Author Interviews

Author Spotlight: John Claude Bemis + a GIVEAWAY

By Jo Hackl on January 15, 2026 / Articles, Author Interviews, Giveaways / 1 Comment

In today’s Author Spotlight, Jo Hackl chats with award-winning author John Claude Bemis about his new graphic novel, Rodeo Hawkins & the Daughters of Mayhem. John Claude Bemis is the author of seven middle-grade novels, and a picture book. A former elementary school teacher, John earned his Master’s of Education in Literacy from UNC Chapel Hill and taught fourth and fifth grades for thirteen years. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from UNC-Chapel Hill for his work as an author-presenter in schools and served as North Carolina’s Piedmont Laureate for Children’s Literature, promoting literacy and the literary arts. A popular instructor and inspiring guide to writers of all ages—kids, teens, and adults— he teaches creative writing workshops and leads retreats around the world. Beyond the creative expression of writing, John is also a sculptural mask-maker, a songwriter, and musician. He lives with his wife and daughter in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Plus, there’s a chance to win a copy of Rodeo Hawkins & the Daughters of Mayhem if you enter the giveaway. Scroll down for details.

All about the book!

Foster kid Sidney Poblocki is thrilled to learn his destiny is to save the multiverse—until he discovers it’s actually his destiny to destroy it—in this fantasy adventure graphic novel!

Get ready for Mayhem!

When Sidney Poblocki runs away from his troubled home life, he winds up in a whole new world of trouble. Why are interdimensional assassins after him along with every other kid named Sidney Poblocki throughout the multiverse? Will he ever see his best bud Walt again now that Walt’s memory of Sidney has been erased? And what the heck is the deal with Rodeo Hawkins and her ragtag gang of mischief-making girls the Daughters of Mayhem?!

They claim they’re trying to keep him safe, but Sidney isn’t so certain “safe” is even in their vocabulary. As Sidney is swept into a series of misadventures that will change the multiverse forever, one thing is for certain: with Rodeo Hawkins around, his life is about to be filled with a lot more mayhem.

Jo: John, many thanks for answering my questions. Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem takes readers on a rip-roaring adventure across the multiverse. Your main character, Sidney Poblocki, is relatable, fun and witty. Can you tell us about your process for creating him?

John: With all these weirdo characters, my goal was for Sidney to be the most relatable. He’s not talented or exceptional in any way. He’s just a rather sweet guy who wants to belong. He wants to find “his people,” which is hard when he doesn’t know who to trust or why these powerful people are all after him.

The Daughters of Mayhem are pretty mischievous, especially Rodeo! She can get so caught up in mischief-making that she doesn’t always consider how others feel. I needed that yin-yang, sweet-and-salty balance between Sidney and Rodeo.

Jo: Rodeo Hawkins is mysterious and brave and demonstrates girl-power at its best. Can you tell us about your process for creating her?

John: I love a character with a mysterious backstory. Rodeo seems like a kid—and she is a kid, I suppose—but she’s also a powerful cosmic being. If you give an overconfident kid so many powers, they’re not only a danger to their enemies, but also to their friends. By making Rodeo an outrageously big personality, I knew I could get a lot of humor and thrills out of her.

Jo: Your plot is a fast-paced, complex and adventure-filled romp across the multiverse. Can you tell us about your process of writing it?

John: I began this project expecting it to become a traditional novel. But when the first ideas started filling my head so quickly, I had to capture them as fast as humanly possible. So, I decided to start with a barebones draft in script format. Just the dialogue and simple stage directions. But once I got into it, I quickly realized how this story wanted—needed!—to be a graphic novel instead.

Jo: This is your first graphic novel but you have written extensively for young readers. Can you tell us about how your process was different for writing a graphic novel versus a traditional novel in prose?

John: It’s a very different process. With a traditional novel, you’re telling the story entirely with words. With comics, you’re writing a script that the illustrator will turn into the vehicle for the story. There’s less room to explain or even provide direct access to a character’s thoughts. You really have to show, rather than tell.

Jo: Who was your favorite character to write? Why?

John: Rodeo, for sure. While she’s incredibly powerful and fearless, she has major flaws. She’s arrogant. She doesn’t always know how to be a good friend. In fact, even though she’s a good guy, she operates more like a villain. Often, we love villains because they don’t play by the rules and are so uninhibited. Rodeo is definitely that way. It made her hilarious to play with in my imagination and on the page.

Jo: Your story takes us across the multiverse and involves portals and magical items such as the “plunger of truth,” weaponized bubble gum, and the “counter punch powder.” Can you tell us about your brainstorming process?

John: It was simply unleashing all the weirdest, wackiest ideas from my imagination. I had this guiding approach of basing the magic around things that had strong kid appeal like candy or toilet plungers. I let the humor shape the world building.

Jo: What was your favorite scene to write? Why?

John: There’s a scene where Rodeo drags Sidney off to this interdimensional biker bar to get the plunger of truth. It was fun to write because of how rapid fire the jokes are. Poor Sidney is totally bewildered and out of his depth. And Rodeo is at her most absurd and terrifying. I think it’s where it registers for Sidney how legendary Rodeo is as a “cosmic menace.”

Jo: What would you most like for readers to take away from Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughter of Mayhem?

John: Just fun. I write to make kids have fun reading books.

Jo: Already your book is a reader favorite. What has been your favorite reader response?

John: I’ve had several kids say to me already, “I wish I was a Daughter of Mayhem.” I always tell them, “You already are.”

Jo: What can readers look for in the sequel, Rodeo Hawkins and the Sons of Disaster?

John: The sequel continues the misadventures of Sidney, Rodeo, and the Daughters of Mayhem as a vengeful enemy sets a trap using Sidney’s best bud from his old life. It’s been so much fun dreaming up new dangers and new hilarity for this wacky cast of characters.

Lightning Round!

No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so. . . .

Favorite cities (besides the one in which you live):

Venice

Favorite musical group or artist:

Johnny Cash

Would you rather be able to speak every language in the world or talk to animals?

Every language. I love to talk to locals when I travel.

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Any combo with chocolate and something weird.

Do you prefer mountains or beaches or somewhere in between?

Mountains.

Favorite childhood TV show?

There was a campy Dungeons & Dragons TV series from the 80’s that I loved.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

That classic gem: “Write the story only you could write.” It’s my guiding star with everything I do.

Jo: Thanks for chatting with us John! And now. . . .

For a chance to win a copy of Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem, comment on the blog—and, if you’re on Twitter/X, on the Mixed-Up Files Twitter/X account, for an extra chance to win! (Giveaway ends January 22, 2026 MIDNIGHT EST.) U.S. only, please.

Author Interview: Leslie Vedder on her Novel THE NOWHERE BEAST

By Shifa Safadi on January 14, 2026 / Articles, Author Interviews, books, New Releases / Leave a comment

Author Interview – Leslie Vedder

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to author Leslie Vedder today. Leslie is a YA author who has written a beautiful Middle grade fantasy duo, and today we will be discussing the second book, THE NOWHERE BEAST, coming out February 10^th, 2026 from G. Putnam Sons/Penguin Kids.

I adore fantasy, and this one intrigues me because it seems to have horror elements too. I actually only very recently started reading MG horror, so I am so excited to talk with Leslie and hear all about her wonderful book.

Librarians and educators- you don’t want to miss this!

About THE NOWHERE BEAST:

In the sequel to darkly inventive The Labyrinth of Souls, a girl must face a mysterious monster made of nothing but darkness and shadows that no one else can see.

For fans of Tim Burton, V.E. Schwab, and stories with a dash of the strange and macabre.

Ix Tatterfall is no stranger to the odd and the eerie. Her unusual lineage provides unique abilities, such as a strong Darklight power and unencumbered travel into the deadly Labyrinth of Souls. But even Ix is unprepared for the Nowhere Beast, a creature that threatens to consume everything she holds dear.

When the ghosts of Candle Corps past begin to rise from the catacombs, Ix and her friends are called to partake in an ancient magical tradition called the Reckoning, meant to reinforce the seals of protection at their magical school that hold the most dangerous Nightmare creatures from the Labyrinth at bay.

But the Reckoning quickly transforms into more than a test of their courage and skill; it is a race against time to save their world from the monstrous shadow beast created from the hopeless depths of Nothing from a land called Nowhere.

With the help of a mischievous Sorrow, a shadowy Scavenger Prince, and her loyal friends, Ix must navigate the pits of loneliness and confront her deepest fears. But does she know that the darkness inside her heart can be just as treacherous as the monster lurking in the shadows?

Interview with Leslie:

I loved getting to talk to Leslie about her new book and I know you will enjoy meeting her and Ix as well.

SSS: What a wonderful premise. I am so intrigued! What inspired you to write Ix’s story?

LV: This book really began with the world of Spinar and the mysterious Labyrinth of Souls. It’s a place that exists outside of our world—a mysterious place that’s ruled by our emotions. There are the Seven Sorrows, like Wrath and Misery and Despair, which are personification of feelings. As well as Nightmare Creatures, like Fright Bats that cause a sudden thrill of fear when they fly overhead, or the adorable but troublesome Weighty Sloth that sits like the weight of the world hanging off your shoulders until you can get rid of it.

This is very much a book about how we deal with our big and often complicated feelings.

The main character, Ix Tatterfall, is a bit of an outcast and a weirdo. She often finds it easier to connect to Nightmare creatures than to her classmates. (She and Wednesday Addams would have some things to talk about.) But she’s the perfect person to explore the forbidden Labyrinth and learn to understand the creatures within!

SSS: Tell us about this Nowhere Beast (the actual creature, and not just the whole book!) What makes it terrifying to the MC?

LV: I love this question, because this was actually one of my favorite parts of this book to write! The Nowhere Beast is a shadowy creature that comes from the mysterious land of Nowhere. It’s the place where missing things go: pens and buttons and single socks. But it’s also the place where other things abandoned and forgotten by humans end up—like sad, hopeless wishes whispered alone in the dark, which become Whisperwinks.

The Nowhere Beast first appears as a shadow, stalking Ix through the darkness and even into her dreams. I think it’s inherently frightening to know something’s there, just outside of the circle of our lamp or nightlight, but not know what it is. The monster in the dark is as much about what we imagine it might be as what it really is.

No spoilers, but I also loved the chance to hopefully surprise the reader at the end of the book, when we find out the true origin of the beast!

SSS: Tell us about MG horror- I know a lot of kids (like my own) are really into getting scared with books! Why do you think horror is so intriguing for younger readers?

LV: I think there’s something really fun about being scared—especially when you can do it from the safety of your bed. I will never forget the first book that really terrified me. It was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, with the absolutely horrifying art by Stephen Gammell. Those stories definitely kept me up! Wherever that book is, in my family’s old Halloween box, I’m pretty sure it’d scare me just as much now.

Often when we read scary stories, we’re not just watching characters be scared; we’re watching them learn to be brave and to overcome their fears. I think reading horror makes us a little bit braver, too.

SSS: I absolutely adore reading fantasy novels and love discovering worlds that are magical and fun adventurous stories where it seems like ALL the stakes are high! What drew you to writing fantasy?

LV: Fantasy books were definitely my first love! When I was little, a wonderful librarian at my local library took me by the hand and led me to the Alanna books by Tamora Pierce. I was hooked. I’d never been swept away into an adventure like that before; I’d never realized reading could be that fun.

Fantasy set my imagination on fire like no other genre. It utterly transports us out of our lives in the most magical way, so the obstacles and challenges we’re so familiar with become fighting dragons and riding giant cats and sneaking into the enchanted forest without the wizards finding out. And since fantasy can be so full of action and danger, it quite naturally lends itself to stories where the stakes are ratcheted up to eleven. I love the freedom fantasy gives me to let my imagination run wild.

SSS: I know you are an author of YA as well! How was pivoting to MG? Was it more difficult or easier to nail down the MG voice? Was it more fun!

LV: I had a lot of fun pivoting to MG, but there were also I lot of challenges I wasn’t expecting. Like word count! I wanted to create a rich and full fantasy world, but I had to figure out how to do that in a much shorter amount of time.

I also spent a lot of time working to capture the MG voice for the main character, Ix Tatterfall. I wanted her to be a little weird and a little lonely, but with a lot of heart. I had to remind myself over and over that I didn’t always need to take myself so seriously. That being said, I absolutely adored being able to put in so much silliness and humor. These books are chock-full of made-up Nightmare creatures of all shapes and sizes. (I totally went overboard and had to cut extra Nightmares from every draft.)

Link to order here.

Writing Process

SSS: When did you start writing the story and was the process a long one?

LV: For me, there’s a lot of brainstorming that takes place before I start writing—on walks, and at coffee shops, and even in the shower. I feel like I start by socking away ideas for projects like a squirrel saving up nuts for the winter. Then at some point, I’ll suddenly hit on something that brings the project to life. For Ix Tatterfall, it was 100% the Labyrinth, with all its fun and fearsome nightmares. Once I hit on that, I felt like I was ready to write a book, and not just a random collection of ideas swimming around in my brain.

From there, I always try to get my first draft down as quickly as possible—usually just a couple of months. But it is a very rough first draft, and there’s always a lot of editing to be done afterward!

SSS: Are you a pantser or a plotter? And what helps you with finishing stories when you first start writing your drafts?

LV: I am very much a plotter. I need to know how a book is going to end to understand how to get there. But I think of my outlines more like road maps for an epic road trip, rather than step-by-step instructions. I chart out the basic path I’d like to take, the destination, and a few can’t-miss stops along the way—but I also leave myself a lot of space to discover new ideas, subplots, and roadside attractions along the journey.

Outlines are also my secret weapon for staying on track and actually getting to the end of a book. I often make myself a calendar with several goals marked—a really ambitious one, a more moderate one, and one that has a lot of wiggle room for unexpected road blocks. I print out a sheet with chapters listed on it, so I can mark them off with colored pens as I finish each one. I find crossing things out on paper to be really satisfying.

SSS: Do you think writing a sequel is harder or easier than writing the first book in a series?

LV: Personally, I find sequels a little easier because the characters are already established and so much of the worldbuilding is done. Without as much background information to convey, you get to jump right into the exciting part of the story.

That being said, one of the things that is harder about sequel writing is expectations—both from yourself and from readers. You want the book be as good as the first one, but still new and exciting—and you definitely don’t want to let fans down. So sometimes the pressure of book two is a lot more intense!

SSS: Any advice for fellow middle-grade authors looking to write MG horror or fantasy?

LV: Remember to have fun! Kids love to laugh, especially when they’ve just had a big scare, so don’t be afraid to embrace some humor. Trying to be funny on purpose can be daunting, but think about the things that made you laugh when you were a kid—slime fights, and bunny slippers, and talking animals in silly hats. Go back and reread your favorite middle grade books and watch your favorite kids’ movies. It took some practice to remember how to have that kind of fun. Finding the right spark of humor (which, for me, was very much wordplay and puns) brought the whole story to life.

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus question! Tell me about this gorgeous cover!

LV: Abigail Larson is the amazing artist for both covers—she also does the black and white illustrations throughout the books! She is so good at bringing out the spooky-creepy side of the Labyrinth, but also the fun, heartwarming moments between Ix and her found family.

The cover has Ix with the shadow of the mysterious horned Nowhere Beast behind her, along with some hissing Mistcats at her feet. The back shows Ix’s best friends, Morrigan and Ollie, with one of my very favorite characters in the whole book, Smiles the Grinning Cat! I feel like there can never be enough cats on the cover of a book—or inside it, for that matter—so this cover was a dream come true. Or, to make a Labyrinth pun, a Nightmare come true!

Thank you Leslie for joining us and I hope readers and librarians enjoy your book! I know I am so excited to dive in!!!

About Leslie Vedder:

Leslie Vedder is a YA author who loves girl heroes and adventurers. She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction, and the Lord of the Rings movies, and met her true love in high school choir. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in creative writing. She lives in Boulder with her wife and her spoiled house cat, Fox Mulder, who’s just as curious and adventurous as his namesake.

Website: https://www.leslievedder.com/

INSTAGRAM: @leslie.vedder

Author Spotlight: Stan Yan

By Sydney Dunlap on January 7, 2026 / Author Interviews / Leave a comment

In today’s Author Spotlight, Sydney Dunlap chats with author Stan Yan about his middle-grade graphic novel, THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG.

Stan is an award-winning, first generation American-born-Chinese, Denver-based writer, illustrator, caricature artist and instructor. He helped to co-found the Squid Works comic creator cooperative and was a board member of the Colorado Alliance of Illustrators. Stan is a recent co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (RMC-SCBWI) and a co-founding professor of the online kidlit art school, the CuddlefishAcademy.com. You can find him online at stanyan.me.

All About the Book

In this hilarious and heartfelt debut graphic novel, a girl born on a day considered unlucky in Chinese superstition starts to wonder if she really is cursed when she’s troubled by visions of doom set to occur on her thirteenth birthday.

Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on her actual birthday, April 4th, because of her mom’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number. And that’s not the only thing Mom’s strict about; she won’t let Eugenia go to a summer comic art camp because she thinks art is a waste of time. This year, Eugenia is determined to defy her mom by applying for the camp, having her party on her actual birthday, and inviting her super cute crush while she’s at it, too!

But when Eugenia gets hit in the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts getting unnerving visions of impending doom about her upcoming birthday. It might be the aftereffects of her head injury, or maybe she’s just anxious about turning thirteen. As the visions get worse, even affecting her artwork, Eugenia suspects an unseen force may be sending her messages. If she’s haunted after all, Eugenia will have to figure out why before it’s too late. Even more horrifying, she may have to do the unthinkable: admit her mom was right.

Interview with Stan

Sydney: Congratulations on your new book release! THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG is such a cool mix of spookiness, humor, and oh-so-relatable tween angst. You do such a great job of balancing these elements. Was it difficult to craft this? What were your biggest challenges?

Stan: I’d be lying if I were to say it was easy. I think my biggest challenge was making it paranormal, because I discovered you’ve gotta create a paranormal ruleset and be consistent, which made plotting this story extra difficult, then after getting editorial notes, even harder. Any change I’d make would create a cascade of dominoes through the rest of the story.

Praise for This Book

Sydney: Your graphic novel has been praised by Kirkus with this glowing review: “The panels, which vary in perspective, adding visual interest, support the tone of this dramatic, funny, and touching graphic novel. . . Readers will relate to Eugenia’s struggles over meeting family expectations, following her passions, navigating relationships, and negotiating daily life as a tween. Slightly spooky and filled with humor and heart.” What inspired this story?

Stan: This story was inspired initially by a “bucket list” challenge to myself to write and illustrate a comic that actually scared me. I’m a huge fan of horror, but horror comics didn’t really seem to spook me at all, but I thought there had to be a way. In film and novels, I found that most of the things that tended to scare me related to a child character, so I thought I’d make my protagonist a child. So, by accident my story became a children’s book.

I tried to think of what I was scared of as a child, and I remember (ironically) having existential fears of death, so I inserted that into the story. As I wrote an early draft, it quickly became evident that my story didn’t scare me, but I liked it. Later, after getting a manuscript critique from an editor, who convinced me to simplify my story and make it contemporary, I completely rewrote it, reconceiving the main characters, and reimagining how the protagonist would fall into visions of her death on her 13th birthday, and in the process, I felt like it became scary again!

Characters

Sydney: Eugenia is a great main character. Your other characters are compelling and interesting as well. Do you have a favorite secondary character? Who and why?

Stan: While I find most readers’ favorite secondary character is Peanut, I feel like he’s mostly an emotional proxy for Eugenia, which I admit is adorable. But I think her best friend, Keisha, is my favorite character. I think Keisha is the hilarious free spirit that Eugenia wishes she could be, and I love her humorous interactions with her dads. Keisha is a loyal friend that really believes in Eugenia, and I think that’s what we all want in a bff.

Inspiration

Sydney: How amazing that you are such a talented artist as well as a wonderful story creator. Have you always loved art? When did you decide to tell stories?

Stan: Well, thank you so much! I do feel like what I do is less a result of talent and more a result of passion. My earliest memories of holding a pencil in my hand were of me drawing the same stick figure doing different things in boxes I later found out were called “panel borders.” I was doing comics before I realized it! Drawing has always been simply my muse for telling my stories, and that’s what I loved about my art practice. I never had a shortage of stories to tell, so I got a lot of practice training my hand to do what my brain wanted it to do. As I often say, “you don’t run a marathon before you’ve run a mile.”

(Interspersed below are a few images of the same scene from rough idea to finished product.)

Takeaways

Sydney: What do you hope readers take away from this book?

Stan: There’s a lot of things I’d love readers to take from this book. First and foremost, I just want my readers to be entertained: I want them to laugh, be spooked, maybe get a bit misty in places. I also hope it leaves them thinking about my story after they’re done. And I’d love for my story to spark conversations and debates about what people think happened in it. Hopefully, it’ll be a book club favorite! Lastly, I hope aspiring authors and illustrators will feel they have permission to create stories with characters who look like themselves. I didn’t want to perpetuate the lack of representation in my available school library reading that led me to not consider this for decades by default.

Process

Sydney: Where/when do you prefer to write?

Stan: I don’t have a normal place I like to write. I find that I often am drawing all the time but not writing, or writing all the time and not drawing. That’s how being on a book deadline is for me. So, while I find myself most often just writing at home at the dining room table out of necessity (and proximity to the kitchen and refrigerator), sometimes it’s on the couch, or maybe at Panera Bread…anything I feel like I need, but I don’t have any sort of magic preference.

Influences

Sydney: What are some current books that have influenced you as a kidlit graphic novelist?

Stan: THIS WAS OUR PACT by Ryan Andrews was an amazing book that I felt like meshed all of the aspects of graphic novels together seamlessly. I also have really been influenced by STARGAZING by Jen Wang. I don’t know if these are as current as you were looking for. But GHOST BOOK by Remi Lai was a more recent masterpiece I hoped my books could become like, even if her work hadn’t perceptibly influenced my work yet.

Advice

Sydney: What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Stan: My best advice for writers is to read a lot. My second best advice for writers is to craft an emotional story arc for your protagonist and probably a few of your other main characters.

Upcoming Projects

Sydney: Can you give us some insights into what you’ll be working on next?

Stan: Well, depending on when this is published, my next project might not be announced yet, but you can get a little sneak peek into its universe by looking at my weekly Sunday webcomic, Peter Cadaver (salemcharteracademy.com).

And for the lightning round:

Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise (not by choice, but that’s when my body gets me up now)

Favorite place to travel: Hawaii (as long as your wife doesn’t break her shoulder)

Favorite dessert: Mochi filled with red bean paste

Favorite music: Depends on what I’m doing, but if I’m not needing to write or do panel layouts, I tend to always love listening to 90’s grunge, particularly Hole, The Screaming Trees, and the like.

Favorite book from childhood: If the library card was any indication, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak was. I checked that out over and over.

Find Stan on Instagram at @zombicatures.