Posts Tagged #debut novel

WNDMG Interview with Annie McCann, Debut Author of MY HARIMAU KING

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DEBUT MG NOVEL for AAPI Heritage Month

I had the pleasure of meeting Annie when she reached out to me after reading an ARC for SKYLIGHT, my own MG debut last summer. Over the past year, I’ve had several opportunities to chat with Annie and learn about the amazing writing community she’s created in Western Sydney. The moment I came across her debut announcement, I knew I had to support my fellow Southeast Asian author.

As if the stars aligned, I jumped at the chance to interview her for WNDMG! Check out the summary for her book:

 

 

MY HARIMAU KING

My Harimau King

My Harimau King

An ancient king, a modern-day kid, and a life-changing prophecy that binds them.

13-year-old Sumaiyah Jackson is living her best life in Parramatta until a family drama spirals out of control, mysterious events start happening, and loved ones begin to disappear.

Suddenly, Sumaiyah and her friends find themselves trapped in the ancient kingdom of Pajajaran, Indonesia, where Sumaiyah discovers she is “the chosen one” from descendants of ancient royalty. But this doesn’t mean fun and untold riches. Instead, she needs to break a mystifying curse and prevent a prophecy from destroying her family.

Now Sumaiyah’s in a race against time to discover her true purpose, combat terrifying creatures, and fulfil her destiny, or risk losing her family and friends forever!

I’m so proud to be a part of Annie’s debut tour and am delighted to be a part of this journey with her. So, enough fangirling ~ let’s hear from the author herself!

 

READER TO WRITER

Patchree: I know you are very involved with the writing community and serve as a moderator and advocate for so many different events and organizations! But, I’d love to hear more about your personal journey as a writer.

Annie: This was a wonderful learning experience in not only the craft of storytelling but the discipline in balancing a full-time job, home responsibilities, friends, emcee events all while meeting deadlines for my passion project. Having embarked on the writing journey, it feels like I finally got to see what’s behind the mystery door after all my years of reading and hearing from amazing authors. It’s not until you experience it yourself, you don’t fully understand an author’s journey – what a ride!

Muslim girl holding books

I founded a network of readers, Read3r’z Re-Vu 16 years ago, over the years it was all about reader friends getting together and enjoying books but, in that time, writers emerged including me and this journey gave me the opportunity to form what I like to call a Read3r’z Writers Subdivision where the writers came together from far and wide to support one another and even enjoy in person writing days.

I have learnt a lot but key takeaways are mastering the art of showing not telling and the responsibility with creative license, to ensure my stories are accessible and respectful.

My Harimau King was 5 years in the making, and in the meantime, I published 6 short stories. Writing is a marathon not a sprint and I didn’t realize I had so many stories inside I needed to get out to the world. This journey is one I hold close to my heart. Publication aside, I am proud of how much I learnt in creative writing and truly consider myself blessed with the wonderful friends I met along the way.

REAL LIFE AS INSPIRATION

Patchree: As a debut MG author, what was your main inspiration for MY HARIMAU KING?

Annie: I am an avid reader of fantasy fiction, particularly of books that infuse or are inspired by cultural legends and mythology from around the world. Having enjoyed a lot of these types of books, I spent years in search of fantasy fiction with representation of my own Indonesian culture. Despite being rich in myth and legend, I found none on the Western bookshelves. I saw this as an opportunity to not wait for someone else to write the story I want told – do it myself and it all started with one question I asked myself “why not me?”

While Indonesia is rich with mythology and legends the world needs to know, I had to start with what I knew – and that is the legend associated with my own West Javanese, Indonesian family. This was my chance to put West Java, Indonesia on the map – to tell the world that West Java is only one of many provinces in Indonesia that is rich with culture and intriguing stories to tell. It was also my opportunity to pay homage to my ancestors and family as well as leave a legacy.

Patchree: Besides sharing a biracial identity, how similar are you to your female lead Sumaiyah Jackson?

Annie McCann

Annie McCann

Annie: This goes back to starting with what you know. Yes, Sumaiyah is loosely based on me. We are both Indonesian-Australian, Muslim from Western Sydney. We are both born to a West Javanese, Indonesian and Australian father and are an only child. However, the key differences between Sumaiyah and I are the family dynamics and how much she does not know about her true heritage.

Growing up, I always knew about my mother’s heritage, identity and I have always been very connected with the West Javanese culture and language.  This was a gap in Sumaiyah’s life as her mother was not open about her true identity and Sumaiyah knew very little of her culture except the language. As for the family, Sumaiyah is very close with her cousin from her mum’s side, Alif. He goes to the same school and lives nearby – this was something I never had growing up with all Mamah’s family in Indonesia and Dad’s family in Central West, NSW or interstate, I never had relatives nearby and being an only child, I guess this was a dynamic I craved growing up.

When writing Sumaiyah and watching her develop and navigate as the chosen one, I felt we shared the same pressures that come with being an only child in a traditional family. Bound by expectation and to be the one to pay it forward for the sake of family. I also feel Sumaiyah and I relate in the ability to act/perform under pressure – when you only have one right choice to make without direction, you need to lead the way and still be the voice of reason in the time of calamity.

POWER OF CULTURE & LANGUAGE

Map of Southeast Asia

Map of Southeast Asia

Patchree: I loved discovering so many commonalities between Thai and Indonesian cultures while reading your book. What are some key cultural elements or traditions from Indonesia you knew you had to include in your story?

Annie: In addition to Indonesian mythology and legend, it was important to me to include strong cultural elements that were not just Indonesian but from the province of West Java. There are variations in culture and traditions across the provinces, so I wanted strong ties to the West Javanese culture. From West Javanese food to the batik designed fabrics found in a box or as worn by some of the characters. One piece that was also very important was the suling; the traditional West Javanese flute made of bamboo. Its sound is so distinct, and normally part of a Gamelan ensemble played at special occasions in West Java, I wanted a connection between the legend of my ancestor and the story itself. Lastly, I want to mention the culture of family. Many books feature early teens embarking on adventures without parents or family. However, traditionally in Indonesia, family is very important and stick together even through adulthood and having Sumaiyah’s parents and Uncles significantly involved in her story is a cultural norm so I wanted to present a story where the parents and Uncles were very much part of Sumaiyah’s adventure.

Patchree: Language is a big draw for me, and I was captivated with infusion of various Indonesian dialects throughout the book. What was your research process like and are you fluent in these dialects?

Annie: Thank you, this was one of my learnings when writing the book, to retain authenticity in language without over translating but also making the story accessible to a non-Indonesian, non-West Javanese reader. I am fluent in Bahasa Indonesian as I speak with my family in Indonesian though my Bahasa Sunda dialect could be better. I owe this to Mamah, my patient translator who I bugged constantly while writing the book with Bahasa Indonesian phrases I needed translated to Bahasa Sunda then reviewed in English to ensure we didn’t lose something in translation when providing context. To help improve my Bahasa Sunda, I also acquired a Bahasa Sunda to English dictionary from Bandung, Indonesia during my last visit! It was an unexpected find as I thought I would only find dialect to national language type dictionaries but after searching high and low with my cousins, we managed to find that gem at I place I refer to as ‘Book Road’ – a road full of book stalls.

SPOILER ALERT FOR READERS

Top Secret

(AVERT YOUR EYES IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW!)

 

Patchree: After reading your Author’s Note, you mention being a direct descendant of an actual Indonesian King! How did you discover this direct ancestry to Indonesian royalty?

Prabu Raja Siliwangi

Prabu Raja Siliwangi

Annie: Yes, that is true, I am one of the last living descendants of the ancient king: Prabu Raja Siliwangi who was the king of Pajajaran (ancient West Java, Indonesia). The connection is through my mother and her father. This was something I knew since I was a child, as my mum was always very open about her identity and culture and shared stories of Prabu Raja Siliwangi and his affiliation with the harimau: native West Javanese tiger. I was also shown our official family tree that’s certified by the Province Government of West Java which goes all the way back to Prabu Raja Siliwangi himself. It was fascinating to read through. Growing up, my Uncles also shared stories of Prabu Raja Siliwangi and how the golok and kujang once belonging to the king is now safeguarded by a relative in West Java.

My last visit to Indonesia was quite significant as my cousins took me to the very place where Prabu Raja Siliwangi’s palace was in Pura Parahyangan. I also got to touch the remains of his throne in a place now called Batu Tulis which houses a stone tablet chiseled in Sanskrit by Prabu Raja Siliwangi’s son honouring his father who was crowned twice.

WORDS OF ADVICE

Patchree: What advice would you give to aspiring authors of middle grade fantasy?

Annie: I’d like to share the advice I was given when I started writing my book – shout out to my friend, author Jeremy Lachlan, author of the Jane Doe Chronicles who told me to focus on the story you want told, don’t worry who will read it or where it ends up, tell the story you want told and be true to yourself as a writer.

I also want to add that writing is key as you can’t edit a blank page. If you have a story to tell, do not be afraid to share it, the world will always be ready for something new and exciting.

Patchree: Can you tell me about your upcoming projects?

Annie: Next to my book launch this June and subsequent signing events, my newest short story The Moon Shadow Secret will be published in an anthology called Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls who Invent and Imagine. I am honoured to have my story featured in this anthology as the anthology focuses short stories featuring a STEM-savvy teen heroine. My story captures the ancient West Javanese legend of Nyai Anteh, infusing it into an original story of an Indonesian teen who is savvy with Coding. Proceeds from sales for this anthology are donated to the Society of Women Engineers Scholarship Fund which encourage young girls to get into the STEM industry. Keep an eye out for this in July 2025!

 

WOW! What an amazing journey!

Be sure to preorder MY HARIMAU KING and follow Annie on Instagram @nenganniemenulis!

 

Annie McCann

Annie McCann

AUTHOR BIO

Annie McCann is an Indonesian-Australian emcee and author, from Western Sydney. She has written multiple short stories and is the founder of several literary networks. Annie is passionate about diversity and representation in books, media and pop culture, and aims to ‘bridge the gap’ in the creative space. On her limited days off, Annie is either jamming to Michael Jackson’s greatest hits or cheering on her NRL Football team, Parramatta Eels.

https://linktr.ee/nenganniemenulis

 

 

Author Spotlight: Erin Becker + a GIVEAWAY

In today’s Author Spotlight, Sydney Dunlap chats with debut author Erin Becker about her middle-grade novel, Crushing It, an “enemies-to-first-crushes” story published by Penguin Random House and chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Erin is an author and marketer living in Washington, DC. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, studied English and creative writing at UNC-Chapel Hill, and holds her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin at the gym or occasionally playing soccer (though not nearly as well as the protagonists of her novel). Learn more and connect with Erin at erinbecker.me.

All About the Book!

On the soccer field, Magic Mel is in her element. She’s ready to lead her team to victory at the city championship in her new role as captain. Off the field, however, is a totally different story. Mel can’t get a handle on her class presentation, her friend group has completely dissolved, and her ex-friend-current-teammate, Tory, is being the worst. The only place she feels like herself is in her text conversations where she shares her secret poetry with BTtoYouPlease.

Tory McNally, on the other hand, is keeping everything together, thank you very much. So what if her mom is more preoccupied with her craft projects and new husband than her, or that she’s down to one IRL friend because of annoying, overly peppy “Magic” Mel? She’s perfectly fine, and even when she maybe isn’t, she’s got NotEmilyD to text with.

As the championships loom closer, everything around Mel and Tory starts to get more and more complicated: the dynamics on the field, the rift between their friend group, and, as they connect anonymously online, maybe even their feelings for each other…

From debut author Erin Becker comes an action-packed but tender novel about first romance, identity, and learning how to be brave when it matters the most.

Scroll down for details about how enter a giveaway to win a signed copy of Crushing It.

Interview with Erin Becker

Sydney: I absolutely loved Crushing It. The characters were so real and so relatable. It’s such an honest, touching story that really hits the mark about what it’s like to be thirteen: the friendship and family struggles, crushes, challenges at school, in sports, so much going on. Can you tell me a little about the inspiration behind it?

Erin: First of all, thank you! I’ve had a lot of adult readers tell me the book really took them back to their middle school years. Sometimes I wonder if I should be thanking them or apologizing, since middle school is such an intense time.

The inspiration for this story actually came from the “Poetry Friday” tradition at Vermont College of Fine Arts, where I got my MFA. Each Friday, someone sends a poetry prompt to an all-school list serv, and the idea is that anyone who wants to can write a poem in five minutes and share it via email. That maybe sounds a little intimidating, but everyone is really supportive. I don’t remember exactly what the prompt was, but one Friday I wrote a poem about a girl who becomes soccer captain of her eighth-grade team. She’s excited to be given the captain’s key, which opens the shed where the team keeps the balls, the cones, and everything else they need for practice.

A friend replied to the poem, saying she felt like there was some potential there for a story. I agreed, and eventually, that girl turned into Mel and the poem turned into this book.

Points of View

Sydney: You do such a great job with narrating Crushing It in two points of view, from Tory’s and Mel’s, after their four-person friend group has been split in half. Their voices are very distinctive. How did you make them each sound so unique? And do you personally relate to one of them more than the other? 

Erin: First, I want to give an answer for the poetry nerds out there. Originally, Crushing It was a novel-in-verse, so everything was written as poems. Mel’s poems were roughly in iambic pentameter and kind of flowed and were easy to read, whereas Tory was more staccato and used a lot of enjambment, cutting off the lines in unexpected places and making her poems a little more difficult to “get into.” So even on a rhythm/meter level, their voices were very different right from the start.

Later, when I rewrote this as a prose novel, I felt like I knew the girls really well, so I was able to translate that difference in their voice into the new structure.

Something that’s helped me as a writer is understanding that voice isn’t just the words on the page, but also what the character notices (or doesn’t notice). For example, Tory is really hard on herself and the people around her when it comes to appearances and being organized. But Mel would be less likely to notice details like that. So the world you’re constructing for each point of view is slightly different, because they experience everything—school, their families, their friend group—in a different way.

Sports Angle

Sydney: You describe the soccer games and practices and the experience of being on the team really authentically. Do you have a sports background? What are your favorite sports now, and what were your favorite sports as a kid? 

Erin: I love sports! I played soccer and ran cross country and track and field growing up. Now, I still play soccer sometimes, but I’m getting more into the non-contact-sports world: yoga, dancing, running, walking.

Because playing sports and being on teams has been such an important part of my life, I was really excited to write a book with a focus on sports. I’ve made some of my best friends on the soccer field, going on runs together, or at the gym. It was fun to celebrate that, and to show all the complexities that emerge on teams: the highs and lows of competition, the friendship drama. And of course, there’s the built-in narrative tension, with the clock ticking down to the championship the entire book.

Other Characters

Sydney: I love the family situations that are included in your book. Do you have a favorite secondary character? Who and why?

Erin: I guess I shouldn’t play favorites, but it’s absolutely Terrance, Tory’s older stepbrother. Every draft I wrote of the book, there was more and more Terrance. I love the unexpectedness of that brother/sister relationship. Tory and Terrance are so different, and they give each other such a hard time, but they become really important to each other as the story progresses. This was totally organic and just emerged as I was writing.

Sydney: Yes, I thought he was very interesting, and I enjoyed reading about their evolving relationship.

Thematic Elements

Sydney: Shifting gears, what do you hope readers take away from this story?

Erin: It’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s okay if things get messy sometimes. You still deserve the love, friendship, and respect of the people around you.

Sydney: Those are such important themes for young readers. 

Process

Sydney: Will you tell us a little about your writing process? Are you a plotter or pantser? Where/when do you prefer to write?

Erin: I usually write in the mornings for a couple of hours before I start my day job. I used to be a pantser, but I am coming around to the idea that plotting makes things a lot easier, at least for me. I need quiet to write, so I usually write at home in my office or at a coworking space, with noise-canceling headphones on. I wish I could live out my romantic fantasies of being that cool girl writing in the corner of a café. But every time I try it, I get totally distracted by the music!

Sydney: Same here. I can only write in total silence.

Influences

Sydney: What are some current books that have influenced you as a kidlit writer?

Erin: K.A. Holt’s Redwood and Ponytail was a big influence on Crushing It. Kwame Alexander’s Crossover and Booked as well. I absolutely love Erin Entrada Kelly and Rebecca Stead’s work. Also, I recently read The Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor, and that book and its absolutely beautiful, atmospheric feel will be staying with me for a long time. I’d love to capture something like that in a book I write one day.

Sydney: What a great list of authors and books. Can you give us some insights into what you’ll be working on next?

Nothing’s official yet, but I am working on something that—although it’s not a sequel to Crushing It—should very much appeal to the same readers!

And the Lightning Round:

Coffee or tea?

Coffee 100%. That’s also part of my morning routine: walking to get a coffee at an adorable café in my neighborhood first thing each day.

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunrise!

Favorite place to travel:

Chile. I lived there for a long time and, in my very biased opinion, there’s no better place in the world for backpacking.

Favorite dessert:

Chocolate chip cookies.

Superpower:

Yes please! 🙂

Favorite music:

My tastes range pretty widely, but lately I’ve been loving Karol G.

Favorite book from childhood:

I was a big reader of fantasy as a kid. But for this interview, it seems appropriate to mention that one of the childhood favorites I return to to this day is From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. 

I still fantasize about running away to live in a museum like Claudia. There are a lot of them here in DC so who knows, maybe I will someday?

Thanks again, Erin! It was so much fun to learn about you, your writing journey, and your amazing novel! Learn more about Erin on her website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

For a chance to win a signed copy of Crushing It, comment on the blog!  (Giveaway ends November 22, 2024 MIDNIGHT EST.) U.S. only, please. 

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.