Author Interviews

AMIRA & HAMZA: THE WAR TO SAVE THE WORLDS: Interview with Samira Ahmed + GIVEAWAY

By on September 16, 2021   /   Articles, Author Interviews  

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to bestselling author Samira Ahmed, whose debut middle-grade novel Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds, releases on Tuesday, September 21. (Click on the title to preorder from Bookshop.)

For a chance to win a copy of this novel, filled with fantasy and magic, click on the Rafflecopter link below before Saturday (September 18) at 11:59 PM. (U.S. only.)

 

About Samira

Samira Ahmed is the New York Times bestselling author of Internment; Love, Hate & Other Filters; and Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know. She was born in Bombay, India, and has lived in New York, Chicago, and Kauai, where she spent a year searching for the perfect mango. She currently resides in the Midwest. Find her online at samiraahmed.com and on Twitter and Instagram @sam_aye_ahm.

 

About the Book

Dorian: Please tell us a bit about Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds

Samira: Amira & Hamza is a story about two bickering siblings who are whisked away to the mystical world of Qaf by a jinn army that recognizes them as the Chosen Ones who must battle a great evil in Qaf and end a civil war there. If they fail, the moon, the stopper between realms will break apart, unleashing monstrosities on Earth, and the world as they know it will end!

So, a typical day for middle schoolers 🙂

 

Dorian: Ha! What inspired you to write this novel?

Samira: There are three threads of inspiration that I wove together to tell this story. First, when walking my kids to school, they always wanted me to tell them stories, so we told a collaborative, winding epic of siblings who use magical objects to save their timeline and every story always ended with dessert! Second, those goofy stories we told out loud made me think of the tradition of oral storytelling in Urdu, my first language. Specifically, the Hamzanama—a grand epic that wound its way across the Islamic world, into India’s Mughal court and eventually to tales my great grandmother would tell my mom about mischievous, shapeshifting jinn and trickster peris, or fairies. Finally, the last thread of inspiration is really my own childhood—I had a golden ball—really a translucent ball with golden flecks that I was certain was magical. I would throw that ball into a small lilac grove in my parents’ backyard, and it would “transport” me to fantastical worlds where I was sometimes a fairy princess who wielded a sword.

 

Childhood Influences

Dorian: Although the novel is fantasy, were there any real-life experiences that influenced your writing Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds?

Samira: Well, every Muslim family has jinn stories! And mine is no different. When I was a kid, my aunts and uncles told me stories about jinn encounters that had become part of family lore including a jinn who possessed a tree and then haunted a person who broke a twig off that tree! And there was also a story of a snake jinn that was a protector—one who lived under the crib of a baby and acted as a guardian. There was another story of a jinn realm that you could enter through a deep well in my uncle’s back yard!

I also have a love of hidden histories and I’m fascinated by medieval Islamic astronomy and its incredible advancements, so when I read about the amazing al-Biruni and some of his inventions, including the Box of the Moon, I knew I had to incorporate it into a book!

 

Dorian: That’s so interesting! What were some of your favorite books as a kid that influenced your decision to become a writer?

Samira: In elementary school and into middle school, I absolutely adored Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume—two of kidlit’s greatest! I also loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and I read a lot of Agatha Christie, too, (maybe a bit earlier than I should have)!

I think I was always drawn to stories where young people were trying to find their power and their truth. And even though Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot were nothing like me, I loved how they used logic to solve a mystery—they were powerful because of their brains, not their brawn.

 

Writing for the Middle-Grade Audience

Dorian: Did you find writing a middle-grade novel very different from writing for other audiences? If so, what were the differences?

Samira: Middle grade books allowed me to lean into more whimsy and wonder and the curiosity of childhood and that was a part of the writing process that I loved. All writing requires imagination, but somehow, writing for middle grade, allowed my imagination to run even more free.

 

Dorian: What would you like readers to come away with after reading the novel?

Samira: The heart of the story is really about two siblings who learn to work together, despite their differences, despite their bickering, because they love each other. That bond of family—the one you’re born into or the one you find, like Amira & Hamza found in Maqbool and Abdul Rahman and Aasman Peri is an idea that I hope readers can feel a connection to. I also hope that readers can realize that even more than being anointed the chosen one, it’s important to choose yourself—to believe in who you are.

 

Tips for Writers

Dorian: I love that! What are two of your best writing tips for the authors in our audience?

  1. Know yourself. For me, this is the foundation of craft, of building a story. There’s a point where imagination meets paper and there is a lot of advice about how to do that, about what method is the “right” one. Every writer is different, every story is different and there is no one single way to write—knowing what works for you, knowing who you are is what can help you create the method that is right for you.
  2. Lean into curiosity. A lot of times, we hear writing described as a passion. “Follow your passion,” we hear people say. And you can have very passionate feelings about storytelling! But passion is also something that can burn out and that burn out can make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, like you’re “failing.” So what works for me, is to reframe the idea: I don’t merely follow my passion (it’s finite); I follow my curiosity (which is infinite). Every story I write begins with a question. And in the end, every story gives rise to questions, too.

 

Dorian: That’s great advice! What are you working on now?

Samira: My next book is another YA—Hollow Fires—which is out in May 2022. Hollow Fires is a story about a young woman’s quest to unearth the truth about a heart wrenching murder of a boy that too many people seem eager to forget. It speaks to the insidious nature of racism and the undeniable power of hope.

 

Thanks so much, Samira, for taking the time out to talk to us about Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds.

For a chance to win a signed copy of the novel, click on the Rafflecopter link below before Saturday, 9/18 at 11:59 PM. (U.S. entrants only.) I’ll announce the lucky winner on Sunday.

 

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Attack of the Killer Komodos: Author Interview + Giveaway

By on September 13, 2021   /   Author Interviews  

Teachers and librarians: I am excited to interview Summer Rachel Short, the author of Attack of the Killer Komodos, which will be coming out September 14! It is a great book for students who love adventure, mystery, and STEM. Be sure to read to the end on what to do for a chance to win a copy.

About the Book

Hi Summer! Thank you for sharing Attack of the Killer Komodos with me. Can you give us a short summary about the book?

Of course! Here’s the official blurb: This is the second book in the Maggie and Nate Mystery series and follows the friends to Yellowstone National Park where they must track down a deadly creature amidst a series of natural disasters. While Maggie comes up with scientific solutions as they battle earthquakes, landslides, wolves, and other unusual creatures, Nate focuses on conspiracy theories and getting stellar footage for his YouTube channel. But only by combining their skills will they have any hope of saving Yellowstone or each other.

 

Tell us who would especially enjoy this book?

Kids who enjoy survival stories and like surprises will have a great time with Attack of the Killer Komodos. It also has plenty of action, humor, and mystery to keep the pages turning. Any kids who like reading about strange creatures will also have fun with the book.

 

About the Author

Photo by Bryan Cole

Tell us about you—what other jobs did you have that were or were not related to writing?

I majored in Journalism in college, so most of my professional life has been spent at jobs related to writing or editing. I’ve worked as a newspaper reporter, a public information officer for the department of transportation, and a corporate communications specialist at a staffing company. Before that, I had a number of part time jobs like waiting tables and driving the beverage cart at a golf course.

 

How did you end up becoming an author?

I wrote short stories here and there when I was younger, but it wasn’t until college that I thought writing might be something I’d want to do professionally. In addition to journalism classes, I took a number of creative writing classes that I really enjoyed. There was one in particular that operated sort of like a critique group. It was small, maybe 10-12 people, and we’d all bring our stories to class, read them aloud, and then get feedback from the room. I loved it. I loved hearing the other students’ stories and at the same time finding out what other people thought about my work. I think that was the first time I really thought seriously about wanting to be a writer. That class lit the spark, but it wasn’t until years later that I got serious about the pursuit. Every now and then, I’d toy with a story idea and write a few pages before abandoning the whole thing. Then, about five or six years ago, it was like a switch flipped and all of a sudden, I got very passionate about wanting to see a novel-length project through. That first manuscript sits in a proverbial drawer where it will stay, but finishing it was an important step in my journey to becoming an author.

 

What authors and/or books would you say influenced your writing style?

I really enjoy books that have a bit of humor, a quick pace, and characters who feel like friends. A few authors whose style I particularly admire are: Kate DiCamillo, Sheila Turnage, Jennifer L. Holm, and Suzanne Collins.

 

Research/Writing

I have read both this and The Mutant Mushroom Takeover (also a great book!). Was it hard to write a sequel? Any tricks you have for writers as to how to tie the two books together?

In some ways writing a sequel was a challenge but in other ways it was perhaps easier than writing something brand new. With the sequel, I already knew my characters, how they spoke, and how they’d react to different situations. So, in that regard it was a little easier. But it also presented the challenge of coming up with new ways for the characters to grow. In The Mutant Mushroom Takeover, Maggie and her family go through some pretty big challenges and Maggie has to decide how she’s going to respond. In Attack of the Killer Komodos, I had to figure out a way to let the characters continue to grow without going over the same ground. I’m not sure I have any advice that will make drafting easier. First drafts are hard and messy. So, maybe my best advice is just to keep slogging through even when you can’t see the end in sight. You can fix things in revision. Also, get other pairs of eyes on your work. When you’ve read your story too many times to see it clearly, it’s time to get feedback from some trusted critique partners. I’ve got some great CP friends who I can count on to help me see my stories with fresh eyes and that’s always incredibly helpful.

Summer’s last visit to Yellowstone National Park

What’s your connection with the topics you choose to write about?

I love books that surprise me. I think I’m a little like my character Nate, Maggie’s YouTuber best friend, in that I’m intrigued by the weird and unexpected. I might not be on the hunt for Bigfoot like Nate, but strange happenings in nature definitely fascinate me. Anything that sparks my sense of curiosity is likely to grab my attention. I wanted my readers to experience that same sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. That’s where some of the strange but true science comes in.

 

What was your original spark for the book?

A number of years ago, my husband and I did some backwoods camping in Yellowstone. At that time, a park ranger told us that we had a seventy-five percent chance of a run-in with a grizzly bear as one had recently killed a moose on the trail we’d be taking. For some reason, we decided to trek on anyway. I remember clapping my hands and calling “no bears!” all the while terrified that something menacing was lurking in the woods. I think that experience was simmering at the back of my mind as I worked on Attack of the Killer Komodos. Yellowstone’s beautiful but it can be dangerous, too. That backdrop seemed like the perfect setting to drop my characters into for an action-packed survival story.

 

What research did you need to do?

I did a lot of research on Yellowstone’s thermal features, the park’s native species, and backcountry maps. I studied extremophiles (species that can live in conditions that would kill other creatures) and their habitats.  I also read up about gene editing technology and bio-hackers.

 

You do a seamless job of tying real (but unusual) science with fantasy (or possibly science fiction!) (be sure to read the Author’s Note—so fascinating!). I’d love to know more about your process for this. Did the real science shape the fiction, or did the fiction sometimes cause you to do research for the facts and find that it all fit together?

I think they influenced one another. Sometimes, there was a real world element I wanted to include, like CRISPR––the real-life gene editing technology. In that case, I had to think about how the technology could come into the story in a fun way. Other times, there was something I needed to have happen and I had to go looking for a possible solution. Some of my research about the thermal pools and how different creatures might react to their pH levels fell into that category. But, my first goal was simply to tell a fun story and I always tried to keep that in mind and not get bogged down with the nitty gritty of too many details. The author’s note gave me a great opportunity to include more information for those who are interested in separating scientific fact from fiction.

 

For Teachers

There is so much potential for using this book in the classroom, teachers! My suggestion: have students research the interesting facts: tardigrades, CRISPR technology, geysers, Bigfoot, and, of course, Komodo dragons. Summer, any suggestions you have for ways to use Attack of the Killer Komodos in the classroom?

Those are all great ideas! Studying Yellowstone National Park and its thermal features would be another great tie in with the book. Also, wilderness exploration and survival, as well as conservation efforts and protecting our national parks. For my first book, The Mutant Mushroom Takeover, teachers could easily tie in lessons on botany, the scientific method, and mycology.

 

Are you doing school visits related to this book? Tell us more!

Yes, I am doing school visits, both in-person and virtual. The presentation would be great for grades 4th-7th and touches on both the writing process as well as some of the real-life science in the books. Educators who’d like to book a visit can find out more on my website.

 

How can we learn more about you?

You can find me online here:

Website: https://srachelshort.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Summer_Rachel_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summerrachelwrites/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/summerrachelshort

 

Thanks for your time, Summer.

Thanks so much for having me!

 

Summer Rachel Short will be giving a copy of Attack of the Killer Komodos to a lucky reader. Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a copy. (U.S. addresses only)

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Interview with Author Candace Fleming + 3-Book GIVEAWAY!

By on September 9, 2021   /   Articles, Author Interviews, Giveaways, Nonfiction  

I was in eighth grade when Tutmania hit New York. It hit hard, thanks to the exhibit “Treasures of Tutankhamun,” which opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 15, 1978. I don’t remember the day tickets went on sale, or the line that snaked down Fifth Avenue for more than a mile. But I’ll never forget walking past King Tut’s golden sarcophagus and wondering what life must have been like for the boy pharaoh who hadn’t lived to see his nineteenth birthday.

Today, Candace Fleming (right), author of THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY: UNCOVERING TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB (Scholastic), is here to fill us in.

About the Book

During the reign of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died tragically young. In order to send him on his way into the afterlife, his tomb was filled with every treasure he would need after death. And then, it was lot to time, buried in the sands of the Valley of the Kings. His tomb as also said to be cursed. Centuries later, as Egypt-mania gripped Europe, two Brits—a rich early with a habit for gambling and a disreputable, determined archeologist—worked for years to rediscover and open Tutankhamun’s tomb. But once it was uncovered, would ancient powers take their revenge for disturbing and even looting the pharaoh’s resting place? What else could explain the mysterious illness, accidents, and deaths that began once it was found…?

Q & A with Candace Fleming

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Candace. Thank you for joining us!

CF: Thanks for inviting me. I’m thrilled to be here.

MR: You have written more than 40 books for children, including biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Ben Franklin, Buffalo Bill, Amelia Earhart, and the Romanovs. What drew you to the story of the search for King Tutankhamun’s tomb and its decade-long excavation? Was it daunting to take on a subject of such epic proportions?

CF: When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to see the big Tutankhamun exhibit that came to the United States. I was awed. Mix in those black-and-white mummy movies from the 1930’s, and–voila!–a lifetime’s passion for the boy king. And yes, it was daunting to take on the subject. Let’s face it; the story has been told, and told, and told. But I had questions that hadn’t been answered before; questions about colonialism, and cultural appropriation, and where in the world that curse story originated. So I decided to tell the story again, and in doing so, I hoped to find the answers to my questions.

A Visit King Tut’s Tomb

MR: I read that you traveled to Egypt—specifically, to the Valley of the Kings, where you visited King Tutankhamun’s tomb. What was that experience like for you?

CF: Being in Egypt—literally stepping into history—changed everything I thought I knew about the story. Landscapes speak, and temples and tombs hold memories. I definitely gained a clearer understanding of ancient Egypt’s historical periods. I even learned to read hieroglyphs. But more importantly, I discovered how cool and silent it is inside a tomb, and how the rock in the Valley of the Kings crunches beneath your feet, and how the pink of an October sunset reflects on the Nile.

I climbed a summit, following a path that has been taken by Egyptians for thousands of years to look out across the vastness of the countryside. From there I could clearly see the line between the cultivated land the barren desert. For the first time, I truly understood why ancient Egyptians believed it was the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead. And this is going to sound a bit crazy, but while I was there, all my senses were engaged. My imagination too. By the time I came face-to-face with Tutankahumen, I cried. I just felt this sudden, overwhelming sadness.

Questioning the Past

MR: Do you think you could have written THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY without a visit to King Tut’s tomb? 

CF: No, I couldn’t have written the book you have in your hand without taking that trip. That’s because that unexpected emotion changed how I wrote the story. Yes, it’s still an exciting story of discovery and buried treasure. It’s still the story we all know. But I also included parts of the story that are less often told—questions that deserve to be answered for young readers of the 21st century. Why were rich, white men from western countries basically allowed to treasure hunt in Egypt? Why were they allowed to literally appropriate that country’s treasures? Why didn’t the Egyptian people have any say in it? I think it’s imperative to question our past, to re-examine and reconsider it in the light of new understanding. After all, memory is a powerful force in the way society evolves. And so I thought it was time for our young readers to think about these questions.

MR: Out of curiosity, Candace, were your travel plans affected by the pandemic?

CF: Luckily, I went to Egypt before COVID. The pandemic has affected my plans for this coming October, though. I was actually invited by some of the folks I met in Egypt to help dig in the Valley of the Kings. Can you believe it? And I was getting ready—buying a new sunhat and finding a dog sitter. Sadly, those plans are on hold.

A Shocking Discovery

MR: What surprised you most while you were researching the search for and excavation of King Tut’s tomb? Did you uncover any facts or information that knocked your socks off?

CF:  The thing that blew me away–completely shocked me–was the autopsy that Carter and an anatomist named Dr. Derry performed on Tutankhamun’s mummy. They basically went on a treasure hunt, carelessly unwrapping the age-old linens in search of amulets and other treasures the ancient priests had so reverently buried within the layers. It’s really sacrilegious when you think about it. And if that isn’t bad enough, they next chopped off his hands, feet and—wait for it—head (!!!) in order to get him out of the coffin. They hid this mutilation from the public. Carter didn’t write about it in his notes or journals. Neither did Dr. Derry. And they covered up the severed neck with cotton wool before photographing it, so people wouldn’t noticed it wasn’t attached to a body. It was the 1960’s, more than thirty years before Egyptologists saw the evidence of their mutilation. Horrible.

Excavation: An Exact Science

MR: To follow up on this, the excavation of King Tut’s tomb—beginning in 1922 and lasting more than a decade—was a laborious, painstaking process. Each item had to be unpacked, catalogued, and removed with utmost precision and care by archaeologist Howard Carter and his team of scientists, engineers, and Egyptian helpers. Had the same excavation taken place today, would the methods employed differ vastly from those used in the 1920s? If so, what would be the biggest difference be?

CF: Nowadays we have CT scans and DNA tests to learn about Tutankhamun’s physical body. There’d be no need to chop his remains into pieces, as I had mentioned. That said, Carter did do an exceptional job for an Egyptologist of his time. Most of the hunters would come before weren’t interested in learning from the evidence. They were simply interested in grabbing treasure. But Carter didn’t rush. He took the time to gather every single object, no matter how small. One of my favorite stories is about him breaking a beaded necklace. Tiny faience beads bounced and scattered all over the antechamber. Instead of letting it go, he crawled around on his hands and knees for days, locating each one, then picking it up with a pair of tweezers, numbering it and cataloging it. He could be so meticulous and systematic. That’s probably why the whole autopsy thing is so shocking.

The Truth Behind the “Mummy’s curse”

MR: The occult plays a large part in the story of the excavation of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. The mummy’s curse, for instance, was thought to have killed Carter’s pet songbird as well as caused the death of Carter’s patron, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, as well as the deaths and illnesses of countless others. Although the curse of the mummy was later debunked, what is it about curses—and about superstition in general—that has such a powerful hold on us?

CF: It’s pretty simple, I think. We all love a story, especially a spooky story. The media of the day knew that. They created the curse story to sell papers. And it worked. Why? Because I believe westerners recognized, on a subconscious level, what they’d really been doing in Egypt for centuries. That, of course, was robbing tombs and stealing a nation’s cultural treasures. The curse story–the idea that something sinister would “get you” for disturbing Tutankhamun’s tomb–spoke to their internal uneasiness with doing that. I included the curse story in my book because it not only hooks kids in, but it needs to be addressed and explained. Let’s face it. Everybody knows about the curse. They’ve seen the mummy movies. But do they know where the curse really came from? That it’s just “fake news”? I worried about that.

King Tut: Rock Star

MR: During his short time on earth, King Tut was a minor pharaoh; in death he became a cultural icon, inspiring “Tutmania”—an interest in all things Egyptian, from architecture to fashion. In fact, King Tut’s image could be found on everything from T-shirts to coffee mugs. And let’s not forget Steve Martin’s iconic 1978 SNL musical parody, “King Tut.” The sketch was so popular that the song was released as a record, selling more than a million copies. What is it about King Tut that causes such deep and continued fascination?

CF: It’s a lot of things; the fabulous wealth, the mystery of Tutankhamun’s life and death, the against-all-odds discovery, the timing of Carnarvon’s death. Also, Americans love an underdog, and Tutankhamun was the underdog of pharaohs. He wasn’t Rameses or Amenhotep or Seti. He didn’t have time to build anything famous or become the center of important events.  Basically, he was a nobody in the scheme of Egyptian royalty. He should barely be remembered.  And yet, he’s the only one whose tomb has been discovered relatively untouched. I think Americans especially love that. Tutankhamun goes from obscure ruler to rock star, all because of a series of coincidental events.

Writing with Oxford and Archie

MR: Mixed-Up Files readers are always curious about an author’s writing process. Could you tell us a bit about yours?

CF: I’m at my desk from 9am to 4pm every day, sometimes longer if I’m pushing a deadline. I’m never alone while I write. My 84-pound, mixed-breed dog, Oxford, lies under my desk, and my eight-month-old kitten, Archie, sleeps on the windowsill. I don’t compose on my computer. All my first drafts are written by hand–even long pieces of YA nonfiction. Needless to say, my office is FULL of paper. And I’m specific about my tools. I use wide-lined loose-leaf paper, and blue Bic pens. The smell of pens tells my brain, “We’re writing today.” And the paper reminds me that what I’m writing–these words and sentences–aren’t precious. I can scratch over them, doodle on them, crunch them up into ball and toss them to Oxford to chew up.

This process makes writing feel more like play, than work. Every time I sit down, it’s as if I’m just taking a few sentences out for a walk. No pressure to be perfect, or even good. And sometimes, I end up with something decent. Know what I else? At the end of a long writing day, I end up with blue ink all over inside of my lower arm. I love that. It’s like a badge, you know? I can hold up my arm and say to myself, “Look, I wrote today!”

Outer Space and American Cults

MR: What’s next on your authorial agenda, Candace? Care to share a bit about your latest book project?

CF: I’ve got two amazing pieces of nonfiction in the works. The first is a middle-grade nonfiction book called It Crashed from Outer Space (Scholastic) about Roswell, flying saucers, and our continued fascination with UFOs. The second is YA narrative nonfiction called American Cults (Anne Schwartz Books/Random House) that traces the history of cults in the United States starting with the Pilgrims and moving into modern day. It’s a fascinating and creepy subject, and I’ve made some wild discoveries, like, did you know that just two blocks from my house lurks the site of a famous 1930’s cult? Who knew? I certainly didn’t. Now I’m compelled to keep walking past the place, thinking, “Huh? Really? Why?”

Lightning Round!

MR: Oh! Last thing. No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Popcorn

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Favorite item from King Tutankhamun’s tomb?

The golden Anubis statue found in the entryway to the Treasure Room

Favorite song (excluding Steve Martin’s “King Tut” 🙂 )?

This week? “Pump It Up” by Elvis Costello

Mummy’s curse: Yea or nay? Big nay!

Superpower? Time travel. I can imagine myself into the past

Favorite place on earth? Venice

You’re stranded on a desert island with only three items in your possession. What are they? A package of both wide-lined loose-leaf paper, a blue Bic pen, and the trick-or-treat-size bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups

MR: Thank you for chatting with me, Candace—and congratulations on the publication of THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY: UNCOVERING TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I know MUF readers will too!

And now…

A GIVEAWAY!!!

For a chance to win a copy of THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY: UNCOVERING TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB, comment on the blog–and, if you’re on Twitter, on the Mixed-Up Files’ Twitter account. THREE winners in all!

About the author

CANDACE FLEMING is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than forty books for children and young adults, including The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, winner of the YALSA Excellent in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; the Sibert Award winner Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera; the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction winner, and Sibert Honor Book The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire; and the critically acclaimed Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Learn more about Candace Fleming on her website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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