Author Interviews

The “Magical” Life of Author Anna Hays

By Laurie J. Edwards on September 12, 2025 / Author Interviews / Leave a comment

Are you a fan of magic tricks? If so, you’ll love Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared, written by Anna Hays and illustrated by Mary Kate McDevitt. We’re excited to take a peek behind the curtain and interview the author and learn more about how she became drawn to magic.

Hi, Anna, it’s so good to have you here with us. I know our readers will be fascinated by the many experiences you’ve had with magic in your life. I’d love it if you could tell us a bit about your childhood first.

Did you have any childhood dreams for when you became an adult? If so, did they come true?

I always dreamed of righting the wrongs I saw around me. I stood up for people whenever I could. I thought about becoming a lawyer for a while, but never dreamed I would be writing books!

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

I loved reading, cozying up with a book and immersing myself in another world. My childhood favorites were: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Diary of Anne Frank, and Harriet The Spy.

Did you do magic tricks as a child? Can you tell us your favorites?

I was fascinated by those plastic tricks you would order from the back of a comic book. I would also buy small magic sets at party supply stores. My favorites were the disappearing coin trick, cups and balls, and the all-time best one ever was writing secret messages with “invisible” ink!” That trick was very mysterious to me. I was fascinated by it.

What was an early experience where you learned that written language had power?

I think I connected with written language through lyrics in music first. Childhood songs really stuck with me and impacted me emotionally. And, of course Dr. Suess, the OG! His words, rhymes, and characters made a big impression on me, and still do!

What was your biggest fear when you were young? Did you get over it?

Hard to pinpoint just one!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Trust myself.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I always enjoyed stories as a child, but never thought I’d become a writer. I studied film, and then worked for directors in both film and theater. Those experiences introduced me to different types of storytelling – narrative, documentary and experimental. After watching and learning from those mentors, I started to discover my own voice in the process.

What is your favorite or most challenging part of being a writer?

My favorite part of being a writer is when an idea just clicks and flows. I love when I’m surprised by a sentence, insight, or an idea that comes to me when I’m in the zone and totally immersed. The most challenging part is not getting distracted by life around me and trying to stay focused and engaged with whatever story or project I’m working on at the moment.

Have you had any careers besides writing?

I’ve been a film producer for low-budget films, and I’ve worked in experience design and concept development for theme parks, animation, toys, and retail destinations.

What drew you to writing nonfiction?

When my children were in elementary school, they were required to read a certain amount of nonfiction. I looked around and didn’t see many options for that age group. That’s changed now, but at the time, I saw an opportunity to try to cross over and write a narrative non-fiction story and see where that would lead me. That’s how Vanished came to be.

Please tell us how you became interested in magic.

I’ve always been interested in magic and so has my family. There’s an iconic private magic club in Los Angeles called The Magic Castle where many greats have started. It’s still very much a big part of the magic community. When I first met my husband, Buzz, I discovered he did magic and was a member of The Magic Castle, I knew it was destiny from the start! Now I get to see magic whenever I want to, and the best part is having my friends dress up (there’s a dress code) and hosting them there! It’s always a great experience.

What inspired you to write about women magicians?

When I first met Buzz, he was working on a documentary film called Conjuring Women about women magicians. Since I came from a film background, I jumped in and helped him film women magicians whenever they would come to town. Soon, I became friends with a few of them. I ended up writing a cover story on one woman magician for a popular magic magazine called Genii. I began to realize how little is known about women magicians, and certainly women magicians from the past. I began to research and uncover the most remarkable women who were headliners and played to sold-out, enthusiastic crowds, who led incredible lives, and yet who had essentially been forgotten from history. I felt inspired to bring them back into the spotlight.

Can you tell us a little about the women in Vanished?

Each of the women lived such different lives and yet they each started as young girls who dreamed of a life of magic and adventure.

Anna Eva Fay came from a poor farm family in rural Ohio and emerged as one of the most famous mediums of her day. Adelaide Herrmann was born to wealth but ran away to join the circus to become a dancer, a trick rider, and eventually a headlining illusionist. Annie Abbott came of age after the Civil War to become a strong woman, an “electric girl,” who claimed to possess electrical powers that could overtake any man who challenged her onstage, including the strongest men in the world. Talma, a delicate and rare beauty, would become known as the “Queen of Coins” for her palm artistry and extraordinary coin manipulation. Bess Houdini, the talented wife of famed magician, Harry Houdini, began her career as a singer and dancer, performed magic alongside Harry, and after his untimely death, carried on his legacy and became his gatekeeper. Minerva, was an escape artist who broke through chains and shackles while submerged in icy rivers in front crowds of thousands. And, Ellen Armstrong, the first African American woman headliner whose artistry, charm, wit, and storytelling set her apart as a true original and groundbreaker.

Do you have a favorite of the magicians?

I wouldn’t dare name one! I don’t want to stir up any spirits.

Can you tell us about connecting with the famous magician David Copperfield?

My husband met David Copperfield at a convention in Las Vegas. After they met, David invited our family to his show and then for a visit to his private museum, which was in a secret location in an unmarked building. During the visit, he introduced me to his archivist and gave me free reign to explore his amazing world-renowned magic collection. I spent the next few days there immersed, surrounded by posters, faded scrapbooks, costumes, props, articles, books, and photos. David has been a big supporter of the book and allowed me to use images in Vanished from his collection!

What was one of the most interesting facts you learned while researching?

It was hard to imagine how difficult it was to travel as a performer during the Age of Magic. Each of the women magicians relied on live performances to survive, so needed to tour for most of the year. They took steamships, trains, sometimes even traveling by horse and buggy and donkeys too! It took perseverance and grit to accomplish what they did and to forge successful careers when there was no precedent.

Did you have to leave anything out of this book that you wished you could include? If so, what?

I stumbled upon other fascinating characters during my research who mixed with the leading ladies in the book. I would have liked to have explored some of the more incidental characters like the skeptics, journalists, and other competitive acts.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope readers will be inspired by the women magicians in Vanished who took chances, followed their dreams and ambitions, developed their passions and talents, and went for it, despite the obstacles and odds against them. They believed in themselves and I hope the readers get that message – to value themselves, nurture their talents, and take chances, even if it feels scary.

Can you tell us about some of your other books?

My first two books, Portia’s Ultra Mysterious Double Life and Portia’s Exclusive and Confidential Rules on True Friendship, features girl detective, Portia Avatar. Portia is a 12-year-old girl who goes on a search for her father, and during her journey uncovers hidden truths about her mother, close friends, and other characters in her small town of Palmville.

I also created an original series, Spark Squad, for Scholastic Book Clubs Originals that follows a group of high school girls who form an after-school tech club that helps fellow classmates fight bullies and solve other pressing teenage issues.

And, for Disney Press, I wrote Stealing Starlight as part of a fantasy series called Star Darlings created by Shana and Ahmet Zappa.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a new book that also features women from the past. It’s under wraps for now. I’ll share more about it soon!

Is there anything else you’d like us to know?

Can’t think of anything at the moment… Thanks for including me in your very cool website and blog!

Thank you for being here! We’ve loved learning more about your “magic” life and book. I’m sure readers will be eager to read your fascinating book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna Hays is a writer and producer. She is the author of Vanished, a nonfiction portrait of the forgotten lives of famed women magicians who disappeared from history. She is also the author of Stealing Starlight for Disney Press’s Star Darlings fantasy series; Spark Squad, an original series developed for Scholastic Book Clubs; and Portia’s Ultra Mysterious Double Life and Portia’s Exclusive and Confidential Rules on True Friendship, a middle grade series for Simon and Schuster. Anna lives with her family in the woodlands near Los Angeles.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared

By Anna Hays

Illustrated by Mary Kate McDevitt

Discover the amazing illustrated stories of seven women magicians who pulled off spectacular and death-defying illusions and acts, achieved global fame, and then simply…disappeared.

During the Golden Age of Magic from 1860 to 1930, seven women magicians in America defied Victorian conventions and created a unique place in history for themselves and future performers to come. There was Anna, the mindreader; Adelaide, who could float in midair; Talma, who could magically shower the stage with gold coins…and many more!

During a time when women were typically confined to the home, these trailblazers crossed oceans on steamships and traveled the globe bringing their imaginative brand of magic to audiences around the world. They followed their hearts and pursued their dreams of performing magic in the spotlight when women had neither a vote nor a voice in America.

They made history. Yet once their career ended, so did their legacy.

For decades their stories were hidden, or overshadowed by male counterparts, but now they’ve come to life in this vibrant and captivating book.

Interview with Debut Middle Grade Author Shafaq Khan

By Katie McEnaney on September 11, 2025 / Author Interviews, New Releases / Leave a comment

Craving action? Mystery? An international jewel heist across multiple countries?

Look no further than the newly-released Zeyna Lost and Found, the debut middle grade novel by Shafaq Khan. Twelve-year old Zeyna is itching for a real case, worthy of her detective skills. So far, the most exciting mystery of 1970 is where her mother misplaced their London Tube tickets.

But when Zeyna notices an angry man in a dark jacket and hat, maybe it isn’t a coincidence that he gets off at the same stop. Maybe she’s being followed! As the coincidences start to pile up, Zeyna becomes convinced that this is more than an over-active imagination: this is real. But before she can connect the dots, she and her younger brother Mahir are swept off to Pakistan for a family wedding.

It’s only when her parents disappear—accused of an international jewel heist—that Zeyna realizes her detective skills may be the only way to find the jewel and prove her parents’ innocence.

Cover of Zeyna Lost and Found by Shafaq Khan

Interview with middle grade author Shafaq Khan

Katie: Shafaq, thank you so much for chatting with us about your debut book, Zeyna Lost and Found. Congrats on it being named a Junior Library Guild Selection and an Indies Introduce pick!

First question, if you were stuck on the Tube with a student who loves mysteries and adventures, what would be your quick elevator pitch for why they should read Zeyna’s story?

Shafaq: Thanks for having me! If you want to read a story about a spunky twelve-year-old that is always looking for a mystery even when there isn’t one, asking questions no one wants to answer, being stonewalled by adults but then embarking on a quest to save an international jewel and her family, then Zeyna is your girl. Zeyna Lost and Found will scratch your itch if you love mysteries, traveling, or jokes, and bonus points if you like all three!

Katie: Zeyna is such a fun and relatable character. Sure, she’s impulsive and a bit paranoid, but it all comes from such a deep and sincere place. Does Zeyna have much in common with you as a kid? If not, where did you find inspiration for her personality?

Shafaq: I share more in common with Zeyna than I will ever admit (except now, of course) because we both have a pathological need to figure things out, love and are loyal to our family, and make ill-timed jokes. Zeyna may have started off as a character that struggled with finding a balance between the Self and the World around her, just like I did and do, but she soon took on a life of her own. I really sat with her as a character to fully understand her. I wanted someone who did unimaginably daring things so I let my mind wander to scenarios and situations I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole myself. I also did an exercise that NYT Bestselling author Sabaa Tahir recommended, which is to ask your character questions and role play their answers. It was critical in helping me flesh out who Zeyna exactly is.

Katie: I love that you created a Zeyna playlist on Spotify. Can you tell us a little bit about your process for choosing songs?

Shafaq: These songs are some of my favorite songs and I urge readers to take a listen while reading and after as well! Each one reminds me of Zeyna for different reasons. The Beatles songs are quintessential London living – the things that she loves about her city and her family. Some of the other songs evoke travel and mysticism that reminded me of some of the places that Zeyna visits (like the Badshaahi masjid and the song Doobne De), one song, Rozi, is about a girl forging her own path, and a few songs are about her hijinks and friendship with her brother and cousin (think: Kids, Dosti).

Spotify playlist opening for Zeyna Lost and Found by Shafaq Khan

Katie: Teachers often tell students to “Write what you know.” How have you been able to use “what you know” to write historical fiction involving so many different cities and countries?

Shafaq: Having studied some of the countries featured and traveled through others, I relied on what I knew or understood for some of the details but the real process was actually unlearning what I thought I knew. Relying on secondary sources but then following up on primary sources like photos and journal entries and other accounts, helped me flesh out the details, all while trying to be mindful of my own biases or preconceived notions. For example, with Iran, there is quite a bit of attention on the aesthetic of the seventies, but perhaps less of a discussion on the economic unrest or political prisoners that made the on-the-ground reality more complicated. Also, some of us (Pakistanis) may think about places like Lahore or Bahawalpur as quintessentially Pakistani, but they aren’t. They became Pakistani after an arbitrary line was drawn and so the book touches on this idea of shared culture and shared values amongst people despite the modern concept of a nation-state. What binds us together rather than what differentiates us.

Map of the Hippie Trail across south and central Asia

Map of the Hippie Trail at the time of Zeyna Lost and Found

Katie: That is such an important point for kids to think about, thank you.

Since this is your first middle grade novel, can you tell us a little about your path to publication? What led you to write for kids?

Shafaq: I knew I wanted to write a story I would have wanted to read, featuring a flawed, funny, brave Pakistani girl. I knew I wanted to feature her family in an unapologetic way that leaned into culture and tradition without orientalizing it. I wanted a fast-paced story that engaged me and uplifted me. When I pitched this idea to an agent, who I met through a completely random introduction, it probably sounded like it was doing too much but I’m grateful for being given the chance to do it. Once my agent started pitching it to publishers, I was stressed and anxious about it being out in the world and then absolutely over the moon excited when Lerner Publishing Group/Carolrhoda Books/Lab bought the book! I really felt the book had found its home in a publishing house that valued and understood the story.

Katie: What advice would you give to fledgling MG authors?

Shafaq: Just start writing. It doesn’t have to be perfect but get it all out there and then relentlessly edit those pages. Think about the plot but take care of your characters so you give readers a chance to imagine and feel their story. Seek out feedback and really consider it but be ok with rejecting it. You have to know where you are going but you need a lot of help getting there so the more eyes you can get on it, the better. Also, never stop reading other books and keeping your eyes/ears open to the stories around you. I ended up adding terms or conversation exchanges based on what I was observing/reading/consuming in my life. Be obsessed with your story so it becomes the lens through which you see the world around you.

Katie: What are some of your favorite middle grade books or series?

Shafaq: I love Sayantani Dasgupta’s Kiranmala series and the City Spies series by James Ponti, but perhaps, that will come as no surprise! Sayantani’s use of cultural storytelling/tropes and humor is truly a work of art and City Spies does a fantastic job with integrating clues with the physical surroundings so you feel immersed in the location.

Katie: Is there anything else that you would like readers to know about Zeyna or about your upcoming projects?

Shafaq: I’m working on a few things so be ready for some more characters poking around where they shouldn’t and please follow me on my Instagram Shafaq_khan_author or Tiktok at shafaqjk for updates!

No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round so …

Lightning Round!

Chai, Nescafe, or Turkish coffee? A foamy, sugary Nescafe any day! And a Turkish coffee if I really need a jolt.

Sightseeing by taxi or by bus? Since I like people watching, I love being on a bus so you have a chance to observe the people inside and outside. I also like how bus sounds lull me to sleep.

Favorite kebab? This is a tough one because, like Zeyna, I will always opt for the kebab option. If I had to choose one, I would go with adana (sorry, Mama).

Dream job when you were a kid? I always wanted to be a lawyer. Advocating for people and issues to ensure fairness and justice, is the most fundamental part of who I am and how I approach work, relationships, and the world.

Superpower? Relentless and unapologetic prioritizing. Life is busy and complicated and one of my greatest fears is feeling like you are getting lost in the day to day. It’s good and ok and healthy to say no, to opt out of activities and take a beat so that you have room to think about and explore your passion and interests.

Connect with Shafaq!

Finally, where can readers find you if they want to reach out?

Check out my Instagram Shafaq_khan_author and my Tiktok at shafaqjk or my website shafaqkhan.com.

Katie: Thanks so much, Shafaq! Zeyna Lost and Found was published this week, and you can find it at a library, bookstore, or indie near you. You won’t want to delay, or the Fifteen might get their hands on your copy first!

Biography of Shafaq Khan

Headshot of author Shafaq Khan

Shafaq is a mom and a lawyer. Born to Pakistani parents, Shafaq grew up in a small port city along the Persian Gulf called Jubail Industrial City. It doesn’t make it on most maps but it shaped her worldview and cemented her identity as a third-culture kid.

Shafaq attended college in NYC and then went to law school. After graduating, Shafaq worked at NYC nonprofits in Manhattan and Brooklyn for nearly a decade as a legal services attorney, representing low-income people with disabilities facing eviction and benefits issues. As part of her representation, Shafaq met clients in their homes to understand their lives, and learned to hold their truths with compassion while being a passionate advocate on their behalf in court. Through this experience, Shafaq became acquainted with people’s stories – the ones we tell and the ones we don’t – and learned to listen to the stories beneath the surface.

Shafaq lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

Debut Author Interview: J.A. Dauber

By Ben Boche on September 5, 2025 / Author Interviews / Leave a comment

Fall is when all the great books are released, so we are excited to welcome debut author J.A. Dauber to the blog. His debut, PRESS 1 FOR INVASION, is a perfect book for reluctant readers. It delivers on the humor front, and that combined with the impending alien invasion theme and icky, creepy monsters with tentacles (and icky, creepy monsters with tentacles who make out with each other!) makes this a slam-dunk for emerging readers looking for fun, fresh reads and who are not yet ready to tackle the heavier stuff.

Book Summary

Ten-year-old Matt really wants a phone, but his parents won’t let him have one. When he finds one just lying on the sidewalk, he naturally picks it up and claims it for himself. But when Matt uses his new phone to take pictures, they show the crossing guard in front of his school as a monster. But that can’t be right…can it?

Matt soon learns that: a) his lunch lady is also a monster (actually, an alien); b) an invasion of Earth is due to take place within the next few days; and c) the lunch lady is having cold feet (well, tentacles) about the whole thing and wants his help. Matt and his friend Marcela join forces with her to save the planet.

Battles in their school cafeteria and high above the Earth’s atmosphere place them in very close encounters with alien pets and the business end of a gigantic oven. As the danger mounts, Matt and Marcela must ask themselves what they’re willing to risk to save their friends, their family, and their world.

Interview

I have to say that this is every kids’ nightmare: finding out that their teachers/school workers are actually aliens. I have a distinct memory of a book from my childhood where the teachers turned out to be aliens and I devoured the book. Did you have a similar obsession as a kid and/or what inspired you to write this book?

I’m glad you feel like it’s got that universal appeal! While I’m not sure that I actually had the thought, or fear, or…even hope, I guess, that there were aliens among us, I was definitely fascinated by the prospect – which I guess is central to all sorts of the most fun fiction, in SF, fantasy, horror – that there’s another world that’s right beside us, a world that’s somehow fascinating and complicated and huge, that we don’t know about. (As I got older, I came to realize that we do have that world: it’s called Grownupland. It even has its own alien language – with words like “mortgage rates,” for example. But that was beyond me then, and even maybe when I started writing PRESS 1!)

I think you’ve hit upon kids’ natural obsessions with wanting a phone – but maybe not to see if aliens are roaming among us! Why did you decide to have the phone be a prominent part of the book?

The truth is, the book started with an image in my head, which was a kid looking through the phone camera and seeing a goggle-eyed alien monster in a crossing guard uniform – and then taking the phone away, and everything looking normal. To some extent, I wrote the book to figure out the story behind that image! Which meant asking, well, could every phone do that? Probably not. So why did this kid have that phone? Well, it wasn’t his, maybe. But then how, and why did he have it? And all sorts of things started to fall into place….

You have an interesting take on aliens being interested in our planet. Why did you choose them wanting to ****spoiler*** rather than anything else?

One central question about alien invasion books, stories, and movies – a tradition with a very distinguished heritage – is: why would they bother? Space is big; what would be worth coming all this way to invade Earth forth? The reasons make a big difference: not to whether our heroes stop the invasion – I will spoil the book to the extent that it does not end with Matt, Marcela, and the rest of their planetary neighbors reduced to a smoking cinder – but how they do it. And of course, that’s all the fun!

Despite the literal weight of saving the world on your main character’s, Matt’s, shoulders, he seems to take it all in stride and even has some amazing ideas along the way. What was your decision process like when crafting Matt?

It’s funny, because in some ways I’m not even sure it was a decision, exactly! I sort of followed him around in my head and tried to write down what he was doing as fast as I possibly could. It turned out I liked him a lot – he’s not perfect, which I think is kind of why – and I think and hope kids will like him, too!

What do you hope readers will take away from Press 1 For Invasion?

A deep and profound desire to tell all their friends that it’s an awesome book and they should get their own copy. (Slightly) more seriously, I hope that readers will just feel like they had a lot of fun. I remember – and I see in my own kids – that feeling, so hard to retrieve sometimes as a grown-up, of just being so lost in a book that the world around them kind of disappears: that’s an invasion, of a literary sort, and it’s the one kind I’m all for!

What was your favorite part about writing the book?

Honestly? When I thought of something funny, which is often the easiest thing to say “yeah, that’s gonna work. That should go in, and it’ll stay in til the end.” They didn’t always, but lots of times they did.

What are some of your favorite middle grade novels and why do you like them so much?

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention James Ponti, who is not only a great author – I think his Sherlock Society does a remarkable job combining delightful characters with a strong sense of setting and a thoughtful take on history and mystery – but also a great guy: he’s agreed to appear at a bookstore with me to talk about our new books! I will also say that, given my own book’s subject matter, A WRINKLE IN TIME was deeply formative when I was Matt’s age, back in the mists of history.

Now that your book is out in the world, what’s the next step for you?

Well, I’m hopeful that Matt and Marcela’s adventures don’t necessarily come to an end here: of course, that depends on all you readers out there, so fingers crossed! I’m also finishing up a time travel novel (see above) that I think is a lot of fun, and I hope you’ll get to read that soon, too!

Is there anything else you want to share about Press 1 For Invasion or our audience of teachers, librarians, and middle grade authors?

Thank you for this opportunity! I’ll just end with this: in my day job as a professor, I’ve written a number of books prior to this, but this is the first book that any of my kids have read. I have three of them, ages 12, 10, and 7, boy, boy, girl, and the older two both read it. As all of you know, children – even and perhaps especially your own children – are not natural diplomats. (My 10 year old has recently learned the phrase “no offense,” which he then, correctly or not, understands as a get out of jail free card to speak even less diplomatically.) So the fact that the two boys both read the book – each in a single sitting, one staying up until late, literally reading with his light under the covers – and then the ten year old saying, “I think a lot of kids are going to like this” – well, forget about the New York Times. That’s the best review I’m ever going to get. And I hope that you, and the kids who you know, might feel the same way!

Author Interviews

The “Magical” Life of Author Anna Hays

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Interview with Debut Middle Grade Author Shafaq Khan