Interview with juvenile fiction author Sherry Ellis

Today’s special guest is juvenile fiction author Sherry Ellis and we are chatting about Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure.

Sherry is sponsoring a tour-wide giveaway. She is giving away ten (10) autographed print copies of the book open to all. Be sure to enter using the form below. The giveaway ends at midnight on Oct. 17^th. The full listing for her tour stops is at the bottom of this post.

Bio:

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. 

Ellis has previously published Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China; Don’t Feed the Elephant; Ten Zany Birds; That Mama is a Grouch; and That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN. 

She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Welcome, Sherry. Please tell us about your current release.

Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure is the second installment in the Bubba and Squirt’s Adventures series. The two young protagonists travel through the mysterious portal and find themselves at the ancient Mayan ruins of Altun Ha. They befriend archeologists who are unearthing priceless artifacts. But someone is stealing them. It’s their job to find out who. Thrown into the mix are characters from Mayan folklore who add an element of magic to the story.

What inspired you to write this book?

In 1998, I took a trip to Belize and saw Altun Ha. Since I found the place fascinating and wanted to teach kids about Mayan history and culture, it made sense to make this the setting for Bubba and Squirt’s second adventure.

Excerpt from Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure:

We climbed the steps and stood at the opening. Guess what we saw? A pyramid with no point on top, like the one from my dream. It was in the middle of a grassy field, and it had lots of steps. And do you know what else? Behind the pyramid was a jungle. A real one with palm trees and tropical plants. You wouldn’t believe the noise! I needed earplugs for all those bird chirps and bug sounds. I took a deep breath, and it smelled like mud puddles.

            “I think we’re in Mexico!”

            Squirt shrugged. “Maybe. I know we’re not in Egypt. Egyptian pyramids don’t look like that. Plus, we’re in a jungle, not a desert.”

            “Correctomundo, Captain Obvious. Come on. Let’s check it out!”

            I took off lickety-split to the pyramid and climbed the steps. But when I got to step number thirty-two, I had to take a break. Sweat leaked out of my forehead and dripped into my eyes. Sitting down, I looked around.

            I spotted another pyramid, but it was shorter than the one I was on, and it was covered with grass. Someone needed to get a lawnmower. A line of white steps went to the top.

            I looked down. Squirt was at the bottom.

            “Bubba wait!” she said.

            But I didn’t. I wanted to get to the top first. So I kept climbing. Those steep, narrow steps were tricky. A couple of times my feet slipped, and I almost fell.

            I finally made it, but boy was I thirsty! They should’ve put a drinking fountain at the top. Wishing for water, I sat down and waited for Squirt.

            She huffed and puffed. Sweat made her stringy, brown hair stick to her face. She stopped in the middle and looked up. “How many are there?”

            “Steps?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Ninety-two.” I didn’t really know, but it sounded good. I’d lost track after forty-seven.

            Squirt frowned and continued climbing. When she reached the top, she grabbed her hair and lifted it off her neck. Then she let out a big breath and plopped down next to me.

            “About time, slow poke!”

            Squirt gave me a tummy jab.

            “Check out the other pyramid,” I said.

            Squirt nodded. “There are more stone things over there.”

            She was right. Crumbling gray buildings made of giant stone blocks were everywhere. They must’ve been part of an ancient city. I looked at the structure we’d come out of. Compared to the others, it was in good shape. The building looked like a stone rectangle with a door. Easy to spot whenever we had to go back.

            “What do you think we’re supposed to do here?” Squirt asked.

            “Beats me. But it would be nice if they had a burrito shop. I’m hungry.”

            Squirt rolled her eyes. “Seriously? We’re stuck in who-knows-where, and all you can think of is food?”

            “And something to drink.”

            “Yeah, I guess that would be nice.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on the next three Bubba and Squirt adventures which will be a trilogy. I’ve completed the first draft of the first one and am almost done with the first draft of the second. That’ll leave one more. The working titles are Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones (to the catecombs of Paris), Bubba and Squirt’s Shield of Athena (to Greece), and Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearl (to Japan).

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, but I don’t think I actually considered myself a writer until my first book, That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN was published. That was in 2005.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Unfortunately, I can’t say that I’m a full-time writer. I am an Executive Director for an orchestra (the Georgia Philharmonic), which takes a lot of time, and I also teach and perform (violin, viola, and piano). Finding time to write is challenging. I usually go in spurts, which means it takes me a long time to crank out a story. I try to fit in a chapter a week, writing a few days a week, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write all my stories by hand in a notebook. I’ve tried to be a “normal” writer and sit at my keyboard, but it just doesn’t flow as easily. I literally have to use a pencil and paper.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An astronaut and opera singer. I used to love to sing when I was young. I’m not sure what happened, but even through I’m a professional musician, I don’t sing much. I am, however, still fascinated by space. I think going into space would be interesting, but I’m happy staying on planet Earth and just observing the photos from satellites and telescopes.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

There are activities and teacher guides that go with each of my Bubba and Squirt books. Visit  https://www.bubbaandsquirt.org/ for details.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author page | Buy page on Amazon

Thanks for being here today!

Thank you for having me as a guest!

Feel free to visit Sherry at other stops during her tour:

Monday, Sept. 14 - Write With Fey - Guest Post
Alex J. Cavanaugh - Guest Post
Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews - Interview
Wednesday, Sept. 16 - The Story of a Writer - Review
Thursday, Sept. 17 - Book Reviews by Pat Garcia - Review
Friday, Sept. 18 - Booked Solid with Virginia C - Feature
Rockin' Book Reviews - Review & Top Ten List
Monday, Sept. 21 - Just Jemi - Review & Interview
Anna del C. Dye Official Page - Excerpt
Tuesday, Sept. 22 - Baroness' Book Trove - Review
Saturday, Sept. 26 - Storeybook Reviews - Excerpt
Monday, Sept. 28 - Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog - Guest Post
Joylene Nowell Butler - Excerpt

Journaling Woman - Feature
Wednesday, Sept. 30 - Nesie's Place - Excerpt
Friday, Oct. 2 - Thoughts in Progress - Review
Monday, Oct. 5 - The Sexy Nerd "Revue" - Excerpt
Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Willow Writes and Reads - Review
Friday, Oct. 9 - Celticlady's Reviews - Excerpt
Monday, Oct. 12 - Literary Rambles - Interview
Wednesday, Oct. 14 - Writer's Gambit - Feature & Top 10 List  

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Interview with novelist Michellene Barrett

Today's special guest is author Michellene Barrett and focuses on her novel, Englisha and David's Adventurous Vacation.

  

Welcome, Michellene. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

In my senior year of high school, I published my first juvenile fiction, Englisha and David's Adventurous Vacation. The story of Englisha and David is about two teens who begin dating and embark on an adventurous vacation in Los Angeles. They must learn the value of love, forgiveness and living life to the fullest.

In the fourth grade, I began writing stories about the adventures of Englisha and David. During lunch time, my classmates would listen as I shared my stories. They would say, "Michellene, you need to be a published author. Your stories are so funny." I soon began my quest to becoming a published author and eight years later, it became a reality. 

I graduated from Columbia University Teachers College with a master's degree in Literacy. I also obtained my bachelor's degree in Childhood Education from City College of New York. I am currently an elementary school teacher in New York City. 

Please tell us about your current release.

I am currently working on my second book in the Englisha series which comes in the fall of 2015. The main characters Englisha and David are now seniors in high school and they have to navigate through a lot of drama. Their relationship is tested when David's secret comes out. It's a story about trusting again, forgiveness and love. 

What inspired you to write this second book?

I was inspired to write my second book because of all the fans of my first book Englisha and David's Adventurous Vacation. I always wanted to write the story of Englisha and David as a book series. But there was a time after writing my first book where I no longer felt like writing. I was in college and I felt disconnected from my target audience (preteens and teens). I didn't think as an adult that I could write stories that would appeal to teens. All that changed last summer when I worked at the Action Arts Summer Camp at Columbia University Teachers College. I began reading my first book Englisha and David's Adventurous Vacation to the campers and I was surprised by their reaction. It was like I was in elementary school all over again. All the campers from ages 6-13 gathered around and listened to my story. They enjoyed the book so much that they began to share ideas for a book 2. Right there, I was inspired to write book 2 and make it bigger and better than my first book. 

Excerpt from Englisha and David's Adventurous Vacation:

"Tomorrow is my sixteenth birthday!" Englisha Regents shouted to her best friend, Laurenthina, as they entered the school building. 

"Tomorrow is also the last day of school. Hooray!" Laurenthina chimed in as she swiped in her ID card through the security system. "Well, who are you going to invite to your party?"

"Okay, let's see: you, Jasmine, Jasmina, and Clender," Englisha said. "Well, that's all I thought of so far." 

Laurenthina's eyes opened wide. "Are you telling me that you are not inviting any boys?" 

"I don't know, but you can tell your brother to come," Englisha said, trying to find a seat in the lunchroom so she could eat her breakfast. 

Laurenthina flipped her long, curly, light brown hair as she sat down. Laurenthina looked at Englisha as if she were crazy. "Oh, come on! My brother?" 

"Well, I could invite David, from my Spanish class," Englisha said, uncertain. Englisha had liked David since freshman year of high school, but he had a girlfriend. 

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I first began writing stories, I never saw myself as a writer. I was just writing for fun. I continued to write because my classmates were entertained. I began to think of myself as a writer once my audience began to grow. At my elementary school, I attended the after-school program where my peers would gather around and listen to my stories. They would say, "Michellene, your stories are good. You should get them published." The more I heard that, the more I gained confidence and believed that I should be a published author.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I was in the fourth grade when I first wrote the story of Englisha and David's Adventurous Vacation. I would write my stories when we had creative writing time in class. I would also bring my writing journal to lunch and continue writing. I am currently an elementary school teacher so it is so hard to find time to write. Sometimes I write for about an hour on Sundays. I mostly write when I'm on the train or bus. 

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Sometimes I get really impatient when writing. I would get so excited about a certain scene because I want to know what happens at the end. I have this urge to turn the page and read the end of the chapter but I can't because I'm writing it. Also my brain goes so much faster than my hands can write or type. So I have to remind myself to slow down, be patient and write the necessary details that leads up to the end of that chapter. 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a child, I also wanted to be a teacher. When I developed a love for writing, I decided that I would do both. I would be a teacher and an author. If there was any extra time, I would be a singer/songwriter too. My goal is to use all my talents in a positive way.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Look out for my second book which comes out fall 2015! It's my best writing! You will really enjoy it! 

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Thanks, Michellene. Happy writing!

Interview with juvenile fiction author A.J. Cosmo

Today’s special guest is A.J. Cosmo to chat with us about his new juvenile fiction work that he authored and illustrated, Soaked.

During his virtual book tour, A.J. will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice) to a randomly drawn winner. To be entered for your chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

A.J. Cosmo is the full-time independent author and illustrator of over forty children’s books including the best selling “The Monster That Ate My Socks.” He is also a consultant and publisher to other independent writers and illustrators.

Welcome, A.J. Please tell us about your current release.

Soaked tells the story of Aiden who, on the last day of class, stands up to Jacob, the all-powerful school bully. Jacob texts the entire school on the way home declaring a "$500 Gamestop gift card and full immunity for the kid that brings me Aiden Jones." Aiden has to rely on his friends, and his wits, to make it home safe and ultimately stand up to the bully that plagues everyone.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to tell a modern story of bullying and childhood war. I believe strongly that media attention to violence and war-themed video games have produced a culture that seeks violent solutions to nearly every problem. Our children take that information and use it to template their lives. The bully in Soaked knows the powder keg and all it takes is a simple text to bring war to a neighborhood. You cannot solve violence with more violence. Aiden, our hero, learns that his "cowardice" (pacifism) is actually his greatest strength and he uses non-violent means to systematically destroy the bully.


Excerpt from Soaked:
We ran into the woods and weaved through the trees. Ben grabbed my hand and pulled me into one of the crusty drainpipes that marked where future homes would be put. We waited there for the patrol to run past.

"You left him," Ben said.

"You left him? How about we left him?" I said.

"It was your idea to make a break for it. Your plan, you're blame," Ben growled.

We stopped, looked out of the pipe, and waited for the sound of the rallying kids to come near.

"I'm sorry," I said as I looked down at the dirt.

Feet stomped by overhead and we dropped our voices.

Ben shook his head. "They're not after me," Ben whispered. "I could walk out right now and no one would care."

"Don't say that," I said. I couldn’t help but feel a bit betrayed. "What makes you think they wouldn't bother you?"

"I nearly got soaked back there." He pulled out his cell phone. He looked at his phone as if it was the most precious thing in the world. And you know what? To him, it was. I knew that if something happened to it that it would take at least three grades before he would be able to get a new one.

"Is it okay?" I asked, not caring about the phone at all.

He tapped the phone. Then he shook it, pawed it, and pleaded with it.

It didn't work.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I'm not ready to divulge too much yet, but the theme of the story is the transition between immaturity and maturity and the title of the book is "Poop." ;)

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I looked around and saw that my only income was coming from writing (and illustrating) and that I literally could do nothing else with myself. I still have a hard time believing it, but the more you call yourself something (or are introduced as it in a public setting) the easier it is to accept it.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I work every day. Every. Day. And the time varies from a few hours to the entirety of daylight. It helps to give yourself hard deadlines, even if you're the only one paying attention to them. I carry many projects at once and am considered a workaholic. I average a book every two weeks. At such a breakneck pace, even my mother hasn't heard of all my books.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Very young it was a paleontologist (dinosaur scientist) and from ten years old on it was either a film director or a screenwriter. At no point did I ever consider being a full-time writer (though I did write my first novel at 18.) Honestly I think children need to have a wider variety of career options shown to them at a younger age. Nurse, cop, firefighter, and scientist need to be alongside accountant, teacher, mechanic, inventor, programmer, and barista.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
One thing that I wish authors would talk about more with readers is how important their feedback, specifically their reviews, are to us. True, some writers never read their reviews, but just the fact of having them in the first place puts an enormous weight behind the work. So if you read this and want to help a writer, any writer, leave them a review. Heck, review all of their work. Tell your friends to do the same: you'll be the house on Halloween that gives out full-sized candy bars. 

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

Thanks, A.J.!

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Interview with juvenile fiction author Janel Rodriguez

Today, Reviews and Interviews is a tour stop for the book The Arts - Angels Track 1: Drawn to You by Janel Rodriguez Ferrer.

Janel will be awarding Winner's Choice of a $25 gift card to iTunes (music) or, Capezio (dance), or Utrecht (art supplies) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. If you'd like a chance to win, leave an e-mail address with your comment below. And to increase you chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave additional comments.

Bio:

Like her main character, Gina Santiago, Janel is a Nuyorican who attended a Manhattan high school of the arts as an art major.

Unlike Gina, she isn’t very good at guitar and doesn’t have a rock band to call her own.

Truth be told, she never dreamed of becoming a guitarist. Instead, from the time she was a tween, she dreamed of becoming a published author of a book series. And since you’re reading this, you can see that her dream has come true!

Her first hint of an idea for The Arts-Angels series began way back when she received a pendant of St. Michael the Archangel for her sixteenth birthday.

She lives with her twin sister, Jennifer (who got a pendant of St. Joan of Arc on that same birthday, but hasn’t written any books about it) in New York City.

Welcome, Janel. Please tell us about your current release.

When Gina Santiago, a thirteen-year-old “Nuyorican” with rock star dreams, is accepted into the prestigious New York Academy of Arts and Talents, she’s completely and totally bummed. Why? Gina got in for art—not music, like she really wanted. Plus, the school is on Manhattan’s Upper East Side (in other words, filled with rich kids) and Gina doesn’t think rice and beans mix too well with caviar!

It’s Gina’s mother who’s all excited. She’s an artist, too, and wants her daughter to follow in her footsteps instead of those of her father, Michael, who also had rock star dreams but died before ever achieving them.

But it’s the footsteps of her guitar hero, Angel “Wings” Dominguez, that Gina really wants to walk in. And wearing a medal of St. Michael the Archangel in honor of both her father and her idol, Gina decides to chase after that dream—even if it means battling her mother, rival guitarists, mean teachers, and snobby frenemies do it.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wrote the very first draft of this book when I was nineteen years old. I grew up loving to read (and as a tween became particularly obsessed with the Trixie Belden series) and I knew even from very early on that I wanted to be a writer of books for young people. I was always writing stories in blank books or in loose-leaf binders. Sometimes I wrote magical adventures, other times school-based stories, etc. I also kept trying to write a whole book, but usually didn’t make it past the first chapter. I became a rather prolific first-chapter writer.

What had been a constant goal, though, was to write the kind of book (and series) that I would have loved to have read and collected when I was a tween. I believe that The Arts-Angels would have fit in very well with the other titles in my personal library of kids’ books back then, and that it does so even today: I keep an extra copy of my book just to literally sit on my bookshelf next to the other paperback series currently out for tweens that I have collected for myself!

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 4:

            When I stomped into the dance studio in my combat boots, every dance student’s head turned. As I looked at the sea of barely clad, pastel-colored bodies, I felt like a snowman at the beach.

            The dance instructor, a dark African-American woman wearing a powder-blue leotard, placed her hands on her hips like a superhero as she watched the artists stream in. “Okay, class,” she announced. “Don’t let our visitors distract you from the work you have to do today…

 “We are honored to have you as our visitors,” Madame Martin continued. “However, I ask you to please find a nice corner where you can have a good view of the action and yet not be in the way of any of my dancers. Thank you!”

            I found a corner between two mirrored walls near the piano, and settled in. Soon, the pianist was playing, the teacher was counting off steps, the dancers were dancing, and I was drawing. There was a comfort in the mutual respect between the dancers and the artists as we each did our own thing.

            After a little while, the teacher asked a student to demonstrate a particular dance sequence to the rest of the class.

            “Sage Harket, please come forward.”

            Sage—the ballet dancer who had been nice to me the day before! I sat up straighter. She turned out to be a pretty amazing dancer. As I continued to watch, I heard something to my right.

            “Psst!”

            I turned to look in the direction of the sound.

            “Pssssssssst!”

            A boy was bent over, looking at me through his legs. He looked Indian—the kind from India, not the Native American kind. His dark hair was almost touching the floor as he pointed off to the side and mouthed out two words.

            I shook my head. “What?” I mouthed back.

            He whispered. “Draaaaw herrrrrrr. Draaaaw herr—”

            He meant Sage . . .

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m editing the second book in The Arts-Angels series, which I plan to have out by April 22nd (which is Earth Day, but is also a specifically important date in the series). It is exciting because The Arts-Angels put out their first single and begin to promote themselves by using a clever marketing ploy. Willa’s back, of course, and she wants them to perform at her 14th birthday party. Much to Gina’s horror, all the other Arts-Angels want to do it! And on top of that, Uncouth Youth, their rival band, gets a lot of its own publicity because their lead guitarist, Julius Dubois (the son of a famous rock guitarist and Gina’s nemesis), gets his own reality show, so he has cameras following him all around school. And the book ends with a bang: a battle of the bands!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was in the fourth grade! I had written a short story about an obnoxious balloon for a school creative writing assignment and the teacher chose to read it aloud to the class. My fellow classmates laughed in all the right places and basically responded as though listening to her read a legitimately published work. After that I just knew writing was something I was going to continue doing because it was fun, it felt right, and other people enjoyed my work.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I still have a day job to pay the rent. Maybe one day I’ll be able to support myself as a writer. In the meantime, I have an office job Monday through Friday, and my busy days are filled with paperwork, computer work, phone work, and customer service. There was a time in my life when I was a nanny and I miss those days, sometimes! I usually don’t get the time to write until late in the evening, when everything else in my life is taken care of—at least to a certain extent. I’m a night owl, anyway, so this works out for me.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t know that I have any interesting writing quirks. I do know I have the bad habit of using ellipses points all time . . .

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer. :-) As I said above, it was something I knew I wanted to be since I was in the fourth grade.

But I also remember one time when I was in the first grade and we had an assignment to draw ourselves in our future profession—and I drew myself as a firefighter! I remember I drew myself in profile, in uniform, putting out a fire with a hose. My first grade teacher flipped out and kept showing it to other teachers and adults who entered the classroom. I am an artist, and my ability to draw had already been noticed in kindergarten. But that wasn’t the whole reason why she kept showing it to people. It was because there were no female firefighters at the time. I guess I was a little first-grade feminist—and didn’t even know it!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I invite them to come visit my website. The cover of Track 2 will be posted there soon. Also, if they like, my readers can submit artwork to add to the “gallery” there. Finally, I will be posting some interesting interviews with fellow authors on my blog later this month as well. Thank you!

Website | Blog | Facebook

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

You're welcome, Janel. Happy touring! Readers, don't forget to leave a comment for a chance at the gift card giveaway.