Author Interview: Megan Freeman

 

About Megan:

Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week, and she has been a writer ever since. She writes middle grade and young adult fiction. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet. An award-winning teacher with decades of classroom experience, Megan taught multiple subjects across the arts and humanities to students of all ages. She lives near Boulder, Colorado. Visit her online at MeganEFreeman.com.

Let's get to chatting!

Did you travel abroad during school? Where did you go? What were your experiences? 

Yes! I was an exchange student for a year in high school, and I lived with a host family above the Arctic Circle in Norway. I had never been out of North America before, so it was a totally new experience for me. Before I left, I studied Norwegian privately for a few months, and then all the exchange students attended a two-week language boot camp that gave us a rudimentary foundation in basic grammar and vocabulary. After that we were sent to our home-stays and our adventures began. I felt particularly lucky, because instead of enrolling in the regular high school, I was able to attend the local art school. I studied traditional Norwegian textile design and weaving, and I took classes in color and form, painting, drawing, and many other arts and crafts. It was a remarkable experience that transformed the way I saw the world and myself in it.

That's awesome. I had the chance to spend a semester in Bath, England and it was fantastic. 

 If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

I would love to visit Iceland. I once spent a magical 24 hours there, but it only whetted my appetite for more. I’d also love to explore Greece and Turkey. My degrees are both in theater, and I’d love to visit some of the ancient sites. And of course I’d love to go back to Norway and explore more of Scandinavia. There is so much rich history and culture to dive into.

Oh, I would like to visit Iceland too!

This was such an emotional read, did you have a hard time writing pieces of it? 

Did it make you cry? 

Honestly, this book just flowed out of me. It was truly one of the most stress-free creative endeavors I’ve ever undertaken. The plot and storyline were entirely fictional, but I was already intimately acquainted with the emotional experiences of the character. It wasn’t hard to translate to the page, and poetry was the perfect vehicle.

 Was it hard shifting from middle grade stories to write a YA?  

It wasn’t difficult, in part because my ALONE books are already considered upper middle grade, and also because I don’t actually think too much about category as I’m writing. I try to be true to the story that wants to be told, and later I consult with my agent and editor to confirm where it belongs in the market. And if anything, writing YA was slightly easier because I didn’t have to take care of the reader in the same way. With middle grade, I’m always cognizant of young readers who might need certain topics handled with care. Knowing this book was for a slightly more mature audience, I felt free to let the story take me wherever it wanted to go.

That makes perfect sense. 

What kind of research did you do for this book? 

Was there a fact that didn't make it in, but was really interesting? 

The research for this book was almost entirely from my own lived experiences, so there wasn’t nearly as much external work required. I did spend a lot of time making sure my Norwegian was correct and double-checking my memories against the historical record. And I had to do some research into some medical and technical terms. But mostly, it was going back through old photo albums and letters, mining my own adolescence.

 6. Anything I didn't ask that you'd like to talk about? 

Yes, thanks for asking. In addition to The Secret to Belonging, which comes out in September, I’m excited to let readers know about a third book in the ALONE series, which comes out in February. It’s called AFAR, and it’s another companion novel, like AWAY. AFAR is about Emma, the third friend from the ill-fated sleepover in ALONE. We follow her and her mother when they evacuate to a compound in the mountains where her cousin River lives. It’s a multi-format novel, and it’s told from two perspectives using verse and prose. All three books can be read in any order, or each can stand alone. One of my middle grade beta readers summed up the series this way: “ALONE is an adventure, AWAY is a mystery, and AFAR is a thriller.” I think that’s pretty accurate, and I hope readers will love both AFAR and The Secret to Belonging when they come out.

Oh, I'm excited to hear this news. I loved both Alone and Away.

Thanks for chatting with me today! 

Author Interview: Emiko Jean

Today I'm chatting with Ekimo Jean about her new book: Love Me Tomorrow which came out on Tuesday.

  If you could time travel anywhere - where would you go?

Regency-era England, without question. I grew up obsessed with Pride and Prejudice—the wit, the longing glances, the slow-burn romance unfolding in drawing rooms and across rain-soaked fields. There's something about that period that feels impossibly romantic to me. Though I'll admit, I'd probably last about three days before desperately missing indoor plumbing and my phone. The corsets alone might do me in. But for those three days? I'd be taking notes on everything—the candlelit ballrooms, the letter-writing, the way love had to be spoken in stolen moments and careful glances.

 Honestly, same! 

    What advice would you give to your younger self?

I'd tell her: that thing you think is standing in your way? Take it apart. Examine it. Because it's probably not as solid as it seems. 

I didn't write seriously for a long time because I convinced myself there wasn't a place for my stories. Growing up Japanese American, I didn't see myself reflected in the books I loved, and I internalized that absence as evidence that my voice didn't belong. It took years to understand that the barrier I saw wasn't a wall, it was a door no one had opened yet. And sometimes you have to be the one to open it. 

That's great advice! 

  Do you play an instrument? If so, which one. If not, which would you pick if you had to choose?

I played violin in elementary school (very briefly and very badly). My teacher was patient; my parents were saints. But even in that short time, I understood something about music that stayed with me: the hours of solitary practice, the vulnerability of performance, the way you pour yourself into something that might not land the way you hoped. 

That's why I gave Emma the violin. The life of a musician mirrors the life of a writer in so many ways—the discipline, the doubt, the moments when art feels like the only language that makes sense. Emma's relationship with her instrument is really about her relationship with herself: what she's willing to risk, what she's afraid to feel, and what happens when she finally lets the music speak.

     I love the grandfather in this book; did you have a special relationship with your grandfather that influenced this relationship?

Jiji was such a joy to write. He's one of those characters who arrived fully formed—his dry humor, his mysterious past, his ability to say everything in a single "eh." I could have written scenes with him all day.

He's loosely inspired by both of my grandfathers, on my mom's and dad's sides. Neither was a former government operative (as far as I know), but they both had that quality Jiji has—a quietness that holds volumes, a way of showing love through presence rather than words. Writing him was my way of honoring them and the particular tenderness of grandparent relationships, especially across cultures and generations.

I would read so much more about him!

 Anything else you'd like to share that I didn't ask?

 Book 2 is in the works. The letters aren't finished with her yet.

Oh, I didn't realize there's a second book in the story, I'm looking forward to it!  

Author Interview: Lucy Knisley

 

I'm super excited today to be chatting with Lucy Knisley. 

I love her Peapod Farm graphic novel trilogy.

The next (and last) book in the trilogy comes out next week!

And while it's the heat of summer, I'm ready to read about the snow.

Let's get chatting:

I love this trilogy. As the creator, is it sad saying goodbye to the characters? 

I'm not sure I'll ever really say goodbye to these characters! There's always a possibility I will return to Peapod Farm, but I do feel like I'm leaving them in a good place. Stepping Stones was about finding your footing in a new situation, Apple Crush was about figuring out how to navigate a new stage of friendship, and Sugar Shack is really about settling in to yourself. I think Jen, Andy and Reese have run the gauntlet of adolescence and step-sisterhood in a way that makes me feel like I did right by them, at least for now.

I can't wait to read Sugar Shack. 

Have you lived on a farm? What's the best part?

Yes! Just like Jen, I moved to the country with my mom when my parents split up. I'd been born and raised in the city up until then, so it was a big change. We didn't have a huge farm, but we had chickens for eggs, and we grew flowers and vegetables and sold them at the farmer's market. I also grew up working on larger farms in the area, milking cows and mucking manure and knocking bugs off organic produce. Obviously, there were parts I preferred over others. The best part of all was learning about where my food comes from-- the people that grow it and the land that produces it. Fresh food is delicious, and taking part in the making of it makes it even tastier! 

 

Do you have a favorite season? Favorite food(s) with that season?

I love summer-- best produce. Cherries and peaches and tomatoes and corn! But there are wonderful parts of farm life in every season. I tried to showcase those in the Peapod trilogy through the changing seasons-- even in the wintertime, when almost nothing grows, farming still continues and there's hard work and delicious treats.  

I do love all the berries of the summer. And the apples of the fall.

Do you have a favorite comic/graphic novel from childhood? 

I didn't grow up with the abundance of kids comics that we have now! But I was lucky enough to come up at the height of Calvin and Hobbes. Those were always my favorites. 

 Calvin and Hobbes are fun; I loved reading the comics from the newspapers. There were so many great ones. 

What's the best part about creating graphic novels?

I love it when a reader finds something in my books that I'd forgotten or that I'd done unintentionally, and tells me about it! Connecting with readers through my work-- making them feel less alone, or creating a kinship or appreciation for something, is my absolute favorite thing. I also like the part when I'm inking, because it's when I get to listen to an audiobook and watch the lines flow out without a lot of thought--writing and penciling takes a lot of focus and problem-solving, but inking is the part that, for me, let's me just enjoy drawing without a lot of concentration.

That does sound relaxing. 

Anything you'd like to share that I didn't ask?

Nope! I hope this book brings you coziness and makes you crave pancakes!

Author Interview: Kim Bussing

Today, I'm chatting with Kim Bussing

She's the author of The Princess Swap, which I reviewed here:

And here is our chat:

 

Who is your favorite Disney Princess?  

Belle! Like her, I am (unsurprisingly) a big fan of reading. I love a heroine with her head buried in a book. 

Mine too!

If you could trade places with any Disney Princess, who would it be? I guess Cinderella, because the worst thing she has to face is a wicked stepmother (depending on the version you read). I’m also not opposed to having a fairy godmother grant a wish or two. But honestly, I think trading places with a fairytale villain would be way more fun (sea witch, I’m looking at you).

Oh, interesting! 

Is there a childhood toy you would like to come to life? That’s such a good question! I’m a child of the 90s, so definitely a Beanie Baby. I hoarded them like a dragon with treasure.

Is there magic spell you would send out into the world?
Another great question! Selfishly, something that would let me understand what my cats are saying. For the global good, a spell that would help us feel a little more fearless. Fear is so often the deep root of division and conflict. It keeps us from believing we're capable of pursuing our dreams. I'd like to see what happens in a world where we believe in ourselves, and each other, more.

I like both of those. I would love to know what my dogs are thinking! 

How did you come up with the idea on which Princesses to swap? I worked with my brilliant editor, examining common (or very different) threads between stories — and also thinking about what would make the most interesting swap. Cinderella and Belle are each trapped in their own way, and I was excited about exploring how they tap into their inner strength, cleverness, and kindness in very unexpected situations. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty were a good challenge because their origin stories are so similar. That book really grew from playing with the small details that we know and love from the stories, so expect plenty of dragons, magical rosebushes, and power-hungry witches. And for the third book, with Rapunzel and the Little Mermaid, it seemed fun to swap a princess who’s highest in the air with the princess at the deepest part of the sea. Of course, they’re both also discovering their independence and dreaming of a world beyond what they’ve known.

I'm so happy to learn the pairing of the third book! This story idea is so clever because all the princesses have similar moments but yet they are so different and with different personalities. 

Thanks for chatting with me today, Kim! 

Author Interview: James Ponti

I'm thrilled to be chatting with James Ponti today!

About the Book:

In the tradition of Nancy Drew, four kids and one grandfather in Miami tackle a decades-old mystery in this first book in the action-packed and funny Sherlock Society middle grade series from New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award–winning author James Ponti! Siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock take their last name as inspiration when choosing a summer job. After all, starting a detective agency has to be better than babysitting (boring), lawn mowing (sweaty), or cleaning out the attic (boring and sweaty). Their friends Lina, an avid bookworm, and Yadi, an aspiring cinematographer, join the enterprise, and Alex and Zoe’s retired reporter grandfather offers up his sweet aquamarine Cadillac convertible and storage unit full of cold cases. The group’s first target is the long-lost treasure supposedly hidden near their hometown Miami. Their investigation into the local doings of famed gangster Al Capone leads them to a remote island in the middle of the Everglades where they find alarming evidence hinting at corporate corruption. Together with Grandpa’s know-how and the kids’ intelligence—plus some really slick gadgets—can the Sherlock Society root out the conspiracy?

I was lucky enough to get an ARC. You can read my review here. 

(I loved it!)

And I got to meet James at a local(ish) bookstore for the City Spies tour. You can read about that meeting here. 

About the Author:

James Ponti is the New York Times bestselling author of four middle grade book series: The Sherlock Society following a group of young detectives; City Spies, about an unlikely squad of five kids from around the world who form an elite MI6 Spy Team; the Edgar Award–winning Framed! series, about a pair of tweens who solve mysteries in Washington, DC; and the Dead City trilogy, about a secret society that polices the undead living beneath Manhattan. His books have appeared on more than fifteen different state award lists, and he is the founder of a writers group known as the Renegades of Middle Grade. James is also an Emmy–nominated television writer and producer who has worked for many networks including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, PBS, History, and Spike TV, as well as NBC Sports. He lives with his family in Orlando, Florida. 

Interview:

Did Al Capone really bury one million dollars somewhere in Florida?

 

My understanding is that he actually buried keys to safety deposit boxes. (I eliminated that step to make it just the money so that it would be more immediate.) I also made up the treasure map; but the rest of it is true including the niece having him hypnotized and digging up all the land on the estate. (Funny side note – I planned to include the Capone house as part of the story, but the day I went there to scout and research, it was literally being torn down. It was more than one hundred years old, but they picked that day to make me rewrite the plot. Instead, I have they come there as it’s being torn down)

 

What was your first summer job?

 

My very first one was selling food at Sea World. (I worked at the Snack Encounter, which was right next to the Shark Encounter.) But every summer after that, I worked at Walt Disney World on the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. I would stand in the front of a giant canoe, dressed a coonskin cap and tell bad jokes to guests paddling through the summer heat. (“You see that burning cabin over there? That’s where my girlfriend lives. Well, actually we broke up, so she’s just my old flame. She used to work her but she got fired. It burns me up to think about it.”) It was a great job that taught me a ton about comedy writing. I’m still friends with many of my fellow canoers and we greet each other with the call “Yip-yip-yow,” which played on a recorded loop in the back of the Rivers of America.

That's too funny. I love the "Dad" jokes.

 

What fun tidbits of research didn't make it into the book?

 

I hung out with a marine biologist at the University of Miami because the father in the book is a marine biologist at the University of Miami. Late one night, we were with his grad students at the nursery where they try to grow coral and they played Marvin Gaye over loudspeakers to get the coral “in the mood.” I could not figure out a way to work that into the plot.

 

There was another one that I couldn’t figure out, but have since added it to book two. The Bee Gees lived in Miami Beach and when they drove over the Tuttle Causeway, the sound of their tires going over the seams in the road created a rhythm that inspired the beat of the song Jive Talkin’. Originally, it was even title Drive Talkin’ because of where they first heard it.

 

I can't wait for book 2!

Do you have a favorite fictional detective/story?

 

So, so many. My first was Encyclopedia Brown, whose stories inspired me greatly. My favorite author is Michael Connelly and I love his main character, Harry Bosch. My wife and I are addicted to British mystery shows and my favorite detectives there are Christopher Foyle from Foyle’s War, Jimmy Perez from Shetland, and Vera Stanhope from Vera.

 

Which W would you choose to research?

 

I am fascinated by character and personality, so for me it would always be Who.

Thanks for chatting with me! I really loved the first book in The Sherlock Society and I'm looking forward to more. 

 

Author Interview: Gayle Foreman

 

Not Nothing comes out next week and believe me, you're going to want to clear some space in your schedule to read this one!

ABOUT THE BOOK 

To say Alex has had it rough is an understatement. His father’s gone, his mother is struggling with mental health issues, and he’s now living with an aunt and uncle who are less than excited to have him. Almost everyone treats him as though he doesn’t matter at all, like he’s nothing.

So when a kid at school actually tells him he’s nothing, Alex snaps, and gets violent. Fortunately, his social worker pulls some strings and gets him a job at a nursing home for the summer rather than being sent to juvie. There, he meets Josey, the 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who stopped bothering to talk years ago, and Maya-Jade, the granddaughter of one of the residents with an overblown sense of importance.

Unlike Alex, Maya-Jade believes that people care about what she thinks, and that she can make a difference. And when Alex and Josey form an unlikely bond, with Josey confiding in him, Alex starts to believe he can make a difference—a good difference—in the world. If he can truly feel he matters, Alex may be able to finally rise to the occasion of his own life.

My Thoughts: I started this book and couldn't stop reading. I tore through this novel. It made me cry. It made my heart ache. I felt terrible for Alex and all that we went through. I liked how the narrative worked: we learned things slowly. I wasn't expecting the twist at the end, but the set-up of the book tugged at my feelings. I enjoyed the moments between Alex and Maya-Jade. The moments of Shady Glen were rough at first, but lovely as time went on. I enjoyed hearing all the stories of the residents. They all had something to share, especially Josey. This is a must read novel for everyone! 

* Book sent for review

I'm so excited to chat with Gayle Foreman:

Would you rather be flattered or told something in brutal honesty?

 

One of my favorite sayings is, “The truth will set you free but first it will make you miserable.” Maybe that’s why I don’t trust flattery as much as I do criticism? Though I do enjoy flattery, too.

It is so much easier to trust criticism. 

 

What point in history would you like to live through?

 

That’s such a hard question because our understanding of historical times is so very limited because it’s all conjecture. I think I’d like to hopscotch through a bunch of eras, less to experience say the Jazz Age or Enlightenment than to test the hypothesis I’ve developed while writing books with historical elements that people are people are people, with similar desires and traits and flaws, no matter where and when they live.  

I like the idea of going to different eras. I would love to travel to Regency England or Renaissance Italy. 

 

What is a fond memory of your grandparent?

 

My grandparents all died by the time I was a teenager, and I deeply regret that I didn’t get to know them as fully-rounded people, which is maybe why I set my latest novel Not Nothing, in an assisted-living facility and chose a 107-year-old man to narrate it. The memories I do have tend to be small moments: having Shake-and-Bake chicken and Pepperidge Farm cake for Shabbat Dinner at my grandparents’ Hollywood apartment or the news clippings my grandmother would send to me.

Ha! My grandmother would cut out articles of my accomplishments. She created a photo album for me. Some of those are in there. It was very sweet. I had very fond memories of my grandparents. 

 

What is your best thing you've accomplished?

 

My family first. Next is something I don’t talk about publicly, which is maybe what makes it the most profound. Sorry to be so vague but to quote Taylor Swift, “I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian because I care.”

Ha! You will tell everyone if the time is right. It's a very important question and makes me want to be a better person. 

 

If you could interview anyone - who would it be and why?

 

My grandparents. I have befriended and interviewed several elderly people throughout the years—I think I’m drawn to old folks to fill my grandparent gap—and the stories they tell, the history they’ve lived through, blows my mind. But so does the realization that even though things were very different in, say, the 1930s or 1950s, the human experience was very much the same. I take comfort in that.

Yes! You capture this beautifully in the book! 

Author Interview: Jessica Burkhart

 

I'm so excited to be talking with Jessica Burkhart today. 

I loved her Canterwood Crest series and I was so happy to learn about the Saddlehill Academy books.

Currently there are four books out in the series AND I will tell you that there are mentions of Canterwood Crest characters! 

Read my reviews of all four books here. 

How many books could there be in the series?

Right now, I’m contracted for four books, but if readers pick it up and it sells well, there could be more. I’m hopeful there will be, but I don’t have any answers yet about the series continuing. It’s sad not to know already because with Canterwood, there were 20 books, and that’s what I’d hoped for Saddlehill Academy. But I’m afraid pushback from some bigots about the main character being queer in a sport that’s historically been incredibly straight and white has impacted the sales. Plus, It’s a really rough climate to be writing LGBTQ+ middle-grade novels. 

Still, I hope there will be additional novels, and I’ll write as many more as my publisher wants! 

I hope there are many more because I NEED to know what happens next! 

How much fun was it to go back to the Canterwood Crest characters?

So. Much. Fun. It’s a lovely blast from the past to see these characters that I’ve lived with in my head for so long. They’re all adults (!) now, which is wild. Returning to Canterwood Crest and some of my favorite characters has been a dream, and I hope OG Canterwood readers are having fun with their cameos in Saddlehill!

I am loving hearing about favorite characters. 

Is it hard or fun to write a mean girl scene? And why?

It’s…shockingly easy for me. I don’t know what that says about me as a person, haha. But I love writing mean girls and coming up with the sabotage and their arguments is such a fun part of the job. 

Are you the type of person who holds a grudge? 

Not usually, no. If a person wrongs me and apologizes, I’ll typically give them another chance. Most of my mean girls in Canterwood and Saddlehill sure do hold grudges, though! 

How do you come up with all the wonderful ideas for the drama?

 

I try to ask myself “what’s the worst that could happen?” within the framework of a scene and go from there. I pull ideas from media I’ve consumed and then put my own spin on them to fit the scene. 

The drama is so good. I never want to put these books down. 

Thank you so much for interviewing me, Jen! And happy Pride Month to all! 

Happy Pride everyone! 

Author Interview: Chris Lynch

Walkin' the Dog comes out tomorrow.

ABOUT THE BOOK
In a family of strong personalities with very strong points of view, Louis is what his mother lovingly calls “the inactivist,” someone who’d rather kick back than stand out. He only hopes he can stay under the radar when he starts high school in the fall, his first experience with public school after years of homeschooling. But when a favor for a neighbor and his stinky canine companion unexpectedly turns into a bustling dog-walking business, Louis finds himself meeting an unprecedented number of new friends—both human and canine. Agatha, a quippy and cagey girl his age always seems to be telling two truths and a lie. Cyrus, a few years his senior, promises he’s going to show Louis how to be a better person, whether Louis wants him to or not. And then there are the dogs: misbehaving border terriers, the four (possible stolen) sausage dogs, the rest of Louis’s charges, and a mysterious white beast who appears at a certain spot at the edge of the woods. 

Dogs and human alike all seem to have something they want to teach Louis, including his menacing older brother who keeps turning up everywhere. But is Louis ready to learn the lesson he needs most: how to stop being a lone wolf and be part of a pack?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Lynch is the award–winning author of several highly acclaimed young adult novels, including Printz Honor Book Freewill, Iceman, Gypsy Davey, and Shadow Boxer—all ALA Best Books for Young Adults—as well as Killing Time in Crystal City, Little Blue Lies, Pieces, Kill Switch, Angry Young Man, and Inexcusable, which was a National Book Award finalist and the recipient of six starred reviews. Chris is the author of middle grade novel Walkin’ the Dog. He holds an MA from the writing program at Emerson College. He teaches in the creative writing MFA program at Lesley University. He lives in Boston and in Scotland.

And I'm lucky enough to be chatting with Chris Lynch today! 

 What are you afraid of? Rats. I don't know how it started, but for as long as I can remember I have found rats deeply unsettling. I would rather encounter an angry dragon in my garden than a calm rat.

Do you have a favorite dog book? The Call of the Wild, by Jack London. From the time I first encountered it as a kid, I think I understood that a lifetime of dealing with people would make me want to go feral.

What's your favorite pet dog story? My German Shepherd, Sheba, bit me in the face one hot, dog day of summer. And it was my fault. I refused to heed the ample leave-me-alone signs she was giving off. There were absolutely no lingering hard feelings on either side, however.

What was your first job? I was a paper boy, delivering The Boston Globe in the days when it had the greatest sports section on Earth.

Are you more of a lone wolf or part of a pack? Lone wolf may be a bit strong, but I am simply not a pack creature by nature.

Thanks for chatting with me today!  Enjoy the book everyone!