hold dear. Cindy on a Mission will be on shelves in Spring 2011.

CBR: Thank you, Kay! Best of luck with your book and many projects!

To learn more about THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, first of all, read the following blurb...and visit Kay at her website: http://www.kaycassidy.com/!

I opened the card, my hands trembling in dread and the faint remnants of what I used to call hope, as a tiny silver high-heel pin bounced into my hand.

I juggled the pin for a second, barely managing to keep it from falling, and flipped open the note with my other hand. The words inside were not a message but an invitation that sent shivers down my spine:
Your presence is requested at The Grind.
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Wear the pin.
Discretion MANDATORY.

Author Interview: Kristina McBride

Up today is the next lovely Tenner, Kristina McBride. (Seriously, aren't they all so good-looking?) She very graciously joined us to discuss her upcoming book, The Tension of Opposites ( on sale May 25, 2010 from Egmont USA).



CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

KM: Psychological thriller, kidnapped and returned, friendship, love, romance, photography, nature.


CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

KM: The following comes from the scene where my main character sees her best friend for the first time since she went missing two years earlier. The reunion goes nothing like Tessa had expected, as her old friend Noelle seems to be a completely different person:

Noelle sighed. “This just isn’t my life anymore, Tess. I’m not that girl you knew all those years ago.”


“Noelle, I’ll always be - ”


“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Her hand shot out at the darkness, aiming to hit something that wasn’t there. “I’m not Noelle anymore.” She breathed heavily through her nose and clenched her jaw.


“Of course you’re Noelle. Who else would you be?”


The girl who was not Noelle looked directly into my eyes. Her stare was hard and cold. “Noelle is gone. And she’s not coming back.” She blinked. “My name is Elle.”

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

KM; Noise, coffee, people not being reliable, people not wearing their seatbelts, itty-bitty children drinking soda, when people are disrespectful to books, cold weather (too bad I live in Ohio!). Does it say something about me that I can only come up with seven things for this list?


CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

KM: Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns by John Green. She’s mischievous and brilliant with all of her pranks and I think she’d be great fun to hang out with!


CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

KM: This is so hard to answer! Every book I have read has inspired me in some way. To name a few off the top of my head: Laurie Halse Anderson, Jay Asher, Sarah Dessen, John Green, Les Edgerton (the author of Hooked, an incredible book on writing!).


CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

KM: Are you kidding me? I mean, there is absolutely NO WAY I can answer this one. When I’m reading a book, I slip into this alternate reality where I believe the characters are real. They’re like friends to me. I could never choose just one. Or even ten! If people are interested in seeing the types of books I read, they can check me out on Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3084178.Kristina_McBride).

(I know, I know, it's such a mean question. I could never answer either!)
CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

KM: A librarian, teacher, author, or hair stylist.


CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

KM: Maxfield Parrish – not that his style would match my book so much, but that I think he is an incredible artist. My favorite of his pieces is titled Ecstasy.


CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

KM: Don’t Follow by Alice & Chains is the first song that comes to mind. It portrays the journey of Elle, the character who was kidnapped and returned after two years of captivity.


CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

KM: It’s the second book in my two-book deal. The only thing I can say right now is that it has nothing to do with The Tension of Opposites.


CBR: Many thanks for the interview, Kristina, and best of luck on your upcoming release!

To learn more about Kristina and The Tension of Opposites, there's lots of places you can find her:
Website: http://www.kristinamcbride.com/
Blog: http://kristinamcbride.livejournal.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/McBrideKristina
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6889070-the-tension-of-opposites

And you can pre-order her book from Amazon (though it would be even better to get it from your local indie bookstore)!

Author Interview: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Up today, Tenner interview #6, with Christina Gonzalez, author of The Red Umbrella, to be released May 11.

Welcome!

 

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

CDG: Secret plan, revolution, family, friendship, betrayal, separation, Cuba, Nebraska, red umbrella

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

CDG: It was a bright clear day outside. Not a cloud in the sky. I stared through the plane’s window at the palm trees in the distance. It didn’t seem real. Like a painting was hung inside the plane showing us a last glimpse of Cuba. I pushed my nose against the glass. Mamá and Papá were out there…somewhere.

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

CDG: I guess some are obvious choices: nails on a chalkboard, early morning alarms, stinky garbage, stinky soccer cleats, cleaning dog poo, babies crying hysterically, my children crying because they got hurt. Others are a little more peculiar: old water from a flower vase, lilies and high pitched whistles.

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

CDG: I’ll take Katniss from the Hunger Games/Catching Fire. She seems like a girl who can handle just about anything that is thrown at her.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

CDG: Madeleine L’Engle and the writers who wrote under the pseudonym of Carolyne Keene

 

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

CDG: Too many to name

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

CDG: Probably a writer or a lawyer

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

CDG: Roberto Innocenti. I’ve seen some of his work and love it.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

CDG: I have a playlist with the actual songs on my website, but I think my mc’s favorites would be Celia Cruz’s “Guantanamera” and Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up”.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

CDG: It’s a story about the Bermuda Triangle, Bahamian folklore, parallel universes and powerful talismans.

CBR: Thank you so much, Christina! Best wishes on your upcoming release and all the fun and stress that go along with it!

To learn more  about Christina and her novel, you can visit her website: http://www.christinagonzalez.com/

And watch her book trailer on YouTube!

 

Author Interview: Jame Richards

Today we welcome fabulous Tenner number 5: Jame Richards! Jame's novel, Three Rivers Rising:
A Novel of the Johnstown Flood, will be published by Alfred A. Knopf on April 13, 2010.

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

JR: Cross-class romance, disowning, power, accountability, action, disaster, change, rebuilding

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

JR:
Peter
The sunset competes with the red glow over Johnstown.
And I know,
at any given moment,
metal is liquid fire
lighting the night sky,
becoming steel
that will build tracks
to anywhere she might be.
It will build bridges between the glittering stars
and the likes of me.

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

JR: I hate the smell of wet dogs.
I hate the smell/taste/sensation of a temporary crown falling off.
I hate the smell of hot dog water.
I hate honking horns.
I hate the cold.
I hate the cold.
I hate the cold. (Apparently I always say it three times!)
I hate getting my car’s oil changed.
I hate being trapped.
I hate the phone and its infernal ringing.

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

JR: Katniss from The Hunger Games. What other answer could there be? Hopefully she’ll have a lifetime supply of contact lens solution with her.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

JR: Patricia Reilly Giff, Karen Hesse, Edith Wharton, Jane Austen, Judy Blume, Louise Erdrich, Sandra Cisneros, Jacqueline Woodson, Anne Lamott, Sue Bender, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Roy, Helen Frost, David McCullough, J.M. Synge, L.M. Montgomery, Ibtisam Barakat, Naomi Shihab Nye

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

JR: Nory Ryan’s Song and Maggie’s Door by Patricia Reilly Giff: I’m counting them as one because I devoured them together all in one gulp. I had chills and goose bumps the whole time knowing I was witnessing a masterpiece.

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

JR:I loved to draw. Faces. People. Dresses. So I thought I’d be a designer since that’s the only job where you get to draw people. I was always fascinated to see personalities and emotions emerge when I drew someone I thought was only from my imagination. Sometimes I thought I knew their stories. Or even what they would say if they could speak. Writing is the same way. I draw with words now, of course, but I still love to be surprised.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

JR: If I had a picture book, I would love to see it illustrated by Anita Lobel (Allison’s Zinnia), Betty Fraser (The Cozy Book), Mari Takabayashi (Flannel Kisses) or Kristina Swarner (One White Wishing Stone).
Even though I can imagine a big beautiful illustrated edition of Three Rivers Rising, I don’t have a specific illustrator in mind, someone who can do epic realism.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

JR: I don’t know a great deal about music from the late 1800s, but it would be instrumental and filled with longing.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

JR: Two ideas from Three Rivers Rising seeped into my next project. Tea leaves. And typhoid.
Set it in Ireland and Brooklyn. Mix in talk of fairies and the gift of seeing. Put it all in motion against the backdrop of young Irish women working as domestics, otherwise as known as “Bridgets.” Yeah, someday I’ll write a nice straight-forward uncomplicated book, but this isn’t it.

CBR: Thanks, Jame! I'm sure I'm not the only one counting down to release date--best wishes for everything! (And be forewarned that if you do a book signing in my area, I'm showing up. :)

To learn more about Jame, you can visit her at: www.jamerichards.com or http://jamerichards.blogspot.com

Author Interview: Jen Nadol

Tenner Interview #4 today brings us Jen Nadol, author of THE MARK (Bloomsbury USA), on shelves January 19.

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?
JN: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell?

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?JN: I doodled Cassandra Canton in my notebooks, liking the alliterative sound of it whispered aloud, then quickly scribbled it out before Lucas could see that I wasn't the deep thinker he took me for, but just a silly schoolgirl after all.

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?JN: Wasting time, pantyhose, Phil Collins’ music , knick-knacks, the fatty parts on meat, being disorganized, the Geico cavemen, shag carpet, TV shows with laugh tracks, not living up to committments I've made

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?JN: Robinson Crusoe. He’s done it before and could save me some hassle trying to figure out how not to die.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?JN: Stephen King, Lisa McMann, John Irving

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?JN: That’s really hard. City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling was excellent – a great story and fascinating look at early NYC.

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?JN: I didn't have much of a plan at ten. Or at twenty, for that matter.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?JN: Rembrandt van Rijn

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?JN: Just about anything by Nickelback – they have a real mortality/carpe diem thing going.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?JN: I have a paranormal YA novel on submission with my Bloomsbury editor right now and two other YAs that I’m working on, one paranormal, one dystopian.

CBR: Thank you so much, Jen, and we hope your release time is exciting and wonderful and everything you could hope for!

To learn more about Jen, you can visit her website at www.jennadolbooks.com.

Author Interview: Irene Latham

Tenner Interview Number 3 today: Irene Latham, author of LEAVING GEES BEND, due out from Putnam on January 7. Welcome, Irene!

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

IL: heart-touching, historical, adventure, lyrical, southern, survival, quilts, midgrade, family, love

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

IL: "Mama always said every quilt tells a story. Every piece of cloth, every stitch and every bit of cotton stuffed between the seams tells a secret about the one who made the quilt."

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

IL: restaurants where the music is too loud to converse, politics, predictable movies, the fact that there's not enough time to read all the books I want to read, napkin fuzz sticking to my black pants, the way ink smears for us left-handed folks, how expensive printer ink is, nubby sheets, cockroaches, the inability (so far) to time travel

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

IL: Oh my. This is quite a commitment. But I think me and Newland Archer from Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence might have some fun.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

IL: Katherine Paterson, Sharon Olds, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mary Oliver and so many others.

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

IL: Gosh. The MOST? Impossible to say. But for a real reading experience, I enjoyed Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

IL: A thoroughbred horse trainer (and my sister would ride our horse to victory in the Kentucky Derby)

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

IL: Garth Williams (knee-jerk response -- love his work on the Little House series)

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

IL: the movie them from Forest Gump

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

IL: I've got two in the hopper: another historical fiction set during the 1902 eruption of Mt. Pelee and a contemporary midgrade about a boy who lives at a zoo.

CBR: Thank you so much, Irene! For those of you who want to learn more about Irene and her books, you can visit her at www.irenelatham.com or www.irenelatham.blogspot.com or follow her on twitter @Irene_Latham.

Author Interview: Jaclyn Dolamore, author of Magic Under Glass

In the first of an exciting set of new author interviews from the Tenners, we welcome Jaclyn Dolamore, author of MAGIC UNDER GLASS (Bloomsbury, December 2009). She's here today to tell us a little about her book and herself--the novel is released on December 22.

CBR: What are ten words that best describe your book?

JD: Foreign dancer. Mysterious automaton. Brooding sorcerer. Fairy taxidermy. Corsets. Pianoforte.

CBR: What is one of your favorite sentences or paragraphs from your book?

JD: "I felt like I could have peeled back the stiff fingers and found living ones beneath. If I could only see the spark of life in him and draw it out. If I could only punch his back and make him breathe. I ached to see his eyes searching from his frozen face."

CBR: Michelangelo once said, "What do you despise? By this you are truly known." What are ten things (smells, sounds, situations, etc.) you just can't stand?

JD: Polyester, mayonnaise, calling someone on the phone, buying shoes for my huge feet, the lack of creative vegetable dishes at restaurants, hot weather, planned obsolescence, "adult contemporary" stations piped into retail establishments (I worked retail for 8 years...), anything medical, wearing makeup.

CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?

JD: How about...Aang from the Avatar: The Last Airbender TV show. He's pretty cheerful and he can command the elements, so I would trust him to be pleasant company and keep us alive.

CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?

JD: L. M. Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Piers Anthony back in the day, Lois Lowry, Maud Hart Lovelace, Charlotte Brontë, J. K. Rowling; also various graphic novels and manga, especially Thieves and Kings by Mark Oakley, Dame Darcy's Meatcake, and Ai Yazawa's manga Paradise Kiss and NANA.

CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?

JD: 10 years? Oh... wow. That's a pretty long stretch to remember. Maybe Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. (Note: this book is not for kids. Definite adult content. But I could NOT put it down.) However, I have read a lot of good books in 10 years, so I could go on...

CBR: When you were ten years old, what did you plan to be when you grew up?

JD: I believe that was my "acting" phase. I generally waffled between artist, actress, and writer throughout my childhood.

CBR: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, what illustrator would you choose to illustrate your book?

JD: Oh man. That is so hard. I love so many illustrators so so much. Arthur Rackham and similar artists of that period, or Trina Schart Hyman, or the aforementioned Dame Darcy. Or my sister Kate Dolamore! *pimp* http://www.pencilshavings.net *end pimp* Because she is an artist and it would be so cool to produce something together like that.

CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?

JD: Lizst's "Hungarian Rhapsody" and almost anything Chopin. Player pianos and Victorian music boxes. The Decemberists, Franz Ferdinand, and "Love Hurts" by the Everly Brothers, because most love in the book does hurt... I had a real playlist but I lost it in a computer switch...reconstructing it is on my "to-do" list.

CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?

JD: My next book is about a mermaid and a winged dude, and it's already with my editor. So that is my next published project, but no longer the next project I'm working on (until edits). I am currently poking at a pet project about a girl whose mother was once a potion maker in another world until she fled to America...but now someone from her old life has found her. It includes a magical Mafia and doll people.

CBR: Thank you so much, Jackie! It's been great getting to know you a little--and best of luck with all your release fun and excitement!

To learn more about Jackie and her book, you can visit her website: www.jaclyndolamore.com. And there's rumors that her book trailer may appear on this blog sometime in the near future, so check back!

Author Interview: Fran Cannon Slayton

A hearty welcome to Fran Cannon Slayton, author of When the Whistle Blows; the story follows a boy named Jimmy Cannon through several All Hallows' Eves of his life in West Virginia, as he grows up and his world changes. (Read my original (raving) review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/09/reporters-review-when-whistle-blows-by.html)

CBR: Why did you choose All Hallows’ Eve as the day in which your stories are set? Does that day have a special significance for you?

FCS: Legend in our family has it that my grandfather was born and buried on Halloween. I always thought that was a pretty cool fact and it made me think about how the circle of life is made clear when a person dies on the same day that he was born. The beginning is the end, the end is the beginning – all whole; all complete; all one. And in some ways that is what my book is all about: that death – whether it is of a person, or a time, or a place, or a state of being – is not necessarily the “end.” It’s a part.

CBR: In your foreword you mentioned that much of WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS was inspired by stories your father told you growing up… Was it challenging for you to fictionalize these real-life events for the sake of the overall quality of the novel?

FCS: No, it was not hard to fictionalize the real events. I think the reason for this is because they were not events that I myself had lived through. My father had lived through them and knew them firsthand. But I only knew the stories through him – so even as he was telling me these stories when I was a child, I had to create my own visuals. When you create your own vision of an event it is already fictionalized to a certain extent. And because the events were not my own, I think it was easier for me to nip and tuck and let go of some of the realities in order to serve the narrative.

CBR: Would you want to live in 1940’s Rowlesburg if you (magically!) had the chance?

FCS: Not permanently, but I certainly would like to spend a month or so there. I’d love to see (and ride!) the steam engines, watch the railroaders work in the pits and in the shop; watch the ladies sweep the cinders off their porches; swim in the old swimming hole; walk along the old train bridge; meet my grandfather and eat some of my grandmother’s cooking. Sigh.

CBR: Where do you get your best thinking done? Best writing?

FCS:I can think pretty much anywhere as long as it is quiet. Thinking is one of my favorite parts of writing; I suppose my favorite place for it is in front of the fireplace.
In terms of writing, I really like writing late at night until the wee hours of the morning, but it doesn’t suit my family’s schedule very well. So most of my writing I do sometime between 8am and 3pm. I usually like writing best at home or in a coffee shop.

CBR: How do you push through those times when writing is difficult?

FCS: I’ll often revert to thinking about it. Things come in their due time, and I try not to worry about it and give myself space. Sometimes I’ll start working on another project, and let my subconscious percolate for a while. Other times I’ll just try to write through the issue, or approach it from another angle.

CBR: Thank you so much, Fran! Your book was delightful...and we look forward to seeing it come up often during "award season"--it's one of our picks for Newbery hopefuls!

Author Interview: Jenny Moss

Today we welcome Jenny Moss, author of Winnie's War, the story of a young girl struggling to keep her family safe and together through the outbreak of war and epidemic in her little Texas town.

(See my full review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/08/reporters-review-winnies-war-by-jenny.html)

CBR: What drew you to the time period and setting for WINNIE’S WAR?

JM: I live in the Houston/Galveston area and wanted very much to write about this part of the country. I chose the time period because of my interest in the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. It actually wasn’t until I did research for the book that I realized what a fascinating time period it was, on the technological cusp of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

CBR: Have you ever wanted to live in a different era? Would it be similar to Winnie’s world (minus the flu and the war!) or some other place and time entirely?

JM: Great question! I’m interested in many other time periods, including Elizabethan and medieval England, the time of the flappers in the US, the New York theater crowd in the 1950s, the world in 1969, so much! Which is what’s great about being a writer: You’re able to “visit” these amazing places.

CBR: What are your favorite and least favorite parts of writing historical fiction?

JM: Historical fiction is a lot of work, but well worth it. I’m into research. I like learning obscure facts about bygone days. My least favorite part is when I feel rushed, when I can’t linger over the details. But writing historical fiction requires finding the right balance between writing and researching. Researching more means writing less; you may never finish the book if you don’t find that balance!

CBR: Are there any authors you loved as a child (or an adult) which influenced your writing or your decision to become a writer?

JM: I don’t remember deciding to become a writer. I liked reading and writing stories. I kept doing it and finally was a writer, I think. I’ve admired many authors over the years and thought it would be wonderful to be as gifted as they were, writers like “Carolyn Keene” (during my Nancy Drew phase), Victoria Holt (during my gothic novel reading), and later, Toni Morrison, F Scott Fitzgerald, Emily Dickinson, Markus Zusak, Billy Collins, Megan Whalen Turner, Shakespeare, Geraldine Brooks, and on and on.

CBR: Are there any questions you’ve always wanted to be asked that you’d like to answer here?

JM: Are there any other members of your family who write?
Why, yes. :) My brother and daughter are both gifted writers. I like to think my mother started it all, tapping away at her typewriter when her kids were small.
Thanks so much for the interview!

CBR: Thank you, Jenny! Your book was great, and we very much appreciate your taking this time to talk to us!

Author Interview: Deva Fagan

Today we are pleased to present an interview with the very talented Deva Fagan, author of Fortune's Folly.

In Fortune's Folly, Fortunata is a young girl who must rely on her own cleverness to hold her life together... Magic might not be around the corner to help her, but she is smart enough to make her own happy ending come true. (Read my original review here: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/07/reporters-review-fortunes-folly-by-deva.html)

CBR: Although Fortune's Folly fits into a "fairy tale" genre, it is
always Fortunata's ingenuity, rather than the help of a magic elf or
fairy godmother, that gets her out of trouble. What made you decide
to write this kind of non-traditional fairy tale?

DF: The original kernel of an idea for FORTUNE’S FOLLY was the concept of
a person who tells a fake fortune and then has to make it come true.
So in order to set that up, I decided it made sense to keep any hint
of “real magic” in the background. Plus, one of Fortunata’s defining
characteristics is that she is deeply pragmatic and just doesn’t
believe in magic: she isn’t going to wait around for a fairy godmother
to give her glass slippers. She’s going to go out there and FIND them
herself. Since the book is told in Fortunata’s voice, everything is
colored with that same pragmatism. My hope is that readers will come
out of the book asking themselves what is magic, what is chance, and
what is just the “good fortune” we make for ourselves.

I also found in writing FORTUNE’S FOLLY that I enjoyed not having
magic front-and-center, because it was more interesting to me as a
writer to find ways for the protagonist to overcome the challenges if
she didn’t have magical abilities. I have a great respect for writers
who can incorporate magic into their books in a way that is clever and
unique, because too often I find magic becomes a sort of skeleton key
that you just use to open whatever door is blocking your way.

CBR: What is your favorite fairy tale? Do you have a favorite modern
retelling? Favorite children's book in any genre?

DF: My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast. I have a special
fondness for Robin McKinley’s BEAUTY, which I think was the first
fairy tale retelling I ever read.

Choosing a single favorite children’s book would be virtually
impossible! There are so many!

I did, however, run a series of posts on my blog last December where I
spotlighted one of my childhood favorites on each day of the month.
The posts are here: http://devafagan.com/tag/childhood-favorites/

CBR: Undeniably, Fortune's Folly has a very clever, intricate plot...but
the characters are also wonderfully unique and three-dimensional. Did
you find it difficult to balance these two elements in the writing of
your story?

DF: Yes, actually one of my toughest struggles as a writer is to make sure
that I don’t get carried away by my ideas for plots before I find
real, living, breathing characters for them. I have written large
chunks and even entire drafts of books that I have ended up tossing
out because the characters just aren’t there yet!

CBR: What is your favorite part of being an author?

DF: Getting to meet and talk with other people who love books as much as I
do is probably the most rewarding thing. I still have to mentally
pinch myself sometimes after an email exchange with my editor about
books we’ve been reading, or an online chat with other writers, or an
interview like this! It’s just so weird and wonderful to actually be a
part of the awesome community of people who love kids books!

The other thing I really love is seeing my book in libraries. When I
was a kid (and now) libraries were one of my favorite places, and
where I discovered almost all my favorite books. So seeing FORTUNE’S
FOLLY out in libraries, being checked out and read, is a real dream
come true.

CBR: According to your website you have another book in the works--could
you give us any hints as to what we can expect?

DF: I have a second middle grade fantasy coming out from Henry Holt in the
spring of 2010, titled THE MAGICAL MISADVENTURES OF PRUNELLA
BOGTHISTLE. Here’s a blurb:

All Prunella wants is to be a proper bog-witch. Unfortunately, her
curses tend to do more good than harm, and she hasn’t got a single
stinking wart. When her mixed-up magics allow a sneaky thief to escape
her grandmother’s garden, Prunella is cast out until she can prove
herself a true bog-witch.

It’s hard enough being exiled to the decidedly un-magical Uplands, but
traveling with the smugly charming young thief, Barnaby, is even
worse. He’s determined to gain fame and fortune by recovering the
missing Mirable Chalice. And to get what she wants, Prunella must help
him. But what if the aspiring villain and the would-be hero are on
the right quest . . . for the wrong reason?

CBR: Finally...Are there any questions you've always wanted to be asked
that you'd like to answer here?

DF: I am always happy to say “YES” anytime someone offers me chocolate,
curry or tea!

CBR: Thank you, Deva, for your time and thoughtfulness in this interview! We are definitely going to be haunting the bookstores next Spring for a copy of Prunella's story, and we wish you all the best..and plenty of chocolate, curry, and tea. :)

To read more about Deva Fagan and her novels, you can visit her very enjoyable and informative website: http://devafagan.com/

Coming soon to a blog near you...

Just to whet your appetite (and because I'm excited about it), here are our coming attractions in author interviews!









Deva Fagan, author of Fortune's Folly










Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance, authors of The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading

Even more are soon to follow, so (to be really tacky about it) ...stay tuned!

Author Interview: Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Today we are happy to welcome Kathryn Fitzmaurice, author of The Year the Swallows Came Early.

Eleanor (called Groovy) Robinson dreams of becoming a chef… But her dream and her family both begin to fall apart at the same time when her father is arrested. What follows this unique beginning is a deeply emotional and beautifully-written story of Groovy’s path to set things right, follow her dreams, and find a way to forgive.
(Read our original review at: http://thechildrensbookreporter.blogspot.com/2009/06/reporters-review-year-swallows-came.html)

CBR: Did you ever dream of becoming a chef, as Groovy does?

KF: I have never dreamed of becoming a chef and in fact, do not enjoy cooking at all. During the week , I go through the same seven or eight dinners I usually make because I have two teenage boys and they eat a LOT, but on the weekends, my husband (who has always wanted to be a chef) does all the cooking. He has every known kitchen utensil and spends most of his free time coming up with fabulous new recipes. He’ll say things like, “Tonight I’m making a traditional winter dinner.”

CBR: Groovy tries to find the perfect dish for every occasion… What do you think the perfect dish would be to eat while enjoying her story?

KF: In the beginning of the book it might be Luis’ secret recipe tacos, but closer to the end it would definitely be chocolate covered strawberries because they symbolize Groovy overcoming the obstacles that were set in her way.

CBR: Just like Groovy associates certain foods with certain times, is there a food you associate with writing this book?

KF: Probably scrambled eggs, for two reasons. First because they’re so easy to make, and Groovy makes them after her crisis is over because they match her uncomplicated mood, and second because I remember (this was near the end of me writing the book) my oldest son one night telling me “not scrambled eggs again, mom”, when I had forgotten to take something out of the freezer for dinner.

CBR: How long did it take you to write The Year the Swallows Came Early? What were the most difficult and the most enjoyable parts of the process?

KF: It took me three years to write the book. The most difficult part was leading Groovy to forgive her father because in the first draft, she did not forgive him. I had to give her enough time to come around to it without pushing her.
The most enjoyable parts were working with my agent, Jennifer Rofe, and my then editor, Brenda Bowen. I had a lot of fun going through their comments and the copy edits. I kept thinking how fortunate I was to work with such great people and how they helped me to make it the best story it could be.

CBR: Following your dreams is a significant theme in your book… Have you dreamed of becoming an author for a long time? What is your advice to those with a similar dream?

KF: The summer I turned 13, my mother sent me to New York City to visit my grandmother, who was a science fiction author. This was in the 70’s, when science fiction was becoming very popular. My grandmother led a very eclectic lifestyle. I remember we never did anything until late afternoon, and then we stayed up until 2 or 3am. Sometimes, we went to dinner as late as 11pm. Then when we returned, she’d sit down to write until very early in the morning. She told me she did this because the middle of the night was when people said and did things they normally wouldn’t. She had a collection of porcelain owls, because they were creatures of the night. She studied paranormal events. She discussed things like inner motivations and secret desires. She helped me to write my very first story that summer, and stayed up all night typing it so I could have a real story like she had. It was my first real writing lesson.

She worked very hard that summer revising a novel entitled Chrysalis of Death. And one day, we met her agent for lunch, and after listening to them discuss how my grandmother could make her characters into whomever she wanted, I decided that someday, I’d like to be a writer, too. So after I announced my decision, my grandmother proceeded to send me books about writing techniques, books by classic authors, and literary essays for every birthday and Christmas holiday after. One of my favorite books she sent me when I was deep into a teenage poetry stage was a volume of poetry written by Emily Dickinson. Inside the front cover, she wrote: “Emily Dickinson is a revered poet. Perhaps the same can be said of K.H. someday. Love, Grandma Eleanor."

When she passed away, she left me a big box with all of her unfinished manuscripts in it. The box of manuscripts has been a huge inspiration to me. And because of all of the encouragement she gave me and to honor her, I decided that when I sat down to write my own novel many years later, that I would name my main character after her and give her a grandmother very much like my own. I gave the grandmother in my story the same characteristics and even had her give a box of manuscripts to her granddaughter. In fact, because I remember her revising Chrysalis of Death the summer I visited, I decided to include it in The Year the Swallows Came Early. So on page 148, my main character and her best friend find this manuscript and talk about it, along with a few of her others stories. I included her book, Chrysalis of Death inside my book.

She never got to read even the first draft of my novel. But I did send it to her agent three years ago, who is still alive and working in NYC. After reading my book, my grandmother’s agent made the comment that she liked how I included my grandmother’s books in my own books, and she thought my grandmother would have been very proud.

When I started working on my novel, I knew just two things. I knew I wanted to write about my grandmother, and how she left me a box of manuscripts which later shaped my life. But also, I wanted to write about the swallows and their annual migration back to the mission every year. Their return reminds me of a promise which can never be broken. It’s so hopeful to me. I am there every year, waiting for them, amazed that they somehow know the way home.

I would tell new writers to go to as many writing conferences they can attend, and to join a critique group. Both have been invaluable to me.

CBR: Finally, our signature question: is there any question you’ve always wanted to be asked and never had a chance to answer before?

KF: My question would be: What is your favorite thing to write? My answer would be: I hope someday to write a book of poems. I adore poetry. I love the economy of text that makes up its structure. I love the emotion of poetry. I love how one can set up the lines just as they want to highlight certain words or phrases. I have a couple of my favorite poems framed and hanging in my home office.

CBR: Many, many thanks, Kathryn, for answering these questions and for writing such a beautiful story! I am certain we’ll be hearing more wonderful things of you in the future!

To learn more about Kathryn Fitzmaurice, you can visit her website at: http://www.kathrynfitzmaurice.com/