Posts Tagged middle-grade fiction

Author Spotlight: Natalie C. Parker + a GIVEAWAY!

By on September 16, 2022   /   Articles, Author Interviews  

In today’s Author Spotlight, Natalie C. Parker, author of the acclaimed young adult Seafire trilogy among other YA titles, chats with me about her MG debut, The Devouring Wolf. Hailed by Kirkus as “An easily devoured, chilling, and suspenseful adventure,” the fantasy novel is out now from Razorbill. Plus, scroll down for a chance to win one of THREE copies! 👇

But first…

A Summary

It’s the eve of the first full moon of summer and 12-year-old Riley Callahan is ready to turn into a wolf. Nothing can ruin her mood: not her little brother Milo’s teasing, not Mama N’s smothering, and not even Mama C’s absence from their pack’s ceremony. But then the unthinkable happens—something that violates every rule of wolf magic—Riley and four other kids don’t shift.

Riley is left with questions that even the pack leaders don’t have answers to. And to make matters far worse, it appears something was awoken in the woods that same night.

The Devouring Wolf.

The elders tell the tale of the Devouring Wolf to scare young pups into obedience. It’s a terrifying campfire story for fledging wolves, an old legend of a giant creature who consumes the magic inside young werewolves. But to Riley, the Devouring Wolf is more than lore: it’s real and it’s after her and her friends.

The Interview

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Natalie! Thanks for joining us today.

NCP: Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for having me.

MR: Anne Ursu describes The Devouring Wolf book as “A compulsively-readable, big-hearted story,” and I concur. Can you tell us what inspired you to write it? Also, what is it about werewolves that fascinates you?

NCP: Inspiration is always such a sprawling, semi untraceable thing. I feel like I could give you twenty different answers that are all true; I was inspired by mythology and queer families and the love I have for my home state of Kansas! But in this case, I have to say that the inspiration to shift from writing for young adults to writing for middle grade readers belongs to all my nieces and nephews. I wanted to write a story for them.

As for werewolves, I have adored many over the years, starting with Wolfman from the timeless classic, The Monster Squad. As I started thinking about what kind of story I wanted to tell for middle grade readers, I realized that the majority of werewolf stories I was familiar with seemed to focus on adults where the metaphor of shapeshifting was something about the animal inside. When I considered what the metaphor looked like if kids on the verge of puberty were the ones learning how to shift, things got really exciting and the story sort of unraveled from there.

Message to Readers

MR: The novel centers on a community of werewolves, yet Riley, the 12-year-old protagonist, experiences feelings that are universally relatable: the desire to belong; the need for friendship; the importance of family; the fear of the unknown… What was the message you wanted to convey to readers?

NCP: When I was Riley’s age, I was very concerned with what was happening to my body. I was also worried about falling behind my peers and I struggled when things turned out differently for me than they did for others. A lot of this was wrapped up with being a queer kid and not having the language for it. I poured all of those feelings into this story and into Riley’s experience in particular who struggles when she doesn’t shift in spite of having an incredibly supportive family and community. There’s no guidebook for what she and the other four kids are going through, not even the adults can explain it to them. It’s scary and hard and ultimately something that Riley and the others have to figure out for themselves, and that is something I hope readers take away from this story. That sometimes our experiences align and sometimes they don’t and there are many ways of belonging.

Interview with a Werewolf?

MR: While we’re on the subject of werewolves, what kind of research did you do for the book? I’m pretty sure you didn’t interview a werewolf. 🙂

NCP: I wish! But alas. At the time of writing this book, no werewolves were available for an interview. The majority of my research was actually historical, most of which will never show up on the page. But because I was crafting communities of werewolves (and witches!) who reside alongside everyone else, I needed to approach the book as something of an alternate history, of the country and more specifically of the state of Kansas. The werewolves in the book are based in my own hometown of Lawrence and while I know a lot about our recent history and present state, I wanted to make sure everything I set up about the werewolves felt like it could be true.

Diversity and Representation

MR: The characters in your book are diverse in terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation—something that’s desperately needed in children’s publishing. Notably, Riley has two moms, and her friend Kenver is nonbinary, using they/them pronouns. What do you think needs to happen to make diverse representation the norm rather than the exception?

NCP: I think we need books that tackle questions of identity politics head-on and we need books that reflect a diverse world without demanding that authors or readers explore their pain on the page. Along those lines, queer normativity is intensely important to me and my work, so while Riley has two moms and is starting to crush on another girl, those things are woven into the fabric of her life as “normal.” She may have a little anxiety about her crush, but she never questions whether or not she should have those feelings.

We also need to keep finding ways to support our gatekeepers who are currently fighting to keep diverse books in libraries and schools.

Writing for Middle Schoolers

MR: You’ve written novels and short stories for young adults, but The Devouring Wolf is your first foray into middle-grade fiction. What prompted you to write for this age group? Did you encounter any specific challenges while writing the book?

NCP: When I think about who I’ve been as a reader, I have never felt as transported or taken care of by books as I did when I was reading middle grade. Books were an adventure, but they were also a deeply important refuge. I have always wanted to write a book that does for someone else what Madeleine L’Engle and Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander did for me. But it was intimidating to think about. I knew I had to wait for the right story. The one that landed with so much clarity that I had no choice but to try. And that’s exactly what happened with The Devouring Wolf.

MG/YA Switcheroo

MR: As a follow-up, is it tricky to switch from YA to MG? From MG to YA…?

NCP: I actually find it refreshing. Both YA and MG require precision and clarity, but it’s different for each and I find the challenge of moving between the two rewarding and enlightening.

Built for Speed

MR: The book moves at a speedy, page-turning clip. What is your secret to writing fast-paced prose?

NCP: This is one of those things that I didn’t realize I was doing until people started to tell me. So, sadly, there is no secret, but I can say that I never start a chapter until I know what the emotional movement will be within it. Whether I’m building anticipation little by little, or tipping that over into a moment of major disappointment, each chapter puts something new in place. That way, no matter what is happening with the plot, there is a feeling of forward momentum. At least, that’s how I think I do it. Another answer could just be that I love coffee and drink copious amounts when I write.

Secret to World-Building

MR: Also, please tell us the secret to fantastical world-building—something you nailed in The Devouring Wolf. How do you create a setting that feels other-worldly and earthbound at the same time?

NCP: That description makes me very happy because that’s exactly what I was trying to do. I think this answer goes back to what I was saying about research. I wanted this world—the werewolves and witches and hunters—to land so close to ours that it felt possible. I wanted young readers to finish reading and imagine that the next patch of woods they passed was secretly hiding a community like Wax & Wayne. I wanted them to reach for a silver bracelet and wonder if it was a wolf cuff. I wanted them to look at the first full moon of summer and hold their breath to see if they could hear the call of First Wolf. I built every piece of the world on top of something that was already familiar from history to mythology so that the magic felt like it was within reach.

Natalie’s Writing Routine

MR: What does your writing routine look like, Natalie? Do you have any particular writing habits or rituals?

NCP: I am mostly a chaos person when it comes to writing rituals, by which I mean, I am envious of them, but have never managed to keep any for myself. I love the idea of writing rituals, but am ultimately too Sagittarius to make them stick. I’m also easily distracted, so one of the best things I’ve discovered are writing sprints. I find a buddy (and honestly, this only works for me if there is a buddy in the picture), then we agree on the starting time, the sprinting time, and the rest period and get to work. And who knows why, but it really works for me. There is something about setting the timer for twenty minutes and typing “GOOOO!” that engages the productive part of my brain and for that I’m grateful.

Up Next…

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

NCP: I am hard at work on a follow-up to The Devouring Wolf along with my next YA project, both of which will come out next fall. We should be releasing titles and names of each very soon, so keep a look out!

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

Preferred writing snack?

Coffee!

Coffee or tea?

Coffee!

Werewolves or vampires?

How could you do this to me??? Okay, okay, okay. Werewolves.

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

I’m a Sagittarius and you cannot convince me I wouldn’t survive the zombie apocalypse so I say BRING IT ON.

Superpower?

Telekinesis!

Favorite place on earth?

Kyoto!

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?

A water purifier, a knife, and shovel. (And on the off chance you were looking for a less Sagittarian answer: an eReader, some SCUBA gear, and fuzzy blanket.)

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Natalie—and congratulations on the recent publication of The Devouring Wolf. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I know MUF readers will too!

And now…

A GIVEAWAY!

For a chance to win one of THREE copies of THE DEVOURING WOLF, comment on the blog–and, if you’re on Twitter, on the Mixed-Up Files Twitter account for an extra chance to win! (Giveaway ends on 9/18 at 12am EST.) U.S. only, please. 

About Natalie

Natalie C. Parker is the author and editor of several books for young adults, including the acclaimed Seafire trilogy. Her work has been included on the NPR Best Books list, the Indie Next List, and the TAYSHAS Reading List, and in Junior Library Guild selections. Natalie grew up in a Navy family, finding home in coastal cities from Virginia to Japan. Now, she lives with her wife on the Kansas prairie. The Devouring Wolf is her debut MG novel. Learn more about Natalie on her website and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You may also subscribe to her newsletter here.

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When a project is finally complete: some thoughts on the imminent release of my debut novel

By on August 22, 2022   /   Articles, For Writers, MUF Contributor Books  

Started knitting this sweater July 2021, completed July 2022. It fits perfectly 👌(Which never happens when you’re short, so yay! 😀)

My sweater

Sometimes it feels like everything takes me a long time to accomplish. Knitting this sweater-jacket took me a year! A story I often tell myself is that things take me longer than other people. But when I’m being more honest I know that often within this are choices that I’ve made. During the year I was knitting this sweater I also crocheted a kippa, knit a cardigan for my daughter, learned how to darn, continued to work on an ongoing not-yet-completed needlepoint project, started knitting a hat and started crocheting a toy giraffe.

 

Sure it would have gone faster if I’d just concentrated on this one thing. But it suited me to complete several smaller projects while I was working on this larger one. There are several reasons for this:

1. It’s very satisfying to finish something. It makes me feel in control and that I’ve accomplished something.

2. It’s fun to start something new! Choosing colors and patterns for a small project that I know won’t take me too long offers a break from the longer project.

3. Starting and completing a smaller project deliberately prolongs the longer one; it can be bittersweet to say goodbye to something I’ve been working on for a long time.

 

 

My book

I wish I could say this is an exact metaphor for the journey of my debut novel, Honey and Me, which I wrote the first draft of 10 summers ago! It has been a long journey with this novel. And unlike knitting a sweater, it hasn’t always been a matter of how much I worked on it or if I put it aside for a little while to work on something else, or that I worked on it alongside other writing projects. Yes, I have been working on other projects which I hope I get to share with readers at some point, but Honey and Me’s journey was mostly not a question of choices of what to focus on, and many aspects of it were far beyond my control.

Which is comforting in the sense of thinking about a writers journey: no matter how much you will it or want it, it is not under your control how long it might take an agent to read your query letter, and if they decide they want to read your whole manuscript, you don’t have control over how long that takes them. When you do get an agent you can do your best to take their suggestions to get it ready for submission to editors, but you have zero control after that in terms of if/when an editor reads your work, sends it to the editorial committee, makes an offer… And even once you get the magic offer, a whole journey begins anew, again with many aspects beyond one’s control.

What you do have control over

But what you do have is control over the quality of your work. Barring life circumstances that might get in your way—health, other jobs (in which I include running a home, raising children, caring for elderly parents…)—when it’s in your lap you have control over when and how long it takes to write, rewrite, revise, incorporate editorial notes. You have control over what you put into it. You also have control over how you try to get it out into the world. No one can see it if it stays as a file on your computer. Sure, you can’t be rejected if you never give anyone the opportunity to reject it. But then of course you can’t have the opportunity for someone to say, ‘wow I love this so much, let’s go on this journey together!’

Belief in your work

Even when I just couldn’t quite get to where I was trying to go in the journey of Honey and Me, even when there were roadblocks, stumbling blocks, dead ends, and scenic routes, I believed wholeheartedly in my story, my setting, and my characters, Milla and Honey. If I hadn’t, I don’t think I would have had the capacity for perseverance and tenacity that finally getting to see my book about to be published required.

What happens when the sweater is finished?

Now I get to wear it! I can’t wait. What happens when my book is published on October 18th and it goes out into the world—into readers hands? I don’t know!
I can’t wait for readers to read it. I can’t wait to talk about it with people. I can’t wait to go into schools and do author visits and presentations (but oh my god am I nervous about that. Excited! But nervous.)

Will they like it?

My sweater is for me. Someone might see it and compliment it. But basically if I like it and get use out of it, I’ll be happy with it. My book is a different beast altogether. Actually, it’s not a beast, and it’s not a garment either. It’s very much itself: a book.
Making art and specifically writing a book is a complicated enterprise: yes, we write for ourselves, because we have a story to tell, because we have art to make. But we write with an audience in mind. We want an audience. We write to tell readers a story. We write to give readers something.

What if they don’t like it?

What if reviewers say it sucks?* What if no one finds out about it? What if the tree falls in the forest and no one hears?

I don’t have the answers. I don’t know if seasoned published authors have the answers either. For me right now there’s this interplay going on between wanting to be seen, and wanting to hide. Wanting to talk to tons of kids and have public speaking opportunities (both of which I LOVE to do), is fighting with the feeling of wanting to pull a hoodie up over my head.

So all I can say is wish me luck and stay tuned! Honey and Me comes out with Scholastic on October 18th 2022 and is available for preorder wherever fine books can be found.

* but OMG, Kirkus has given it a starred review!!!! ⭐️

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Author Spotlight: Will Taylor + a GIVEAWAY!

By on July 18, 2022   /   Articles, Author Interviews, Birds, Giveaways, New Releases  

In today’s Author Spotlight, Melissa Roske chats with author Will Taylor about his latest middle-grade novel, The Language of Seabirds (Scholastic, July 19) as well as his inspiration behind writing it. (Spoiler alert: It’s the book of his heart.) Plus there’s a chance to win one of THREE copies of Will’s book–plus a signed bookplate–if you enter the giveaway. Scroll down for details! 👇👇👇

The Language of Seabirds

Jeremy is not excited about the prospect of spending the summer with his dad and his uncle in a seaside cabin in Oregon. It’s the first summer after his parents’ divorce, and he hasn’t exactly been seeking alone time with his dad. He doesn’t have a choice, though, so he goes… and on his first day takes a walk on the beach and finds himself intrigued by a boy his age running by.

Eventually, he and Runner Boy (Evan) meet—and what starts out as friendship blooms into something neither boy is expecting… and also something both boys have been secretly hoping for.

Interview with Will Taylor

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Will! Thanks for joining us today.

WT: Thank you so much for having me!

MR: First and foremost, I loved The Language of Seabirds and devoured it in two sittings, staying up past 2am both times. I was in tears by the end. What a powerful, gorgeously written book!

WT: Gah! Oh goodness, thank you, thank you, thank you! This book is an actual piece of my heart, and it means the world to hear you connected with it.

Personal Exploration and Gratitude

MR: As stated in the author’s note, the book is deeply personal to you. It’s the book that “changed [your] heart.”It’s also very vastly different from your other MG titles. What was the impetus for writing it?

WT: *big exhale; stares out the window* I think mostly I just needed to try. I adored writing the silly, bouncy MG of my first three books, but writing them didn’t require any change from me. When the opening image and title of Seabirds popped into my head one evening, I knew this would be different: a character-driven book that would require a huge amount of honesty and a willingness to go into all sorts of uncomfortable places. That frankly terrified me. Luckily my agent more or less demanded I write it, and after a few false starts I found my feet and the story began to grow.

By the time the first draft was done, I could tell that I was definitely growing along with it. I guess it was a story I needed to explore, even if I didn’t feel ready. It was scary, since I knew it wasn’t what my readership was used to and I didn’t even know if I had the skills to properly tell it, but I think sometimes the thing that scares you is a signpost of exactly where you should put your attention. I’m definitely grateful I did.

Heart of Glass

MR: As above, your novel addresses a difficult topic for many tweens: grappling with their sexual orientation. In fact, Jeremy, the 12-year-old protagonist, has built an “invisible pane of glass” that goes everywhere with him; a “secret shield and barrier.” Could you tell us more about that?

WT: The pane of glass is partly a literary device (readers will notice Jeremy and Evan swapping beach glass as they grow closer, and there’s a ton of broken glass at the climactic end of the book—symbolism!), but mostly it was a way for me to describe my own invisible wall I carried with me from my late elementary years right through college.

Before I came out, every decision I made was filtered through that barrier. I was constantly monitoring myself and others, assessing potential threats and checking my defenses, running a whole secondary operating system aimed solely at keeping the truth about who I was hidden. I gave Jeremy that exact feeling in order to investigate it on the page, and I hope, if I’ve done my job correctly, many LGBTQIA+ readers will see their own experiences reflected there as well.

Speaking in Code

MR: Additionally, the book’s dedication reads: “For every kid who’s had to speak in code.” Is this similar to the “glass wall” Jeremy has built for himself?

WT: The dedication is a nod to the innumerable queer codes that have arisen over the years as people who feel isolated behind their walls pull off the trick of carefully reaching out for community while still remaining hidden to the world at large. I will never forget the first time I saw through another closeted gay boy’s walls and realized he could see through mine. We both shifted just the tiniest bit, just enough to see and be seen, to confirm, and no one else around us knew it. I remember being giddy for the briefest moment, then doubling up my walls and leaving just to feel safe again. I was thirteen.

Looking back as an adult, I understand now just how stressful it was living with that constant sense of danger. I dedicated Seabirds to kids who’ve had to learn to speak in code as a way of acknowledging them and the extra weight they carry every hour of the day.

Birdish Books

MR: In addition to friendship and romance, birds factor heavily into your book— particularly the seabirds of the Oregon coast. What is it about seabirds that piques your interest and speaks to you as an author? Do you have any favorite bird-related books, fiction and/or nonfiction? (For more birdish book suggestions, click here.)

WT: Oh, I love seabirds! I really can’t explain why, they just feel magical. And they have so many options, from riding the wind to jumping off tall cliffs to walking along the beach to sitting down anytime they like right there on the ocean. Imagine how free we would feel if we could do all those things! (Ooo, hey, symbolism again!)

As for bird books, the list you linked to is great! I adored Celia C. Peréz’s Strange Birds and Kaela Noel’s Coo. I’m sure there are some awesome non-fiction bird books for younger readers out there, too, and hope folks check in with their indies and libraries for recommendations if they’re interested!

Secret Language

MR: As a follow-up, Jeremy and Evan create their own seabird-related secret language. For instance, “marbled murrelet” mean friends, and “Caspian tern” means high-five. What gave you the idea to create a secret language for Jeremy and Evan? Also, what is its significance in terms of the boys’ friendship and budding romance?

WT: The secret language idea goes back to the theme of queer coding, for sure, but fits specifically into this story because Jeremy starts off really not ready to talk about what he’s feeling. Just the idea of expressing these emotions he’s trained himself to keep hidden is unthinkable for the first entire half of the book. Still, he craves the spark of connection, just like I did, so the bird code becomes a way for Jeremy to safely tell Evan what he’s going through inside. To tell his truth, but tell it slant, as Emily Dickinson so perfectly put it.

Of course, in the simplest sense codes are also just plain fun. I loved codes as a kid! When so much of the world is out of your control, secret words make you feel powerful and special and part of some grand adventure, especially if they’re shared with friends. I think creating and using the language of seabirds plays a big role in helping Jeremy and Evan overcome the awkward stage any new friendship has more quickly than they might have done without it. As the book progresses and they grow closer, that secret language takes on deeper and deeper meaning, culminating with the addition of one final bittersweet word at the end.

The More Things Change

MR: Relocation is another important theme in your book, due to Jeremy’s possible move to another city following his parents’ divorce. How does this affect Jeremy in terms of the “glass wall” he’s built around himself?

 WT: Jeremy is very scared of change. He feels safe in familiar environments, places where he knows what potential threats are present and how he can defend himself against them. When he’s unable to predict that, he doubles down on his internal glass wall as the only thing he can count on to keep him safe. Readers can see this throughout the book as they spot Jeremy often looking out from behind a window, or from an overlooked corner, or from a few steps behind whoever he’s with. This is second nature to him, the urge to put something between him and the world, and his greatest fear is the exposure that would happen if anyone—particularly his parents or peers—were to look back and fully see him.

Rather than feeling like an opportunity for an upgrade, then, relocation becomes a risk—one that might feel too big to take. Whether he will base his final decision on hope or fear (the two sides of his glass wall) is something we definitely see him struggle with throughout the book.

Read, Read, Read… and Write, Write, Write!

MR: The Language of Seabirds is your fifth published book for middle-grade readers. Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from? Is there a secret sauce you can share with Mixed-Up Files readers?

WT: It is so, so wild to realize this is book five. I one-hundred percent still feel like a newbie! I’m not sure I can suggest any secret sauce apart from read, read, read, and write, write, write–but I absolutely recommend keeping notes on anything that catches your attention. I have stacks of notebooks full of story ideas, character sketches, potential titles, science facts, scribbled plot outlines, favorite TV episodes, dream fragments, etc., and I flip through them all a couple times a year. Different pieces jump out at me every time, all going into the big compost pile in my head, and every now and then enough pieces come together in the right way that I feel that “click” and the story unrolls like a carpet. You can feel it happen.

After that, it’s time for the long hard work of bringing the story into the world through the keyboard. (And after five published books and half a dozen shelved ones, I’ve finally accepted this part never gets any easier. It is, simply, the work.)

So that’s my tip, I guess! Gather the things you love and like. Wallow in your dork-level fascinations. Compile interesting fragments. Harvest notions and oddments and dreams. Futz and sort and tinker. Run a net along the riverbed of your life and see what sparkles in the sun. Watch what clumps together. Listen for the “click.”

Writing Routine and Rituals

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

WT: I lost my longtime day job at the start of the pandemic, so this system has only applied to my last couple books, but my routine is based on spending at least one full hour every weekday being there for my current WIP. (Important to note I live alone so have the privilege of doing this regularly.) Many days I wind up working for several hours, on others that single hour is all I can manage, but I try my best to always make sure that one core hour happens.

Being There

WT: I want to point to my use of the term “being there,” by the way. This took me a long time to understand, but writing isn’t always about putting words on the page. Sometimes the book needs you to just sit with it, mulling things over, listening to the burble of characters, massaging a handful of sentences or one tricky transition. And that counts. That’s time spent in company with the book. Of course, deadlines are real things, too, so words do need to happen. But I really believe getting into the mindset of spending time with my books rather than approaching them like a boss trying to extract labor has helped my work enormously.

Oh, and I have no idea why, but I write best with something over my head. A blanket, a hoodie, a towel, whatever’s comfy and available—for some reason it helps me tune out the world and deep dive into my imagination. It does make me look like a giant mushroom, however, so thank goodness I prefer writing alone!

Books on the Horizon

MR: What are you working on now? Enquiring minds want to know!

WT: Okay, so I have like half a dozen “post-click” projects in the “waiting to be written” pile, but I’ll just share about the two MGs I’m actively spending time with right now. One is a historical escape adventure set in 12th-century England full of swords and castles and haunted forests and ice, the project of my Susan Cooper- and Rosemary Sutcliff-loving heart. The other is another contemporary gay middle school romance, a comedy this time, centering around a ballet dancer boy having to hide his sexuality if he wants to make the big time and the overlooked, “couldn’t hide it if I tried” soft boy who helps him reconnect with his heart and art. Basically a gay version of Strictly Ballroom crossed with my second-favorite movie of all time, Center Stage. Neither of these are under contract yet, but I’m working hard so hopefully that will change soon!

Catch That Dog!

WT: I have to shout out my latest silly MG, Catch That Dog, which came out in June. It’s another book of my heart, specifically the part that sobbed and laughed all through Flora & Ulysses. I’m super proud of it and hope anyone into “overlooked girl and her remarkable pet overcome terrible grownups” stories will check it out.

Lightning Round!

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

Preferred writing snack?

Hmm, I don’t really eat while I write, but when I’m done writing, a grilled cheese sandwich is my favorite thing to bring me back to earth.

Coffee or tea?

Both! Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon. With an English dad and Welsh stepdad I was raised with tea making up a solid third of my diet, but coffee took over the morning slot a long while back and is absolutely not going anywhere.

Favorite seabird?

People are gonna think I’m joking, but I am obsessed with regular old seagulls! There are tons of them around my part of downtown Seattle (my upstairs neighbor feeds them anchovies from his window so they like our building) and I am always so jealous of how they can soar and glide on the wind like hawks, and sit comfortably on deep, deep water, and explore the world so freely through the vertical axis. I totally want to be one someday.

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

Hahah I don’t know if I get the question! Um, nay? Let’s . . . not have one?

Superpower?

Healing. No contest.

Favorite place on earth?

Gah! Okay, I have to cheat and give three answers: Death Valley, the Orkney Islands, and the hills around my uncle’s house in the tiny village of Taliesin, Wales.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?

This has genuinely been the hardest question! My practical homebody survival brain says tent, water purifier, and hand-crank distress radio, but that’s neither funny nor interesting. . .

Okay, how’s this: If I had to live there alone for a while and could find enough resources not to promptly die, I would want the big, illustrated edition of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Books of Earthsea; a hand-crank record player equipped with Kate Bush’s entire discography; and a giant pallet of pens and paper so I could keep on writing kids’ books. Because it’s genuinely all I’ve ever wanted to do.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Will—and congratulations on the publication of The Language of Seabirds. I truly loved it, and I know MUF readers will too!

WT: Thank youuu! It’s been an honor and an absolute pleasure!

And now…

A GIVEAWAY!

(THREE winners in all!)

For a chance to win a copy of THE LANGUAGE OF SEABIRDS–plus a signed bookplate–comment on the blog–and, if you’re on Twitter, on the Mixed-Up Files Twitter account, for an extra chance to win! (Giveaway ends 7/21/22 EST.) U.S. only, please. 

About the Author

Will Taylor is a reader, writer, and honeybee fan. He lives in the heart of downtown Seattle surrounded by all the seagulls and not quite too many teacups. When not writing he can be found searching for the perfect bakery, talking to trees in parks, and completely losing his cool when he meets longhaired dachshunds. His books include Maggie & Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort; Maggie & Abby and the Shipwreck Treehouse; Slimed; Catch That Dog!; and The Language of Seabirds. Learn more about Will on his website and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

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