Posts Tagged middle-grade fiction

Author Interview – Sarah Jean Horwitz and THE DEMON SWORD ASPERIDES

By Patricia Bailey on July 6, 2023 / Articles, Author Interviews

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Jean Horwitz about her upcoming Middle Grade fantasy, THE DEMON SWORD ASPERIDES.
I’m a huge fan of Sarah Jean’s previous work – including the CARMER AND GRIT series and THE DARK LORD CLEMENTINE, so I jumped at the chance to get an early peek at her latest.
It was exactly as fun and magical as I hoped it would be. I loved it. I think you will too.

Tell us a little bit about your latest book, The Demon Sword Asperides.

The Demon Sword Asperides is a fantasy adventure about a two-thousand-year-old talking demon sword who tricks Nack, a young aspiring knight, into wielding the sword’s power in exchange for Nack’s soul. The two embark on a quest to restore Nack’s honor with his clan but find themselves forced into a battle against a recently resurrected evil sorcerer – a sorcerer who just happens to be Asperides’s former master.

The Demon Sword Asperides has already gotten starred reviews. Kirkus called it “…quirky and fun but also nuanced and complex” and Booklist said it’s …endlessly inventive and terrifically funny….” Can you tell us a little bit about how this story came to be? What was your initial inspiration? And how did the story grow and change as you wrote it?

The idea for the story came to me watching a Chinese fantasy show on Netflix. In the show, two young heroes find themselves stuck in cave fighting a murderous giant tortoise (as one does). The protagonist dives under the tortoise’s shell and proceeds to take a tour of its inner workings (it’s a really big tortoise), where, among other things, he discovers a very obviously evil, no good, very bad sword. Like, the sword is whispering and hissing at him with the voices of the dead! Its power clearly makes him feel ill! It is oozing black smoke! And yet, our hero is like, “Yeah, seems legit,” and plucks the sword from inside the tortoise and harnesses its dark magic to help kill the tortoise monster. Then he just trucks around with this very obviously evil sword and like…no one really comments on it? It’s astonishing. Like, “Ah, I see you have been compelled to grip your creepy ancient sword so hard you draw blood. That seems fine!”

And I just thought it was so funny that everyone in the show was ignoring how obviously bad news this sword was. Then, to make my spouse laugh, I started doing a funny voice whenever the sword would appear on screen (especially when it was accompanied by those creepy indecipherable whispers). And then I started thinking…wait, but really, what does the sword think about all of this? It’s obviously somewhat sentient. How did it occupy itself, stuck in that cave for hundreds of years? What does it think of its new wielder?

The sword ends up being a manifestation of a different mystical material on the show, and the plot obviously diverges from there, but the idea stuck with me. And so the demon sword Asperides was born.

Nack Furnival, for this part, is a direct transplant from another story I worked on a few years ago. He was an aspiring mythic hero in that book, desperate to try and get into a hero academy – so not that different from an aspiring knight! That story wasn’t working, but I loved Nack, so I plucked him out of that story and put him in Asperides.

I originally thought I would write this idea as a short story for adults, but the minute I realized that Nack would be a great addition to it, I also realized it had to be a middle grade novel.

There is so much to love in this book. One of my favorite things was the names for the entities Nack and company encountered. Gasper-cats, angel blades, were-cats, whirlpools, no-crows, plague lizards, sleeping sand – the list is endless. Can you tell us how you came up with some of these and if you have a favorite (or two)?

It always tickles me when people like my names for things, because the names are something that I either have an idea for right away and love (like gasper-cats) or never really have an idea for and just put a funny placeholder in and somehow the placeholder never changes (two words: plague. lizards.) And sometimes there’s no obvious difference in reaction to the names I put thought into versus the ones I think are so bad they’re funny, which just goes to show! Ha.

A few origin stories of my favorites: Gasper-cats come from the old wives’ tale that cats will sit on your chest while you sleep and steal your breath. I came up with angel blades because demon swords obviously need a counterpart, don’t they? And an “angel blade” sounded like something a virtuous storybook knight would definitely wield.

Whirlpool is just a word that already exists, so I’m afraid I can’t take credit for that one!

One of the things I love the most about your books is your world building. Do you have any tips for writers who are trying to create their own unique worlds?

I am not usually an “In a world where…” writer, and by that I mean I don’t usually come up with a concept for a story world first. For all my published novels, I always thought of the characters first and built the fantasy world around them and their character’s arc/journey. I look at my character and think about what they want, what they need, and what circumstances have to exist in the world for them to be the way they are. So, assuming I have the idea for a demon sword and a young protagonist and an evil sorcerer, I ask myself some basic questions. What are the swords used for and how? What sort of world is this that thirteen-year-olds are carrying around swords? What other kinds of magic are people using and how are those kinds of magic judged by their society? Once I have answers to those basic questions, I have a decent foundation for a fantasy story world and can add details from there.

This seemed like a book the author enjoyed writing. What did you have the most fun with? Were any parts surprisingly difficult?

I did have fun writing this book! I had the most fun writing Cleoline’s point of view, probably because it’s the most over-the-top. There is a dinner scene with Cleoline, her landlord Waldo the Wise, and the evil sorcerer Amyral Venir that is probably one of my all-time favorite scenes that I’ve written, and nothing too substantial even happens in it! I just think it’s funny.

I have the most difficulty with fight scenes and keeping track of where everyone is, what they’re doing, which hand they’re holding their sword in…and then you have to be entertaining and build suspense and manage the pace to keep the reader excited, too! You may notice I have a lot of fight scenes that fade to black…

What would you like readers to carry with them after they finish reading The Demon Sword Asperides?

I will just be thrilled if people enjoy the book and it brings a little fun, joy, and tenderness into their lives, even if just for a little while. We could all use some of that these days.

THE DEMON SWORD ASPERIDES is out July 11, 2023. You can enter to win a copy over at Goodreads through July 10.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your process with us Sarah Jean. Want to learn more about Sarah Jean and her work? Visit her website.

Interview with Tween Podcaster and Literacy Advocate, E Train

By Melissa Roske on June 28, 2023 / Articles, Author Interviews

If you’re not familiar with E Train, the preteen literacy advocate, booktuber and podcast host, now’s your chance! Six months shy of his thirteenth birthday, this soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah boy has been reviewing books, interviewing authors, and spreading kindness—virtually and in-person—since the age of nine and a half (!). Today, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome E Train (aka Ethan) to the Mixed-Up Files.

Interview with E Train

MR: Thanks so much for joining us today, Ethan. It’s an honor to have you here!

Ethan: Thank you so much for having me, Melissa. I’ve loved reading your interviews with fabulous authors and members of the book world, so it’s a great honor to join you!

The Boy Behind the Mic

MR: What inspired you to host a podcast? How old were you when you started, and what were you hoping to achieve?

Ethan: I started my podcast at age eleven, after taking an online podcasting class on Outschool, an online virtual classroom. I’d already created a YouTube channel and was sharing videos, but I thought a podcast might be a fun and convenient way to share book reviews. My mom, dad and I wrote down different podcast names we liked and then voted. “E Train Talks” won! I really had no aspirations in mind; I let the journey take me. I did have one goal, though—to highlight the stories I liked, and to hopefully inspire others to read middle-grade books.

My Day is Booked

MR: How do you select which books and authors to feature on your podcast? There are so many to choose from!

Ethan: That’s a great question, Melissa! Originally, I said yes to almost everyone who asked to be on my podcast. At the time, I didn’t focus on the book genre, or if I’d heard of the author. I was just so excited and happy that writers were interested in talking to me, and sharing their writing journeys. Plus, I was homeschooled at the time, and I had quite a bit of time on my hands.

As my podcast grew, so did the number of people asking to be interviewed, and I learned quickly that there was no way to say yes to everyone—so I’ve had to cut back a bit. I was about to end homeschooling and start middle school too, so I knew I’d have to cut back on the number of monthly interviews I was hosting, which was around four to six interviews per month. As much as I’d like to keep that number, each interview requires reading and reviewing at least one book, as well as preparing interview questions, so it can be time consuming!

Now that I’m in middle school, with lots of homework, I try to host an average of two interviewees per month—give or take. Choosing who to talk to isn’t easy, so I try to base it on how much I enjoyed the book, or if there’s an important and compelling message the author is trying to share in their story.

Author Extravaganza!

MR: How many authors have you interviewed since you started podcasting? (I know it’s a lot, so ballpark…?) Also, I know you can’t choose a favorite, but which interview was the most memorable, and why?

Ethan: I get asked this a lot, and it’s always the most difficult question to answer, but I looked through my YouTube channel and podcast and, as of now, I’ve interviewed 90 authors, literacy advocates, kindness heroes, and more. It feels like every guest on my show becomes my new favorite, or most memorable, because every single person has something amazing to contribute, and honestly, it’s just too hard to choose one. But I’ll share several interviews that I’ll always keep with me.

The first is my talk with Stuart Gibbs. I’ve loved his books for a very long time, and talking to him was monumental. I remember I had a terrible cold that day, but there was no way I was canceling my talk with a book hero! Next is Gidon Lev, a Holocaust survivor who always focuses on the joy and hope in life. I’d never met or talked with a survivor before, so it was a life-changing experience. Oh! and, my interview with the legendary James Ponti was one of my most memorable podcasts as well. James is an unbelievably kind person, and he’s so knowledgeable and interesting to talk to. Three more meaningful interviews I had were with authors, Dan Gutman, Torrey Maldonado and Lisa Fipps—all incredible people who left a book print on my heart!

And, finally, another memorable experience was interviewing the authors who contributed to the MG anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories. I’m not just saying that because I’m here with you, Melissa, but as an upcoming Bar Mitzvah boy, reading about the characters’ experiences, and talking with the authors who wrote the stories, gave me insight into some things I can expect.

Advocating for Literacy

MR: In addition to interviewing authors and hosting your podcast, you are a self-described literacy advocate. Can you tell us more about the work you do?

Ethan: When I started my podcast and YouTube channel, I had no idea how many kids in the world don’t have access to books. Even in my own city there are lots of kids who don’t have many—or any—books of their own. I was shocked by the numbers, and I only learned this after listening to Dr. Molly Ness, an incredible advocate for literacy.

When I found out that there were millions of kids without access to books, I knew I wanted to do something, so I started book drives and was so happy when people started to send books! So many authors and book lovers have contributed to my book drive. Two people who’ve really supported my book-drive efforts are the amazing teacher-librarian extraordinaire, Elizabeth Blye, and the incredibly generous and wonderful Jennifer Frances, Founder and CEO of Bess the Book Bus.

Because of the many generous book donations, I’ve also been able to visit and talk with kids at local Title One schools in my community and hand deliver books to entire classrooms. Last year I partnered with Book Drop, which is run by author Jennifer Nielsen, and I visited a local school with my book hero, author Stuart Gibbs, to talk about the joy of reading. We shared books with every student in the school! I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to talk to kids about books, and then see the smiles on the kids’ faces when they get to take a book home!

Teen Readers’ Choice Awards

MR: Along these lines, you were chosen as the 2023 Teen Readers’ Choice Awards Book Hero. What was it like to win such a prestigious award, especially at the age of 12?

Ethan: When I heard the news, I literally leapt for joy! I think it was the best news I’d ever heard. So, the Teen Reader’s Choice Award is part of Teen Author Boot Camp, and they hosted a beautiful and fun awards gala for authors and teen writers. What made the experience even more special was that the award was presented to me by another book hero of mine, the wonderful author Jennifer Nielsen. Talk about making memories! I’m so unbelievably grateful for being recognized and awarded for my literacy work. The entire experience was inspiring and a night I will never forget.

Bar Mitzvah Boy

MR: Let’s turn to your Bar Mitzvah, which will take place on January 6th. (Here’s Ethan, pictured with Rabbi Herman). Can you tell us about your Bar Mitzvah Project? Spoiler alert: It involves books 🙂 Also, what does becoming a Bar Mitzvah mean to you?

Ethan:

My Mitzvah Project is one I’m extremely proud of. Continuing with my theme of book drives and getting stories into the hands of kids who need them, I’ve started an Amazon Wishlist and launched a GoFundMe, where people can donate money or books to help me continue sharing stories with kids in need. Every dollar goes directly to ordering books for kids in need. This project goes hand-in-hand with my Torah portion of helping those in need, when Moses was called upon by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Along with my book drives, I’m also spotlighting Jewish-themed books, as well as Jewish authors every month on social media and on my Bar Mitzvah Project Webpage.

(For more on Ethan’s Bar Mitzvah project, click here. And check out Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories, edited by MUF’s very own Jonathan Rosen, with a story by MUF contributor Melissa Roske.)

Ethan for President (of Seventh Grade)

MR: Rumor has it that you won the election for president of your seventh-grade class. Congratulations! Can you tell us about the campaign? What will your responsibilities involve as president?

Ethan: Thanks! I’m excited about being seventh-grade president. I ran against two other candidates. Campaigning was a lot of fun. With my mom’s help, we made posters, stickers, and buttons to help spread the world. On top of campaigning every day for two weeks, we filmed and shared a campaign video, which I made with my dad. I also created a TikTok campaign page, and my mom and I made a couple of extra campaign videos to share.

To run for office, I had to get two teacher recommendations as well as have a good GPA. It was such an exciting day when I heard I’d won the election! I haven’t been told all my responsibilities yet, but I know I’ll be helping to organize and attend school events as well as learn new leadership and community-outreach skills. I’m hoping to add some kindness and book- themed events to the calendar too, if possible!

MR: How do you balance your responsibilities as a student, podcaster, literacy advocate, and soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah boy? It can’t be easy.

Ethan: You’re right, Melissa. It’s not always easy to balance things. On top of being a middle-schooler, I’m on a school quiz bowl team, and I’m in an IB program, so my studies can be very rigorous at times. Next year will be even tougher, so I’ve been trying to find ways to balance everything. One thing that’s helped is cutting my interviews from four to six per month to two or three. Also, with my Bar Mitzvah training coming up, I’m going to have to learn how to manage my time. Now that summer vacation is here, I’m hoping to get as much as possible accomplished before seventh grade starts and my Bar Mitzvah training gets more difficult.

MR: How do you spend your free time, Ethan? I know you love basketball and playing the ukulele…

Ethan: I like to play video games, watch funny videos, hang out with friends, read, play piano and sing, play quiz bowl, and yes—play as much basketball as possible. This summer, for instance, I’m playing in a basketball league. I also love spending time with my family, especially my cousins. As for the ukulele, apparently I went through a big ukulele phase when I was two and three years old. I thought I played pretty well, but I’m not sure everyone listening would agree!

Ethan Tells All

MR: Is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d like Mixed-Up Files readers to know about you? Now’s your chance!

Ethan: I host a monthly book-review segment on Good Day, Sacramento, where I review middle-grade books as well as picture books and a little YA. I’ve been at it since September 2022. I’m also a kid reporter for the Sacramento Kings, where I’ve had the amazing opportunity to interview the players, and even appeared on national television, TNT.

I’m often asked when I started reading, and my mom tells me I asked to learn when I was two-and-a-half years old. I was reading chapter books by the time I was three and a half. I’ve also had a passion for trivia and history for as long as I can remember! Lastly, I’m a Giving Tuesday Spark Leader. As a Spark Leader, my goal is to spread as much kindness through literacy as possible, especially around Giving Tuesday Spark, in November.

Lightning Round

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

Preferred snack?

Cheerios with milk.

Favorite subject in school?

Probably History or World Language (we get to learn French, Chinese, or Spanish at my school).

Favorite book? (This is a tough one, I know… 🙂)

Wow, that is a toughie! Probably Starfish by Lisa Fipps. But I love so many!

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

Nay.

Superpower?

Something discreet, like knowing exactly what to say in all situations. It can come in handy!

Favorite place on earth?

Hawaii is so beautiful. I also love Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego.

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

My favorite book, a journal, and a water purifier.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Ethan. It was a pleasure, and I’m sure MUF readers will agree!

Ethan: Thank you so much for having me, Melissa! This has been so fun, and an honor to talk with you! I can’t wait for what’s to come in my book journey, and to see who you’re interviewing next on MUF! Bye!

About E Train

E Train is a 12-year-old award-winning literacy advocate, booktuber & podcast host, on an amazing adventure reviewing books and interviewing authors, book enthusiasts and kindness heroes. He is also visiting schools across the country (virtually & in-person). Find E on his website and YouTube Channel, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You may find his podcasts here. (Please note: E’s mom approves all of his tweets, posts, and content.)

June 26th is National Canoe Day.

By Weezie Prescott on June 23, 2023 / Articles, Fiction

National Canoe Day makes me think of fun, excitement, and the great outdoors. It also makes me think of white water, rapids, and capsizing. These books will send you on a watery adventure but not to worry … you don’t need a life jacket.

Northwind by Gary Paulsen.

When a deadly plague reaches the small fishing camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to “the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.”

This stunning New York Times Bestseller from the survival story master, set along a rugged coastline centuries ago, does for the ocean what Hatchet does for the woods, as it relates the story of a young person’s battle to stay alive against the odds, where the high seas meet a coastal wilderness. With hints of Nordic mythology, Northwind is a captivating adventure.

Follow the River by Paul Greci.

When Billy and his dad are injured, Tom summons the courage to get back on the water to save them. This time, he must travel in a rickety old homemade canoe through the Alaska wilderness to get help. But it’s not just the canoe and the terrain he has to worry about—he’s surrounded by adversaries. Are his skills enough to fight them off or will his journey be cut short and Billy and his father left stranded?

Journal of a Travelling Girl by Nadine Neema.

Eleven-year-old Julia has lived in Wekweètì in the Northwest Territories since she was five. Although the Wekweètì people have always treated her as one of their own, she sometimes feels like an outsider, disconnected from their traditions and ancestral roots.

When Julia sets off on a canoe trip with her best friends, Layla and Alice, she’s happy. However, the trip is nothing like she expected. She’s afraid of falling off the boat, of bears, and of storms.

Gradually, Grandma and Grandpa show her how to survive on the land and pull her own weight. They share their traditional stories with her. Julia learns to gather wood, cook, clean, and paddle the canoe and, in the process, becomes more connected to her community.

The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdrich.

Omakayas was a dreamer who did not yet know her limits. When she’s twelve winters old, she and her family set off on a harrowing journey in search of a new home. They travel by canoe westward from the shores of Lake Superior along the rivers of northern Minnesota. While the family has prepared well, unexpected dangers, enemies, and hardships push them to the brink of survival.

Omakayas continues to learn from the land and the spirits around her and discovers that no matter where she is, or how she is living, she has the one thing she needs to carry her through.

The Porcupine Year is the third novel in The Birchbark House Series, stories of one Ojibwe family’s journey through one hundred years in America, written by New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich.

National Canoe Day Activities to connect with your reading:

Make your own origami canoe.

Tips for a successful canoeing adventure.

Learn the paddle strokes.

Find out more at the American Canoe Association.