Today I have the wonderful honor of hosting four wonderful Middle Grade authors at The Hiding Spot. All have had their debut novels release in roughly the last month - so, if this is the first time you're hearing of these authors, I can promise it won't be the last.
All four authors were asked to respond to the questions below. I hope you enjoy their answers and discover a few new books to love!
"Is there a book, author, or illustrator that you find yourself coming back to again and again?"BRIDGET HODDER
Bridget Hodder was an archaeologist, translating ancient documents in order to tell the stories of long-dead civilizations. Then she realized she had her own stories to tell. Learn more here.
The dashing Prince of the Rats--who's in love with Cinderella--is changed into her coachman on the night of the big ball. And he's about to turn the legend (and the evening) upside down on his way to a most unexpected happy ending!
When I was small, I used to read a lot of Little Golden Books. They were inexpensive, slender, mass-produced hardcovers you could find in any grocery store, and my dad was always happy to toss them in the cart.
They had illustrations that could transport you into the stories, even when you struggled to read all the words in the text. Many of these illustrations were by women artists.
The illustrations of the late Eloise Wilkin taught me, a California child, what it looked like to grow up in the lush green Northeast, with Victorian houses and quaint Main Streets I'd only ever seen at Disneyland.
And through the amazing fairytale art of the late Sheilah Beckett, I found the way to worlds of magic where everyone--peasant, innkeeper, soldier, princess--was transformed into something gorgeous and exciting under her swirling brush.
Now I have a collection of these Little Golden Books on my shelf. I go back to them for inspiration and to refresh my spirit as I create new fantasy worlds of my own.
CASEY LYALL
Casey Lyall (5’4”, brown hair, blue eyes, no known aliases) is a middle grade writer from Southwestern Ontario. She can often be found working on a story, full of cookies, surrounded by cats. Learn more here.
Twelve-year-old Howard Wallace lives by his list of rules of private investigation. When a hot case of blackmail lands on his desk, he’s ready to take it on himself . . . until the new kid, Ivy Mason, convinces him to take her on as a junior partner and things quickly get out of hand. Learn more here!
Jennifer Crusie is my go-to author. I can read her books a thousand times and still love them. Her characters all have the snappy banter that I adore and they always get into just the right amount of shenanigans.
ERIN PETTI
Erin Petti lives under big pine trees in Massachusetts with her husband, excellent daughter, and helpful cat. She loves to read about magic, dinosaurs, folklore, and ghosts. Erin has a Masters in Education and a background in improvisational comedy. Learn more here.
Eleven-year-old budding scientist Thelma Bee has adventure in her blood. But she gets more than she bargained for when a ghost kidnaps her father. Now her only clues are a strange jewelry box and the word “Return,” whispered to her by the ghost. It’s up to Thelma to get her dad back, and it might be more dangerous than she thought—there’s someone wielding dark magic, and they’re coming after her next. Learn more here.
I always find comfort and inspiration in The Lord of the Rings. Those books help me understand the most important elements of story, and I've been so obsessed with Frodo for so many years that Middle Earth feels like it's part of my DNA.
WADE ALBERT WHITE
Wade Albert White believes he is a figment of his own imagination. He has yet to prove himself wrong. Also, he's from Canada, which explains a lot. Learn more here!
Anne has spent most of her thirteen years dreaming of the day she and her best friend Penelope will finally leave Saint Lupin’s Institute for Perpetually Wicked and Hideously Unattractive Children. When the big day arrives, a series of very curious happenings lead to Anne being charged with an epic quest. Anne, Penelope, and new adventuring partner Hiro have only days to travel to strange new locales, solve myriad riddles, and triumph over monstrous foes–or face the horrible consequences.
For this question I’m going to go with three creators who are all author/illustrators. The first is Noelle Stevenson, creator of the fantasy comic Nimona, which I absolutely love. The art is vibrant, the story is engaging, and the characters are hilarious. I’ve easily read it half a dozen times or more, and frequently return to it to reread brief sections. The second is Tom Siddell, creator of the science-fantasy webcomic series Gunnerkrigg Court. The art has evolved beautifully over time, and the world is such an interesting blend of technology and magic. Plus he’s great at keeping a lot of balls in the air plot-wise. Finally, I’m a long-time fan of Mike Mignola and basically read anything of his I can get my hands on. And although I really like the Hellboy series, I would have to say my all-time favorite stories of his are actually The Amazing Screw-On Head and The Prisoner of Mars.
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