Q&A Session + Giveaway with Natalie Lloyd, author of A Snicker of Magic

Today the immensely talented Natalie Lloyd is at The Hiding Spot to talk about her debut MG novel, A Snicker of Magic! I adored this book about young Felicity Pickle, a word collector who travels the country with her mother and little sister in their van (the Pickled Jalapeno) before landing in the small town of Midnight Gulch. Midnight Gulch used to be full of magic, but things have changed in the years following a fateful fallout between talented brothers. But Felicity is still convinced there's a snicker of magic left in Midnight Gulch and she hopes her mother's wandering heart will finally feel at peace here so Felicity won't have to leave the people she's come to love behind. Don't miss my review of A Snicker of Magic here, then check out the interview below and, at the end, enter for a chance to win a finished copy of the novel!

________________________________

A SNICKER OF MAGIC is rife with scenes and characters that seem to shimmer into existence, lingering in the reader’s consciousness. There wasn’t one character that seemed secondary or flat, each had a distinct personality and it almost felt like each had their own story to tell… Your writing feels very full and like your characters are out living their lives somewhere in a real-life Midnight Gulch somewhere. Can you speak a little bit about your writing process and your character development?

Thanks so much for such a wonderful compliment! Characters are my favorite part of a story. Even if I’ve collected all sorts of ideas for a story, I can only start when I have the right voice. A Snicker of Magic began with a storm of gorgeous music. Based off some of the lyrics in the Beatles song “Across the Universe,” I began thinking about what it would be like to see words as tangible things. And then I wondered what a character would be like if she had that ability, if she could see words floating, slithering, and sliding through the air. I opened the idea-file on my computer and typed: Felicity Pickle; Poem Collector. I didn’t think I would do anything with that idea for a while, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Felicity. One day I opened a new document and typed: “We watched Mama drive away in the Pickled Jalapeno …” and knew I had to write that character. Felicity’s voice pulled me into the story from the beginning. I loved the vulnerable, open-hearted way she approached the world. I liked the measured hope I heard in her voice, and her sensitivity to people. It takes time for me to know my characters though. In the first few drafts, I feel like I’m meeting them. In later drafts, thanks in part to incredible feedback from my editor, I was able to understand their hearts more and figure out the journey they were on. As far as process, I remember watching a YouTube clip of Kathi Appelt saying, “Type like your fingers are on fire.” That advice stuck with me, and it’s what I tried to do initially. I typed the first draft in a fury, just to get it out so I’d have a first draft to work with. But then it took several revisions for me to find the heart of the story.

I feel certain that Jonah, Felicity’s newfound best friend with a heart of gold and a giving spirit (who just happens to be in a wheelchair) is going to be a reader favorite. It’s easy to understand why Felicity so quickly comes to love this singular young man. Did Jonah’s character, as readers know him in the published novel, exist in your early versions of the story?

Jonah existed from the beginning. Initially, I thought “The Beedle” would be more of a word-guru, kind of a nod to the Venerable Bede. But I “saw” Jonah the same time Felicity saw Jonah, and I knew from that moment that word-magic isn’t what he would bring to the story. He had his own magic. It took a few drafts for me to realize how Jonah and Felicity complement each other; both in terms of personality and the magic they have. But Jonah existed from the beginning. And from the beginning, he was the Beedle, plotting anonymous good deeds for the citizens of Midnight Gulch.

Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Alternately, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write?

I had to recalibrate most scenes, or the sequence of events as a whole, at some point or other. My rough drafts are really rough. But there was one scene, in particular, that was pure fun for me to write. It’s my favorite scene in the book; when Felicity is with her aunt, uncle, mom, and sister at Snapdragon Pond. It’s like it was on the edge of my heart, just waiting to be written. I wrote it in a day, and it didn’t change much through the revision process. I think every writer gets one or two scenes like that; days when the words flow and you get caught up in the magic of it all. If only every day could feel that way!

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

The original title was There’s Magic in Midnight Gulch. But after talking with the team at Scholastic, we thought A Snicker of Magic was a better reflection of the story. Jonah tells Felicity only “a snicker of magic” is left in Midnight Gulch; a snicker meaning his word for “a little bit”. Through the course of the novel, I feel like Felicity realizes a “snicker” of anything – courage, hope, love, friendship – can bloom into something bigger than she ever imagined. I feel like that’s been the title all along now.

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing?

When I first graduated from college, I worked at a church in teen outreach. I planned lots of events for students, and my favorite part of that job was helping create an environment where everybody felt like they belonged. I’m quite shy, and I know how it feels to be on the fringe and not know anybody. I like for people to feel connected; to know that they matter. In some ways, I feel like I try to get my characters to that kind of place, too. I love writing characters who are brave enough to wear their hearts on their sleeve ... and therefore feel a bit left out, a bit self-conscious. I like for them to realize they matter, that they’re already capable of magic.

A job at a doctor’s office also influenced my writing, though I didn’t realize it for a long time. I applied to answer phones and sort files, but the office manager thought I’d be great with patients. So I ended up going into rooms before the doctor to update charts and make sure films were displayed correctly. These patients were all battling cancer; and they all had such gusto for living that the room felt charged with their courage and hope. It was a job I took just to make extra money while I was writing. But it made me so conscious of time, of how none of us really knows the amount of days we have, or the amount of words we get to say. I remember thinking about that experience when I decided to pursue publication. I only have a certain amount of days, so why not try to be published? Why let fear win the day when every day matters so much? Within my writing, I think there’s always at least one character who is genuinely passionate about living life to the fullest. You know that saying, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been”? I’m smitten with characters who embrace that philosophy. In this story it was Ramblin’ Rose. Most people would have thought she was past her prime, too old to pursue her dreams. Instead of listening to them, she embroidered red roses on her cowboy boots and decided it was time to sing. She ran at her dreams. I’d like to be more like that.

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why? If Felicity plucked your favorite word from the air, what would it look like?

I love this question! My favorite words change, but there are two I’m certain Felicity would see.  This first is the word “love,” and it would be as small and easily missed as a looped piece of silver thread shimmering over my heart - barely a whisper that binds everything together. Another word I adore is firefly. I like the pairing so much; fire that represents a caustic energy (or is it destruction?) with wings that represent freedom (or recklessness?). I remember catching fireflies with my cousin when I was little. I remember breezy twilights and the way fireflies prickled against my skin, just tiny stars poised for flight on the back of my hand. I remember summer nights when they flooded the woods behind my house with flickering light. I thought they were dazzling. There’s a lyric in the song “Firefly” by Small Town Poets that I’ve always adored: “Fragile wings bring little messages of light.”

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

I love that books are your escape. I know that feeling. One of my most favorite escapes is my room on a rainy day, with my dog beside me and a book in my lap. And any time I’m with my family (including my dog), my anxieties fade for a bit, and I feel like my heart has a place to rest. Love is the best magic, I think.

Find out more about Natalie and her books here!

Follow her on Twitter here!

Check out my review of A Snicker of Magic here!

____________________________________________

Win It!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will close April 25, 2014. Prize provided to Scholastic. Open to US mailing addresses only per publisher.

Review: Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Title: Grasshopper Jungle

Author: Andrew Smith

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile/Penguin

Pub. Date: February 11, 2014

Genre: Young Adult

Rec. Age Level: 14+

Add to Goodreads

Austin Szerba has enough to deal with without adding an unstoppable army of six-foot-tall praying mantises to the mix: he's conflicted about his sexuality, thinks about sex constantly, and struggles to find his place in his small, religious Midwestern town. A self-appointed historian, Austin chronicles the present and the past... He's devoted to telling the truth, no matter how messy, confusing, or  painful, so, with the likely end of the world approaching, it falls on Austin to find pull the threads of past and present together, recording seemingly random events that, together, lead to the rise of an army of hungry, horny unstoppable six-foot-tall praying mantises and the fall of man.

Grasshopper Jungle is many things: abrasive, real, shocking, entertaining, hopeful, funny, sad. I think though, most of all, it's truthful. Behind the giant praying mantises, scientific experiments, and weird underground cults, there are so many important, very real truths within its pages... Big truths about identity, love, life, sexuality, religion, and science. It's clear, just from the description, that what Andrew Smith has written won't be for every reader, but for some it will be just the book they've been waiting for... the book that changes everything.

As a Polish girl who grew up in a small, religious Midwestern town, Austin is in some ways my male equivalent. Though we have distinct differences, the fact that Austin and I have very similar origins intrigued me and allowed me to identify with this story in a memorable, emotional way. In ways, I wasn’t at all surprised by what happened within Grasshopper Jungle…  I mean, the end of the world being caused by prejudice, backwards thinking, man trying to play God, and judgment passed while clinging to religion doesn’t seem all that far-fetched to me.

While there are many things that I’d like to say about Grasshopper Jungle, it’s a hard book to write about… there are so many elements and so many big ideas that, to really write about it, I feel like I’d have to write pages and pages. So, instead, I’m going to tell you to go read it. Then have a friend read it. And then sit down and talk about it for hours because there’s plenty to talk about here… things that should be talked about. Sure, it looks like a simple story about horny, constantly hungry praying mantises (and teenage boys), but it’s also about life… the world… you and me and them and us. It’s about everything.

Review: Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson

Title: Ice Dogs
Author: Terry Lynn Johnson
Publisher: HMH Kids
Pub. Date: February 4, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade
Rec. Age Level: 10+

Add to Goodreads

___________________________________________

   

When 14-year-old dogsled racer Victoria sets out for her neighbor's with a small team of dogs, her biggest concern is making it back home before her mom realizes she's gone. Things take an unexpected turn when she happens upon a snowmobile accident and a dazed boy she doesn't recognize. With the snowmobile out of the equation, Victoria must make sure the boy gets back home safely. With instructions from the boy, she sets of in search of his house. Before long Victoria realizes that they're heading further and further into the wilderness and, by the time the boy admits he might not know the woods as well as he implied, Victoria, the boy, and her dogs are stranded with night and frigid temperatures quickly approaching. Things get even more complicated - and deadly - when their map is lost and the small amount of food Victoria packed is quickly consumed, leaving Victoria with little more than her wits to rely on if the group is going to survive the fierce Alaskan wilderness.

I can't stress how much I appreciate ICE DOGS. Growing up in northern Michigan with a passion for reading, I never tired of books about kids surviving on their own in the wilderness. Books by Gary Paulsen and Jean Craighead George were on constant check-out from the library and, for years, my favorite animal was the Peregrine falcon because of the bird's central role in Craighead George's MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. I'm confident that if I would have read ICE DOGS as a kid, Victoria would have been my new role model and the Siberian Husky my favorite animal. There are simply not enough books within this subgenre that feature a female protagonist. Victoria is a smart, capable, and compassionate character in an action-packed, high stakes adventure and young readers will love her.

Not only is this survival story utterly captivating from an entertainment standpoint, I was surprised by how much I learned about survival and dog sledding. I'm not saying I could go out and survive like Victoria did if I somehow found myself lost in even the forest behind my house, but I have a whole new level of respect for dog sledding and nature. Johnson doesn't oversimplify or patronize her audience, she treats them with respect and successfully engages readers with a real-life intensity.

Review: The Sound of Letting Go by Stasia Ward Kehoe

Title: The Sound of Letting Go
Author: Stasia Ward Kehoe
Publisher: Viking/Penguin
Pub. Date: February 6, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

Add to Goodreads

_________________________________

From the outside, Daisy’s life looks normal. A talented musician and good student, her future is bright and promising, but, at home, things are tense and complicated. Daisy’s younger brother, Steven, is autistic and, despite their constant efforts, living with an autistic family member is proving much harder now that he’s reaching maturity. Steven can now easily overpower Daisy and her parents and helping a teenage boy who doesn’t know his own strength and often reacts physically and violently when stressed and overwhelmed is putting a strain on the entire family. When Daisy’s parents decide to place Steven in a specialized institution where they feel his needs and happiness will be better met, Daisy is shocked. Part of her is relieved, but she mostly feels guilt, sadness, and anger. How can her parents just send her brother away? How can he possibly be better off without the people that love him most? As Daisy struggles with her parents’ choice and tries to come to terms with her feelings, her confusion and conflicted emotions about her home life seep into her school and social life. The darkness inside her manifests itself in her wardrobe, makeup, and even her love life, as she falls Dave, an old friend turned bad boy. She begins neglecting her responsibilities and the things she loves, including her music and friends. It’s Cal, a new Irish exchange student, that won’t give up on the old Daisy and reminds her of the powerful magic of music, finally bringing her back to herself and acceptance.

I don’t read nearly enough verse novels, but every time I read a novel by Stasia Ward Kehoe, I’m kick myself for neglecting the format. I loved Kehoe’s first novel, Audition, but I think I might appreciate The Sound of Letting Go more. Kehoe did an incredible job giving a voice to those families who include a individual with autism. My cousin is autistic and I remember how difficult it was when my cousin reached Steven’s age; Kehoe’s portrayal is painfully honest.

I can’t imagine having to make the decision to send my child to an institution, as Daisy’s parents do, even if I knew that he would be more comfortable in that setting than at home. If I were in Daisy’s shoes, dealing with the guilt and sadness of sending my brother away, I think I would have reacted much the same way. Daisy’s entire life has been devoted to order and consistency, carefully regulated so not to cause Steven stress, so it makes sense that everything she knows would be thrown into chaos. I can’t help but see Steven was as a powerful magnet that keeps everything centered… without him everything in Daisy’s life is spinning out of control.

I highly recommend both of Stasia Ward Kehoe’s verse novels. If you’ve never read a verse novel before, Kehoe’s offer a great introduction, showing just how versatile and beautiful the format can be!

Review: The Secret Box by Whitaker Ringwald

Title: The Secret Box
Author: Whitaker Ringwald
Publisher: HarperCollins BFYR
Pub. Date: February 25, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade
Rec. Age Level: 8-12

Add to Goodreads

_________________________________________________

Jax and Ethan are more than just cousins, they're best friends and partners-in-crime. Well, to be honest, it's more like Ethan is a partner to Jax's crimes. Jax is impulsive and always ready for an adventure, while Ethan is cautious and always armed with plenty of facts and interesting trivia. When Jax receives a mysterious package on her twelfth birthday from a great-aunt she never knew existed, a gift quickly and mysteriously confiscated by her mother, Jax is even more determined than ever to figure out why no one has ever mentioned Great-Aunt Juniper and what is inside the curious box she's given Jax for her birthday. Jax and Ethan team up with Tyler, Ethan's older computer-genius older brother, who happens to possess something the duo desperately needs: a driver's license. As the trio embarks on a road trip to figure out what secrets the box contains, they find themselves tangled in potentially dangerous adventure where their courage, wits, and teamwork might be the only things that can save them from the dark powers at play.

THE SECRET BOX is the first installment in a new middle grade adventure trilogy by author Whitaker Ringwald. Readers will surely fall for the heroes of this story - Jax and Ethan - who, though very different, compliment one another perfectly. Jax's impulsiveness and irrepressible excitement moves the story along at a quick pace, while Ethan's attention to detail and penchant for reciting facts and figures grounds the story and gives readers time to process important details.

I'm very curious about the Greek mythology elements of THE SECRET BOX and the secrets regarding Jax's father. In this first book, readers are only given small amounts of information about who Jax's father is and how he ties into the big mystery surrounding Juniper and the curious artifact gifted to Jax. I'm anxiously awaiting the answers I hope to find in the second book! THE SECRET BOX is a great beginning to what promises to be a fantastic new trilogy.

Q&A Session with Eileen Cook, author of Year of Mistaken Discoveries

I've been a fan of Eileen Cook's books for years, so being able to interview her after loving her books for so long was a fantastic opportunity! Eileen's newest book, Year of Mistaken Discoveries, is one of my favorites; I highly recommend it! Read on for my interview with Eileen... and don't forget to check out my review here.

__________________________________________

 

Eileen Cook spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

 _____________________________________________

A major topic within Year of Mistaken Discoveries is family, with an exploration of many different aspects of adoption. Is there a specific reason you chose to write about adoption; did something specific interest or inspire you?

I have always been interested in families of choice- people that we bring into our life who are as close (or sometimes closer) than “blood relatives.   I wanted to explore the friendship between Nora and Avery and how they had been extremely close and had grown apart.  I decided to make them both adopted because I wanted it to be something they had in common, but show how they had dealt with it very differently.  I spent time talking to several teens who had been adopted as research.

The odd thing was that after I’d written a draft of the book, one of my cousin’s and her husband adopted their baby girl.  I had a chance to see them go through the process and the joy that it brought to their lives and how they created their own family.  It made writing about the topic more special.

I’ve always found your characters to be very relatable. You’re able to present very rounded characters, with both good and bad qualities, who are dealing with very real situations. How do you find the voices for these characters? Do you ever struggle to find a voice that readers will find accessible or is it something you easily tap into?

Thank you!  Coming up with characters is one of my favorite parts of the process. I went to college for counseling/psychology because people fascinate me.  The truth is that no one is all good or all bad; we’re  a mix. Even when we make bad decisions, in the moment that we’re making them, they seem like good ideas. I think it is easier to write well rounded characters when you don’t judge them.  I like my characters- all parts of them.

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

Ha!  I think we had about a million different titles.  The truth is I am terrible at coming up with them.  When I am writing I tend to give the book a really simple title, like Avery’s Book.  Clearly, while this makes it easy to remember, it’s not exactly catchy.  Once the manuscript is complete I tend to brainstorm a list with my editor and we trade ideas back and forth until we both have the “a-ha!” moment and know we landed on just the right title.

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general?

How is it possible to pick just one!  I grew up a total library junkie. I would go every week and check out stacks and stacks of books.  I loved Judy Blume and the book The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  When I was about eleven I convinced my parents to let me check out a Stephen King novel, Salem’s Lot.  I told them I wouldn’t be that scared because I knew it was just made up. Then I ended up sleeping with the lights on for three months after I finished it.  I remember being so amazed that someone could make something up so well that even though I knew it was “fake,”  I would feel real emotion.  It seemed like magic.  I wanted to do that.

Many people dream of their ideal jobs while working somewhere less desirable to make ends meet, never realizing what great experience those jobs of necessity are for their future. What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing? 

I had all sorts of jobs in school from retail, to the Dairy Queen, to waiting tables.  After college I worked for years as a counselor. I’m a huge believer that all experiences are helpful to a writer, from travel to having your heart broken. There’s no doubt that working as a counselor has been a huge help to me as a writer.  I spent years studying how and why people do the things that they do.  It helps with creating characters and helping them behave in realistic ways.

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

This was hard. There are so many great words.  If I have to pick one, I’d pick dog.  I’m a huge dog fan. If there is ever a bad day I know I can count on my dog, Cairo, to make it better.  It’s hard to be unhappy when rubbing a fuzzy belly.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

Like you, books have always been a favorite escape.  I am one of those people with books stacked in every corner of my house and always have one that I’m in the middle of reading. In terms of a place, whenever I find myself stressed or need to get away I take a walk on the beach. That’s my favorite escape and if I can do it while walking my dog it’s even better.

_________________________________

Learn more about Eileen and her books here.

Check out my review of Year of Mistaken Discoveries here!