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Queen of Comedy: An Interview with Hillary Homzie

By on February 8, 2019   /   Author Interviews  

I’m excited to interview one of our very own Mixed-Up Files authors who recently had two book releases in her middle-grade series about the irrepressible Ellie May—Hillary Homzie. So let’s get started…

Hi, Hillary, so happy to have this chance to have you with us today. First of all, I always enjoy your books, and I especially love the humor in the Ellie May books. The illustrations by Jeffrey Ebbeler definitely add to the fun.

Can you tell us a little about the chapter books?

Absolutely! The books feature Ellie May who—whenever she tries to do something great—things tend to get a little mixed up. However, the exuberant second grader never gives up. In Ellie May on Presidents’ Day, she would give anything to be flag leader during the Pledge of Allegiance. After all, she has a really loud voice, knows how to stand super straight, and knows cools facts about the presidents. In Ellie May on April Fools’ Day, she wants more than anything to be funnier than Mo, the class clown. Right away, she begins practicing her practical jokes—with ants and all. The question becomes—will she take her mission too far?

Many teachers and librarians look for holiday stories. It’s not hard to find books for the major holidays, but you’ve picked two unusual ones. How did you choose those holidays and why?

I’ve always been fascinated with presidential history. It’s probably because I grew up in Virginia, birthplace to eight presidents and four of the first five. Presidents’ Day seemed like a great start for the series. Then my editor at Charlesbridge asked me to pick another holiday that would follow Presidents’ Day. She actually suggested April Fools’ Day, since she knew I had a background in performing sketch comedy and love all things comedic!

Can you tell us what inspired you to write these stories?

Honestly, my favorite year in school was second grade, and I had just to write about it. A friend of mine once told me—Hillary do you want to write for kids or be a kid? I’m not sure of that answer, lol!

Your books always seem to include humor. Can you give some tips for writing humorous stories?

  • Have your protagonists unaware of their own missteps. In other words, consider making him or her an innocent or a fish out of water. 2) Keep things tight. 3) Try to create an audience for your protagonist’s humiliation as it increases the stakes. I actually have a comedy writing guide, and anyone interested can just contact me by going to my website.

What do you hope readers will take away from the books?

I hope that readers will see the power of perseverance, and most of all have fun. I’m convinced when the youngest readers associate books with joy, they will turn into life- long readers.

As a former librarian and teacher, I definitely agree with that! Humor really hooks kids, especially reluctant readers.

Did you base your character on anyone you know?

Ellie May is based a little bit on the spirit and enthusiasm of my middle son. As a primary school student, he was always so eager but sometimes didn’t know how to direct his energies. Inadvertently and enthusiastically, he took some missteps in the classroom. Luckily, my son had some great teachers to help him to channel all of his energy.

Ellie May has a great voice. How do you capture a character’s voice and make it distinct?

Ah, that’s such a great question. I find that if I’m in a more relaxed state and let the character talk and react versus me trying very hard to be this impressive writer—something just works. For me, it boils down to trusting myself and just, well, listening.

I like how Ellie May grows and changes. How did you decide what problems she’d face and how they would affect her?

I actually never decided, at least with my rational mind. Ellie May sprang into being and then so did the kids in her classroom. The situations in the books were based on the characters’ personalities and how each one might react to a common classroom assignment.

Did you love to read as a child? If so, can you tell us some favorite books?

Oh, yes, I was an avid reader! As a second grader, my favorite books were A Secret Garden, Little Women, The Witch’s Buttons, Seven True Dolphin Stories, and anything by Beverly Cleary.

You’ve listed some of my favorites as well.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Probably in second grade when my teacher Mrs. McCrone wrote on my story—Hillary, you are a writer!

Aww… It’s awesome when a teacher’s encouragement leads to a future career. You never know what your influence might be when you compliment a child.

Did you have any childhood dreams for what you’d be when you grew up? If so, did they come true?

I wanted to write books and become a children’s author—and it looks like it happened! I feel so grateful.

Have you had any careers besides writing?

Lots! I’ve been a journalist, a sketch comedian, publicist and, in addition to writing books, I teach media writing at Sonoma State University during the academic year and children’s writing in the summer graduate program at Hollins University.

That must keep you busy, and it allows you to encourage a new generation of writers. I know you’re a great teacher!

What is your favorite part of being a writer?

My favorite part of being a writer is when I’m swept up in the start on a new project as well as visiting schools.

What are you working on now?

A couple of picture books, an upper middle-grade fantasy, and more chapter books.

Can you tell us a bit about some of your other books?

I’ve written a half dozen books for tween girls. Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster/Aladdin) was recently selected by the Association of Jewish Libraries for the Love Your Neighbor List. The list was created in response to the Pittsburgh tragedy and attempt to create a bridge of understanding into the lives of Jewish kids. I feel really strongly that if more children had access to books about kids from diverse cultures there would be fewer hate crimes. One of my recent light-hearted middle-grade books Pumpkin Spice Secrets seems to be a favorite among reluctant readers and was featured this fall on the front cover of Scholastic Tab—which was a true thrill!

Very cool about both features! And it’s so true that reading can help you understand others who have different customs, cultures, and personalities. I read a study that showed voracious readers are much more likely to be empathetic to others. I suspect it’s because they learn to put themselves in others’ places and see the world in a different light. It’s great when authors not only share their storytelling but also their lives and culture.

To find out more about Hillary and her other books, you can visit her website.

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Stuck in a Midwinter Rut? Middle Grade Journey Stories to the Rescue

By on February 7, 2019   /   Fiction  

The very words make one shiver: polar vortex. We were plunged into the depths of one last week, here in Pennsylvania and across much of the country. School was cancelled, the lemon tea was steaming, and the furnace was valiantly trying to tame the chill. With a few extra hours to peruse some middle grade novels, I knew where I wanted to go: long journeys to faraway places.

Even if you live in a warm-year-round kind of place, you might be ready for a good book to take you away. February is a short month by its count of days, but it can feel quite long, no matter the weather nor where you live. If you are a teacher, student, librarian, or homeschooling parent, this month might require some extra patience; the holiday season is over, signs of spring are stubbornly holding off, last summer is a nostalgic memory, and next summer isn’t countdown-worthy just yet.

Many students and adult readers alike appreciate a good book journey at this time of year: questing through a fantasy world, trailing a real-life athlete toward a championship, playing time-traveler to witness historical events through the characters who experience them. I crave books in which I can follow the character on actual traveling experiences, planned or spontaneous, with ocean settings or road trips to new lands—I suppose because I dream of travels, old and new, in late winter.

After some reflection, I think readers might also be drawn to journey stories for reasons like these:

  • Atmospheric settings are an important, teachable element of MG works. A descriptive passage lends itself to analysis of figurative language devices such as imagery and metaphor. Often a setting symbolizes a character’s emotions or foreshadows an event yet to occur.
  • A character “leaving the ordinary world” is an iconic plot device (see Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces or Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey for more) that pulls in a wide variety of readers of all ages, as it speaks to a questing spirit and curiosity about other places, times, and cultures.
  • The culmination of a journey to a new place—whether that journey is a literal traveling experience or an internal, dynamic shift of emotion or conviction—seems particularly fulfilling with a well-drawn MG character, and often provides inspiration to readers of many ages.

Here are a few journey-themed books from recent years on my midwinter reading table.

 Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm – Turtle is a strong-minded girl who bravely faces reality: in the Depression-era South, her mama must take a live-in housekeeper job with a no-children-allowed rule. Turtle tries to be positive about being sent to live with an aunt and cousins in Key West, Florida; however, she is out of her element there (scorpions like to hide in shoes, so be careful; also, alligator pear is what’s for breakfast—rather, avocado on toast.) Turtle tries to find ways to get along with the relatives who were not expecting her arrival, and to open her heart to a deeper meaning of family.

Stowaway by Karen Hesse – The first-person journal narrative of Nicholas Young, a stowaway on Captain James Cook’s ship in 1768, relates a historical sailing story through the perspective of a bold narrator. The opening of Stowaway pulls the reader in to join Nick in his tiny, cramped hiding place on the Endeavour, waiting through long days and nights, until the ship sails far enough away from England for him to be revealed to the Captain and crew. Nick’s story brings the reader along for adventure and excitement in long-ago days of exploration and discovery as Captain Cook pursues a secret mission to relatively unknown waters.

A Bandit’s Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket by Deborah Hopkinson — In the mood for a picaresque tale? Think “I-voice” narrative by a roguish young person setting out on independent adventures in the face of daunting surroundings or social circumstances; examples include Moll Flanders, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Oliver Twist, to name a few. In A Bandit’s Tale, main character Rocco’s story begins with an actual journey from late 1800s Italy to America following a misunderstood misdeed in his hometown. In New York, the guardian supposedly responsible for him requires that he and other boys play street instruments for money. Rocco’s “journey” continues as he learns to navigate difficult living conditions, the challenges of early immigrants, and historic reform movements to improve the treatment of children and animals.

 

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell  — Baby Sophie is rescued after a ship sinks in the English Channel and brought up by Charles, an eccentric and loving guardian who quotes Shakespeare, serves meals on books, and allows Sophie to wear trousers and practice handstands. But once Sophie turns twelve, their enigmatic way of life catches the attention of the authorities, and Sophie is set to be sent to an orphanage for young ladies. Using only a few cryptic clues, the two set out on a journey to Paris to attempt to find Sophie’s mother–who may or may not still be alive.

Of course, the journey is just one theme that might interest midwinter snow day or “cold day” readers. What are your getaway titles, and do any themes connect them?

Thanks for reading!

 

 

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Interview with Melanie Sumrow, author of THE PROPHET CALLS!

By on February 5, 2019   /   Author Interviews, Fiction  

Hello Mixed-Up Filers!

Today, I’m pleased to welcome Melanie Sumrow, whose book, The Prophet Calls, is out now from Yellow Jacket! Btw, I’ve already read and loved it, and insist you go get your copy now!

 

JR: Hi, Melanie and thanks for joining us today.  

MS: Thank you for having me!

JR: Can you tell us a little bit about The Prophet Calls and the impetus behind writing it?

The Prophet Calls is the story of Gentry Forrester who lives in a polygamous community among God’s chosen people. But when the Prophet’s revelations put her family in danger, she must decide whether to adhere to his terrible demands or discover what it truly means to be free.

I received my undergraduate degree in Religious Studies and have maintained a long-term interest in studying world religions. A couple of years ago, I was guest teaching a class on religious radicalism. For that class, I had updated my research on various religious sects, including the polygamous community known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Within that same time period, my agent called and indicated an editor had contacted him (sort of as a shot in the dark), saying she was interested in polygamous communities and wondered if he happened to know anyone who could write about that subject for a middle-grade audience. Of course, my agent was very excited because he knew I possessed the knowledge, even though I’d never written MG. I started from scratch on an entirely new story, and my editor fell in love with The Prophet Calls.

 

JR: That’s an amazing story. I read on your website, www.MelanieSumrow.com, that you were a lawyer for over sixteen years. How did you make the transition from that into Middle Grade Author, and what have you found the easiest and what was the most challenging?

MS: Guilty! I am a lawyer and really missed having a creative outlet when another lawyer had recommended a book to me: Twilight. I thought he (yes, a male colleague recommended it) was pulling my leg, but he kept going on and on about how awesome it was. Long story short, he lent it to me and I read it, and then I picked up the next one in the series and the next and impatiently waited for the last book. I thought they were so fun! And then I started to pick up more books written for teens and devoured them. When I heard Stephenie Meyer had written the first book while working outside the home full-time and being a mom like me, I thought why not? I had always loved to read and I’d always enjoyed writing, so the idea really energized me. As luck would have it, a flyer came through the mail advertising a series of creative writing classes that I could take at night through my local university, while still practicing law during the day. From my first class, I was hooked! Thanks to the support of my family, I now have the privilege of writing full-time.

The easiest part of being an author for me is that I love to tell stories. I get a huge rush from creating something out of nothing. The hardest part? The waiting. I’m not a patient person, and there is A LOT of waiting in publishing.

JR: I’m with you. That surprised me as well. Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey getting to this point? 

MS: My writing journey has been long and winding.

I started taking creative writing classes in 2010. I shelved my first manuscript. I queried my second manuscript and received many requests. I read every rejection and, if I saw a common thread, I would go back and revise. After about a year of querying, which amounted to over 100 cold queries and many revisions, I received three offers of representation from agents.

I went on submission with my agent and, although that book was well received by publishing houses, it ultimately did not sell. I was working on another YA book when the call came in from my agent to ask if I would consider writing for the upper MG audience. I did and got my first book deal with The Prophet Calls. Over the summer, we announced a second book deal for another upper MG book, The Inside Battle.

In whole, the process from starting that first creative writing class to publishing my debut novel took more than 8 years.

 

JR: I think we were both around the same time frame. What’s your writing process like?

MS: My projects tend to be research-heavy, so I spend a good amount of time researching for a book (usually too much time since I really enjoy this part). Once I’ve completed the research stage, I have a pretty good idea of the story I want to tell. Then, I force myself to write a synopsis (force, because it’s PAINFUL). I do this at the early stages of writing to make sure there’s actually a story there and to find any holes, either in my research or the storyline. Then, I draft the first three chapters. At this point, I usually get feedback from critique partners.

Once I have feedback, I dive in to write the first draft. This is the most intense phase of the writing process for me, because I write every day (maybe taking a day or two off on the weekend for brain rest, as needed) until the draft is complete. After I finish the first draft (and crash from exhaustion), I usually try to take a previously scheduled vacation and don’t look at the draft for a few weeks.

After some time away, I’m always anxious to get back to the project. I LOVE editing, because this is where the story really comes to life. I go through a few rounds of edits (looking at voice, consistency in details, crutch words, etc.), get feedback from critique partners, as needed, and then turn my manuscript in to my agent and editor.

 

JR: What’s your favorite book and who’s your favorite author?

I like to read all kinds of books, so I don’t really have a favorite book or author. But it’s rare for me to read a book twice. A few children’s books I’ve read more than once include Monster by Walter Dean Myers, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. They are all pretty timeless for me.

 

JR: What’s your favorite movie?

MS: An older favorite is The Joy Luck Club, with a side of Kleenex. A newer favorite is Bohemian Rhapsody—WOW!

 

JR: That movie was incredible. What’s something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

MS: I briefly considered a career in opera. I had music scholarship offers from a few colleges, but ultimately turned them down in favor of a more academic course of study.

 

JR: Wow! Okay, now I’m going to pester you to post videos of you singing opera! What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received and is there any advice you can give to writers looking to break in?

MS: Write your story. Only you can write it. Keep working on your craft. Connect with other writers, because the highs of publishing are few and far between for most of us. Listen to people who know the business. Be willing to change and adapt. And have fun!

 

JR: What are you working on next?

MS: I’m incredibly excited to share my second upper middle-grade novel, The Inside Battle, which is set to release in the fall of 2019. It is the story of a boy struggling to win his father’s approval, but when the boy follows his dad inside a racist, anti-government militia group, he has to choose what’s more important: his father’s approval or speaking up for what is right.

 

JR: That sounds great! I’ll be on the lookout for it. How can people follow you on social media?

MS: People can find me both on Twitter and Instagram: @melaniesumrow. I’m also on Facebook: @MelanieSumrowAuthor.

 

JR: Melanie, I want to thank you so much for joining us today and hope you come back when The Inside Battle comes out!

 

Well, that does it for now. So, until next time, my Mixed-Up friends . . . 

 

Jonathan

 

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