Author Interviews

Interview with author Linda Williams Jackson

By on February 29, 2024   /   Author Interviews  

As a huge fan of Linda Williams Jackson’s previous middle-grade novels (The Lucky Ones, Midnight without a Moon, A Sky Full of Stars), her latest book, Saving Jimmy, met—and exceeded—my expectations. With a flawed-but-endearing protagonist and a cast of memorable characters, both living and dead, the story won my heart from page one.

But before we chat with Linda, first…

Saving Jimmy: A Summary

Life isn’t easy for 12-year-old Jimmy Lee Easton. People are constantly mistaking her for a boy, and her mama hovers over her like the Secret Service. Her great-aunt Millie constantly hounds her to “get it right with Jesus before it’s everlastingly and eternally too late,” and Jimmy’s not sure whether her best friend really likes her or simply lets her tag along out of pity. But when Jimmy Lee suddenly finds herself facing eternity with a life-or-death choice to make, she questions whether her life on earth was so bad after all.

MR: Welcome back to the Mixed-Up Files, Linda. I’m so glad you could join us again!

LWJ: Thanks, Melissa! It’s always a pleasure!

The Story Behind the Story

MR: As stated above, Saving Jimmy is about a young girl’s journey to the afterlife. What was the inspiration behind the book?

LWJ:  In 2012, I had a friend die from cancer. She was a mother of three. One of her children was in elementary school, and another was in preschool. We prayed diligently that she would be healed from her cancer, and when she wasn’t, I was devastated. I remember having a conversation with her one very cold winter day, and she said that she thought about how much easier it would be to just go outside in the cold and freeze to death rather than keep fighting to live.

Then, right after she seemed to be getting better, she took a turn for the worse. After she died, I couldn’t help but wonder whether she had gotten an early glimpse of an afterlife and chosen that life instead of the one she was living: “What if” people on the brink of life or death get to choose which way to go? And “what if” if they choose the afterlife rather than the current life regardless of how much they know their loved ones will miss them? I know it’s farfetched, but isn’t that what fiction is all about—imagining the “what ifs”?

All About Jimmy Lee

MR: Can you tell us about the protagonist, Jimmy Lee Easton?

LWJ: I love writing (and reading) fiction from the perspective of middle-grade children, so I chose a 12-year-old girl as the storyteller. I also chose to give her a name that was a little offbeat because I have a friend with an offbeat name, and people often get her name wrong. In Jimmy Lee’s case, people assume she’s a boy, which doesn’t really bother her since she is named after her daddy—a fact that she is quite proud of—until she isn’t (no spoilers).

MR: A related question: What drives Jimmy Lee to make the choices she makes?

LWJ: For starters, Jimmy Lee wants so badly to be like her friend Danielle; to have a cool mama who lets her wear makeup, go to movies, and hang out with friends. In general, just be a kid. But she can’t because her mama is ruled by their aunt Millie, a religious zealot. Her mama is also ruled by fear that Jimmy Lee will make the same “mistake” she made and ruin her life. So, in the opening pages, Jimmy Lee is thrilled to finally have the chance to go on a school field trip without her mama tagging along. Of course, things don’t go as smoothly as she hoped, and Jimmy Lee finds herself in a predicament that she has to grapple with throughout the story.

Character Creation

MR: Speaking of Jimmy Lee, at the beginning of the story she’s not particularly likeable; she thinks her classmate A.J. is as ugly as a “twenty-year-old bulldog,” and refers to another classmate as “Poop Boy,” due to his rancid breath. As the novel progresses, though, Jimmy Lee transforms into a kinder, gentler person. How did you accomplish this writerly feat? 

LWJ: What? You didn’t like Jimmy Lee??? Fair enough. I didn’t like Gilly Hopkins either, but I loved the story told about her. Nor did I like Katniss Everdeen, but I read all three of The Hunger Games books. But I digress. About Jimmy Lee…

Hurt people hurt people. Although Jimmy Lee thinks that A. J. looks like a twenty-year-old bulldog, she never actually says it. A. J., on the other hand, doesn’t hold back her contempt for Jimmy Lee, and she insults her figure, which is a bit on the round side. So, Jimmy Lee is only responding to the antagonism directed toward her, and in her thoughts only.

The story of Poop Boy

As for Poop Boy, well, she could have been nicer. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Poop Boy was actually supposed to smell like bacon. One day I left my laptop open while I went to take a break from writing (I don’t usually do that), and my daughter began reading what was on the page and decided to change “bacon” to “poop.” When I saw it, I burst out laughing and said, “I can’t have her say that!” Then I thought, “Why not?” So that’s why Leonard is Poop Boy instead of Bacon Boy. Besides, I doubt someone smelling like bacon would have the same impact on the reader as someone smelling like poop. Sorry!

Going back to the saying, “Hurt people hurt people,” Jimmy Lee is frustrated by the close relationship that her best friend Danielle has with A. J. Plus, A. J. had tricked her. So how did she respond to being hurt? She dished out pain to someone else. This is not a good response, unfortunately, but she does learn her lesson. I am constantly around children of this age group. Some of them wear a permanent frown and are not friendly toward anyone. My first thought about these children is, “Who (or what) is hurting them?”

Imperfect but Lovable

MR: As a follow-up, is there a secret to creating flawed-but-lovable characters?

LWJ: How do you make a flawed character lovable? Why do we like Gilly Hopkins even though she’s meaner than a rattlesnake? Because Gilly Hopkins has been hurt. Why do we like Katniss Everdeen even though she treats her own mom with contempt? Because Katniss has been hurt. A flawed character has to have a reason for the flaws, and that reason is usually that they’ve been hurt by someone close to them, or by society as a whole.

MR: A central character in the book is Aunt Evangeline, Jimmy Lee’s flamboyant, Shakespeare-quoting guide in Paradise. Can you tell us about the significance of this character? What purpose does Aunt Evangeline serve in Jimmy Lee’s journey?

LWJ: Aunt Evangeline is the antithesis of Aunt Millie. Her purpose—besides ushering Jimmy Lee to Eternity—is to show Jimmy Lee that not every woman in her family is a lost cause. Aunt Evangeline had lived a fabulous life—unlike Aunt Millie and Jimmy Lee’s mama, Darlynn—and she gives Jimmy Lee hope that she can have a fabulous life too, if she chooses.

Shakespeare in Love

MR: In addition to Aunt Evangeline’s penchant for quoting Shakespeare, each chapter in the book begins with a Shakespeare quote from such plays as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, As You Like It, King Lear, and more. What was your thinking behind this? Why Shakespeare? And why these particular plays?

LWJ: The story opens with Jimmy Lee telling the reader how she got her name. The “What’s in a name?” quote suddenly popped in my head as I was writing the chapter, and from there the idea formulated and stuck. After I knew what each chapter would entail, I searched for a Shakespeare quote to match. And, of course, Jimmy Lee’s parents almost have a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing going on. I wasn’t really choosing particular plays. I chose quotes to match the story. I found it interesting that there was a Shakespeare quote to match every situation each chapter presented. It was also a lot of fun, especially when the characters themselves began quoting Shakespeare.

Matters of Life and Death

MR: Let’s talk about the main theme of the book: life versus death. Death is a heavy topic for most adults, and perhaps more so for children. What was your approach when handling the subject with a young audience in mind? Also, what were you trying to say about death? About life?

LWJ: To quote Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life, “You may feel it’s morbid to think about death, but actually it’s unhealthy to live in denial of death and not consider what is inevitable.” I’m not saying you, in particular, Melissa; I’m speaking generally. We don’t like to talk about, nor think about, death. And we are especially shaken when someone dies suddenly. But children seem to be more resilient.

From a very young age I thought about death often. I remember at age five or six when I received the news that my grandfather had died. It didn’t bother me much because he was old, and it seemed natural that old people should die. But when I told my brother (who is two years older than I), he began to cry. I didn’t understand why he cried. To me it felt normal. Papa was old. Papa died. The end.

Live, Laugh, Love

Then a few years later, my neighbor—a young mother in her twenties—died suddenly. I bawled, because that was a death that wasn’t supposed to happen. I was also about the age my brother was when our grandfather died. I now understood death a bit more. But I also come from an environment where people believe strongly in an afterlife, and they claim to have been visited by deceased relatives. So belief in an afterlife feels as natural to me as death. It also feels hopeful. In fact, I have had my own experiences with deceased loved ones, which definitely gives me hope that life goes on and that what’s on the other side of death is a beautiful place. I want readers of Saving Jimmy to have that same hope. But I also want readers to take responsibility for their own happiness while living. Live, laugh, and love!

Indie Inspiration

MR: Turning our attention to the publishing side of things, unlike your previous MG novels, Saving Jimmy was published independently. What was the impetus behind going indie?

LWJ: Saving Jimmy is not my first self-published novel. I got into the self-publishing game twenty-two years ago, so I already knew the ups and downs of going that route. The choice to self-publish Saving Jimmy was for multiple reasons. One, I honestly wanted to create a book from start to finish—writing, formatting, and publishing it myself (minus printing and distribution, of course). Two, I was between literary agents, so I felt like I had the freedom to try something different after having been traditionally published for nearly seven years. I considered my completed manuscripts and chose this one because I felt like it didn’t fit neatly into a kidlit publishing box.

Surprisingly, I’ve been getting feedback from readers who, even though they own my other books, have never read them—and yet here they are, having conversations with me about this one. Also, I did it to supplement my meager author income. It’s my side gig, so to speak. 😊

MR: As a follow-up, what advice would you give to authors—established and newbies alike—who are thinking about going indie? What did you do right? And what do you wish you had done differently?

LWJ: To go indie, you need a thick skin. Since you will have to do your own marketing and publicity, you will have to be a shameless self-promoter. You’ll have to knock on doors and ask for reviews and support. Also, some of the doors that were open to you as a traditionally published author will be closed to you as a self-published author. To that I say, “Grin and bear it.” That’s just how the ball bounces. But there are still a few doors open to self-publishers. Walk through those doors instead of lamenting the ones that are closed. If you plan to go indie, go indie proudly or you won’t have the guts to promote your book.

It’s All in the Research

As far as doing it right or “wrong,” I say do your research and find indie authors (like Darcy Pattison) who are blogging about it and take their advice. I jumped back into the waters after more than twenty years, so I might not be the best person to take advice from. 😊

MR: What are you working on now, Linda? Enquiring Mixed-Up Files readers want to know!

LWJ: I don’t want to jinx myself, so I’ll keep quiet about that for now. Whenever I speak publicly about what I’m currently working on, I always seem to switch gears and work on something else. ☹

Lightning Round!

MR: No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Coffee or tea?

Coffee, but occasionally tea

Heaven or Earth?

Heaven, when it’s time 😊

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

Yea. Haven’t you noticed? We’re already in it.

Superpower?

X-ray vision. I can see right through most people. 😊

Favorite place on earth?

My house.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?

A magic coffee maker, an endless supply of coffee, and a cup

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Linda—and congratulations on the publication of Saving Jimmy. I absolutely loved it, and I know MUF readers will too!

LWJ: You’re welcome, Melissa! And thank you for reading Saving Jimmy!

Bio: Linda Williams Jackson

Linda Williams Jackson is the author of award-winning middle grade novels centered around some of Mississippi’s most important historical moments. Her first book, Midnight Without a Moon, which is centered around the Emmett Till murder, was an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, a Jane Addams Honor Book for Peace and Social Justice, and a Washington Post Summer Book Club Selection. Her second book, A Sky Full of Stars, the sequel to Midnight Without a Moon, received a Malka Penn Honor for an outstanding children’s book addressing human rights issues and was a Bank Street College Best Book of the Year.

Linda’s most recent novel, The Lucky Ones, was inspired by Robert Kennedy’s 1967 Poverty Tour of the Mississippi Delta and is loosely based on her own family’s experiences. The Lucky Ones was recently recognized by Good Housekeeping magazine as one of the best 50 kids’ books of all time. Additional accolades for The Lucky Ones include Mississippi Institute of Arts & Letters Youth Book Award Winner, Foreword Reviews Indies Award Winner, New-York Historical Society Children’s History Book Prize Finalist, Common Sense Media’s Best Six Kids’ Books of 2022, Week Junior Magazine Best Seven Kids’ Books of 2022, Cooperative Children’s Book Center Best Books of the Year, and a Bank Street College Best Books of the Year. Linda Williams Jackson is proud to still call Mississippi home. To connect with her online, visit her website at www.lindajacksonwrites.blogspot.com.

(For more on Linda Williams Jackson, check out my previous Mixed-Up Files interview here.)

Melissa Roske is a writer of middle-grade fiction. Before spending her days with imaginary people, she interviewed real ones as a journalist in Europe. In London she landed a job as an advice columnist for Just Seventeen magazine. Upon returning to her native New York, Melissa contributed to several books and magazines, selected jokes for Reader’s Digest (just the funny ones), and received certification as a life coach from NYU. In addition to her debut novel Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge), Melissa’s short story “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish” appears in the Jewish middle-grade anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories (Albert Whitman). Learn more about Melissa on her Website and follow her on  Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Interview with Author Cathy Carr and Book Giveaway!

By on February 26, 2024   /   Author Interviews  

Cathy Carr is the author of the award-winning novel, 365 Days to Alaska, which is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street Best Children’s Books of 2021.

Readers will fall in love with Cathy’s latest book, Lost Kites and Other Treasures (Amulet Books), just released on February 6.  The main character,  Franny, is passionate about making artwork out of collected scraps and various objects. Franny’s creativity serves as an outlet as she navigates challenges with friendships, and her relationship with her grandmother, Franny’s legal guardian. At the heart of the story are hidden secrets about Franny’s mother, who abandoned her years before. It was a joy to enter Franny’s world, as she pulls together scraps of hope throughout her journey.

When she is not writing, Cathy loves to cook, garden and take hikes in nature, all the while collecting found materials for art projects. Cathy lives in New Jersey with her husband, son and “scrappy” cats, Nutmeg and Ginger. Cathy took time away from her busy writing schedule to offer a bit of background on Lost Kites and Other Treasures.

 

Please share your inspiration for creating Franny (Frances), the main character.

When I was in my late twenties, some friends of mine had a little girl who was an absolute hellion. I loved her, but she was a handful. She had a hair-trigger temper, she cussed, she had a habit of trying to kick men in the crotch (I left that out of my book), and she had flyaway white-blonde hair—which is the reason why Franny is blonde. She grew up to be a completely reasonable, healthy adult. She was my most direct inspiration for Franny, but many other bits and pieces inspired me too—my father’s troubled childhood, for one.

You explore a variety of aspects of mental illness, and specifically, bipolar disorder, from stigma to symptoms to effect on loved ones, What prompted you to write about this important topic?

It’s common. And for many people, it’s still a taboo subject. People are often startled when I speak about it openly. And, man, do a lot of them have their own tales to share. I have a clear memory of standing on our side porch while the guy who came to read the meter told me all about his schizophrenic daughter. He and I are still friends on Facebook. The mother with OCD, the cousin with bipolar, the uncle who had serious problems but would never see a psychiatrist because that would mean he was “crazy” —I’ve heard so many stories over the years. I didn’t see that common experience reflected in the fiction I was reading for kids, and I thought it should be reflected.

Franny is an artist, using found objects to create her work. Some of the characters appreciate her creativity, others, not so much, initially. What do you hope readers will take away from her artistry?

If Franny’s example inspires kids, or adults, to start a creative habit, or restart one that they’ve put by or neglected, that would make me happy. One thing I love about Franny’s artistry is that she just keeps on making because it gives her pleasure and purpose; she doesn’t stress too much about whether it’s good. This reminds me of something one of my friends said when my first book came out and I was fretting about sales or reviews or something, one of those stressful things writers have no control over. She said something along the lines of, “You wrote this book. It’s a good book. There’s a lot of you in it. It’s out in the world now, so get busy and start working on the next one.” Such excellent advice.

Throughout your story, Franny is faced with challenges to her friendships, including both physical separation and emotional separation due to betrayal of trust. You’ve portrayed relationships realistically, including the fact that Franny is also human and makes some mistakes along the way, which she admits to. Could you offer what you wanted to relay to young readers through these relationships?

Perfection is an unrealistic standard. We all mess up. And no one can be everything to everyone. If your toilet is overflowing, Franny’s friend Ruben is the guy to call. In other circumstances, not so much yet. He still has a lot of growing up to do. So, it’s important to give each other some grace. It’s also important to give people room to grow. People really can change. Sometimes I think we lose sight of this, especially under the influence of social media, which encourages us to form ruthless judgments of people based on 280-character tweets. Not a lot of room for nuance there.

Lost Kites and Other Treasures explores dysfunction within family relationships as well, from Nana’s secrecy about Franny’s mother’s illness, to the impact on Franny’s uncle of his sister’s illness and his response to the situation. Franny asks Ruben and friends whether their families ever fight, and what the outcome of those arguments are. Please offer insights into these relationships and situations in your story.

Life is complicated. Human relationships are complicated. I think both Nana and Uncle Gabe have been sort of worn out and worn down by the problems of Franny’s mom. What can help us under those circumstances, I believe, is community. Once Nana has that, she can start figuring out a better way to deal with her daughter’s troubled history. This is why Franny asks Ruben whether his family ever fights. If it’s just something that happens in your family, it feels awful and shaming. To know that it happens in pretty much everyone’s family lets you know you’re not alone. As for Tate’s claim that his parents never fight, some people need to portray themselves and their families as innately superior. This is often because of insecurity, but it can really be annoying to the rest of us.

I believe your story offers hope and personal growth as themes, from Franny’s hope that Nana will change in some of her stubborn ways, to Nana’s admission that even as an adult, she can be wrong in how she has behaved, in what she has communicated and, often, not. Could you please elaborate on these themes?

I think hope is important in middle-grade fiction. It’s important to communicate to our readers that a mistake isn’t the end of the world, that people’s characters aren’t set in stone, and that sometimes people behave the way they do because of circumstances you’re not aware of.

I loved how Miss Midori helped Franny’s artistic light shine, and how as an educator, she was a champion for Franny. Sadly, Franny didn’t feel that way about one of her other teachers. Care to expand on this?

It’s a common part of the school experience—the teacher you just don’t like! You don’t get them. They don’t get you either. Often it’s just two personalities that aren’t in very good sync. It’s such a common part of the middle-grade years I think it’s important to reflect that reality. On the other hand, a good teacher is a real gift, and that’s a common experience too. Mr. Burns is actually based on a math teacher I once had. I never heard him raise his voice. To this day, I have clear memories of how kind he was, especially to us geeky kids who weren’t the most socially successful.

Without giving away the ending, I loved how you didn’t tie everything up with a tight, shiny bow, but rather, true to Franny’s nature, wrapped the story up in scraps of hope. Did you consider ending the story otherwise?

“Scraps of hope”: I love that expression. No, I wasn’t tempted to write a sweet ending. Bittersweet is more my style. I try to emphasize hope and positivity in my writing for middle-schoolers, but I also work to be realistic. New problems and trials will arise, the way they always do. Nana and Franny are on the verge of having a new home at the end of the book, but there will be toilets to unclog and kitten pictures to sort through, because that’s life.

Lost Kites and Other Treasures is your second middle-grade novel, Can we look forward to other MG titles? What are you working on now?

Yes! Right now I’m working on my third novel, about a middle-grade girl in North Carolina. It’s still a rough draft, but there will be more complicated friendships, more struggles toward empathy, more family fights, and at least one pet chicken.

Thank you, Cathy, for offering insights into Franny and her world in Lost Kites and Other Treasures. To learn more about author Cathy Carr, visit her website here. For any questions or comments, feel free to reach Cathy at cathycarrwrites@gmail.com.

Cathy has offered a free copy of Lost Kites and Other Treasures through a random giveaway. Enter the Rafflecopter below. (Note entries only from continental United States.)
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Interview & Giveaway with Amie Darnell Specht & Shannon Hitchcock!

By on February 7, 2024   /   Author Interviews, Giveaways  

Amie competing in the GUMBO Races (Games Uniting Mind and Body)

Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Amie and Shannon. We’re thrilled to have you here. Congrats on the launch of Dancing in the Storm. It’s so inspiring and powerful. I had never heard of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) before. I learned so much about it…and especially how it can drastically change a person’s life as Kate experienced it. She’s one of the strongest protagonists I’ve ever met. I know she’ll inspire so many people.

Huge congrats for being named a Junior Library Guild book! I’m sure there will be many other wonderful awards and lists coming your way. 🙂

 

What were the perks and challenges of co-writing Dancing in the Storm together?

Amie:  The perk for me was working with someone who had previous experience writing books, and who could guide me about making our book better.  The most challenging part was finding time to work together. We started right before Covid hit so almost all our communication was done over text, phone, or email.

Shannon: The perk for me is that I wasn’t starting with a blank slate– the characters and the story are heavily influenced by Amie’s life. As for the challenges, it’s a little slower to work with a co-author because two people weigh in on every sentence.

 

What surprised you the most while writing this book?

Amie: How much goes into writing a book. Shannon was very helpful through the process though.

Shannon: Amie’s positive outlook on life. I have far fewer physical challenges, but can be a lot grumpier. There’s a life lesson there, I’m sure.

 

Yes! Amie is so inspiring. I love her positive outlook, which reflects in Kate’s character.

I love how Kate has so many interests besides gymnastics, like baking with Mindy. I could imagine how much harder this would’ve been without her love of space, Broadway musicals, etc. What parts of this book relate the closest to your life, Amie—and what were made up or tweaked the most?

Amie at a dance recital

Amie: The biggest tweak is FOP showed up for me when I was 4 ½, not 12. I was already in gymnastics, but that is not what caused FOP to present itself. With that said, there are things in the book that happened when I was 16/17 years old, like managing the gymnastics team. We also didn’t add everything I was involved in, but tried to incorporate a lot of it.

 

Is there anything you wish you could go back and tell your younger self, Amie?

Amie:  Oh man! There is a lot. The biggest would be to listen when my parents told me not to do something. I didn’t care about my limitations. I climbed trees and rode kid four wheelers. I remember one day when we lived in New Jersey, we had ice on our driveway. My mom said we could go out, but that I was supposed to stay in the garage due to ice. Not ten minutes later, my brother had to get help because I had slipped on the ice and hurt my leg.

 

Aw, I’m sorry that happened. (((Hugs)))

I love how your book shows people they aren’t alone…and that becoming friends with someone in a similar situation can be helpful. But it also shows ways to feel less alone with people who aren’t disabled. And how to use meditation to stay as strong as possible. What do you think can help people the most, especially soon after a diagnosis or flare up?

Amie: I am all for seeing a therapist when big changes happen, and I have had to when certain flare ups changed me a lot. Also, know it’s ok to be upset and scared, but accept the change and figure out what needs to be done to get to your new normal. 

I love the way you phrased that—the new normal. Looking at the future vs. mourning the past sounds like it could help people facing all kinds of situations and disabilities.

 

Kate’s entire world feels like it changes in an instant…yet no matter how sad or shocked she is, her positive side always shines through. She’s so inspiring! Was it easy to write the book that way? What tips do you have for staying positive during tough times?

Amie holding Charlyze with husband, Matt, and stepchildren, Ashley and Greg

Amie: I’ve just always been a pretty happy person. I have my moments too, but I try to find something funny about the situation and that usually brightens my spirits.

Shannon: It was easy to write the book that way because that’s the way Amie portrays herself. Her positivity was evident in every interaction I’ve had with her. 

 

When Kate first shared her diagnosis and how it would change her life, things were awkward with friends. What can people do to help a friend through a time like this?

Amie and best friend Mindy

Amie:  If a friend is going through a tough time in their life, figure out ways to include them in normal activities. I’ve had moments in my life when FOP caused drastic changes, and I was embarrassed about it, or worried about how I would look. That’s when my friends made me feel less alone. A good example is the chapter in Dancing In The Storm when Kate and her friends eat popcorn with forks–that actually happened to me.

 

I love that scene so much! I’m so glad your friends joined you eating popcorn with forks. 😊

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

Shannon: Blood Brothers by Rob Sanders, The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson, The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed, The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood, and Escape From Aleppo by N.H. Senzai.

I love realistic fiction that features protagonists with big hearts. Bonus points if it’s historical fiction!

I see a few books I love and others to add to my must-read list. Thank you for sharing, Shannon.

 

Can you share a writing exercise?

Shannon: I had met Amie, (my co-author), but we didn’t know each other very well, and yet we had decided to write a novel together. The novel would be inspired by Amie’s life growing up with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, one of the rarest genetic disorders in the world. We started by completing this character workshop together. It’s a great tool for collaborators who are developing characters together, but also for any author writing fiction. Give it a try!

 

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about FOP? I was thrilled to see there’s finally a treatment available! What can we do to help support those with FOP?

Amie: Yes! The treatment is very new and countries are still working on getting it approved.  FOP is a genetic disease and responds to any sort of trauma to the body. The biggest indicator of FOP is our toes, (big toes are short and curved inward), which is noticeable at birth. If more doctors and nurses knew about this, we could diagnose kids at a younger age and possibly prevent them from some of the trauma (like intramuscular immunizations).

To help support FOP, a person can go to www.IFOPA.org and donate to their research efforts.  We have come so far and hopefully more treatments will start becoming available as well!

 

Thank you for sharing, Amie. I hope this amazing book will help make many more people, including doctors, aware of FOP and how to notice it earlier to help protect kids.

Now that your incredible book is out in the world…what’s next for each of you?

Amie: Dancing In the Storm has given me a platform to spread the word about FOP. Though my condition makes travel difficult, look for me on more interviews such as this one, and I’m working on a Pinterest board. For fun, I stream on the Twitch platform. Last year was rough, but this year I plan to be back. I stream a variety of video games.

Shannon: I have a picture book biography, Of Words and Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman, Writer, Historian, Environmentalist forthcoming April 16, 2024, and I’m hard at work revising another middle grade that features a protagonist with a big heart!

 

That all sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to read more interviews and see future books from you both.

Thank you again for visiting the Mixed-Up Files. I love your inspiring book…and can’t wait for our readers to discover it. Thank you also for your generous giveaway!

Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a copy of Dancing in the Storm (US only). The winner will be announced on this post and contacted via e-mail on February 13. Good luck!

Kate’s life in Baton Rouge, full of friends and family, gymnastics and Girl Scouts, is just plain great. But then, at the age of twelve, she suddenly develops a mysterious shoulder pain that won’t go away . . . and that will change her life forever. It turns out that Kate has one of the rarest genetic disorders in the world, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva. FOP causes bone to form in places in the body where it shouldn’t, and there’s no cure yet. Kate will need to learn how to live with this difficult new reality, helped by those close to her and by a new pen pal named Amie, who has been living with FOP for years.

Drawing upon much of Amie Specht’s own experiences with FOP, she and esteemed novelist Shannon Hitchcock have created a poignant, eye-opening, and uplifting story of finding courage and joy in the face of adversity.

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Amie Darnell Specht worked in tech support for a large computer company for many years. She and her husband live in North Carolina with lots of pets. She has Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), and this, her first novel, is heavily influenced by her story. Follow her on Twitter, Twitch, and Pinterest!

 

 

Shannon Hitchcock was born and still lives in North Carolina and grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of four previous acclaimed novels for children, including Flying Over Water and Ruby Lee & Me. In addition, Shannon is the author of four picture book biographies, with the latest, Of Words and Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman, Writer, Historian, Environmentalist, coming on April 16, 2024. Follow Shannon on Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

Some additional photos I think you’ll enjoy. 🙂

Amie with her beloved dog, Chloe

Amie managing her high school gymnastic team

Amie on her wedding day with husband, Matt

 

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