Posts Tagged Author Interview

Author Spotlight: Tricia Springstubb + a GIVEAWAY

By on April 4, 2025   /   Author Interviews  

Today, I’m excited to shine the Author Spotlight on children’s author, Tricia Springstubb! Tricia’s latest MG novel, How to tell a True Story, was praised by Kirkus as “A sincere and humane narrative that probes human complexity.” It released April 1 from Margaret Ferguson Books and is a 2025 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Learn more and connect with Tricia at https://www.triciaspringstubb.com/

Interview with Tricia

Welcome, Tricia! Thank you so much for being a guest on the Mixed-up Files! 
I absolutely loved How to Tell a True Story. It’s such an impactful book that will be sure to spark many important conversations about honesty, ethics, and whether it’s ever okay to lie to protect those you love. Can you tell me a little about the inspiration behind it?
I started to think about this book years ago when I attended a school assembly where a student whose house had been destroyed by fire was presented with a collection of brand new books. It was a lovely, generous gift, such a heart-tugging moment, and of course the child said thank you. Afterwards, though, I found myself wondering: what if she didn’t really want all those books? What if she secretly wished she’d been given toys or games instead, but she had to act grateful?

Mind you–I had no reason to believe that was the case! But a writer’s brain is a devious place. I began thinking about how complicated the acts of giving and receiving are. How kindness is always well-intentioned, but how, often, we expect something in return. I started making notes for a story about a girl whose community comes together to help her and her family after a fire, and all the complications that could arise from that.

About How to tell a True Story

You do such a great job maintaining an element of mystery in the story about what exactly happened the night of the fire. Was it difficult to craft this novel? What was your biggest challenge in writing it?
I love to read mysteries but have always failed miserably when I tried to write one. (I’m also really bad at telling jokes too–I always manage to give away the punch line!) How To Tell a True Story was different, because though it revolves around a dark secret, it’s a book that asks as many questions as it answers. Is the truth black and white? What makes a hero? If kindness is a gift, can we change our minds and take it back? How does social media affect the way we see and present ourselves?

It was hard to keep the story taut and suspenseful while making room for all these questions. Also, research is never my favorite part of writing, but to describe the fire, the burn treatments, and the legal aftermath, I had to do a lot of reading and interviews. I’m so grateful those details ring true.

You describe the experience of surviving a devastating event so authentically. It is such a difficult topic, and you handled it with grace, care, and sensitivity. I’m always interested in hearing how authors make tough topics accessible to young readers and would love to hear your thoughts on this.
I’m a ridiculously hopeful person—probably both my biggest strength and weakness. Also probably why I write for young readers. No matter how deep their troubles, most kids stay alive to possibility. Their friends, their crushes, their dreams of what they might do and who they might be—all that beckons to them. I love that! I try to honor it in my stories.

Characters

Along with Amber, I enjoyed your other characters a lot too. I thought Amber’s relationships with her peers were so real and relatable. Do you have a favorite secondary character? Who and why?
I love Amber’s friends!  Please don’t make me choose among them!  I will say that my editor found Mariah unlikeable and pushed me to make her nicer, but I like her exactly the way she is. And of course I love Clancy, Amber’s goofy sister. All my main characters seem to have little comic sidekicks–in my last book, Looking for True, it was Spider and Sophie, who adore potty jokes.

Takeaways

What do you hope readers take away from this story?
I hope they’ll have a great reading experience, meaning they won’t want to put the book down! Beyond that, I hope they’ll think about the questions I mention above, and about the notion of kindness. Kids are constantly urged to Be Kind and Choose Kind. Of course in the best of all worlds, humankind is both human and kind! But as Amber discovers, many things are easier to say than to act on. Most of us can be kind to people we feel sorry for, but it’s hard–very hard–to be kind to people we don’t like, to people we feel have betrayed us. I hope readers will think about what Max, Amber’s classmate (and nemesis), says, “If only some people deserve kindness, then it’s just a reward.”

Writing Process

Will you tell us a little about your writing process? Are you a plotter or pantser? Where/when do you prefer to write?
To be honest, Sydney, I always dread this question! My process is so messy, I’m not sure it even deserves the word. Mostly, I start with a situation, a setting or a character that intrigues me, then write my way into the story, following where it beckons. Obviously, I do a LOT of revision, but I really enjoy going back over drafts and finding the clues I’ve left myself. One of my favorite writing quotes is from Flannery O’Connor:  “Like the old lady, I don’t know so well what I think until I see what I say; then I have to say it again.”

Influences

What are some current books that have influenced you as a kidlit writer?
I read everything Kate DiCamillo writes. She is so deft–a great lesson for a blabbermouth-writer like me–and I love her dark sense of humor. When The Horn Book said Looking for True is “Because of Winn-Dixie for a new generation”, I about died.
Anne Tyler doesn’t write for kids, but she’s been a hero of mine for decades. Her quirky characters are so specific yet universal. Also, she just published her 25th novel at the age of 83–I’d love to follow in those footsteps.

Advice

What is your advice for aspiring writers?
As anyone reading this probably already knows, the writing life can be hard. I recently got a rejection that really stung!  But I don’t know anything better to do with my one wild and precious life than to keep trying to see through other eyes and walk in other shoes–in other words, tell stories. Read, observe, question, open your heart!

What’s Next

Can you give us some insights into what you’ll be working on next?
I have a fantasy novel out on submission. This is a HUGE departure for me, so who knows what will become of it. I’m also working on a new project. Like How to Tell a True Story, it falls into the category of Young Teen Lit, that space between true middle grade and true young adult. So far, all I know is it centers on A Big, Complicated Crush.

And for the lightning round:

Coffee or tea? Coffee! More coffee!
Sunrise or sunset? Sunset (only because I like to sleep in)
Favorite dessert: I eat ice cream every single day.
Superpower: I crave the superpower that would let me infiltrate the hearts and minds of those in power right now.
Favorite music: I’m bad at favorites questions, but today I’ll go with Motown!
Favorite book from childhood: Again, so bad at favorites, but I’ll pick Little Women. I’ll never forget my shock and grief when Beth died—my first experience of how enormously powerful a book can be.
Thanks again, Tricia! It was so much fun to learn about you, your writing journey, and your amazing novel! Learn more about Tricia on her website and follow her on Instagram.

For a chance to win a signed copy of How to Tell a True Story, comment on the blog!  (Giveaway ends April 11, 2025 MIDNIGHT EST.) U.S. only, please. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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STEM Tuesday– Periodic Table — Author Interview with Jon Chad

By on March 25, 2025   /   Periodic Table, STEM Tuesday  

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing Jon Chad, author and illustrator of  The Periodic Table of Elements. Understanding the Building Blocks of Everything published by First Second a division of Macmillan.  The graphic novel gives rare insight into the anxiety children experience the night before the test. In this case, the young girl, Mel, faces apocalyptic fear over the next day’s test on elements. When she falls asleep she’s transported to a land where elements control the narrative and push her boundaries. There, she has to recover a book of science experiments and stop the evil Elemancer in his fortress modeled off the Periodic Table. The Jon Chad describes this story as part chemistry, part dungeon crawler!

“Solid gold.” —Kirkus, starred review

“A fun scientific romp with a Black girl protagonist; perfect for middle grade readers who need a chemistry review or a clever introduction to the periodic table.” —School Library Journal

Periodic Table cover

Christine Taylor-Butler: How did you get started illustrating? Did you draw as a kid?

Jon Chad: Yes. I’ve always been a drawer. My mother and grandfather were artists so I was always encouraged to pursue it with love. I started drawing vocationally in 2009. I studied sequential arts (comics).

For college, I went to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In my early years I was illustrating picture books for a publisher in Massachusetts about sports mascots for gift stores – for example: Atlanta Braves, Louisville Cardinals. I was a great chance to work with editors and learn about making files ready for publication. But on the side I was working on comics. I was fascinated by self-published comics and inspired by the field of artists making books. I wanted to make something novel – something that would push against expectations of what a book should look like.

CTB: So what early work did you create?

Jon: I created Leo Geo. The handmade comic is long and narrow but you read it vertically. It’s about a guy who goes to the center of the Earth. I wanted to see if someone could read a comic without panels and understand the plot without getting confused. All through the book the character is spouting off facts about various things. Leo Geo was published along with a other self-published books.

Leo vertical comic

Comic without panels

Eventually an editor at Roaring Brooks/Macmillan asked if I would do a book more focused on geology. I was willing to play ball and it was an amazing experience. We too often separate fiction and nonfiction culturally. We have a fear of young reader’s ability to absorb information.

I think there are a lot of examples of things we can point to that are wildly successful. For example, people now know there is more than one way to peel a potato (i.e. teach a child). We use videos, lectures, literacy types, etc. There are proven studies that show that comics can tap into cognitive ability. Allan Paivio talks about the dual coding theory of cognition: verbal representations and mental images. Graphic novel formats are helpful in this way. The proximity of words and pictures often has a greater success in teaching kids.

Dual coding

This knowledge fuels my artistic ambition. To create integrated works that give kids a rewarding story while teaching them about the world around us. I don’t think I’m hoodwinking my characters. I try to write my science comics aspirationally and think about where the readers are. But I’m ambitious. I think we underestimate their interest and capability. If someone is picking up a volcano book then they are ready. And I make the information not integral to the understanding of the plot. I want all the readers to connect with the story first – that’s part of my promise.

CTB: Is it difficult to translate facts into the story?

Jon: No. I can build a classic story while using the material. The facts build and become more complicated. And then when the stakes are the highest – the biggest most complicated topic – it comes.

CTB: Which is harder – authoring or illustrating?

Jon: I am intimidated by writing. I don’t consider myself to be a strong writer with words. So when I think of these books, I have a two page synopsis of what the story is going to be. Then I move on to a sketching phase because I’m better at that. I make tiny sketches so I can see how the book will develop – this is about metals, non-metals, etc. Then I put the information into a document where it can become a conversation between the text and the images. Do the images need to change or the illustrations? How do they support each other?

Thumbnail layout

Thumbnail layout of book

Also, because kids have such an incredible access to media and narrative fiction – what is the potential prior exposure that a kid has to a topic I am writing. For instance – lava. Where does a kid get information about lava prior to reading the book. Is it Super Mario Brothers? A movie or show? So I’m looking at contemporary media to see if there are examples. For example, video games such as Minecraft may talk about how diamonds are formed. Once I see those examples, I think “how can I build off that?”

CTB: Where did the idea of doing this book on the Periodic Table?

Period table page 1Jon: When I make books about various STEM topic I want them to mix and match up. There’s a universe where you could have a periodic table that’s couched inside of a narrative – like a 50’s surfing narrative. So I was looking for the genre/theme that would fit the periodic table. I felt like I was exploring the elements. They mix and match. There are similarities between some of them. Some of the qualities of the materials felt so wildly alien.

I’m a big D&D nerd. I love going inside a dungeon. So I have the reader go into a dungeon that contains some sections of the table. And the elements have properties that show up in the characters. For example, I could have the different monsters. Some are aggressive. Others are easily startled.

So now you can have a situation where the emotion and actions of the elements are similar to their properties. And a reader can explore the same role playing that I did as a child.

CTB: It’s clever doing the periodic table as a graphic novel/comic. And using the character’s angst gave me flashbacks to having similar fears when I was a student. We study and still never feel prepared.

Periodic table page 4Jon: Yes – Mel is really paralyzed by her fears. I had huge test anxiety when I was in school but at the same time I knew all the information. I could have used some of the confidence that Mel gains by the end of the book.

CTB: Graphic novels are complicated. How long did it take to do this book?

Jon: The first round of thumbnails was done starting in April 2021. My final version was July 2022. So that’s about a year. It takes me about 12-20 hours to do a page of comics. I’m counting from the drafts to the final edits. I do the thumbnails, balance the images with the text, pencil it for approvals, then add ink. Then I wait for approval. Afterwards I scans the images and begin doing digital coloring, shading and word balloons.

CTB: Sometimes adults have a hard time getting their head around the idea that STEM can be embedded in speculative fiction for kids. You created a book about the periodic table that embedded so many facts and drawings about the concepts. It’s seamless. Is it hard incorporating all of that science into the narrative?

POL Comic Surface TensionJon: It’s hard but also easy. I have a lot of practice. There is not an upper ceiling in what you can make accessible to young readers. Physics of Life in Germany is a biophysics facility focused on using physics to understand biological organization. I work on POL Comics with them. It’s a ten week graphic project which you can read for free on the site. The first page I did was “Surface Area versus Volume”. Then I did Surface Tension. After that the comics moved to subjects where I had no experience. So I had long conversations with doctoral subjects to simplify the topics so readers could understand them. Like DNA looping, or cellular energy costs. It reinvigorated me. I really could take any topic and have it understood. It is always useful to have the concepts illustrated.

I’m always paired with an expert who can give me feedback. Also curriculum experts. That takes it out of the hands of the editors. Working with experts who know what a kid who is supposed to be learning.

CTB: Do you have any books coming out next?

Jon: Yes, but a lot of what I’m working on is a bit on the horizon. However last year I created two graphic novels called “The Solvers.” I took what we talked about in the science comics and applied those concepts to math. Sometimes there is sterility when we are talking about numbers. One book covers multiplication and division. The other covers decimals and fractions.

CTB: Thanks for joining our blog this month, Jon. This has been one of the most fun interviews I’ve done in a while. And we’re impressed at your ability to see that books can be sophisticated and still readable for children. I would like to urge readers to look at Don’s substantial body of work covering science in comics. It’s a great way to help encourage young readers to learn about the world and how they can create their contributions or solve problems. And most importantly? STEM is not a separate pursuit. STEM is everywhere!

 

Jon Chad headshot

Jon Chad lives in Vermont and is obsessed with giant robots, screen-printing, and bookmaking. He is the illustrator of Science Comics: Solar System, and the author of Leo Geo, Science Comics: Volcanoes, Science Comics: The Periodic Table of Elements, and Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball. Jon Chad’s newest graphic novel series, The Solvers, uses comics, and superhero action, to teach mathematics to young readers.

Jon lives in Vermont with his wife and daughter (and a beautiful cat!) You can find him at @JonChad on Facebook, and @Jonchlaunch on Instagram.

author christine Taylor-butler

Photo by Kecia Stovall

Your host is Christine Taylor-Butler, a graduate of MIT and author of The Oasis, Save the… Tigers, Save the . . . Blue Whales, and many other nonfiction books for kids. She is also the author of the STEM based middle grade sci-fi series The Lost Tribes. Follow @ctaylorbutler on Bluesky, @ChristineTaylorButler on Instagram, and @ChristineTB on X. She lives in Missouri with a tank of fish and cats that think they are dogs.

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Interview with Kiyash Monsef, acclaimed author of Bird of a Thousand Stories!

By on March 17, 2025   /   Author Interviews  

Book cover of BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES by Kiyash Monsef

Kiyash Monsef’s much-heralded debut, ONCE THERE WAS, introduced a fascinating concept: what if mythical beasts existed, and they needed veterinary care to survive? That book also introduced the vet-in-training, Marjan, who undergoes a series of trials to find her path in this dangerous and mysterious world. Marjan is back in Kiyash’s incredible new book, BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES – but as he details here, readers can dive right in and be richly rewarded.

Kiyash also discusses his writing process, mythological inspirations, and what’s next for Marjan (and him)!

I loved how the back cover lists ONCE THEIR WAS as a “companion” book to BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES. While the rich backstory of the first book adds so much to this one, I found that a reader could pick up this book and dive right in. Was that important for you to do, and how did you work to accomplish it?

I call the two books siblings, and that’s always how I wanted to approach writing BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES. It was very important to me that each book could stand alone. I know that reading time is precious, and I don’t want to ask for too much of it. If a reader is willing to give their time, attention, and imagination to one of my books, I want to honor that gift by giving them an experience that is satisfying and complete, and doesn’t demand that they immediately read the next book. Or, conversely, I don’t want to demand that a reader first read three other books before they can understand what’s going on in my latest story.

To accomplish this, I had to ask myself what background information a reader would need in order to understand the events and the relationships in BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES, and then find elegant ways to briefly seed that information so that everything makes sense. The biggest challenge was making sure that a reader would know just enough at the right moment, without paragraphs of infodumping. I think there are one or two instances where you might come across a word or a reference that hasn’t been explained yet, but I actually like a bit of mild disorientation as part of the reading experience, as long as you get your answers eventually (which you will).

I’ve read that ONCE THERE WAS started as a series of loosely-connected episodic short stories, and I’m sure that initial approach impacted your writing of that book. How did writing BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES differ from that approach, and did you have a preference between the two? (Also – as a fellow pantser, your books give me hope!)

ONCE THERE WAS has episodic roots in its DNA, and I think you can still feel that cadence in its storytelling. I love that about that book, but I always knew that I wanted my second book to be a more tightly-woven and fast-moving story. My approach to writing BIRD was quite different from ONCE, and it had its own evolution. I came up with an outline of sorts, and then I blasted through a first draft very quickly. Very little of that first draft other than some characters and a general sense of narrative momentum made it into the final version. There were a few story beats that stuck around, and some broad strokes ideas about the finale, but the second draft was really a second first draft.

The second time around, my process was more measured. I had a solid outline before I started writing, and I more or less stuck to it, and I think it hews pretty closely to what’s in the actual book.

Which is not to say that I have abandoned the pantser approach. I actually think having that improvisational ethos to draw on was amazing in a more structured creative framework, and there are plenty of moments and scenes where I kind of waved my hands at some idea in my outline, and then let the pantser take over when it came to actually executing those ideas. I think I’m discovering that I’m happiest writing somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Taking an early structural approach means you can build a deeper and more complex story, and you can write with intentionality. But I also believe that if I’m not surprising myself at least some of the time, it’s probably not interesting enough. So there is a plan, but there are also pants.

You have an incredible facility for creating fairy tales that feel as though they’ve existed forever. The acknowledgments section lists a few of your inspirations for these tales, and I especially loved your reference to the mythologist Michael Meade’s words: “It’s an old song. You can’t hurt it.” Have you thought about future writers taking your stories and running with them – and if so – how could you see them reimagined? In poems? Songs? Something else…?

First off, thank you for reading the acknowledgements! It warms any author’s heart to know that someone read those last couple pages. In ONCE THERE WAS, the fairy tales were all original creations, but the central fairy tale in BIRD is in fact drawn from a very old story with roots in many languages and cultures, and I wanted curious readers to know that. Particularly for a book that looks at the ways that stories endure and change over time, I thought it was important to pull back the curtain just a tiny bit to show that process at work.

As far as other writers retelling these stories, stories want to be told, and I think the stories in these books are no different. I do hope they can endure in some form or other, whether it’s poetry, song, or spoken by the light of a campfire. My secret, mischievous hope is that everyone forgets that I wrote them, and that they just kind of get added to the canon of stories that have always been around. That would be the coolest.

The relationships between Marjan and her friends feel heightened in this book, as do the stakes for Marjan’s actions. How did you work to deepen these connections throughout this book and raise the stakes for Marjan’s success (especially as they impact her friends)?

I have to give a lot of credit to my editor, Kendra Levin, who is THE BEST, for pushing me to raise the stakes from the start. Every time I got to a choice point, I had that note in my head, and so I was always asking, what’s the worst thing that could reasonably result from this choice? And because Marjan can be impulsive, we tend to see those stakes play out throughout the book. As far as Marjan’s friends, I just really like them all as people, so I really wanted to spend more time with them. As a result, the connections that Marjan has with them get deeper and more complex this time around.

In particular, her relationship with Malloryn, who’s Marjan’s roommate, confidante, and also possibly a witch, sort of took on a life of its own. Malloryn is so much fun to write, because she just comes very naturally to me, and her motivations and needs are always crystal clear in my mind. And as a writer, I think you need to trust your characters above all else, because they are the heart and soul of the story. So even if I think I know exactly where the story’s going, when Malloryn’s on the page, I kind of have to loosen the reins and let her cook, so to speak.

There’s a lot of talk among writers and teachers and librarians about older middle-grade books and the need for books that bridge the gap between MG and YA. Both of your books feel like they can be read and loved by readers of any age, but they seem especially perfect for those readers who can be overlooked in early MG and YA. Is that something you’ve thought about or are hearing from readers? Does that impact your writing?

I have heard this from a few people. I’m happy to know that these books fill a need, and hopefully they’re helping to keep young people engaged with the wonders of reading. At the same time, I try not to think too much about categories, or about writing to a particular subset of readers. My own middle grade reading was Stephen King and HP Lovecraft, so I’m not an authority on what defines the middle grade category. As a young reader, I was intuitively very conscious of when I was being “written to.” I always wanted to encounter a story on its own terms, and not filtered through what someone else thinks is age-appropriate, either in content or in complexity of language or story. I try very hard to write stories that I would have liked when I was younger, but also stories that I would read tomorrow, and that, more than the conventions of middle grade or young adult, is my guide.

You state that, to your surprise, you’ve now written two books. What’s next on the horizon for you and the incredibly rich world you’ve created?

I’ve got more stories to tell in the world of ONCE THERE WAS and BIRD, and I know I will get the chance to tell them at some point. At the moment, though, I’m poking at some different ideas — different worlds, different characters. It’s amazing to be in a position to be thinking about a third book, and I’m trying to approach this moment with openness to the wide range of possibility that it offers. But for fans of Marjan and her friends, fear not. There are more stories, and they’ll find their way into the world. Stories have a way of doing that.

Author photo for Kiyash Monsef

Kiyash Monsef is an Emmy Award–nominated producer and director; a writer of short stories, videos, comic books, and games; and a designer of innovative conversational and voice interface experiences. He’s the author of Once There Was, which was a finalist for the Morris Award, and Bird of a Thousand Stories.

BIRD OF A THOUSAND STORIES is available at bookstores everywhere.

You can see more purchase options at: Simon & Schuster.

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