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Interview: J.E. Thomas, Author of Control Freaks

JE Thomas author photoJ.E. Thomas’s hilarious and creative story about a middle school for competitive students, Control Freaks, made me laugh out loud, so I’m excited to welcome her to our blog today. Thank you for being here, J.E. We have so many questions for you. I’d like to start with when you were young.

Did you have any childhood dreams? If so, did they come true?

I did—though they came true later in life.

I wanted to be a storyteller from the time I was about four. My parents had a photo of me hunched over a table, scribbling a story with the intensity of a professional author when I was about that age.

Being an author was sidelined for a “practical” career, however. Although it took a few decades to come to fruition, I’m now fulfilling that dream quite happily.

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

Reading was my favorite pastime as a child. I enjoyed it even more than television or movies, which is saying a lot!

I was that kid who would crawl under the covers, flashlight in hand, to continue reading long after bedtime.

I read and reread many of Walter Farley’s books (The Black Stallion, The Black Stallion Returns, The Black Stallion and Satan, The Island Stallion, etc.) as well as Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague and Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty. (There was definitely a horse theme! Unfortunately, it didn’t result in my getting a horse of my own.)

I also read most, if not all, of the Beverly Cleary novels. I read Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Octavia Butler. And I read all of the novelizations of Star Trek, The Original Series.

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

I was generally shy in class, so I loved opportunities to express myself in writing. I remember feeling such joy when one of my elementary school teachers praised something I’d written—and then asked several “what happened next” questions.

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

I was terrified of vampires when I was young. Absolutely petrified. Nonetheless, I read about them and watched them on reruns of the horror soap opera, Dark Shadows.

I have not gotten over that fear! A baby bat once flew into my room while I was in England and I locked myself in the bathroom for the rest of the night!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Ah—so many things. But perhaps the most important would be to reassure my younger self that she is enough just as she is. That no matter how many atoms are combined in myriad ways, she is the only version of her that has existed before or will exist again. And that’s incredibly special. So, cherish being unique.

That’s such a great way to look at our uniqueness! Thank you for that encouraging insight.

Is your past woven into the story? If so, how?novel cover - Control Freaks

Yes—absolutely! Like Doug, I knew exactly what I wanted to be from a young age and, like Doug, my parents had different dreams for me. Like Huey, I was shy and awkward, and I avoided center stage at all costs.

Like Doug and Huey—and Dr. Yee and The DOM— I formed a friendship at a young age that lasted a lifetime.

Like Travis, I was usually the youngest person in my grade. Like Padgett, I was often surrounded by people whose families were much better off financially than mine, and I would wrap myself in a different persona to deflect attention from that. Padgett presented herself as a tough kid. I was the bookworm who was always in the school library.

And, like all of the students at Benjamin Banneker College Prep, I’ve been lucky enough to have been inspired by amazing teachers, many of whom don’t realize the huge impact they have on young lives.

Can you tell everyone about meeting Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s original Uhura?

Of course! I’m a Star Trek fan from way back. (In fact, my first published creative work was a Star Trek story.)

I worked for the school newspaper in college and had an opportunity to cover a Star Trek convention held in downtown Denver. All of the original cast, save William Shatner, were there.

There was a media briefing in a hotel ballroom. Although I had a press pass, I couldn’t bring myself to go into the room. I was too shy, too self-conscious. I lurked by the back door.

Ms. Nichols spotted me. I can only imagine what my face looked like! Bathed in absolute terror, no doubt. She walked over and encouraged me to come in. She took my arm and drew me not just inside, but to the very front of the room.

I don’t think I managed to sputter out a single question, but it didn’t matter! The experience of being seen and being reassured that I deserved to be present, is one I will remember always.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Based on a photo my parents had of me writing what I think was my first story, I’m pretty sure I was around four.

What drew you to writing?

I’ve made up stories for as long as I can remember. But holding those stories in my head—all of the characters, all of the locations, all of the dialogue, not to mention the plot—was exhausting. It was also incredibly distracting when I was in class. I was often daydreaming about some story or another.

Being able to write my stories down was such a relief. Also, I realized that, although it’s sometimes scary to put myself out there, writing and sharing my work with others is actually a lot of fun!

Learning what others think—how they visualize characters, what makes them laugh, what they think would happen next—is an amazing experience!

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

My favorite is the moment in writing when the real world falls away and I’m fully, truly, completely in the world of my imagination. I see what my characters see. I hear what they hear. I touch, feel and smell what they experience. I’m not just writing…I’m part of their lives.

Some people call that “being in the flow.” I think that’s a good description.

The most challenging part of writing is getting to that point.

I have a very active, very loud, very critical internal editor who questions everything. (“Is that the right word? I don’t think so!” “Is this good enough? I doubt it!” “Why, exactly, do you think you’re a writer?”)

I have to try all sorts of things to get into the flow. What seems to work best for me now is to write very early in the morning. Apparently, my internal editor is a late sleeper!

Have you had any careers besides writing?

I have. I worked in public relations for many, many years prior to starting a full-time writing career.

And now that we know more about J.E. Thomas, let’s find out about more about her book, Control Freaks.

Since you worked as an administrator at a school, how much of that school went into creating the school in your book, Benjamin Banneker College Prep, Colorado’s #1 school for unusually competitive students?

Lol—I’m asked that question a lot!

I now write full-time. However, when I worked as a school administrator, it was for the same school I attended from grades 9-12. That gave me an amazing opportunity to observe teachers as both a student and a colleague.

The elements of that school that are in Benjamin Banneker College Prep are an amazing campus, incredible lunches, a huge library and phenomenal, caring teachers who work incredibly hard and transform lives for the better every day.

You do a great job with the various teen voices. Did you base them on any students you know?

Thank you! And good news for students—I did not base the characters on anyone real other than me!

What inspired you to write about such an unusual competition?

I wanted to create a multi-challenge competition that gave everyone a chance to shine and that inspired the kids to learn to work together.

I also wanted to give participants an opportunity to demonstrate the difference between knowing the right answer and discovering how to put the knowledge they’ve accumulated to actual use.

Can you tell everyone what makes the competition in your book different?

Yes! Unlike competitions centered around one specific skill, like singing or athletics, the STEAMS competition involves challenges in science, technology, engineering, arts, math and sports. There are plenty of opportunities to win.

Also, not only can readers play along with the characters during various stages of the competition, but teachers and schools can replicate the challenges to have a STEAMS competition of their own. (Families can do the same as well!)

The novel has so many funny moments, do you have any tips for writing humor?

Thank you so much! I think everyone has a different technique for writing humor or telling a funny story. One thing I learned is that the step-up, or the foundation for a funny moment, may happen long before the funny moment itself occurs.

For instance, something may happen in one chapter that leads a reader to think, “This isn’t going to turn out well!” But the funny resolution may happen pages or chapters later.

Also, and this is big for me, I’ll poke fun at situations. I’ll have characters get themselves into messes that are funny to get out of. I’ll have characters say funny things without realizing that they’re funny. But I absolutely won’t make mean or cruel jokes. I don’t think they’re funny.

Did you leave anything out of this book that you wish you could have included? If so, what?

Gosh, I don’t think so. The wonderful thing about working with an editor is you go through the process of etching away words or scenes (or, gulp, even characters!) who don’t serve the story well.

That said, I did cut one character—a girl who came from a reality TV show family—who may show up in a different book one day.

Do you have any message or advice for the teachers and parents who will be sharing your book with their students and families?

I hope Control Freaks is a book that families enjoy reading together. Because there are nine points of view, family members can experiment with different voices, should they choose to read the book aloud.

Also, I’ll have links to discussion guides and other resources on my website in August!

What are you working on now?

My second book, The AI Incident, is slated for publication in June 2025. It follows the story of the unluckiest kid in Colorado foster care during his quest to be adopted before he turns 13. Unfortunately, his life is turned upside down when an autonomous AI system is deployed in his school.

Just for fun, here are a few random questions:

(1) What snacks do you prefer while writing?

I used to enjoy popcorn, but it leaves a horrible mess on the keyboard. Now, I steer clear of eating while I write.

(2) Do you have a favorite author from childhood?

Octavia Butler, Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury were among my favorites. I’m still a huge sci-fi fan, so I often reread these authors’ works.

(3) If you could have any pet in the world, what would you choose?

If I’m bound by the laws of nature, I’m content with dogs. If, however, I can choose among mythological pets (!), I would have a descendant of Pegasus, the winged horse. And my version would also have the ability to become invisible—and share that ability with its rider.

When do you like to write?

My favorite time to write is around 5:30 a.m. That works for me because my inner critic, who is a surly editor, sleeps late, which means I can write joyfully and quickly during that time.

That’s a great solution to the inner critic problem. I admire your dedication.

Thanks ever so much for agreeing to the interview, J.E.! I know our young readers, as well as teachers and librarians will enjoy learning more about you and Control Freaks! And we look forward to seeing your next book.

About Control Freaks

One week. One prize. Seven really weird challenges.

The kids at Benjamin Banneker College Prep are a little… competitive. Okay. They’re a LOT competitive.

The minute Principal Yee announces an epic competition for the golden B-B trophy, seventh-grader Frederick Douglass Zezzmer knows he has to win. But it won’t be easy. The competition doesn’t just include science, technology, engineering, and math. It also has arts and sports. Not Doug’s best subjects.

Even worse, it’s a TEAM competition. Instead of being in a superstar group, Doug gets paired with four middle school misfits no one else wants.

Worst of all, Doug’s dad has a horrible backup plan. If Doug doesn’t win, he has to forget about becoming the World’s Greatest Inventor and spend the summer in sports camp, with his scary stepbrother.

With only a week to go, Doug launches a quest to turn his team of outcasts into winners… and maybe even friends.

About the Author

J.E. Thomas grew up near Colorado’s Front Range mountains. She spent her summers devouring books at the local library, and her love of reading continues to inspire her writing.

J.E. is an award-winning writer with bachelor degrees in Mass Communications and Political Science, and a master’s degree in Public Communications. She began writing full-time in 2021. Prior to that, she had a long career in corporate, health care and education communications. She was also an award-winning freelance journalist, earning a Clarion Award for Article Writing from Women in Communications; a Gold Award for Feature Writing from the International Academy of Communications Arts & Sciences; a Silver Award for Writing from the Society of National Association Publications; and a Public Relations Professional of the Year Honor from the Colorado Association of Black Journalists, among others.

Control Freaks is her first book. She’s working on middle grade book #2 and her debut YA novel. Fun fact: She includes the name of at least one of her dogs in every story.

Learn more about J.E. Thomas at her website.

The Brown Bookshelf: An Interview with Author Kelly Starling Lyons

As Laurie Edwards promised in her February 3 post, Daring to be Different, today we welcome Kelly Starling Lyons. She is here to talk about The Brown Bookshelf, a website dedicated to highlighting African American children’s authors and illustrators..

Kelly Starling Lyons is a children’s book author whose mission is to transform moments, memories and history into stories of discovery. Her books include chapter book, NEATE: Eddie’s Ordeal; CCBC Choices-honored picture book, One Million Men and Me; Ellen’s Broom, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book, Junior Library Guild and Bank Street Best selection and Tea Cakes for Tosh and Hope’s Gift, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. Her latest picture book is One More Dino on the Floor.  Jada Jones, her new chapter book series, debuts in September.

How did The Brown Bookshelf come about?

The Brown Bookshelf was founded by young adult authors Paula Chase-Hyman and Varian Johnson. As they launched their kidlit careers, they noticed a disturbing reality – many people had never heard of the wonderful books by black children’s book creators that were available. Paula and Varian wanted to start an initiative that would celebrate authors of color and be a resource for children, parents, teachers and librarians. Inspired by Readergirlz, they created The Brown Bookshelf to “push awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers.”

How did you get involved?

Paula invited me and author Carla Sarratt. Varian invited author/illustrator Don Tate. I was thrilled to join a team dedicated to saluting black children’s book creators. Together, we kicked off the inaugural 28 Days Later campaign, a Black History Month celebration of under-the-radar and vanguard authors and illustrators.

Who are the current members? 

They are: Varian JohnsonPaula Chase-HymanDon TateKelly Starling LyonsTameka Fryer BrownGwendolyn HooksOlugbemisola Rhuday-PerkovichCrystal AllenTracey Baptiste, and Jerry Craft.

 How did the 28 Days Later campaign start?

Paula and Varian came up with the idea for the campaign. We invited the public and publishers to submit nominations of black authors and illustrators with new books or those that had flown under the radar. We researched those suggestions, made internal recommendations and voted on the first class of honorees. Over the years, we’ve generally followed that model as we search for outstanding authors and illustrators to feature. The goal is to give parents, librarians and teachers a month of spotlights celebrating stand-outs in the kidlit world. We want to draw attention to black children’s book authors and illustrators and get their great books into the hands of kids.

What has been the response?

Every year, the response inspires us to keep going. Many people share our posts and use them as a resource for making sure their school, library and home children’s book collections match our diverse world. We hear from parents who longed to buy books that reflected their kids but had no idea how many existed until they found our site. We’ve received notes from students who have used our profiles for research for school projects. Sometimes our spotlights are the main source for information about a black children’s book creator outside of that person’s website. It’s heartwarming and affirming to know we’re making a difference. It’s also a challenge to keep pushing and giving back.

This is the tenth year for 28 Days. How will it be different this year?

In celebration of our tenth campaign, we’re doing a different format. In past years, we’ve honored eight picture book authors, eight middle-grade authors, eight young adult authors and four illustrators. This year, we’ve arranged our spotlights around themed weeks. The campaign opened with books for younger readers, featuring debut and under-the-radar picture book creators. The second week, we focused on books for older readers – middle-grade and YA authors. The third week, our theme was social justice. The last week of our campaign is inspiration week where we interview or pay tribute to children’s book creators who have paved the way for us.

How have the careers of your featured authors progressed?

One of the beautiful parts of being a member of The Brown Bookshelf is seeing the careers of black children’s book creators flourish and bloom. We featured Kwame Alexander before the Newbery, Jacqueline Woodson before the National Book Award, Javaka Steptoe before the Caldecott, Jason Reynolds back when Kirkus called him “an author worth watching.” It fills us with pride to see authors like these and others soar. Every award they win, every starred review, every accolade, is a lift for all and reminder that our books matter.

On the other side though, there are amazing black authors and illustrators whose stories are still not receiving the audience they deserve. There are veteran black children’s book creators who struggle to land deals, whose books lack the marketing support to grow a large audience, whose important books are overlooked and eventually go out of print. Our mission is to raise awareness of their work and make sure they’re honored too. We need equity in the children’s book publishing world. We have a long way to go.

What prompted the Declaration in Support of Children?

We had been trying to find a way to collectively express our outrage at the systemic racism and brutality that was devastating our kids and affirm our commitment to standing with them and for them. One of the ideas we brainstormed was an open letter. Team member Tameka Fryer Brown did an amazing job with the draft. We revised and added our thoughts. The election gave our letter even more urgency. It became an open declaration  letting kids know we have their backs.

“ . . . The stakes are too high for us to be silent. The stakes are too high for us to wait for someone else to take the lead. The stakes are too high for us to just hope things will get better. Each day, we see attempts to disenfranchise and dehumanize marginalized people and to dismiss the violence that we face. As children’s book creators, we feel a special connection and responsibility to amplify the young voices that too often go unheard . . .”

We invited others to join us in our mission to “to promote understanding and justice through our art; to bolster every child’s visceral belief that his or her life shall always be infinitely valuable.”

Illustration by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

What has been the response?

The outpouring of support we received was incredible. Nearly 700 people signed the initial declaration with hundreds more signing the living document on our Facebook page. Our declaration was covered by School Library Journal, The Guardian and more. We’re inspired and thrilled at the hundreds of people who pledged to stand again hate and stand up for kids.

Brown Bookshelf member Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich has been leading important roundtable discussions called Where Do We Go From Here? about how to put our declaration into action. You can see them here  and here. Stay tuned for more.

 

What does the future hold for the Brown Bookshelf?

The future is limitless. We are always thinking of ways to amplify the work of black children’s book creators, support and honor the voices of children and be of service to parents librarians and teachers.

Our 28 Days Later spotlights are always available on our website. But our most recent project was working with TeachingBooks.net to showcase our features and their additional resources for our 28 Days Later honorees (Links here and here).

Another new project was expanding our social media presence. You can find us on FacebookTwitter, Instagram,  and YouTube.

We’ll have more news to share in coming months. We’re honored to be featured here. Thank you for spreading the word about what we do. That we’ve been around for a decade is a testament to the support of great people like you.

 

 

 

Daring to Be Different

Because this is Black History month, I asked several experts to recommend some not-to-be-missed middle-grade books. Not all their suggestions are about the African American experience, but they’re all about the multicultural experience and kids dealing with differences. If you’re discussing the timely topics of prejudice or exclusion, here’s a great list of resources:

TWO NAOMIS by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Audrey Vernick

Two girls named Naomi are forced into an unlikely friendship when their parents begin dating. The girls’ emotional journeys take them through the struggles of living in a blended family and learning to become friends as well as sisters.

 

 

AS BRAVE AS YOU by Jason Reynolds

This multi-award-winning book examines bravery from the viewpoint of Genie, who wonders how you can tell who’s brave. What about his blind grandfather, who never leaves the house? Or his older brother who doesn’t want to shoot a gun? Maybe bravery is being strong enough to admit what you don’t want to do.

 

 

GHOST by Jason Reynolds

A National Book Award Finalist, Ghost tells the story of four kids from diverse backgrounds whose personalities clash. But they must come together to form an elite track team bound for the Junior Olympics.

 

 

 

THE LEFT-HANDED FATE by Kate Milford

Caught up in the war between England and France, Lucy Bluecrowne and Maxwell Ault hope to stop the battle by finding parts to an engine. They’re imprisoned by a twelve-year-old American midshipsman, Oliver, who must decide whether to become a traitor or risk the lives of enemies he now sees as friends.

 

 

MIDNIGHT WITHOUT A MOON by Linda Williams Jackson

Set in Mississippi in 1955, Jackson’s novel blends fiction with the true story of the trial of Emmett Till. Rose Lee Carter decides to be a part of the movement that changes the South.

 

 

 

FRAZZLED by Booki Vivat

Filled with doodles by Booki Vivat, this hilarious story of Abbie Wu is filled with drama. Will Abbie “survive the everyday disasters of growing up”? Great for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

 

 

 

THE SEVENTH WISH by Kate Messner

Charlie feels unimportant until she discovers a wish-granting fish – only what she wishes for comes true in unexpected ways. Then her family faces a challenge. Should Charlie risk a wish on something this important?

 

 

 

THE GAUNTLET by Karuna Riazi

In a steampunk set in the Middle East, twelve-year-old Farah and her friends get trapped in a game board. The only way they can escape and save the others inside is to figure out the puzzle set up by a diabolical gamemaker.

 

 

 

TOWERS FALLING by Jewell Parker Rhodes

An award-winning author, Rhodes tells the story of the Twin Towers from the point of view of children who weren’t born when it happened. While they’re learning about their town’s history, they’re also discovering things about themselves and what it means to be an American.

 

 

MAGNIFICENT MYA TIBBS: SPIRIT WEEK SHOWDOWN by Crystal Allen

With pink cowboy boots and the upcoming Spirit Week, Mya’s all set for partnering with her best friend. But then she gets paired with the school bully. Great for fans of Clementine and Ramona.

 

 

 

 

If you want more great titles written by and about African Americans, take a look at Brown Bookshelf’s daily featured books and authors every day this month. If you’re not familiar with the Brown Bookshelf,  be sure to return to our blog on February 22 to learn more when Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman interviews Kelly Starling Lyons, one of the founders.

ABOUT THE BLOG AUTHOR

A former teacher and librarian, Laurie J. Edwards is now an author who has written more than 2300 articles and 36 books under several pen names, including Erin Johnson and Rachel J. Good. Living in Africa as a child and traveling extensively as an adult taught Laurie the importance of appreciating other cultures. She spent last weekend with an African friend, learning to properly cook grasshoppers and caterpillars. To find out more about Laurie, visit her website and blog.