Author Interviews

Author Interview: Elizabeth C. Bunce – Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity

By Laurie J. Edwards on October 16, 2023 / Author Interviews

We’re excited to have Elizabeth C. Bunce on here today to talk about her new release. Let’s start with learning a bit more about you, Elizabeth, and then we’ll talk about Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity.

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

Absolutely! I knew I wanted to be an author from the time I was fairly young—and here I am. (We maybe won’t talk about how I also pictured myself surrounded by cats. Ahem.) But dreams don’t just “come true.” You have to make them happen. I read, studied, practiced, found other writers, and learned everything I could about how to become an author. And I wrote.

Elizabeth 5th grade

What advice would you give to your eight-year-old self?

Don’t be ashamed of the things you love, even if no one else understands why you like them. Collect those rocks! Plaster your room with posters of hippopotamuses! Read mysteries! Learn to knit! Don’t let anyone tell you rocks and hippopotamuses and mysteries and knitting aren’t cool, because they totally are. And you know it.

Did you love to read as a child? Can you tell us some favorite books?

Wow, this interview could go on forever! I absolutely devoured not just books but words. I was the kid who read cereal boxes. The Bookmobile stopped about half a mile from our house, and we would trek down there every week, and trek back home with armloads of books: the Betsy-Tacy books by Maude Hart Lovelace, Ruth Chew’s terrifically spooky stories, The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and every Trixie Belden book I could get my hands on. I loved everything spooky and mysterious and historical from a very early age—which explains the things I love to write.

Have you had any careers besides writing?

I have had a variety of different writing jobs, but I’ve spent my entire career working with words. I’ve been a technical writer, worked at magazines, wrote corporate employment manuals (nobody says, “I want to write employee handbooks when I grow up!” and there is a reason for that…). Writing is a skill you can use in any career path, from education, to science, to the law.

Why do you write?

I live with a population of imaginary people in my head clamoring for attention. When I was a kid, I thought I was supposed to grow out of my imaginary friends. I never did. Now they get to be your imaginary friends, and it’s fabulous!

What do you drink while writing?

Coffee. So. Much. Coffee.

Do you have any special things around your desk that inspire you when you write?

Oh, you mean besides the cats? Yes, I’m always surrounded by props that work as touchstones for my stories—I actually give writing workshops on this topic. Right now I can reach out and touch several items for my current project: a large brass key, a miniature silk bonnet, a rock with clawmarks on it… Writing books is such an ethereal endeavor that it really helps me to have real, physical objects to handle as I’m working.

Do you have a regular writing schedule?

I do, but “regular” depends on the book and my current deadlines. I have written many books very late at night, but my current project seems to like the mid-afternoons—and one of the Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries surprised me utterly by catching me at work first thing in the morning! (Which literally never happens. With anything.) When I’m on deadline, either drafting or revision, I typically work in two or three big chunks of time every day—even on weekends—punctuated by breaks for the rest of my life: chores, errands, working out, Making.

Just a note about Making. If you’re wondering what it is, check out her website here to read more about it. Elizabeth, we’re kindred spirits when it comes to Making. I love everything you’ve mentioned and have tried almost everything you mentioned. Readers, feel free to share what you like making in the comments. We’d love to know.

And now that we know more about Elizabeth, let’s find out about more about her book, Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity.

What inspired you to create this story?

Like all my stories, Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity is a culmination of several things that had been brewing in the back of my mind for a while. One was the idea of exploring a new side of Miss Judson’s heritage—her Scottish ancestry. Another was playing with a new mystery “trope” for Myrtle & Co: where the sleuth unexpectedly inherits a big legacy, along with a murder mystery. And another was the nudge from my subconscious to get back to writing ghost stories, after several books with absolutely no paranormal elements. When I remembered that in the Victorian era, ghost hunting was a burgeoning science, I knew how I could work a haunting into Myrtle’s decidedly unghostly world!

Can you share how you plot your mysteries?

Funny you should ask that now, on this book—which was done completely differently from every other Myrtle Hardcastle book! First, mysteries are really two stories intertwined into one narrative: the tale of the crime itself and how that was committed, plus the story of the investigation, the scenes you see on the page, of the sleuth figuring everything out. Typically I am a devoted participant in NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month. The schedule for the Myrtle books has meant that November is the perfect time to start drafting the new book, so I would get to work figuring out Whodunit: who dies, why, and how. I’d get to the end of the month, look at my glorious heap of words, and triumphantly think, “I’ve done it! I’ve written the story!”

…And then wake up on December 1, and realize: No, I’d only written the backstory. I still have to sit down to the hard work of deciding what clues I’ll need and the scenes that show Myrtle & C0 solving the crime.

However. The schedule for Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity was a little bit different, and somehow instead of spending that initial month working out the who-what-where-why of the murder, I simply launched myself headlong into the book itself, finding the clues and figuring out the story along with Myrtle! Instead of planting clues whose meaning I already understood, I flung interesting and mysterious things into my path and figured out what they meant as I learned more about the story. It was certainly interesting to approach the story from a different direction—and having done it both ways now, I can confidently say: I don’t really like either method. Ha!

Did you base Myrtle on anyone you know?

*Looks around self-consciously* No comment. Ahem.

In fact, Myrtle is me, when I was in eighth grade and my homeroom teacher called me argumentative and antisocial. I was a nerdy kid with somewhat “morbid” interests, and prone to speak up when I didn’t agree with what I was being told. That’s how I wound up as the lead prosecutor in Mock Trial! It’s been a real joy revisiting the girl I was and giving her worthy adventures Young Elizabeth would have loved (and a more understanding teacher!).

Have you had any experiences like those Myrtle does?

Well, thankfully, I have never found myself embroiled in a murder case! (Although, troublingly, that has happened to a few young people I know in real life.) But many of the things she feels are certainly based on my own experiences facing similar challenges: not fitting in with her peers; knowing full well who she is and what she wants from life even if it doesn’t fit the mold the world has planned for her; embracing her true self; standing up for herself and what’s important to her.

Do you have any advice for readers on how to face similar situations to what Myrtle faces in this book?

Don’t give up. Keep asking questions. If the first person you ask can’t help you, find someone else. When you know in your heart something is important, you have to keep going!

What is your favorite part of the book?

The dogs! We are a cat family now, but for many years we had dogs. So. Many. Dogs: a big, crazy family of coonhounds we raised from birth after finding their mama as a (pregnant!) stray. The zany pack of foxhounds Myrtle encounters at Rockfforde Hall is based on them. People have always asked me when I was going to write about “The Buncehounds,” but it took just the right story for them to make an appearance. All of the animals in Myrtle’s stories are based on my real-life animal acquaintances, so letting her experience the wild life of being surrounded by loud, lovable scenthounds was definitely special!

What do you hope readers will take away from the story?

I’d love to see them curious about Scotland, the Scots language, and Scottish history and culture. And I hope they find it a crackin’ ghost story, tae boot!

Please tell us about your other books.

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity is the fifth (!) volume in the Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries, which take Myrtle all over the UK, solving all sorts of nefarious crimes. I’ve also written several YA historical fantasies, including the fairytale retelling A Curse Dark as Gold, which also has a spooky, ghostly setting.

Can you share what you’re working on now?

Nope! It’s super-duper top secret, but it’s very exciting, and I hope to have news by year’s end.

Wow! How exciting! Can’t wait to hear more about it.

Thanks ever so much for agreeing to the interview, Elizabeth! I know our young readers, as well as teachers and librarians will enjoy learning more about you and Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity! And we look forward to seeing what you come up with next.

About Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity

In the fifth book of the Edgar Award-winning series, Myrtle Hardcastle uncovers a string of murders during a treasure hunt on a haunted Scottish estate.

When her governess inherits an estate on a Scottish island, amateur detective Myrtle Hardcastle couldn’t be more excited. Unfortunately, the ancestral castle is both run-down and haunted. Ghostly moans echo in the walls, and there are rumors of a cursed treasure lost on the island—an ancient silver brooch that may have cost the former lord his life. But who had the motive, means, and opportunity to kill him? And could this Scottish trip mean the end of Myrtle’s plans to get her father and governess together?

Then Myrtle’s investigation stirs a villain out of hiding. The estate’s boat is stolen, so there’s no escape from the island. Myrtle is forced to play a deadly game, hunting for the brooch with a thief breathing down her neck—someone who will stop at nothing to get the treasure, even if it means murder.

About the Author

Elizabeth C. Bunce is the Edgar Award-winning author of the Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery series, beginning with Premeditated Myrtle, an Amazon Top 20 Children’s Book of the Year for 2020, an Indie Next Pick, winner of the 2021 Edgar Allan Poe “Edgar” Award, a Society of Midland Authors Honoree, a Library of Congress National Book Festival selection, a Best Children’s/YAA BookPage Best Book of 2020, A Mighty Girl’s 2020 Books of the Year, a two-time Edgar Award finalist, a three-time Anthony Award finalist, and a three-time Agatha Award finalist. The series continues in How to Get Away with Myrtle (a #1 Amazon New Release) and Cold-Blooded Myrtle, also an Edgar Award finalist, Agatha Award finalist, and Anthony Award finalist, as well as a Kirkus 2021 Top 10 Best Book of the Year–Middle Grade Fiction, a Silver Falchion Award finalist, and a Wall Street Journal holiday guide recommendation. The fourth book, In Myrtle Peril, is a 2023 Anthony Award finalist and 2023 Agatha Award finalist, and all four are available now in all formats with the fifth installment, Myrtle, Means, & Opportunity, coming in 2023.

Her first novel, A Curse Dark as Gold, won the inaugural William C. Morris Award for a young adult debut novel and was named a Smithsonian Notable Book and an Amelia Bloomer Project selection. Her high fantasy Thief Errant series includes the novels StarCrossed, A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best book for 2010, and Liar’s Moon, one of Kirkus Blog’s Favorite YA Novels of 2011. StarCrossed and A Curse Dark as Gold have appeared on Oprah’s Kid’s Reading List. Her novels have been named to the ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults list, and she is a four-time Kansas Notable Book winner. An accomplished needlewoman and historical costumer, Elizabeth lives in the Midwest with her husband, her cats, and a boggart who steals books.

Check out her website at elizabethcbunce.com.

Interview with Author Jessica Vitalis

By Lisa Schmid on October 8, 2023 / Author Interviews, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers

This week I chatted with Jessica Vitalis about her new middle grade novel COYOTE QUEEN (Out 10/10—GreenwillowBooks).

I’ve always believed that writers dig deep into their souls to find the best stories. Jessica has done a brilliant job of turning her pain into art.

I’m excited for young readers to learn more about Fud’s ( and Jessica’s) emotional journey.

Let’s do this . . .

Please tell us about COYOTE QUEEN

Desperate to escape an abusive situation, twelve-year-old Fud enters a local beauty pageant hoping to win the prize money she and her mother need to leave. But an eerie connection to a local pack of coyotes causes strange changes to her body––her smell improves, she goes colorblind, and soon, she has to figure out how to win the pageant with a tail.

The story is so unique and fresh, how did you come up with this idea?

I originally set out to write a memoir, but I soon learned that life didn’t follow a convenient narrative arc, and as a new writer, I didn’t have the chops to pull off the story. I set the memoir aside and started writing fiction, but the idea of writing about a girl in a difficult situation wouldn’t leave me alone. I tried again, this time fictionalizing several elements of the story, but it didn’t really come together until I incorporated the coyotes that used to howl around our one-room cabin on the Wyoming/South Dakota border at night. Inspired by THE NEST (by Kenneth Oppel), I decided to add a speculative twist to the story using the coyotes as a metaphor for Fud’s longing to escape, and that’s when the story took on a life of its own.

What was the most difficult aspect of writing this book?

When I first set out to write a memoir, my goal was to tell my story. As I got older (and found a really good therapist!), I realized the real goal was to write a story that would help children in difficult situations. Letting go of my story while at the same time digging deeply into all the emotional baggage I needed to sort through in order to write Fud’s story was a process that took nearly two decades.

How do your life experiences impact the stories you tell?

My stories are all impacted by my life experiences. COYOTE QUEEN is the most obvious example since I used my difficult childhood to shine a light on the kids who might otherwise not have much of a voice in contemporary literature. But with every one of my books, I try to bring a unique perspective formed by having experienced a vast array of different socio-economic situations (a theme that always seems to crop up in my work). Regardless of the story, my mission is always to write enjoyable and thought-provoking books that cause readers to ask big questions about themselves and the world around them.

Do you have a favorite chapter in this book?

Oh, that’s a hard one! Letting Fud’s authentic self shine in the pageant was a lot of fun, but I also really love the scene that takes place after she gets home, when she has to come to terms with what’s happening to her body. I won’t say anything more for fear of giving something away, but I love how the scene straddles the line between reality and fantasy, leaving it up to the reader to decide what’s really happening.

What books did you like to read when you were growing up? Do those books influence your writing?

As a kid, I read every book I could get my hands on. That said, we were always on the move and the books were almost always from libraries, so I rarely read a book twice. My writing is probably more influenced by contemporary writers I admire such as Gary D. Schmidt, Erin Entrada Kelly, Tahereh Mafi, and Kate DiCamillo since I carefully studied their writing in my own (very long) journey toward publication.

When did you decide you wanted to become a writer and why children’s books?

Living with domestic violence as a kid, I learned that it was safer to make myself invisible, but I had a deep-seated longing to be seen and heard. That longing carried into adulthood, and it’s what compelled me to try to write a memoir. At the same time, I’d always loved writing, and since I was constantly reading picture books to my young children, I also wrote several PB manuscripts; every time I brought one to my critique group, they said it would make a fantastic first chapter in a middle grade novel. Since I hadn’t read one of those since middle school, I checked out KIT’S WILDERNESS (by David Almond) from the library, and I’ve never looked back!

What advice would you give twelve-year-old Jessica?

I would tell her that she’s stronger than she knows, and that as long as she continues working hard and believing in herself, she’ll do just fine. I would also tell her that the key to writing is to focus on the character’s emotional arc rather than the plot––something that took me years to learn!

What do you hope readers will take away from COYOTE QUEEN?

The sad reality is that one BILLION children each year experience abuse; I hope this book, and sharing my story, shows anyone struggling that there is hope for the future, and that it gives them the courage to ask for help. For readers who have never experienced domestic violence (or lived with poverty), I hope this story serves as a powerful tool for building empathy and raising awareness.

What are you working on now?

I’m so glad you asked––my next novel, a historical novel in verse, publishes in the fall of 2024, and it finally has a title! I can’t wait to share more details about UNSINKABLE CAYENNE with you in the coming weeks and months!

Thank you so much for visiting the MUF Blog, Jessica. Congratulations and best wishes on the release of COYOTE QUEEN!

JESSICA VITALIS is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer with Greenwillow / HarperCollins. She authored The Wolf’s Curse and The Rabbit’s Gift (which received two starred reviews and was named a Canadian Children’s Book Center Best Books for Kids and Teens 2023). Her next book, Coyote Queen, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and has already received a Kirkus starred review.

A novel in verse, Unsinkable Cayenne, comes out in 2024. Her work has been translated into three languages, and she was named a 2021 Canada Council of the Arts Grant Recipient and featured on CBCs Here and Now and CTVs Your Morning. Jessica lives in Ontario with her husband and two daughters but speaks at conferences, festivals, and schools all over North America.

To learn more about Jessica check out her website or follow her on social media.

Author Spotlight: Stephan Pastis

By Melissa Roske on October 6, 2023 / Author Interviews

You’re in for an extra-special treat, Mixed-Up friends! Today, Stephan Pastis, the author/illustrator of the wildly popular and critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling Timmy Failure series—which was lauded by Kirkus as: “Wittier than the Wimpy Kid”—as well as the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pearls Before Swine, is here to chat about his latest illustrated MG novel, Looking Up. It’s out from Aladdin/S&S on October 10. (Spoiler alert: It’s AMAZING!!!) For a never-before-seen sneak peek at Stephan’s illustrations, read on…

Summary of Looking Up

Living alone with her mother in a poorer part of town, Saint—a girl drawn to medieval knights, lost causes, and the protection of birthday piñatas—sees the neighborhood she has always known and loved disappearing around her: old homes being torn down and replaced by fancy condos and coffee shops. But when her favorite creaky old toy store is demolished, she knows she must act.

Enlisting the help of Daniel “Chance” McGibbons, a quiet, round-faced boy who lives across the street (and whose house also faces the wrecking ball), Saint hatches a plan to save what is left of her beloved hometown.

Interview with Stephan Pastis

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Stephan. So happy to have you here!

SP: Thank you for inviting me! And for all the kind words!

MR: First and foremost, I gobbled up your novel faster than a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream—and that’s saying a lot. I absolutely LOVED it. Can you tell us what inspired you to write this story?

SP: Well thank you! I wanted to write a Don Quixote-type story, but instead of with a man fighting giants, mine would be about a little girl futilely fighting against the redevelopment of her neighborhood. Also, I had never done a middle-grade novel with a little girl as the main character, so I liked that challenge.

The Saint Comes Marching In

MR: Saint, the big-hearted, piñata-rescuing 11-year-old protagonist is, hands down, one of the most lovable and unconventional characters I’ve encountered in middle-grade fiction. How did you capture the essence of this wonderfully quirky character, and lay it out for readers on the page?

SP: Hahah thank you! I think I had just read Catcher in the Rye before writing it, and I loved Holden’s voice, how he talked directly to the reader, so there’s a little bit of that influence in there — maybe mixed in with the slightly delusional perspective of Don Quixote. I like characters who are overwhelmed by their surroundings and ill-equipped to deal with change.

Word Up!

MR: A discussion of Saint wouldn’t be complete without a mention of her impressive vocabulary. Saint uses such words as: “mendacity,” “depravity,” “sanctity,” “pilfered,” “germane,” “critical juncture,” “legal ramifications.” This is a bold move, considering it’s common wisdom for middle-grade writers to employ vocabulary that most of their audience is familiar with. Your thoughts?

SP: I think I did that with Timmy Failure too. Maybe it’s just the appeal of words like that coming out of a little kid’s mouth. The incongruity of their age and the maturity of the words makes me laugh. I think I pilfered “mendacity” from the Burl Ives character in a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He shouts it over and over.

The Truth About Turtles

MR: As a follow-up, can you tell me about Saint’s love for her pet turtle and “life partner,” Dr. Rutherford B. Hayes? There’s a ton of fascinating material to unpack here…

SP: Well, she doesn’t really have an active adult in her life. So I needed someone who could be the voice of reason, and give Saint perspective and wisdom. Of course, he’s also a blowhard, not to mention curmudgeonly, so he’s not the best at that. Plus, I liked the metaphor of the turtle—someone who retreats from the world into their own shell.

Promises, Promises

MR: Let’s move on to Saint’s relationship with her mother. You set up the story with Saint’s declaration that: “My mother breaks all her promises.” How does this affect Saint’s life overall, and what does this say about promises—and promise breaking?

SP: Yeah, that’s a complicated relationship. I think Saint needs a lot more than she’s getting from her mom, especially at the point of her life she’s in. And since she’s not getting what she needs, she’s lashing out. I don’t know if Saint’s mom breaks any more promises than the average mom; I think Saint’s just at a breaking point and can’t take any more disappointment.

Only the Lonely

MR: Loneliness is another prominent theme in your book. Both Saint and her across-the-street neighbor, Daniel, suffer acutely from loneliness. Without sharing any spoilers, can you tell us how Saint’s loneliness manifests itself in her life? What about Daniel’s?

SP: Well, without an active parent in her day-to-day life, she copes by making friends with turtles and piñatas (which she rescues from kids’ birthday parties), and by living mostly in her imagination. I think her imagination is her coping mechanism. Daniel’s as well.

Invasion of the Latte Sippers

MR: Looking Up also explores the issue of neighborhood gentrification; specifically, when one group of residents feels intruded upon by a new, unfamiliar population. What were you aiming to say about gentrification, and displacement in general?

SP: Well, you see a lot of it in the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods of New Orleans, where I spend a lot of time. And when it happens, the neighborhoods slowly lose what’s unique about them—namely, long-time residents who really are what give the city its personality.

The Juggler

MR: In addition to being an author of illustrated middle-grade novels—including the über-popular Timmy Failure series—you are the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pearls Before Swine, which appears in over 800 newspapers. You’ve also cowritten the Disney+ movie Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. How do you juggle everything without dropping the ball? I can barely walk and chew gum!

SP: Thank you! Well, I work pretty much seven days a week, but because I love it, it never feels like work (or very rarely). That’s the real key—loving what you do. It’s cliché, but true. I had a truly stressful job as a lawyer for 10 years, so this never feels like work compared to that.

Timmy Failure: The Movie

MR: Speaking of the Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made movie, how much time did you spend on the set? And, maybe more important: Did you get to meet Wallace Shawn? 🙂 Also, is there a Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made sequel in the works? Rumor has it that you’ve been working on the script.

SP: I was on set every day for the entire four months of pre-production and filming, half in Vancouver and half in Portland.

And yes, I did meet Wallace Shawn! I talked to Wally whenever I could. I wrote the script for the sequel, but I’m not sure if it will get made. Would be great if it did, though.

Stephan’s Writing Routine

MR: What does your writing/illustrating routine look like? Do you have any particular rituals?

SP: Crazy ritual. I turn off all the lights (I just have the light of the computer screen), light incense, and play really loud music.

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

SP: A book of all my travel adventures. I travel a lot and have been to a lot of unique places. [For more on how travel opens our eyes as writers and readers, check out this article from the MUF archives.]

Lightning Round!

MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Those little pretzels stuffed with peanut butter.

Coffee or tea? Coffee for sure. I wouldn’t trust anyone who said tea.

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay? Yea.

Superpower? To shut out all distractions when I write.

Favorite comic strip (besides Pearls Before Swine)? The Far Side.

Favorite place on earth? New Orleans, Louisiana.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be? A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. The Joshua Tree by U2. Tacos.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Stephan. It was an absolute pleasure, and I’m sure MUF readers will agree!

SP: Thank you!

All About Stephan

Stephan Pastis is the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pearls Before Swine, which appears in over 800 newspapers. He is also the creator of the Timmy Failure Book series and the cowriter of the Disney+ movie Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two kids. Learn more about Stephan on his website and follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Author Interviews

Author Interview: Elizabeth C. Bunce – Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity

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Interview with Author Jessica Vitalis

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