Jacqueline Houtman

This week, we’re celebrating Jacqueline’s debut! Jacqueline spent way too many years learning to be a scientist (27, if you count kindergarten). The best part of all that school is that some people, especially her parents, now call her Dr. Houtman. In the rare moments she did not spend in the lab, she did theater to feed the rest of her brain. Then she came to her senses and started over as a freelance science writer and editor. She has written for physicians, scientists, and the guy down the street. She is equally comfortable writing for students in Medical School and Middle School, because the writing isn’t really that different. Med students just use bigger words. The writing she enjoys most is “sciency fiction” for kids, where science is integral to the theme and plot but, unlike science fiction, it’s all real. Jacqueline lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her engineer husband and two sciency kids.

Here’s a little bit about THE REINVENTION OF EDISON THOMAS (Front Street).

Eddy Thomas can read a college physics book, but he can’t read the emotions on the faces of his classmates at Drayton Middle School. He can spend hours tinkering with an invention, but he can’t stand more than a few minutes in a noisy crowd. With his prodigious science knowledge, Eddy invents a traffic-calming device to solve a safety problem, but he can’t invent a solution to his bully problem. Or can he? By trusting his new friends and accepting their help, Eddy learns that even the mechanics of friendship can be learned.

THE REINVENTION OF EDISON THOMAS by Jacqueline Houtman

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

I would give it a G. There are no swear words (unless you count “snap”). There is some mild violence in the form of bullying, but it’s tamer than most Saturday morning fare. No blood is spilled, only ketchup.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Science
I’m a scientist by training and I’ve been a freelance science writer for about ten years. I wanted to write a book that truly incorporates science into its plot and themes. I wanted my main character to think like a scientist, because science is a process, not just a collection of facts (although there are plenty of science facts in the book).

Asperger’s syndrome
Although I never state it in the book, Eddy has Asperger’s syndrome, which is part of the autism spectrum. I didn’t label Eddy because I wanted readers to get to know him as a character first, not a diagnosis. His autism is only part of who he is. There are a lot of great books coming out lately with autistic/Aspergian characters, which I applaud, because people on the autism spectrum need to be fully represented in literature as a diverse population, not as stereotypes.

Bullies and Friends
Bullying is a huge problem in our schools, and there are all kinds of bullies. Kids on the autism spectrum are frequent targets of bullies. They can also be great friends.

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• A 12-year-old boy who likes nonfiction, but doesn’t usually care for fiction.
• An 11-year-old girl who loves science.
• A teacher who wants a better idea of what life is like for her students on the autism spectrum.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

• woolly mammoths in the biography section
• the nutritive value of paper
• a tiny little walrus
• aunt Aquinas Thomas is no saint
• Terry’s hair reminded Eddy of lapis lazuli

How can your book be used in the classroom?

Students can discuss the subjects of bullying and friendship, and why it might be a good idea to befriend someone who’s a little different. There are also ample opportunities for cross-curricular tie-ins, especially with science. I have written a reader guide, which is available on my website and includes ideas for tie-ins with science, art, math, social studies, language arts, and music. (http://www.jhoutman.com/pages/ReaderGuide)

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• Science fans will like THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages and THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly.
• Those interested in seeing life through Aspergian eyes will like MOCKINGBIRD by Kathryn Erskine.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Eddy sat on the steps outside Drayton Middle School, where the noise from the science fair in the gym still roared in his head. Tiffany always told him to picture a calm place when he felt stressed. He thought of the rocky beach. He tried to remember the rhythmic lapping sound of the waves and the feel of the rocks pushing up against the soles of his feet.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

I can talk about science, autism awareness, the writing and publishing process, or a combination of these subjects. Titles include:

• How to Write (Revise, Revise, Revise) and Publish a Book
• The Spectrum: More than Roy G. Biv
• Not in So Many Words: How to Make your Manuscript Lean and Mean
• Elements of Good Science Children’s Writing

This concludes our interview with our latest author, JACQUELINE HOUTMAN. We wish her much success with her debut novel THE REINVENTION OF EDISON THOMAS. To see what Jacqueline is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.jhoutman.com or her blog at http://jjhoutman.livejournal.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Jacqueline is giving away a signed copy of THE REINVENTION OF EDISON THOMAS. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by September 7th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Inara Scott

This week, we’re celebrating Inara’s debut! Inara Scott grew up in the winter wonderland of Buffalo, NY. Consequently, she spent much of her childhood complaining about being cold. To spare the world her whining, she fled the cold climate and eventually wound up in the Pacific NW, where the old Doug Fir trees and thick ferns make you think you’ve wandered into a fairy tale. Inara loves to hike, canoe, and play outside. She is addicted to yoga. Despite being a writer, Inara fears deep, intellectual books, loves romance and fantasies, and listens to cheesy, happy music.

Here’s a little bit about DELCROIX ACADEMY: THE CANDIDATES (Disney – Hyperion Books for Children).

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that’s not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia’s mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just … happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to people, believing this way she can suppress her powers and keep them hidden.

When recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy offer her a full scholarship, Dancia fears her days of living under the radar may be over. But Delcroix is a school for diplomats’ kids and child geniuses — why are they treating Dancia like she’s special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make her feel welcome. And then there’s her mysterious new friend Jack, who can’t stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the academy, and he wants Dancia to help him figure out what…But neither Jack or Dancia could have imagined what’s really going on behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

DELCROIX ACADEMY: THE CANDIDATES by Inara Scott

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG; small amount of profanity, some violent themes.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

This is a book about the gray areas of life; the times when you can’t tell the good from the bad and have to choose anyway. As an avid reader of fantasy, I was struck by the fact that most fantasy novels present choices in black and white. I wanted to write about something more like real life, where things are never that easy. I was certainly influenced by international events and the hard choices our nation had to make recently with regard to preemptive action, violence against individuals, and war. I also wanted to depict a strong, resilient heroine I could be proud of — one that I would want my own daughter to emulate. And finally, because I’m an incurable romantic, I had to have some really cute boys involved!

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

Any teen who enjoys paranormal or urban fantasy. Any girl who’s had to choose between two boys. Anyone who want to see a girl take charge and kick butt.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

At that moment, all I could think of was those cartoons where Goofy gets stuck in front of a snowball rolling down a hill, and the snowball hits him and he’s smushed into the side of it and you can see him, spread-eagled on the snowball as it keeps rolling down the hill. Because that’s exactly what I felt like.

Keep the bad guys out, or us in?

How can your book be used in the classroom?

There are a number of themes and issues in the book that a class might want to explore:

• In the beginning of the book, Dancia has made the decision to do everything she can to avoid using her paranormal gift because of the potential it has to hurt people. A class might draw parallels between Dancia’s gift and scientific discoveries that have the potential to both help and harm. What are the ethical dilemmas scientists face? How does Dancia’s decision evolve through the course of the book?
• Dancia’s ethic’s class considers the question of whether you can tell if an act is right or wrong based on the number of people affected. They complete an activity that puts this question into human terms: is killing one person justified if hundreds of other people might live as a result? When has this question been posed historically, and how have countries or individuals answered?
• The end of the book raises a question about preemptive action. Can action against an individual or a group be justified based on the threat they pose? The class might discuss the Bush Doctrine and the invasion of Iraq to consider this question.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• Students who enjoy tough, independent heroines like Dancia might like THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins, or GRACELING by Kristin Cashore.
• Students who enjoy urban fantasy or paranormal stories might like RAMPANT by Diana Peterfreund or BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
• Students who enjoy a little romance with their fantasy might like SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater or WICKED LOVELY by Melissa Marr

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

He had greasy, shoulder-length hair and a stained white t-shirt stretched tightly across his full, round belly. As he approached the nurses’ station near one end of the crowded waiting area, the odor of rotting fruit preceded him. Something about the wildness in his eyes and the trembling of his chin made me nervous. I looked over at Grandma, but she was engrossed in conversation with a man almost as old and blind as she was.

“You killed her. You all killed her.” The man’s voice started low, nervous, and then grew in strength. He opened a grimy backpack and pulled out a gun.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Character and Plot (K-8)
• Where to Start: Building Your Story from the Ground Up (grades 6-12)

This concludes our interview with our latest author, INARA SCOTT. We wish her much success with her debut novel DELCROIX ACADEMY: THE CANDIDATES. To see what Inara is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.inarascott.net.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Inara is giving away a signed copy of DELCROIX ACADEMY: THE CANDIDATES to two winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by August 31st, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Here’s a little bit about READY, SET…WAIT! (Sylvan Dell Publishing).

When hurricanes threaten, humans prepare, but what about wild animals. How do they prepare? Ready, Set… WAIT! answers that question. Children of all ages will learn how herons and pelicans glide toward the mangrove islands and huddle among the twisted roots. How sharks explode through the shallows of a nearby bay; and how crocodiles crawl into caves in the canals that crisscross the land. They know and they wait.

Ready, Set...WAIT! by Patti Zelch

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

G –Learning about animals and hurricanes appeal to children of all ages as well as adults.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Ready,Set…WAIT! deals with hurricanes but, rather than tell how humans prepare, it explains how some animals seem to sense an upcoming storm and get ready. My oldest grandson asked me what wild animals did during hurricanes. I didn’t know but set out to find the answer. Ready, Set…WAIT! is the result.

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• An elementary age student studying weather.
• A boy or girl that lives in an area where there are hurricanes.
• And certainly, any child that loves animals and is curious about their behavior.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else

Dolphin pods squeeze closer – whistling and buzzing to one another.

Their silver bodies streak through the waves heading for the safety of the open sea. They know!

How can your book be used in the classroom?

Teachers can use Ready, Set…WAIT! as an introduction to a weather unit. It can also be used when students are studying animal behavior.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

As far as I know, there are no other creative nonfiction books for children that deal with animal behavior in regards to hurricanes.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Far out over the warm ocean waters, clusters of storms join together; lightning lashes – thunder thumps.

The wind grows stronger and begins to spin the clouds into a tight curl.

A hurricane is brewing!

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes, I am.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Certainly.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• What is a Hurricane?
• Do Animals have a sixth sense?
• Making Writing fun with Alliterations and Rhythm

This concludes our interview with our latest author, PATTI ZELCH. We wish her much success with her debut novel Ready, Set…WAIT!. To see what Patti is up to these days, visit her Facebook page .

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Patti is giving away a signed copy of READY, SET…WAIT! to five winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by August 17th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Tameka Fryer Brown

This week, we’re celebrating Tameka’s debut! Tameka Fryer Brown has gone from medical supply sales rep, to stay-at-home mom, to children’s book author. She’s worked with children of all ages in various church and volunteer organizations, and as a Teacher’s Assistant at her children’s Montessori school. Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day is Tameka’s first published picture book.

Here’s a little bit about AROUND OUR WAY ON NEIGHBORS’ DAY (Abrams Books for Young Readers).

Neighbors gather on a hot summer day for a joyful block party: Kids play double Dutch; men debate at the barber shop and play chess; mothers and aunts cook up oxtail stew, collard greens, and other delicious treats; and friends dance and sway as jazz floats through the streets.

A rhythmic tale that celebrates the diversity of a close-knit community, Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day will excite readers and prompt them to discover the magic of their own special surroundings.

AROUND OUR WAY ON NEIGHBORS' DAY by Tameka Fryer Brown

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

G. I didn’t think an R-rated picture book would work very well.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Around Our Way depicts my “neighborhood Utopia”: a community resplendent in its array of colors and personalities; a place where cultural uniqueness is valued, appreciated, and desired. I thought it important to expose young children to the beauty of this concept…and to remind adults of its possibility.

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• Anyone who loves picture books or poetry that is jazzy and rhythmic.
• Anyone who loves art (the pictures, illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb, are amazing—energetic, vibrant, very artistic).
• Any educator or parent looking for a book to supplement a multi-cultural curriculum area, or wanting to expose their child(ren) to the joy that can be found in diversity.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

Shrika, Binh and me—all sweating in the blazing sun.

Cheese and noodles save the day…

Blue sky, night stars/Not a care/Here where laughter fills the air…

How can your book be used in the classroom?

Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day can be throughout the year in a variety of ways:

• It can be used in the study of poetry
• It can be used to supplement a multi-cultural curriculum area
• It can be used to foster or enhance a discussion on diversity
• It can be used to encourage community (in the classroom, as well as the broader sense)
• It can be used to get kids thinking about the everyday things that are beautiful and special in their own neighborhoods, families, and lives
• It can be used in the study of abstract/expressionist art

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

Those who like AROUND OUR WAY ON NEIGHBORS’ DAY will like MY FEET ARE LAUGHING by Lissette Norman, illus. by Frank Morrison —and vice versa.

Folks who appreciate the natural way Bill Thomson incorporates a diverse cast of characters in his picture book CHALK, will appreciate AROUND OUR WAY as well.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Blue sky, no clouds,

Summer heat, side street,

Whirling, whizzing feet.

Everyone is out to play

Today, around our way.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes. Please contact me at my website (www.tamekafryerbrown.com) for rates and further details.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• I LOVE PICTURE BOOKS! (Interactive Story Time w/ Classic PBs): K – 2nd Grd
• I CAN DO THAT! (How I Became a Writer): Grades 3-5
• YOU…ON THE PAGE (Practical Tips for Creative Writers): Grades 6 and up

This concludes our interview with our latest author, TAMEKA FRYER BROWN. We wish her much success with her debut novel AROUND OUR WAY ON NEIGHBORS’ DAY. To see what Tameka is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.tamekafryerbrown.com or her blog at http://tamekafbrown.wordpress.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Tameka is giving away a signed copy of AROUND OUR WAY ON NEIGHBORS’ DAY. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by August 10th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Bonnie J. Doerr

This week, we’re celebrating Bonnie’s debut! Bonnie J. Doerr has been wild about nature from birth. When she was a child Bonnie built huge nests of mowed grass, placed basketball-eggs in them, and became an eagle. She floated, eyes only, above the lake’s surface and became an alligator. She collected weeds, seeds, and flowers to arrange on a makeshift fruit and vegetable stand. Then she designed signs to attract buyers for her harvest. Unfortunately, her scribble was legible only to the squirrels, chipmunks, and birds. When she was old enough to traipse alone in the woods and along the lakeshore near the family’s mountain cabin in Pennsylvania, she collected worms, tadpoles, newts, and the occasional garter or ring-neck snake for her friends back home. This practice was halted as soon as her parents caught on.

As she played with nature, she also played with words. She gradually learned to put words together for humans, arranging them in works from poetry to news articles. When she was forced to grow up, she attended college and graduate school to become a reading teacher so she could help others have fun with words. Having grown up much more than she would like, she now writes for children. It’s her way of playing Peter Pan.

If you must, a serious Bio:

Bonnie J. Doerr, a lifetime educator, has taught students from kindergarten to college in eight states. Degrees in reading education, combined with a brief post as a science teacher, led her to write ecological mysteries. Years of teaching and living in the Florida Keys provided irresistible material. Her novels celebrate caring, involved, “green” teens who take action with attitude and a touch of romance. Her work has been honored by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) with a grant for its use in environmental education and has been included in Milkweed Editions literary field guides. When not researching or writing in the Florida Keys, she lives in a log cabin in North Carolina.

Here’s a little bit about ISLAND STING (Leap Books).

Island Sting is a contemporary eco-mystery set in the Florida Keys. Though it is fiction, details about the natural environment and endangered species are authentic. It’s a tale of intrepid teens who change the effects of disappointment and heartache by taking positive action.

Kenzie Ryan has been forced to move with her mom from New York City to Nana’s cottage on an island in the Florida Keys. Talk about culture shock! She’s been torn away from her circle of lifetime friends at St. Joseph’s Academy for girls, her swim and softball teams, and her rapid-fire city life.

But the day Kenzie arrives on sparsely populated Big Pine Key, her personal losses begin to pale. She arrives at Nana’s cottage to find an animal drowning in the steep-walled canal on the property line. When Kenzie tries to save the animal she falls in herself. A most fortunate accident for both she and the creature are rescued by Angelo, a young Cuban-American local, whose rock-star face and savvy attitude are as exotic to Kenzie as her new environment. She learns that the animal is a tiny Key deer, an endangered species, that was chased into the canal by a poacher’s hound. But there’s more trouble around the island than the senseless slaughter of an endangered species: trap thefts threaten fishermen’s livelihoods; boaters destroy sea grass habitats; garbage on land and in water kills wildlife. And Kenzie thought this place would be dull…

Kenzie and Angelo make a pact to expose the vicious deer killer and clean up the environment. They recruit a team, organize Keys Teens Care, plan an environmental cleanup crusade, and wage a dangerous undercover operation to solve the Key-deer-killer mystery, an ongoing crime that has confounded law enforcement for months. Though they work with a team to tackle their mission, each silently deals with traumatic loss. Angelo’s mother died a few months prior, and Kenzie’s dad recently deserted his family. Throughout the investigation, Angelo and Kenzie experience a confusing magnetic attraction while struggling with cultural differences. But bit by bit they learn how much they have in common, and as Angelo and Kenzie work to protect the fragile tropical environment and its wildlife, both begin the slow process of healing.

ISLAND STING by Bonnie J. Doerr

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

Definitely a G rating, Island Sting takes readers on an uplifting, sweet, inspiring adventure with a group of teens who meet and organize at church. There’s intrigue and attraction, but no sex; danger and drama, but no violence.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Island Sting’s premise is that bad stuff happens, but we don’t have to accept the results. We can change the future. Another way to think about this idea is that by stepping outside of our personal pain and helping others we can heal ourselves.

Island Sting incorporates this theme in more than one way. For instance, though in different ways, Angelo and Kenzie both suffer loss. Together they become involved in protecting an endangered species as well as cleaning up their environment. Through this eco-community action they open themselves up to issues larger than themselves, develop a sense of personal power, and begin to adjust to their grief.

This theme is also exhibited in the factual back story of the tiny endangered Florida Key deer. At one time this species that exists only on a few small islands in the Florida Keys was nearly wiped out by humans. But after years of study, plus the institution of regulations including the establishment of a national wildlife refuge, humans also saved this species.

Island Sting also addresses the fact that teens care about our environment. The teens in the story organize Keys Teens Care to clean up pollution and inspire their families and neighbors to take the same action.

In Island Sting a vicious, bitter poacher is senselessly slaughtering an endangered species. But Kenzie and Angelo nab the creep and stop the killing. So yes, bad stuff happens, but teens have the power to change outcomes even when adults have not done so.

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• Any reader who cares for the environment, enjoys wildlife, outdoor adventure, or would like to visit the Florida Keys.
• A “tweenage” reader who has been forced to move to a totally alien environment (bustling metropolis to small town, large land-locked area to tiny island, northern climate to tropical atmosphere).
• Any reader age 10 and up who enjoys mysteries or adventure stories.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

“What did you think that tag with the number 77 on it is? A charm or something? It’s her identification number so the scientists can keep stats on her. She’s a Florida Key deer. An endangered species.”

“It’s a unique experience to live among animals that should be wild but behave like undisciplined pets.”

“A person couldn’t ride around on a bicycle hiding a rifle.”
“Cleansing the Earth is cleansing the soul.”

“But Sheriff, how can we stay away from him when we don’t know what he looks like?”

“Things have a way of going overboard when one least expects it.”

How can your book be used in the classroom?

Island Sting has limitless uses in any upper elementary or middle school interdisciplinary curriculum. For specific disciplines, there are examples of discussion questions and academic activities on the teacher page of my website (http://bonniedoerrbooks.com/Teachers.htm).

Island Sting is a perfect read aloud in a language arts classroom. It’s also a super book for the reading teacher’s shelf because it has high interest/low vocabulary, a fast pace with short sentences, and appeals to both boys and girls. With its bright, graphically dynamic cover, it is not an embarrassing book for an older teen to hold in hand.

Though it is fiction, Island Sting is set in an actual National Wildlife Refuge, and its back story documents an endangered species that lives in only one specific habitat. Therefore, it is valuable for habitat and endangered species studies. It’s a great read to kick off or inspire environmental stewardship initiatives and a perfect Earth Day read.

I also believe Island Sting is useful for character development discussions. For example, Angelo learns it was wrong to jump to conclusions about a character’s behavior, and both teens engage in community service which makes them positive role models.

Included in the book are maps to help readers geographically orient the Florida Keys, as well as author notes on the tiny Key deer, the National Key Deer Refuge and its history.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• Readers who like Hoot, Flush, or Scat by Carl Hiassen will also like Island Sting.
• Tweens who enjoyed Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French will enjoy Island Sting.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Splash!

Ripples circled across the dark water farther down the canal. Kenzie scrambled through the mangrove thicket, stumbling over tangled roots toward the disturbance. Branches caught her hair and scratched her face. When she thought she’d reached the spot, she crept to the water’s edge, but the surface was calm. Had she miscalculated?

No. There. Something broke the surface. It swam in jerky circles. Round and round. Over and over. She shielded her eyes from the sun. A long nose cut through the water, leaving a little wake in its path. It circled closer. Nose, two eyes, and long ears.
A dog!

It paddled away, floundered, and went under.

*****

Kenzie ducked under a silver-leafed tree and emerged near the struggling animal. “Swim, little guy. Don’t give up.” She stumbled. Reached for a branch.
The ground collapsed.

She plunged into the canal.

Splatter. Splat.

A landslide of gravel tumbled after her.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes to all the above, in person or via Skype. In addition, if teachers or bookclub leaders email me via my website, we can also talk about a free telephone interview.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Absolutely.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

For upper elementary and middle school I present a visual program “Before the Book” that provides my personal path to publication. It is often combined with a mini writing workshop.

For any age group I provide mini writing workshops on whatever skill teachers request to enhance their preparation for standardized testing.

For adult library audiences I offer a visual program “Evolution of a Novel/Survival of the Determined” that describes the exact development of Island Sting over ten years—from a published short story, through two publishing houses that closed their doors, to its present published form.

I offer a program “Writing the Eco-mystery/Balancing Entertainment with Education” to adult writers.

For science classrooms I offer a program on the endangered Florida Key Deer and other endangered animals of the Florida Keys.

This concludes our interview with our latest author, BONNIE J. DOERR. We wish her much success with her debut novel ISLAND STING. To see what Bonnie is up to these days, visit her website at http://bonniedoerrbooks.com or her blog at http://www.bonnieblogsgreen.blogspot.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Bonnie is giving away a signed copy of ISLAND STING to two winners and a gift card to Barnes & Noble to another winner . Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by June 22nd, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Here’s a little bit about FAITHFUL (Speak/Penguin Group).

In 1904 Margaret Bennet has it all – money, position, and an elegant family home in Newport, Rhode Island. But just as she is to enter society, her mother ruins everything, first with public displays, and finally by disappearing. Maggie’s confusion and loss are compounded when her father drags her to Yellowstone National Park, where he informs her that they will remain. At first Maggie’s only desire is to return to Newport. But the mystical beauty of the Yellowstone landscape, and the presence of young Tom Rowland, a boy unlike the others she has known, conspire to change Maggie from a spoiled girl willing to be constrained by society to a free-thinking and brave young woman living in a romantic landscape at the threshold of a new century.

FAITHFUL by Janet S. Fox

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG – Although FAITHFUL is, in part, a romance, it is “clean”. For one thing, as historical fiction (set in 1904) the novel is true to the relative innocence of the time. For another, I find that romance is more fun in anticipation than in fulfillment.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

At the heart of FAITHFUL is Maggie’s desire to discover who she is. Is she like her mother – a renegade – or is she a product of her structured, all-too-proper society? Maggie’s position as a girl of her time allows her few options. If she breaks from convention, she may lose everything. If she does not, she may lose herself. Will she choose love over property? Freedom over comfort? Yellowstone, in all its primitive glory, over Newport?

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

A teen girl who is trying to decide whether to conform to expectations or to follow her dreams; anyone who has lost a mother; anyone between the ages of 12 and 25 who loves a mystery and/or loves Yellowstone National Park.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

“I hung onto the brim of my straw cloche for dear life…”

“I carried the geyser inside, the rumble and surge, pressing on me like the sound of the ocean beating on the beach.”

“His eyes were as blue as the Morning Glory Spring.”

How can your book be used in the classroom?

FAITHFUL lends itself naturally to the following: women’s issues and choices in the early 1900s (social sciences); the geologic environment and animal life of Yellowstone National Park (natural sciences); coping with loss (language arts); references to turn of the century literature, mores, and habits (language arts, social sciences.)

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

Readers who enjoy Laurie Halse Anderson’s FEVER 1793 or CHAINS might enjoy FAITHFUL, as could readers who appreciate the setting and period romances of Anna Godberson’s LUXE series. Fans of HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson may be drawn to the western setting and experiences in FAITHFUL.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

“I know a place on this earth that contains wonders enough to stop the breath. A place where the very rocks whisper and whine, where the rivers boil and the snow-studded peaks thrust into a bowl of blue; where great shaggy beasts press the earth with cloven hooves or threaten with claw and fang; where new life and lurking death coexist in the shallows of varicolored pools.”

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes both physically and through SKYPE

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• “Express Yourself: Discover Who You Are Through Writing” A craft-based workshop for high school students
• “Journey to Yellowstone” Follow Maggie, FAITHFUL’S protagonist, from Newport to Yellowstone in 1904, and her journey from society girl to independent young woman

This concludes our interview with our latest author, JANET FOX. We wish her much success with her debut novel FAITHFUL. To see what Janet is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.janetsfox.com or her blog at http://kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Janet is giving away a signed copy of FAITHFUL to two winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by June 8th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Kristina McBride

This week, we’re celebrating Kristina’s debut! Kristina McBride, a former high-school English teacher and yearbook advisor, wrote THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES in response to the safe return of a child who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend’s house. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two young children. This is her first novel. Visit her online at www.kristinamcbride.com.

Here’s a little bit about THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES (Egmont USA).

Two years ago Noelle disappeared. Two long years of no leads, no word, no body. Since the abduction, Tessa, her best friend, has lived in a state of suspended animation. She has some friends, but keeps them distant. Some interests, but she won’t allow herself to become passionate about them. And guys? She can’t get close—she knows what it is like to really lose someone she cared for.

And then, one day, the telephone rings. Noelle is alive. And maybe, just maybe, Tess can start to live again, too.

A haunting psychological thriller taken straight from the headlines, THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES is a striking debut that explores the emotional aftermath a kidnapping can have on the victim, and on the people she left behind.

Watch the Trailer for THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES: http://www.kristinamcbride.com/home.php

THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES by Kristina McBride

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

Does PG-14 count? There are some scenes involving alcohol and drug use, and a few scenes with sexual content.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Connecting with Yourself: Tessa, the main character, has to learn to balance the opposites created by all the changes she’s facing. I can relate to her when I think of certain times in my own life, when things just weren’t right and I was trying to get back on track.

Friendship: Tessa is struggling to relate to her friend after she returns as a distant and self-destructive version of her old self. I think most people can relate to this on some level. Haven’t we all had moments where we’re just not connecting with our closest friends?

Kidnapping: Finally, this book deals with the tragedy of kidnapping, and most importantly, the miracle of a child returned. The main thing I want people to take from this book is that there are children out there right now waiting to be found. It just takes one perceptive person to notice something and speak out.

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• Any teenaged girl who has ever had to deal with opposition in a friendship.
• Anyone who likes a sweet, high school romance.
• Anyone interested in a kidnapped-and-returned story.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

• In my worst moments, I pictured Noelle’s clean bones peeking up from a pile of damp leaves in the woods.
• I opened my mouth and then shut it, not sure I could ask the question in my mind. But I had to. “Noelle’s coming home tomorrow?”
• And then she said, “Oh, yeah,” and reached forward, twisting the volume on my radio until the clanging guitar strings of Ani DiFranco’s “Outta Me, Onto You” vibrated every cell of my body.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

As a former high school English teacher, this is a fun question for me! I think the classroom discussions this book could inspire would make it a perfect read for upperclassmen in high school. Friendship, healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, guilt, Stockholm Syndrome, and kidnapping are only a few themes that might interest students. On my website you can find a complete reader guide that may be copied for Book Club or classroom related purposes. I have outlined discussion questions, ideas for projects and essays, and included information on how students can create their own book trailers. http://www.kristinamcbride.com/guide.php

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• Jay Asher’s 13 REASONS WHY
• Elizabeth Scott’s LIVING DEAD GIRL
• Alice Sebold’s THE LOVELY BONES
• Lauren Oliver’s BEFORE I FALL

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

“You’re taller than me,” I said as I approached the thin figure standing in front of the green bench. A few hundred feet away, several kids playing soccer screamed, “Goaaal!” shattering the first moment of our reunion. Shaded by the leafy arms of the sweet gum tree, Coop turned to watch the boys jump in the air. I caught only a flash, but it was enough. His eyes reminded me of her.

I gently placed my oversize purse on the bench and stepped toward him. My eyes locked on his. “I’m surprised you called, Pooper.”

“Hey, none of that.” He chuckled. “It’s Cooper.”

My hand flew to my throat. “I can’t get over your voice.”

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Absolutely – I am a former high school English teacher and would love the opportunity to speak to groups. Writing is a wonderful thing, but I especially miss daily interaction with students.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes – Honorariums begin at $300 depending on length of visit and distance from my home. Travel, lodging and meal expenses may apply for out-of-town travel. Anyone interested should contact me at yabooks@kristinamcbride.com.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

For a detailed description of each of the following programs, please visit my website at: http://www.kristinamcbride.com/visits.php

• My Journey to Publication: Where I share the ups and downs of what it takes to become published in today’s market (chocolate is a must!).
• Hook ‘Em: A writers’ workshop that deals with effective hooks, and how to implement them effectively.
• Turning Reality Into Fiction: Where I discuss how I find my inspirations, and workshop with students about finding their own.

This concludes our interview with our latest author, KRISTINA MCBRIDE. We wish her much success with her debut novel THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES. To see what Kristina is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.kristinamcbride.com or her blog at http://kristinamcbride.livejournal.com. To check out the 2-minute trailer for THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES, visit http://www.kristinamcbride.com/home.php.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Kristina is giving away a signed copy of THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by June 1st, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Adrienne Sylver

This week, we’re celebrating Adrienne’s debut! Adrienne Sylver grew up in Ohio, where she rooted for the Cleveland Indians and learned to appreciate a good stadium hot dog. She has a master’s degree in magazine journalism from Ohio University. Like many Buckeyes who dislike shoveling snow, piling on fifteen layers of clothing, and blowing their nose for six months of the year, she escaped after college to the sunshine of Florida. Okay, over the years she’s come to appreciate cooler weather, good hair days thanks to low humidity, and the fact that hurricanes don’t whip across Lake Erie and flatten your home. But there’s nothing like going barefoot year-round or watching dolphins frolic in the surf. She has worked as a newspaper reporter and public relations writer. Today, she lives in Miami with her husband, Mike, and children, Nick and Meaghan.

Here’s a little bit about HOT DIGGITY DOG: THE HISTORY OF THE HOT DOG (Dutton Children’s Books).

How did the humble hot dog become an American favorite? And what does our red hot love say about who we are? Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog takes readers on a kid-friendly blast into the past to discover how the hot dog came to America and how it became a staple at baseball stadiums, cookouts, and July 4th celebrations. The book is garnished with hilarious retro illustrations by Elwood H. Smith and tons of foodie facts.

HOT DIGGITY DOG: THE HISTORY OF THE HOT DOG by Adrienne Sylver

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

Absolutely a G rating. The book is aimed toward 5-8 year olds.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

I was inspired to write Hot Diggity Dog after hearing a story on NPR that stated Americans eat two billion hot dogs in the month of July alone. Wow. Two billion? That’s crazy. I became more curious about the hot dog and wanted to know where it came from and how it became so popular. As I began my research, I uncovered so many fun facts (hot dogs in America were first served from carts without buns, burning the fingers of those who bought them) that I had to know more. The story covers everything from the hot dog’s creation (in Germany or Austria, depending on which history you read) to competitive eating.

Name a few examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

Even though Hot Diggity Dog is aimed at elementary school children, it’s really a terrific book for all ages. If you love hot dogs or you like reading about history, it’s a book for you. At the same time, if you’re into fun illustrations and sidebars filled with quirky facts (In 1969, the same astronauts who made history by being first to walk on the moon ate the first hot dogs in space), you’ll eat this book right up. And graphic novel readers should enjoy this book, too — one reviewer likened the look to Mad magazine. I notice something new in the art every time I page through the book thanks to magnificent illustrations by Elwood H. Smith.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

• Who named the hot dog? No one knows for sure. Here’s one theory: The shape of a hot dog resembles the shape of a long, skinny dachshund dog.
• When Russell Emel was seven, he demanded peanut butter on everything. His mother asked a local meat company to make a peanut butter-flavored hot dog. They did.
• Imagine getting paid to eat. Competitive eaters do. There are eating contests for everything from watermelon to chicken wings to asparagus.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

It’s a great introduction to fun, nonfiction reading. Personally, I didn’t love nonfiction books when I was young. There weren’t nearly the options that there are today. I couldn’t relate and was not that interested in reading about another long-dead president or a war that was thousands of miles away. If a teacher had introduced me to a book like Hot Diggity Dog, I would have been more inclined to choose a nonfiction book when I went to the library or book store. It’s a wonderful stepping stone for writing exercises, too. Teachers could use it to get kids involved in research and to encourage them to write their own stories about their favorite foods.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• The Guinness World Records series
• Ripley’s Believe It Or Not series
• Popcorn by Elaine Landau
• The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

It’s the Fourth of July. Red, white, and blue streamers decorate the park. Fireworks will boom in the sky tonight. And what will Americans be eating? Hot dogs!

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Sure. I love to travel (are you listening those of you in Hawaii, California, Ohio…anywhere?).

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Stimulating Nonfiction Taste Buds
• Hot Dogs: How One of My Favorite Foods Made Me An Author
• Let’s Write a Nonfiction Book

This concludes our interview with our latest author, ADRIENNE SYLVER. We wish her much success with her debut novel HOT DIGGITY DOG: THE HISTORY OF THE HOT DOG. To see what Adrienne is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.adriennesylver.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Adrienne is giving away a signed copy of HOT DIGGITY DOG: THE HISTORY OF THE HOT DOG to two winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by May 25th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our otherAuthorsNow! giveaways.

Dawn Lairamore

This week, we’re celebrating Dawn’s debut! Dawn has always loved fairy tales but thinks you can only take so many sweet, proper princesses and ferocious, fire-breathing dragons.  She thought it would be fun to write a fairy tale where the princess and the dragon weren’t what you expected.  She can’t embroider or walk with a book balanced on her head, so, much like her character Ivy, she would make a pretty terrible princess.

Here’s a little bit about IVY’S EVER AFTER (Holiday House).

The kingdom of Ardendale has always locked its princesses in a white tower guarded by a dragon. It’s the only way to lure gallant young princes to the tiny, out-of-the-way kingdom to marry them. But Ivy is a princess who doesn’t care to be rescued, and Elridge a dragon afraid of being slain. Neither wants anything to do with Romil, a scheming prince from the frozen North who has his own less than romantic reasons for wanting Ivy’s hand in marriage. Never mind that humans and dragons have loathed each other for centuries, it isn’t long before this feisty princess and rather undragonly dragon have fled the tower and set off on a perilous journey to find Ivy’s long-lost fairy godmother, the only one who might help them escape the not-so-fairy-tale fates that await them. Full of humor and high adventure, IVY’S EVER AFTER is a twist on the typical princess-needs-rescuing-from-a-dragon storyline so common in traditional tales, featuring a princess and a dragon who actually team up to thwart the handsome prince.

IVY’S EVER AFTER by Dawn Lairamore

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG. There’s some sinister plotting on the part of the villains and mention of characters overindulging in wine—which we see very, very briefly—but all in all, IVY’S EVER AFTER is far more humorous and adventurous than shocking in any way. It is very appropriate, I believe, for middle-grade readers.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Conformity versus individuality. Both Ivy, my princess, and Elridge, my dragon, are disappointments to their families. Ivy is a most feisty and improper princess, while Elridge is rather small and cowardly for a dragon. Over the course of their adventures, however, they discover their own special strengths and nurture them in one another. IVY’S EVER AFTER is very much about learning to be true to yourself, always a good message for young readers. I think it’s a nice friendship story as well—two individuals who would normally be enemies find that they are, in fact, a pair of kindred spirits.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• Anyone who loves humor and adventure
• Anyone who loves fairy tales—or fractured fairy tales
• Anyone who appreciates a book with a really great cover (ok, this is admittedly shallow and somewhat biased, but, you have to admit, the artist did an amazing job!!)

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

How about the names of some of the places Ivy and Elridge find themselves visiting on their adventures: the Fringed Forest, the Smoke Sand Hills, the Craggies, the Murmurs, the Speckled Sea, Wrathful Swamp, and the Isle of Mist.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

IVY would be fun to read in conjunction with traditional fairy tales, myths, or stories so that students can compare how it alters and challenges some conventional motifs and stereotypes.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• Fairy tales or princess stories with a twist, like ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine or PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale
• A good dragon adventure, like DRAGON RIDER by Cornelia Funke
• Books told in a playful, irreverent tone—and that make ample use of humor. IVY’S EVER AFTER definitely has some Roald Dahl-esque moments.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Ivy might have been a proper princess if her mother had lived, or her fairy godmother had seen to her upbringing instead of vanishing without a trace one winter’s night, or her father hadn’t lost his mind.  But as it happened, her mother did die, her fairy godmother did vanish, and her father did lose his mind, so Ivy never really had much of a chance one way or the other. (Read the rest of Chapter 1 at www.IvysEverAfter.com.)

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes

Are you willing to speak nationally?

At this point in time, I’m more interested in events local to northern California, where I live. However, I’m willing to consider select national events.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Bringing a Fairy Tale to Fruition: IVY’s Journey to Publication
• Writing for Middle-Grade Readers: Plotting and Pace for Young Attention Spans
• Classroom Talk – How I Became a Writer

This concludes our interview with our latest author, Dawn Lairamore. We wish her much success with her debut novel IVY’s EVER AFTER. To see what Dawn is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.IvysEverAfter.com or drop her a line on Facebook.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Dawn is giving away a signed copy of IVY’S EVER AFTER. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by May 22nd, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our otherAuthorsNow! giveaways.

Jennifer Cervantes

This week, we’re celebrating Jennifer’s debut! Jennifer discovered writing later in life. But she loved getting lost in books from the moment she could read. When she gets writer’s block she likes to jump on the trampoline with her youngest daughter, but sometimes they just lie on their backs and watch the clouds inch by.

Here’s a little bit about TORTILLA SUN (Chronicle)

Tortilla Sun is a tender, magical story about 12 year old Izzy Roybal who is sent to spend the summer in her nana’s New Mexico village where she is soon caught up in the foreign world of her own culture, from patron saints and soulful food to the curious and magical blessings Nana gives her tortillas. In Nana’s village she meets Mateo, the adventurous, treasure seeking thirteen year old boy who lives on the other side of the bolted door in Izzy’s bedroom and six year old Maggie who is raising her cat, Frida, as a dog and sees marshmallow ghosts float out windows.

When the wind begins to whisper to Izzy, she is soon led on an adventure to learn about her father’s mysterious death, who she really is, and to connect the hidden pieces of her past.

TORTILLA SUN By Jennifer Cervantes

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which would you give it?

G:

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

TORTILLA SUN deals with death and how a child might cope, friendship, family, and belonging.

I think I’ve always been interested in the life and death cycle and how we cope with loss. TORTILLA SUN allowed me to explore the resilience of the human spirit.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

An 8-12 year old girl or boy who wants to read about adventure, magic, and hope. Or perhaps a young reader who is seeking a book about one view of the the  Hispanic culture. And of course anyone who loves tortillas

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

Sadness climbed up my bones and I wondered if color would ever come back into this house again.

The first of the fireworks exploded across the sky in sparkling streams of white and for a moment it looked like a hundred magic baseballs were falling from heaven.

Sometimes we long for what the world tells us is missing and miss what is right in front of us.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

Please take a look at the discussion guide on my website at www.jennifercervantes.com. Students can experience culture, traditions, and the enchanting setting of New Mexico.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

This is tough because I feel so privileged to even include my name next to these writers, but my readers would probably also enjoy anything by Sharon creech, Pam Munoz Ryan, and Deborah Wiles.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

When I stretched my arm into the tangled underbrush, it got caught in the branches. “Ouch!” I removed my arm swiftly and surveyed the small scrapes across my wrist and elbow. Getting the baseball out wasn’t going to be easy. I plunked down at the foot of the large cottonwood, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. A light breeze caressed my cuts. Drifting off, I heard whispers bounce off the trees, and had a strange feeling I wasn’t alone.

Whoosh, whoosh.

After the faintest whoosh, one word echoed clearly across the grove: Come

I pressed my back against the tree and scanned the area.

“Who’s there?” I called.

Come…

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes. I also offer Skype visits, too.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Unfolding story like a tortilla
• Latinos in middle-grade fiction
• It’s a truth catcher! (creating objects from the book)

This concludes our interview with our latest author, JENNIFER CERVANTES. We wish her much success with her debut novel TORTILLA SUN. To see what Jennifer  is up to these days, visit her website at www.jennifercervantes.com

GIVEAWAY ALERT* Jennifer is giving away a signed copy of TORTILLA SUN. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by May 12th, 2010 11:59 PM CST.  (U.S. residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Holly Schindler

This week, we’re celebrating Holly’s debut! After obtaining her M.A. in English in 2001, Holly Schindler decided to nix the idea of a full-time job in order to pursue a writing career (her lifelong dream). After wearing out half a dozen or so keyboards drafting too many manuscripts to count, she was thrilled to sell her debut YA novel to Flux! A BLUE SO DARK  will release May 1, 2010. A second YA (PLAYING HURT) will follow in 2011, as will a romantic comedy for adults.

Here’s a little bit about A BLUE SO DARK (Flux).

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura’s dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

A BLUE SO DARK by Holly Schindler

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG-13. Or, really, PG-12. For language, drug / alcohol references, teen smoking, teen pregnancy.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

A BLUE SO DARK tackles mental illness, family issues (especially the mother-daughter relationship), friendship (specifically, friendships strained by external problems), even addiction (by exploring the idea of art as an addiction). Most importantly, though, the novel explores the possible source of creativity.

I’ve always been interested in creativity—why it’s a geyser in some and a slow trickle (or even a complete and total desert) in others. A BLUE SO DARK allowed me to explore some ideas as to where creativity might spring from. Aura’s convinced that art and madness are inextricably linked…and many of our “great” artists have also suffered from some sort of mental illness, so she really does give readers something to chew on…

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

A young adult who’s had to cope with a family history of mental illness (or a teen who has had to care for their parent for any reason). Anyone in high school who has felt on the fringes of high school culture. Any 12-18-year-old who is artistically inclined—art, music, writing, etc.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

Maybe we do peddle the earth with our feet—and maybe, just maybe, mine have made the whole world start to turn around.

At that moment, I felt so abandoned—like Pluto must have when all the scientists decided it wasn’t a planet anymore. Nothing but a bunch of cosmic trash.

“Flick your tail and dive in—not into the waters of the Florida Keys, but inside you.”

How can your book be used in the classroom?

A BLUE SO DARK is a rich novel that can be used to discuss several literary techniques—metaphor, symbolism, etc. The novel could also be used in a discussion of mental illness (stereotypes, current attitudes toward the mentally ill). Really, though, the novel is ripe with discussion ideas…Several great questions have also been posted at the book’s page on the Flux website: http://www.fluxnow.com/book_reader_guide.php?ean=9780738719269

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

I actually think fans of the authors who blurbed my novel would also love A BLUE SO DARK:

• Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward and Love In The Present Tense said, “A BLUE SO DARK is one of those rare books: It never shies away from the darkness yet still manages to find the light. A truly real, emotional, and honest read.”
• Crissa-Jean Chappell, author of Total Constant Order said, “Schindler’s lyrical debut explores the nightmare of mental illness in a voice that is sharp and funny and all her own. This is as real as teen fiction gets. A must-read.”
• Carrie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of Need and Captivate, claimed, “A BLUE SO DARK is a raw, compelling and eloquent portrayal of art and madness, and the freeing, healing gift of creativity. Schindler’s voice is brilliant and true.”

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

When I was ten, I took my best friend Janny on our family vacation. I really thought we were going someplace special, white sands and blue water, tropical paradise, just like Dad told me. “I’ll teach you how to swim, Aura,” he promised. “I’ll show you how magical the ocean is. Someday, you and I will be riding on the backs of dolphins. Surfing off the Baja Peninsula. Snorkeling along the coast of South Africa. It all begins with this trip. Florida—a fairy tale drop-kicked into the real world.”

But the coastal Florida I saw then, after a string of brutal storms had practically turned the whole ocean upside down and washed every ounce of trash up on the shore, was a freaking lie. Brown seaweed, that’s what Florida was. Murky, brown, nasty, smelly seaweed. Water that reminded me of the aftermath of floods back home in Missouri, when the lake banks smelled like rotting fish scales and the sour insides of beer cans.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes—though I’d prefer to keep personal appearances to the Southwest Missouri area, at least to begin with. I had an amazing year in 2009—in addition to A BLUE SO DARK, I sold two more novels, both scheduled to be released in 2011. I’m also in the midst of finding a home for another finished project (a middle-grade novel), and am revising and preparing two young adult novels for submission.

Whew! I do feel my number one priority right now is to my writing. But I’d be happy to consider something a little closer to home—or an email interview! I encourage anyone interested to get in touch!

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Not right now.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Can YA Be Considered Literary?
• The Art of Wooing in the Modern Teen Romance
• “Edgy” Fiction—Does Shock Value Still Exist?

This concludes our interview with our latest author, HOLLY SCHINDLER. We wish her much success with her debut novel A BLUE SO DARK. To see what Holly is up to these days, visit her website at http://hollyschindler.com or her blog at http://hollyschindler.blogspot.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Holly is giving away a signed copy of A BLUE SO DARK. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by May 8th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our otherAuthorsNow! giveaways.

Leah Cypess

This week, we’re celebrating Leah’s debut! Leah Cypess wrote her first story in first grade. The narrator was an ice-cream cone in the process of being eaten. In fourth grade, she wrote her first novel. It was about a girl who was shipwrecked on a desert island with her faithful and heroic dog (a rip-off of both The Black Stallion and all the Lassie movies, very impressive).

She then took a few detours on her way to becoming a full-time writer, the most time-consuming of which involved law school. But she is now finished with all that and is incredibly excited to be publishing her first book.

Here’s a little bit about MISTWOOD (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins).

Everyone tells Isabel that she is the Shifter – the ancient shape-shifting creature who has protected the kings of Samorna for centuries. They need her to be the Shifter. Prince Rokan risked everything when he rode into the Mistwood to summon her to his side; Ven, the magician’s apprentice, has devoted his life to studying her legend; and even Princess Clarisse, who fears and hates her, depends on Isabel’s powers to further her own plans.

But Isabel doesn’t feel like the Shifter. She feels like a lonely human girl, beset by flashes of memory that do more to confuse than to help her. If she is the Shifter, why can’t she change her shape? Why doesn’t she remember what made her flee the castle so many years ago? As she is drawn deeper into a web of magic and assassination, Isabel will have no choice but to look for answers. But her search will lead her to the one question the Shifter hasn’t faced in a thousand years: where does she come from, and what does she really want?

MISTWOOD by Leah Cypess

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG for violence (all of the swords-and-sorcery variety)

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

I wasn’t driven to write about any particular issues, really – I was just trying to tell a good story and be true to my characters! I usually don’t realize what my books’ themes are until after I’m done with the first draft. In MISTWOOD, because of Isabel’s nature, she struggles with figuring out who she is, and how to separate that from how everyone else perceives her. And because of what happens to her, she had to figure out how to make choices even when there are no good choices, and to accept the consequences of the choices she’s made. I’m sure it’s no coincidence that these are both topics I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

Any teenager (or adult) who likes high fantasy, anyone who feels like people expect more from them than they can possibly accomplish, and anyone is faced with an impossible choice.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

Expecting to be a cat, she had half-risen to meet the creature, growling.

His lips twitched upward. “Your parents are the wind and the fog, according to several songs. I don’t think they meant it literally, though.”

She had a sudden memory of soaring, of wings spread to catch an updraft, of folding those wings for the heart-stopping drop on unsuspecting prey.

There was nothing human about her voice, though it formed human words, and Rokan’s fingers tightened on the reins.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

To demonstrate techniques of writing such as foreshadowing, flashbacks, and multiple points-of-view; and to discuss topics such as identity, choices, and loyalty.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

Fire by Kristin Cashore
The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

She knew every inch of the forest, every narrow path that twisted and wound its way beneath the silver branches. They never should have found her. She should have been up and away long before the horses’ scent came to her, and very long before the sound of men’s whispering drifted to her ears. Through the trees or in them, even above them, she could have fled in an instant, or hidden herself so well that they could scour the forest for days and never find her.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Definitely!

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes, though in most cases I would have to be able to schedule it with existing trips. I am most likely to be able to speak in the northeast (especially within driving distance of Boston, NY, or DC).

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

How Books are Made: The evolution of a book (in particular, mine) from original idea, through criticism and revision, and the publishing process.

How Many Places Can A Story Go?: A writing workshop in which we start with the first paragraph of Mistwood and discuss the questions it raises and the difference directions the story could go. Students would be encouraged to think about what questions in that paragraph they most want to have answered, and then to write a story that answers it.

How Revision Works: We focus on a section or two of Mistwood that changed several times through the revision process, and discuss how the original weaknesses were addressed. If there is time and interest, students can put up their own writing for discussion and revision.

This concludes our interview with our latest author, Leah Cypess. We wish her much success with her debut novel MISTWOOD. To see what Leah is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.leahcypess.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Leah is giving away a signed copy of MISTWOOD. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by May 4th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our otherAuthorsNow! giveaways.

Jennifer R. Hubbard

This week, we’re celebrating Jennifer R. Hubbard’s debut! Jennifer R. Hubbard lives and writes near Philadelphia. She is a night person who believes that mornings were meant to be slept through, a chocolate lover, and a hiker. She has been writing ever since the age of six, when she used to write and illustrate her own picture books. She will read almost anything, but prefers to write short stories and young-adult novels. THE SECRET YEAR is her first published novel. She blogs at http://writerjenn.livejournal.com.

Here’s a little bit about THE SECRET YEAR (Viking).

Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend. When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal Julia left behind. But Colt is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer R. Hubbard

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG-13, I suppose, because of language and mature subject matter. It’s a young adult book that deals honestly with an intimate relationship. Some of the characters use profanity.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

Secrecy is an important element. I’d like people to think about why a secret relationship was so appealing to these characters. What did Colt and Julia get from it? What did it cost them? I also wanted to explore what people go through when someone close to them dies, especially if they carry the burdens of secrecy and guilt that Colt carries. Class conflict is another big topic. There are so many neighborhoods where people of different income levels live near one another, but not truly as neighbors.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

Teens who have to deal with class or other social conflicts, or who have lost someone close to them, or who want to explore what it means to be in an emotionally intense relationship. Some people have told me this book reads like a mystery, even though it’s not a true “whodunit” style mystery.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

• He’d taken pictures of potatoes for his freshman art project.
• It was hard to believe that a girl who went swimming in a black satin dress cared about what was easy and expected.
• She wrote about us dissolving in it, melting into water where a patch of moon floated.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

It can be used to start discussions about subjects such as class conflict, death and grieving, and the choices we make in relating to other people. One of the plot threads involves a gay character’s coming out, which is another possible discussion topic. I have a reader guide that will be posted online; it contains discussion questions and suggestions for projects.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• 13 REASONS WHY, by Jay Asher
• TWENTY BOY SUMMER, by Sarah Ockler
• WILLOW, by Julia Hoban
• THE OUTSIDERS, by S.E. Hinton
• LOOKING FOR ALASKA, by John Green

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Julia was killed on Labor Day on her way home from a party. I didn’t get to see her that night. I used to meet her on Friday nights, but I was never invited to the parties that she was invited to. We’d meet on the banks of the river, clutch at each other in the backseat of her car, steam up her windows and write messages and jokes to each other in the fog on the blass, and argue about whether to turn on the A/C. Sometimes we swam in the river late at night when the water was black and no one could see us. We did all that for a year, and nobody else knew.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes. I’m especially willing to do online chats and exchange email with book clubs, classes, TAGs, and others.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Writing workshop: Writing skills and story elements
• Discussions of the book’s main topics such as class conflict. (See the reader guide, and the answer to the above question on how this book may be used in the classroom.)
• THE SECRET YEAR’s journey from my desk to bookshelves

This concludes our interview with our latest author, JENNIFER. We wish her much success with her debut novel THE SECRET YEAR. To see what Jennifer  is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.jenniferhubbard.com or her blog at http://livejournal.writerjenn.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Jennifer is giving away a signed copy of THE SECRET YEAR. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by April 27th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Christine Brodien-Jones

This week, we’re celebrating Christine Brodien-Jones’ debut! Christine Brodien-Jones grew up in LeRoy, New York, and is a graduate of Emerson College, Boston. She spent much of her childhood inventing fantastic stories and sitting in trees reading books. A former teacher and editor, Christine lives in a creaky house near the sea with her husband Peter. They divide their time between Gloucester, Massachusetts, Buenos Aires and an old country house in Maine. Random House/Delacorte Press will publish her post-apocalyptic novel THE OWL KEEPER in April 2010. Her next novel is a fantasy adventure set in Morocco. Christine is represented by Stephen Fraser of The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Here’s a little bit about THE OWL KEEPER (Random House/Delacorte Press).

Maxwell Unger has always loved the night. He used to do brave things like go tramping through the forest with his gran after dark. He loved the stories she told him about the world before the Destruction — about nature, and books, and the silver owls. His favorite story, though, was about the Owl Keeper.

According to Max’s gran, in times of darkness the Owl Keeper would appear to unite owls and Sages against the powers of the dark. Gran is gone now, and so are her stories of how the world used to be. Max is no longer brave. The forest is dangerous, the books Gran saved have been destroyed, and the silver owls are extinct. At least, that’s what the High Echelon says. But Max knows better.

Max Unger has a secret. And when a mysterious girl comes to town, he just might have to start being brave again.

The time of the Owl Keeper, Gran would say, is coming soon.

THE OWL KEEPER by Christine Brodien-Jones

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

I’d rate THE OWL KEEPER PG because there are some harrowing scenes featuring dangerous creatures–some are biogenetically engineered, others are ravenous and infected with disease—which younger readers might find scary.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

THE OWL KEEPER touches on a number of themes: courage, friendship, loss, loyalty and betrayal, family relationships and, ultimately, hope. The story is also about book banning, oppressive governments, adults who are deceptive, prophecies and underdog heroes.

I’ve always been drawn to the idea of what the world will be like in the future. “On the Beach,” a 1950s film about the world after a nuclear explosion, had a profound effect on me when I was young, along with John Wyndham’s novel THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS. When I started writing THE OWL KEEPER in November 2001, the world felt truly bleak and dark, and I wanted to write a story about hope. Max and Rose appeared seemingly out of nowhere, both vivid heroes, surprising me. I connected straightaway with Max—maybe because I grew up an only child too—and, like Max, I’ve always loved the night. The idea of Max being allergic to the sun came from an article I’d read about children with this condition and from a film called “The Others.” As for the High Echelon, I experienced the paranoia of an oppressed society when I lived in Spain under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• A boy who’s quiet and shy and not quite sure of the world around him would identify with Max, an unlikely hero.
• A feisty independent girl with original ideas would see herself in Rose.
• Anyone who loves books about dystopian societies, impossible quests, secret experiments and genetically altered creatures would enjoy THE OWL KEEPER.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

“He saw stars scrambled overhead, and two moons floating above the forest – the broken halves of the old moon…”

“…a prophecy, written in the Silver Scrolls: in times of darkness an Owl Keeper would appear…”

“…then there were the terrifying dreams, jolting him awake in the middle of the night. What were the grotesque creatures that flew in and out of The Ruins – hairless … with half-formed faces?”

How can your book be used in the classroom?

I imagine THE OWL KEEPER as a springboard for class discussions about themes I mentioned earlier such as courage, friendship and family relationships. There are frightening creatures in THE OWL KEEPER made in secret laboratories: spark your students’ imaginations by asking them to create their own ‘monsters.’ Other topics to explore: book banning, oppressive governments, underdog heroes.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

Kids who like THE OWL KEEPER might also enjoy:

• CITY OF EMBER series by Jeanne DuPrau
• THE TRIPODS by John Christopher
• HIS DARK MATERIALS series by Philip Pullman
• THE NAVIGATOR by Eoin McNamee
• LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rosloff
• THE GIVER.by Lois Lowry
• EXODUS by Julie Bretagna
• THE ROAR by Emma Clayton
• FLOODLAND by Marcus Sedgwick

Older kids who like THE OWL KEEPER might also enjoy:

• FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury
• THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner
• THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

“When Max first saw the girl that night, standing beneath the owl tree, he thought she was a ghost or a vision, or maybe a comic-book character come to life. It didn’t occur to him that she might be real. As far as he knew, nobody real had ever come to the owl tree before.”

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes, if time allows.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

I’m happy to speak to students, librarians, teachers and others about the writing process, inventing ‘monsters’ for fantasies, and creating believable characters.

This concludes our interview with our latest author, CHRISTINE BRODIEN-JONES. We wish her much success with her debut novel THE OWL KEEPER. To see what Christine is up to these days, visit her website at http://owlkeeper.com or her blog at http://cbrodienjones.wordpress.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Christine is giving away a signed copy of THE OWL KEEPER to a winner, a signed ARC of THE OWL KEEPER to another winner and a hand-painted owl from Argentina, along with OWL KEEPER postcards and bookmarks to three other winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by April 20th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Rhonda Hayter

This week, we’re celebrating Rhonda Hayter’s debut! Rhonda Hayter was born in St. Jean, Quebec. She was an actress for some time, appearing in plays on tour and in New York and Los Angeles. Now, she works as a story analyst for a famous movie producer. When she and her husband found themselves with two little boys, one of whom morphed into a werewolf one day, The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams was born. Rhonda now lives in Los Angeles with her family. This is her first book.

Here’s a little bit about THE WITCHY WORRIES OF ABBIE ADAMS (Dial Books for Young Readers).

Abbie Adams is a regular eleven-year old girl with normal problems like a really strict fifth-grade teacher. (Meet Miss Linegar. Rhymes with vinegar.) She’s chronically behind in homework, struggling to remember all her lines in the drama club play, and tormented by having to keep a big secret from her very best friend. And on top of all these problems, she’s also a witch and has to deal with outsized crises, like her little brother morphing into a werewolf and trying to eat his first-grade teacher. Not to mention helping a famous young inventor, magically transported to the 21st Century, find a way to return to his own time.

THE WITCHY WORRIES OF ABBIE ADAMS by Rhonda Hayter

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

Abbie’s a definite G, geared toward 10-12 year olds.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

I started writing the book after my angelic, curly-haired six-year old had a terrible raving tantrum and it occurred to me that it was as if he had turned into a werewolf. So it made me think about a little boy with a few behavior issues who might actually turn into a werewolf…and what that might be like if he was your little brother. And the rest of the book grew from there.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

Well I think that any kid with a younger brother or sister who got on their nerves sometimes might find Abbie’s relationship with her brother Munch pretty recognizable. Anyone who has problems in keeping up with homework and dealing with a strict teacher who doesn’t always understand them might commiserate too. And though Abbie has magical powers and many readers probably don’t, some of the mistakes she makes in not always doing the right thing ought to ring a bell with them.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

That’s a fun question. Here are a couple.

The whole house went completely dark, a hurricane force wind whipped through the windows and the front door downstairs slammed open with an enormous crash. Dad was home.

First thing he did after mom yelled was turn himself into a teddy bear and hide among his stuffed animals at the foot of his bed.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

Well, I can’t tell you exactly who, because it would spoil a mystery in the book, but Abbie gets to meet the guy who was credited with “inventing the twentieth century” and she learns a lot from him. The book would be a good way for teachers to introduce kids to this great American inventor.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

Well, Abbie’s a great reader herself and she especially likes the Harry Potter books, since she’s got a little bit in common with Hermione especially.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

Come to think of it, the day my brother tried to eat his first grade teacher turned out to be the same day that my dad brought me home a very, very strange cat.

The truth is, I really shouldn’t have gone to school that day. I had a big cold and every time I sneezed, I got a floating attack and had to yank myself down off the ceiling. Once, on a double sneeze, I hit my head on the chandelier really hard. I mean with a runny nose, a bump on my head and a propensity (good vocabulary word huh? Means penchant. Look that up. I had to) for flying upwards really fast, you’d think it would be obvious I belonged home in bed.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yup.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yup again.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• Whiplash Writing- Speed Story Telling
• Writing Your Life-How a Bad Day Can Make a Good Story.

This concludes our interview with our latest author, RHONDA HAYTER. We wish her much success with her debut novel THE WITCHY WORRIES OF ABBIE ADAMS. To see what Rhonda is up to these days, visit her website at www.rhondahayter.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Rhonda is giving away a signed copy of THE WITCHY WORRIES OF ABBIE ADAMS to two winners and $15 gift card to Barnes and Noble to two winners. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by April 14th, 2010 11:59 PM CST. (U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.)

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.