Blog

The other day I was thinking about why middle grade books are dynamic. These books chronicle kids struggling through transitions. Sometimes the struggles are HUGE and sometimes they are everyday. In truth I’m attracted to both. The amazing Harry Potter series does both. It offers a fully realized world, lovable and distinct characters who face problems both big and small. August 27th marked the 18th anniversary of the (Scholastic) publication of the first Harry Potter book. And as a writer and a mom I want to say three big thank yous to J.K. (Jo) Rowling!

1) Thank you because I couldn’t get two out of three of my sons interested in reading anything on their own until Harry Potter. I’d read with my oldest (lovely) and he was a capable reader but wasn’t interested in reading a novel without me until HP. One day after a particularly exciting chapter, he snuck into his room and kept on reading and reading and reading. And now he’s a college student and doing the very same (not Harry Potter, mind you but I know it sparked his love of reading).

2) Thank you for including vocabulary that stretches. Here is a list of just a few words in Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone: apothecary, befuddle wrench, smarmy, wheedle, tureen, luminous. And a later book: Harry and the Half Blood Prince: surreptitious, aggrieve, unctuous, copse just to name a few. In fact, I’d say as the book went out Rowling just enriched the vocabulary. My kids learned so many new words. I learned so many new words. As an author, I think it’s important to reach kids where they are at, but, wow, it’s also important to allow them to grow.

3) Thank you for publishing a book that both kids and adults alike read. After the publication of Harry Potter was the first time I could go out into the world and say I was a children’s book author without this inevitable follow-up question. So when are you going to write for adults? As if writing for grown-ups only was the end all, be-all goal of all writers.

I have never once again gotten this question. Thank you, J.K. (Jo) Rowling!

Hillary Homzie is the author of the newly released Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009). She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on her Facebook page.

Hello Mixed-Up Filers!

How are you all doing? I know it always seems like forever between posts, but this one felt excruciatingly long. I missed you!

Well, for the three of you who’ve regularly read my posts, shout out to my mom here, you know that I always wonder what I should write about. I debate and debate for a long time until finally settling on something.

Well, not this time. Nope, this time I was ready. I had a post all lined up, and let me tell you something…it was spectacular. As all of you know, I’m the shy, modest type and don’t like to sing my own praises, but this might have been the best post I’ve ever written. Generation after generation of families would’ve passed this down to their children and their children’s children and talked about this legendary post. However, there was one problem with it.

It was basically a going back to school post and it was filled with books about that topic. But, that’s when I was preempted. Louise had a similar post on Monday. Not that I’m complaining, or not that I shook my fist to the heavens when I saw it, because really, it was a magnificent post, but that’s beside the point.

The thing is, I didn’t want to put two similar posts in the same week. So, it was back to the drawing board and wondering what to put, when something great happened for me.

This morning I received a package. I had no idea what it was at first, but when I rushed to open it, I found books inside…with my name on them! As some of you know, I have my debut novel, Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies, coming out next year. (Yes, that was a shameless plug). But, this wasn’t that. You see, last year, I also wrote a few books for an educational company, which they liked and published and go on sale now. Yes, right now! And guess what? Those books came today!

I know to some people this might seem silly, but to finally see your name on a book cover after working hard at it for so many years, was a beyond thrilling experience.

Writing is a lonely endeavor. It’s hard to feel rewarded at times. It’s a long process and even if you get some success, it isn’t instant gratification by any means. That’s why today was special for me. All told, there were three books. Two non-fiction for younger readers about animals and one for middle graders called Rockefeller Caper, which is aimed to give readers a taste of life in the 1920’s. I had so much fun doing it and to finally see it in book form was unbelievably gratifying.

(Yes, that’s my name in the street!)

Now, I know that next year, when Cuddle Bunnies comes out, it’ll be the best experience I’ve ever had in writing, but for now, this ranks right up there and no matter what, will always hold a special place for me.

Well, that’s my time, Mixed-Up FIilers and thanks for indulging me.

Until next time…