Happy Monday, Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Paige Classey here to share a guest post to celebrate the release of her middle grade novel-in-verse, Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer. It sounds like a creepy camp adventure story that’s a page-turner. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:
Anna-Jane
couldn’t wait for camp. But when the outside world goes dark, she and her
friends soon realize they’re in for the adventure of their lives this
summer—and maybe even beyond.
Anna-Jane is thrilled to be back at Camp
Chester—the one place she feels like she belongs. She’s excited to swim in the
lake, read in her favorite chair, and swap secrets with her best friend under
the stars. But not long after Anna-Jane unpacks her trunk, weird things start
happening.
First, townspeople near camp begin disappearing.
Then, the internet, cell service, and all other forms of communication are cut
off. Soon, Anna-Jane and the residents of Camp Chester realize they are
completely alone.
Or so they think. Across the lake, the kids spot a
strange flashing light. And when animals begin turning up with yellowed eyes
and disfigured limbs, it is clear the dangers are only growing. Most alarming
of all, though, is the deepening distrust among the campers themselves, which
could have deadly consequences. Anna-Jane knows what to expect from a summer at
camp . . . but what happens when camp lasts well beyond the
summer?
Now here’s Paige answering two questions I asked her about!
How has your job as a school librarian influenced your writing?
In 2017, I left the high school English classroom for the middle school circulation desk. I plunged into another world, a move that would ultimately reset my course into writing. I watched my students flock to novels-in-verse like The Crossover by Kwame Alexander and Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. So I read them, too, and added adult verse titles to round out my reading list (Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson particularly stands out in my memory). I found myself experimenting with writing in verse for the very first time.
Nine years later, I continue to carefully listen to my students— I note the genres, characters, hooks, and settings that intrigue them. I don’t necessarily decide the stories I tell that way, but I do look for overlap in my interests and theirs. I also pay attention to what matters to them in their daily lives, what authentic questions or problems they’re grappling with, and more. Teens and tweens can be really open and honest about their experiences and I try to honor that in my characters.
I typically alternate my
reading using an adult book/ YA or middle grade book pattern. I enjoy reading
for all age levels, but need to have plenty of fresh student recommendations
for my work in the library media center. The constant exposure to literature
geared towards middle grade and young adult readers is so educational, and
usually a first step I recommend to adults hoping to write for children. Of
course there are timeless classics (“oldies but goodies” that I still book talk
all the time), but you also need to have your finger on the pulse of what
appeals to the children of today. I continually reading up on award winners and
new releases to maintain a strong collection, and that serves to keep me “in the
know” in my author life, as well.
In short, my library life fuels my writing life, and vice versa.
How do you balance writing with working and being a mom?
Weekdays are full to the brim: work until late afternoon, picking my children up from school or the bus stop, backyard baseball games, getting dinner started, bathtime, bedtime. Add in the meetings, doctor’s appointments, and haircuts of regular life, and it’s a lot. I often look up at the end of the day and wish I had three more hours of daylight to do it all. I’m often so drained that the idea of tapping into creativity at 8:30 at night feels nearly impossible.
I wish there was some magical secret I could impart that would solve this for other working-parent-authors, but the truth is that I’m still seeking the answer myself. The only way I manage to write is that I can’t not write. Writing feels essential to me. Maybe not on a daily basis, but as frequently as I can manage.
During some of the time that I’m not physically able to sit down and write, I find myself brainstorming. I might be driving home from work or taking a quick stroller walk with my toddler, and I’ll simultaneously be working through sticky plot points in my head. This helps focus my thinking for when I do have some time in front of a laptop; I’ve done the planning in advance and can dive in.
I accept offers of help from family. I am fortunate in that the people in my life respect this creative part of me and give me time and space to nurture it. If I am offered the opportunity to sneak to a local coffee shop to write for an hour or to spend the day speaking to aspiring writers at a summer camp, I take it!
I attend a monthly SCBWI writers’ group. My fellow writers provide necessary feedback, questions, and insights that elevate my work. An upcoming meeting also motivates me to have pages to share. That time is sacred and I protect it; no matter how busy life gets, I try to be there for that monthly meeting.
I wrote the first draft of Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2026) while my eldest son napped. I edited it while my youngest newborn-napped on my lap. My kids’ nap schedules provided pockets of precious time that I used for writing. And I made my peace with the other things that did not get accomplished: laundry, cleaning, etc.
Finally, I give myself grace. I’m not at a point in my life where I can maintain a consistent writing routine or set a goal number of words per day. My goal is to write when I can and be kind to myself. That’s it.
Bio:
Paige Classey is an author and school librarian who lives with her family on the Connecticut shoreline. Her middle grade debut, Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and earned a starred review from School Library Journal. Her YA thriller-in-verse, Surviving the Madisons, releases from Delacorte in June 2027.
Giveaway Details
Paige is generously offering a hardback of Anna-Jane and the
Endless Summer for
a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my
blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right
sidebar) and leave a comment by September 5th. If I do not have your
email (I can no longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in
the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.
If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or
other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or Bluesky or follow Paige
on her social media sites, mention this in the comments, and I'll give you an
extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway
is US-only.
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can
find the participating blogs on his blog.
Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops
Monday, August 31st, I’m participating in the Glam and Glitz Giveaway Hop
Wednesday, September 2nd, I have an interview with Dinesh Thiru and a giveaway of his YA My Killer Family Reunion
Monday, September 7th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Syrone Harvey and a query critique giveaway
Monday, September 14th, I have an interview with M.K. England and a giveaway of her MG Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth
Wednesday, September 16th, I’m participating in the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop
I hope to see you on Monday!
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