Author Interviews

Crafting the MG Mystery: Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick

By on February 6, 2015   /   Author Interviews  

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At almost six feet tall, twelve-year-old Truly Lovejoy stands out in a crowd whether she likes it or not. (She doesn’t.) So when her family moves to teeny-tiny, super boring Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire, Truly doesn’t stand a chance of blending in. But when helping out at the family bookstore one day, Truly finds a mysterious letter inside an old copy of Charlotte’s Web and soon she and her new friends are swept up in a madcap treasure hunt around town. While chasing clues that could spell danger, Truly discovers there’s more to Pumpkin Falls than meets the eye—and that blending in can be overrated.

HeaUnknownther Vogel Frederick is no stranger to middle grade fiction. She is the author of the Patience Goodspeed historical novels, the Spy Mice series and the Mother-Daughter Bookclub series. Her newest venture is the Pumpkin Falls mysteries which launched this fall Absolutely Truly, which has just been nominated for an Edgar Award. Heather is also my friend and neighbor in Portland. We have a regular working coffee date so I thought I’d ask her about making the shift to mystery stories.

Heather, you’ve published 17 books and yet this is your first mystery. What made you want to give this genre a try?

I didn’t plan to—I have to admit I’m an accidental mystery novelist.

I was tinkering with a contemporary story about a big family who moves to a small town in New England, like one of the ones in which I grew up—Peterborough and Hanover, New Hampshire, and Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. I love small towns, and I heartily agree with Jane Austen’s writing advice: “Three or four families in a country village is the very thing to work on….” I had fun dreaming up Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire, and quickly settled on a main character—12-year-old Truly Lovejoy—but beyond that, details were vague. I certainly didn’t have anything resembling a plot.

Then the Boston bombing happened in April 2013.

I was moved by accounts of the many veterans who went to visit and encourage those who lost limbs that sad day. Years ago, my maternal grandfather worked for the Canadian Railroad, and he lost a leg in a rail yard accident. Unable to work and saddled with a heavy, painful wooden leg, his life spiraled downward. Listening to news reports from Boston that spring, I found myself thinking a lot about him, and how his story might have had a happier ending if comfortable, high-tech modern-day prostheses had been available, and if he’d had someone to champion and encourage him.

Coincidentally, I’d also been thinking a lot about my other grandfather, who opened a bookshop in Providence, Rhode Island back in the early 1930s. I have this fabulous picture of him sitting in his store—the Ultima Bookshop—and it’s easy for me to imagine him brimming with hopes and dreams. Unfortunately, with the Depression bearing down, the bookshop faltered and eventually closed its doors after just a few short years.Frank Vogel at the Ultima Bookshop circa 1930

Somehow, these unrelated personal family connections and musings converged as I was muddling my way through the first draft of ABSOLUTELY TRULY. A struggling family bookshop suddenly popped up. A parent who suffers the loss of a limb strode onstage. And then, as the story ripened, one day out of the blue Truly discovered a decades-old undelivered letter inside an autographed first edition of CHARLOTTE’S WEB. When the first edition disappeared from the bookstore, I realized that I had a full-blown mystery on my hands.

Did you have a favorite mystery series when you were growing up? A favorite mystery writer now?

My family lived for a time in England when I was in middle school, and I’ve been a sucker for British mysteries ever since. I cut my teeth on Agatha Christie (I give her a shout out in ABSOLUTELY TRULY via a bookstore dog named Miss Marple), then later moved on to Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey, P.D. James, and so on. Right now, I’m completely enamored of Jacqueline Winspear’s MAISIE DOBBS series. It’s set in England in the years between the two World Wars, and combines many elements that I love in a mystery, including a vivid sense of place and finely-drawn characters.

Do you find you plot a mystery novel differently than other stories?

Hugely different! I am a total “pantster”—a writer who flies by the seat of his or her pants—as opposed to a “plotter”—one who meticulously constructs a plot before picking up a pen—so I had to turn my usual writing process on its ear. At the heart of mystery writing is crafting a satisfying puzzle, of course, with clues and red herrings and false leads and all that. While there were still times when my natural instinct took over and I experienced that exhilarating rush of surprise I find so bracing as a writer, there was a great deal more plotting this time around.

What are three things you wished you knew before starting a mystery series?

  1. How to write a mystery.
  2. How to write a mystery.
  3. How to write a mystery.

MysteryWritingHiRez1-390x500Seriously, writing is hard, but writing a mystery is harder. My husband can attest to this; he had to listen to me whine even more than usual during the long months I wrestled with this story! I found a few books on the craft helpful, including WRITING AND SELLING YOUR MYSTERY NOVEL by Hallie Ephron, but mostly I just trusted my gut and bumbled my way through….

I understand you had an interesting research experience while writing the book.

I absolutely truly did! I began my writing career as a journalist, and a few years ago I ran into Victoria Irwin, a former colleague from The Christian Science Monitor, at a PNBA (Pacific Northwest Booksellers’ Association) event. It was fun to reconnect and discover that we’d both ended up making a life in books—she’s the events coordinator at Eagle Harbor Book Co. on Bainbridge Island, Washington.HVF (l.) with Victoria Irwin (r.) at Eagle Harbor Book Co. 2013
At the point at which I knew that Lovejoy’s Books would be central to my story’s setting, I realized I needed more information. Even though I’ve spent plenty of time in bookshops as a customer, now I needed to know what happens on the other side of the counter. So I called Victoria and asked if I might be able to hang out with her at Eagle Harbor Book Co. She and bookshop owner Rene Kirkpatrick were fabulous, and welcomed me with open arms. I took the ferry over from Seattle and stayed with Victoria and her family for a long weekend, and spent my days shadowing her and the rest of the bookstore staff. I had a blast! So much so, in fact, that I sometimes wonder if I’ve missed my calling. I guess I’m my grandfather’s granddaughter after all.

Will there be another Pumpkin Falls mystery?

Yes! I can’t wait to return to Pumpkin Falls. I’m just now dipping my toes into the first draft of YOURS TRULY, in which our intrepid heroine discovers a diary belonging to the ancestor for whom she was named, learns that her home was a stop on the Underground Railroad, and unravels a Civil War-era mystery. Strange things are happening at a nearby maple syrup farm, too, so once again Truly and her friends will have their hands full investigating. I expect the book will be published sometime in 2016.

Oh, and here’s a fun fact to leave you with: I ended up dedicating ABSOLUTELY TRULY to both of my grandfathers, and now you know why.

Thanks for stopping by the Mixed-Up Files! We’ll be looking for Yours Truly next year. 

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Gail Nall Interview and Giveaway

By on January 23, 2015   /   Author Interviews, Giveaways  

Gail Nall head shotI’m thrilled to welcome Gail Nall to the Mixed-Up Files! Gail lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her family and more cats than necessary. She once drove a Zamboni, has camped in the snow in June, and almost got trampled in Paris. Gail’s middle grade debut, BREAKING THE ICE (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster), is available now. She is also the co-author of the upcoming YOU’RE INVITED with Jen Malone (Aladdin/S&S, May 19, 2015), and the author of the upcoming YA novel, EXIT STAGE LEFT (HarperTeen Impulse, Summer 2015). She’s represented by literary agent Julia A. Weber.

Thank you for joining us at the Mixed-Up Files, Gail. Breaking the Ice really helped me experience what life would be like as a competitive ice skater. How did you learn so much about ice skating?

I lived it! 🙂 I started skating at age three, and while I was never really competitive the way Kaitlin is, I took lessons and went to local competitions for years and years. I pretty much lived at the rink as a preteen and young teenager. I still skate, and even teach kids in the beginner classes once a week. My three-year-old just got her first pair of skates, so I think I’ll be at the rink for many years to come!

Since you’re spending so much time in the rink, I have a feeling we’ll see more ice skating stories from you in the future. 🙂  Do you remember the moment when you were first inspired to write Breaking the Ice? How long did it take from idea to publication?

I grew up figure skating, and I really wanted to write a book set in that world. One day, while watching a skater receive horrible scores at a competition, I wondered what would happen if she showed how she really felt. So that’s how the idea for BREAKING THE ICE was born! I think I started writing it in January 2011 . . . so almost exactly four years from idea to publication. It was the third manuscript I’d written.

I love Kaitlin’s spunk! Is she (or any other character) based on a real person, and what helped you create such a believable, multi-dimensional character?

Kaitlin is completely made up. Although I think, as authors, we all put at least a little of ourselves into our characters, so there are a few small parts of Kaitlin that are definitely me. But mostly, I had to think my way through how a girl who’s very reserved would act after she finally breaks through that wall she’s built around herself. Would she try to backpedal? Definitely. But would she also find herself jumping into situations she might not have tried before? Probably. And then how would all of that affect her skating?

Can you share a writing exercise with our readers?

My favorite writing trick is one that helps with preparation and (ideally) keeps you from wasting time once you’ve jumped into your writing session. It’s pretty simple too – you take ten minutes and simply freewrite your way through your next scene or chapter. Basically, you ask yourself what you want to happen next and write it down. No dialogue (unless you think of something crazy clever that you don’t want to forget), no thinking about structure or using interesting language or following writing rules. It’s more like this: Kaitlin gets of the ice. She’s really nervous about getting her scores. Her coach thinks she did well. Then the scores go up and – oops! – not so good. Kaitlin’s stunned. Then she gets mad. And then… Then, when you sit down to write, you’ve got something of an outline. This works especially well for pantsers and semi-pantsers (like me!). 

Ooh, I love this idea! I’ve jotted down notes like that before spending a timed hour of fast-paced writing with friends (we call it a word war). I never thought to do it before each writing session, and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing that great exercise! 

What are some of your favorite middle grade books?

My all-time favorite is the Little House series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I must’ve read each of those a hundred times growing up. Anne of Green Gables is another classic favorite. The All-Of-A-Kind-Family books by Sydney Taylor made me want to be a Jewish kid in New York at the turn-of-the-century. And then, of course, I adored contemporary series such as The Baby-sitters Club and Sleepover Friends.

I’ve been lucky enough to read some amazing ARCs of upcoming 2015 middle grade books. A few of the many I love include The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart (heart-breaking and beautiful), Dr. Critchlore’s School for Minions by Sheila Grau (funny with great world-building), My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) by Alison DeCamp (a humorous historical – hilarious!), and Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly (exciting and such a fascinating concept). Lots of great MG coming out this year!

Wow, what a fantastic list. I especially can’t wait to dive into the 2015 books. It’s always great to know which books to keep an eye out for! I’d love to know more about your upcoming books, and what it’s like to work with a co-author.

Up first, in May, is You’re Invited, which I co-wrote with Jen Malone. There will be a sequel in February 2016, which we’re working on now. The books are about four girls who live in a North Carolina beach town and start a party planning business. The parties never turn out exactly the way the girls plan, but they rely on each other to get through and make each one a success. We’ve had so much fun writing together! We were friends and critique partners before we started this project, so we knew we had similar writing styles. It’s great to have someone else pushing you to write better and better, and it doesn’t hurt to know that someone is waiting on you to finish that chapter already! We’ve just meshed so well on this, and I hope that’s evident in the books.

Later this summer, my debut young adult novel, EXIT STAGE LEFT, will be out through HarperTeen Impulse. I’m really excited about this one, because it’s a book I’ve been working on for a long time, and it has a really special place in my heart. It’s about a teenage girl whose entire life and future is theater, but when she loses a pivotal role to her best friend, she decides to reinvent herself. It’s light and funny, and I hope readers love it as much as I do!

Congrats on your debut novel, Gail. And thank you so much for visiting the Mixed-Up Files. I loved learning more about you, Breaking the Ice, and your upcoming novels. 

You can find out more about Gail on her website, Twitter, or on Facebook. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below, and one lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Breaking the Ice. The winner will be announced on Thursday, January 29. Good luck!

*You must live in the United States or Canada to enter the giveaway.

Gail Nall - Breaking The Ice

Kaitlin has always dreamed of being a champion figure skater, and she’s given up a lot to pursue her passion. But after she has a totally uncharacteristic tantrum at a major competition, she’s dropped by her coach and her prestigious skating club. When no other club will have her, she’s forced to join the ridiculed and run-down Fallton Club, jokingly referred to as the “Fall Down Club.” At first Kaitlin thinks this is a complete disaster, but after meeting some of the other skaters—including a boy who happens to have the most perfect hair she’s ever seen—she realizes it might not actually be so bad.

Yet learning a whole new program right before regionals is a huge challenge, and when she realizes that all the other area skaters target Fallton for pranks, she begins to wonder if joining the Fall Down Club has any upsides.
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Mindy Alyse Weiss writes humorous middle grade novels with heart and quirky picture books. She’s constantly inspired by her two daughters, an adventurous Bullmasador adopted from The Humane Society, and an adorable Beagle/Pointer mix who was rescued from the Everglades. Visit Mindy’s Twitter, Facebook, or blog to read more about her writing life, conference experiences, and writing tips.

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Interview with Brianna DuMont, Author of Famous Phonies

By on December 4, 2014   /   Author Interviews, Nonfiction  

We’re pleased to welcome debut author Brianna DuMont to the Mixed-Up Files today. She’s the author of a new middle grade nonfiction book, Famous Phonies — Legends, Fakes, and Frauds Who Changed History.

Q: Welcome, Brianna, and congrats on your debut book. Can you tell us what it’s about?

A: Thank you! It’s been a life-changing journey to learn the ups and downs of publishing professionally. As for Famous Phonies, if I had to distill it down, I would say that the book is about teaching kids how fun and strange history can be. While I love to learn about things like kings and queens and important wars, history is so much more than that. I wanted to write a series that showed kids the quirky underbelly of history. Famous Phonies, the first book in the series, details the “lives” of twelve people who changed history despite the fact that they never existed. Some literally never existed, like Homer. Some were legends whose myth had come to overshadow and obscure the truth of the real person, like Confucius. And some were hoaxes and fakes that tricked people for hundreds of years. I didn’t want it to be a dry textbook either. I wanted the voice to match the material, so I worked hard to make the stories funny. Being able to poke fun at famous people was just a bonus.

Q: How did you come up with this idea? untitled (2)

A: I studied Art History and Classical Archaeology in college and got my second degree in Classics. Ancient history has always been my favorite thing to study. While translating Homer’s Iliad one day for fun (yes, I consider that fun!), I started thinking how it’s too bad most people learn that Homer is a real guy in a bed sheet who sat down and penned two of the greatest stories in Western literature — the Odyssey and the Iliad. He’s not. The idea snowballed from there. Immediately, I came up with three or four other people who never existed. Eventually through more research, I realized there were many people we learn about in history who never existed or were totally different from what we were taught.

Q: Tell us about your research process. How did you find out these behind-the-scenes details about famous historical figures?

A: Luckily, I live right next to Loyola University in Chicago. I pop over there a few days a week to snoop around their stacks and pretend I’m still a student. They have a great collection of scholarly books and articles. And, when picking out a movie, I typically gravitate toward documentaries, so I find a lot of interesting tidbits and trivia that way as well, which I can follow up with more research. It’s mostly a lot of tracking down and cross-referencing. I’d say I spend ninety percent of my time researching and only ten percent writing.

Q: Can you share with us one of the interesting tidbits from the book?

A: One of my favorite characters is Prester John, the imaginary king who inspired Europe to launch crusades and explorations in order to track him down. More than likely, he was one of history’s biggest hoaxes. A bishop made him up in the 12th century, but for hundreds of years, kings and popes were obsessed with finding him because they believed he was rich beyond their wildest dreams, held the secret to immortal life, and would help them reclaim the Holy Land. Also, interestingly, Pythagoras had nothing to do with math.

Q: What are you working on next? Is this book going to be part of a series? 7772WebReady

A: I’m under contract for one more book in this series with potentially two more after that. The second book is Fugitives Who Changed History. The manuscript is due in February, with a planned release of January 2016. In addition, I’m always working on side projects — novels, fantasy, historical fiction, maybe a little sci-fi.

Q: What is your writing routine?

A: I’m big on routines and schedules. Every Sunday night I write down a list of what I want to accomplish for the week. Then every morning, I work on nonfiction, take a coffee break, and leave the afternoon for novels if I feel I’ve gotten enough done on my history books. I take frequent dance and jump-around-like-crazy breaks. My cats love and hate that I’m home all day. They have no opportunity to jump on the counters and sniff for crumbs. Some days I spend the whole morning at Loyola researching then come home in the afternoon to write about what I discovered. I love what I do, so I don’t mind working all day.

Q: You’re a big history buff, obviously! Were you always interested in history, even as a kid?

A: Yes. In fourth grade, my parents moved us to Germany for six months. There, we got to travel to many of Europe’s castles, museums, and historical sites. I think that really ignited my love of history and travel. Getting to see where Marie Antoinette was beheaded is pretty life-changing for a nine year old. I could imagine in exquisite detail what she would have felt like walking to her doom (or so I thought at the time).

Q: Growing up, you were the oldest of three. You credit being the oldest with helping you become a creative person. Tell us about that.

A: When it was rainy or when none of the neighbor kids could play, it was up to me, the big sister, to come up with something to do. I invented many games in our basement to occupy the younger two, which usually involved Indiana Jones adventures, playing pioneers on the frontier, or spinning a globe to choose a new country to pretend to visit. I’d make us look up the country in my Dad’s encyclopedias and give reports. Also, I was the biggest, for a while. (Now I’m the shortest.) And I was naturally bossy, so my rules were golden. I wanted to be the one to make up the games, and I hated to sit still or be ladylike.

Q: What do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors?

A: I love to read nonfiction! Of course, I always love learning new stuff about the world, people, and history, but I also enjoy a good, old fantasy. My favorite authors are J.K. Rowling, Katherine Kurtz, and Rick Riordan. indexBut my childhood hero will always be Laura Ingalls Wilder — Little House in the Big Woods was the first book I ever read alone.

Q: Fill in the blanks: I’m really awesome at___. I’m embarrassed to admit I can’t___. If I had the chance, I’d like to___.

A: I’m really awesome at cooking obscure, snooty French food. Chicken liver mousse, anyone? I’m embarrassed to admit I can’t tie my shoelaces with the one loop method. I’m a bunny ear believer! If I had the chance, I’d like to travel back in time and see what happened to the Lost Colony: Roanoke.

Thanks, Brianna, for visiting! Teachers and librarians can download a guide to Famous Phonies on Brianna’s website at briannadumont.com. It’s Common Core aligned, and free.

Michele Weber Hurwitz is the author of two middle grade novels, The Summer I Saved the World…in 65 Days, and Calli Be Gold, both from Wendy Lamb Books. Visit her at micheleweberhurwitz.com.

 

 

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