I'm chatting today with Fleur Bradley, the author of Midnight at the Barclay Hotel.
Would you
spend a night in a haunted house? And do you believe in ghosts?
I would
absolutely spend the night in a haunted house! Honestly, I’m a deep sleeper, so
I’d probably sleep through any haunted activity… I’m not sure if I believe in
ghosts. I’ve never seen one, though I have heard noises in our house I can’t
explain. I really hope I see a ghost someday…
Do you have
a favorite mystery you read as a kid?
There were a
few—I loved Enid Blyton books (the Secret Seven series), but otherwise there
weren’t a whole lot of mysteries in the children’s section when I was growing
up (in the Netherlands). I ended up moving on to Agatha Christie books when I
was about twelve, and absolutely fell in love with the mystery genre. Midnight
at the Barclay Hotel is a bit of an ode to Agatha Christie.
Have you
ever solved a mystery in real life? Or would you make a good detective?
Other than
solving DIY problems around the house, I’m not much of a detective. I think I
could make a good detective in real life, though… I’m pretty tenacious and
curious. And I love a good puzzle. I watch my share of true crime TV, and I’m
always fascinated by detective work, and the dedication it takes to solve a
crime.
What book
have you read recently and loved?
I loved Keep
This to Yourself by Tom Ryan, a YA mystery I recently picked up. In
middle-grade, I loved American As Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar and A
Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Leslie Connor—both not really mysteries, but
great summer reading.
What's your
favorite writing snack?
Peanut
M and Ms! But since that’s not the healthiest snack, I divert to baby
carrots—not as fun, but better for me. When I really, really get wrapped
up in my writing, I sometimes forget to eat… That’s when I know I’m on a roll.
Anything
else you want to share about the book?
Midnight at
the Barclay Hotel is a great introduction for kids to the traditional
mystery: it even goes over investigative techniques, like how to determine
motive, means, and opportunity for each suspect. The book is really an ode to
those Agatha Christie mysteries I love so much—but in a safe, kid-friendly way.
For teachers, I
have a teacher guide and info on Zoom/Skype visits at www.ftbradley.com. I hope everyone
enjoys Midnight at the Barclay Hotel as much as I enjoyed writing it!
About Fleur Bradley:
Fleur is passionate about two things: mysteries and
getting kids to read, and she regularly speaks at librarian and educator
conferences on reaching reluctant readers. Originally from the Netherlands,
Fleur now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and two daughters, and
entirely too many cats.
For more information on Fleur and her books, visit
www.ftbradley.com, and on Twitter @FTBradleyAuthor.
About Midnight at the Barclay Hotel:
Hunting ghosts and solving the case before checkout?
All in a weekend's work.
When JJ Jacobson convinced his mom to accept a surprise invitation to an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway at the illustrious Barclay Hotel, he never imagined that he'd find himself in the midst of a murder mystery. He thought he was in for a run-of-the-mill weekend ghost hunting at the most haunted spot in town, but when he arrives at the Barclay Hotel and his mother is blamed for the hotel owner's death, he realizes his weekend is going to be anything but ordinary.
Now, with the help of his new friends, Penny and Emma, JJ has to track down a killer, clear his mother's name, and maybe even meet a ghost or two along the way.
When JJ Jacobson convinced his mom to accept a surprise invitation to an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway at the illustrious Barclay Hotel, he never imagined that he'd find himself in the midst of a murder mystery. He thought he was in for a run-of-the-mill weekend ghost hunting at the most haunted spot in town, but when he arrives at the Barclay Hotel and his mother is blamed for the hotel owner's death, he realizes his weekend is going to be anything but ordinary.
Now, with the help of his new friends, Penny and Emma, JJ has to track down a killer, clear his mother's name, and maybe even meet a ghost or two along the way.
Want More? Follow along
with the Midnight at the Barclay Hotel blog tour:
Aug. 3rd:
Book review at Always
in the Middle
Aug. 11th:
An interview at MG Bookvillage
Aug 14th:
Book review at Charlotte’s Library
Aug. 16th:
Guest post: Fleur talks about reaching reluctant readers at Unleashing
Readers
Aug. 17th:
Review at Secret Files of
Fairday Morrow blog
Aug. 18th:
Review and giveaway at MG Mojo
Aug. 19th.:
Interview and giveaway at From the Mixed-Up Files
Aug. 21st:
Book review at Our Thoughts Precisely.
Aug. 23rd:
Interview and giveaway at Spooky MG
Aug. 25th:
Writer’s
Digest Author Spotlight
Sept. 4th
: Fleur talks about getting out of your comfort zone on Kirby Larson’s
blog
Sept. 8th:
Fleur outlines how to develop a compelling MG concept at Writer’s Digest
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