Author Interview: Christyne Morrell and The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite Giveaway

 

Happy Monday, Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Christyne Morrell here to share about her MG mystery, The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite. I interviewed Christyne when she was a debut MG author, when Kingdom of Secrets was released in 2021. She also shared a guest post on juggling work with writing in 2022 when her MG sci-fi Trex was released. 

Christyne’s newest MG, The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite, is a mystery, one of my favorite genres, and I’m super excited to read her book. I already reserved it at my library.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads: 

In this middle-grade mystery, a twelve-year-old obsessed with Agatha Christie suspects every guest at her mother's bed-and-breakfast of hiding secrets. That is until a real crime rocks the quaint B&B, and her mother is framed for it.

When the wealthy Willoughby family checks into her mother’s bed-and-breakfast for the weekend, Amber Adler is certain a crime is going to be committed right under their roof. And she should know—she’s read every Agatha Christie novel in the library and her father is a world-famous detective. Sure, Amber has made a few false accusations (and once got the SWAT team sent to her math teacher’s house), but this time, she’s positive that one of their guests is up to no good.

So it comes as no surprise to Amber when someone steals a priceless ruby belonging to the crotchety Willoughby patriarch. But what she didn't expect was for her mother to be framed for it. Now, Amber must call on everything she knows about solving mysteries to find the stone and catch the real culprit before the family checks out—and learn that sometimes, people are the greatest mystery of all. 

Hi Christyne! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Where did you get the idea for The Case of the Scarlett Snakebite? 

Hi Natalie, it’s lovely to be back on the blog! The idea for THE CASE OF THE SCARLET SNAKEBITE came to me on my fourth or fifth rewatch of Knives Out, one of my all-time favorite films. I wanted to create the same experience for kids – a cozy mystery in a rickety old house with delightfully diabolical suspects and a plucky young protagonist. Add to that a dash of Agatha Christie (of course!), and the story came together from there. So far, the trade reviews have called it “a fun-filled homage to cozy mystery classics” (Publishers Weekly) and “the absolute definition of a cozy mystery” (The Bulletin), so I think I did what I set out to do!   

2. Those are great reviews. This is your first mystery. How did you learn to write one, and how did you plot out your story? Did you use anything you learned from Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, which you said you used in plotting out your first book, when writing this story? 

My first lessons in mystery writing came from the queen: Agatha Christie. I’ve read so many of her books, along with modern successors like The Thursday Murder Club, that I’ve developed a good working knowledge of the story beats of a compelling mystery. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t need a little extra help plotting SCARLET SNAKEBITE! 

I’m so used to plotting using the standard three act structure, but mysteries follow a different formula. I quickly found that my standard templates and beat sheets weren’t quite working for this book. Luckily, my old standby, Save the Cat Writes a Novel, has a separate section on plotting mysteries, which was very helpful in boiling down the elements of this type of story.      

3. I’ll have to check out that section of Save the Cat Writes a Novel. From the blurb, it sounds like Amber is suspicious and nosy about all the guests at her mom’s B&B, even before the Willoughby family came to stay. What are a few of the other character traits that make her a sympathetic character? 

Amber Adler was such a blast to write! She’s naturally suspicious, as you rightly mention, but it comes from a good place – namely, from the desire to reunite her family and salvage her mom’s good name. 

As readers discover in the first chapter of the book, Amber’s father is a famous detective who left their small town for New York City, where they have “better crimes” for him to solve. Not one to give up easily, Amber has made it her mission to identify all the juicy crimes in her town in order to lure him back home. But she winds up getting more than she bargained for! As the Willoughby family unleashes chaos on her mom’s bed-and-breakfast and a priceless jewel goes missing, Amber is suddenly confronted with a new goal: to catch the culprit and keep her mom from being framed for the theft! Yes, Amber can be a bit sneaky and quick to make accusations, but she’s doing it for all the right reasons. And her antics – eavesdropping, wearing ridiculous costumes, hiding out in trash bins – are certainly never boring!     

4. This is your fourth middle grade novel. You’ve written a fantasy, sci-fi, ghost story, and now a mystery. What’s made you stick with writing all middle grade stories and switch so much between genres? 

I’ve always been a passionate reader, but books really became a salve for me when I hit the middle grade years. Books were both an escape and a guide during that confusing transition from childhood to adulthood. I think that’s why I’m still drawn so strongly to middle grade books. I’ve started to slowly branch out into other age categories (more on that later), but I’ll always return to writing for kids. Quite simply, they are the most rewarding audience to write for. 

When it comes to genre, on the other hand, I’m like the dog from Up who gets distracted when a squirrel crosses its path! I read widely across genres, and I love to try my hand at writing them, too. It keeps me engaged and challenged as a writer. But it doesn’t mean my books are all wildly different, as some people might assume. They all share common traits, regardless of how they’re categorized on the shelf. For example, even though SCARLET SNAKEBITE is my first traditional mystery, each of my novels contains a mystery at its heart. And I’m a sucker for a great plot twist, so you can expect loads of surprises in any story I write. And no matter what I do, I can’t seem to escape my weakness for puns and silly wordplay (in SCARLET SNAKEBITE, the librarian provides most of it!).     

5. I love books that contain a mystery and plot twists too. You still haven’t quit your day job as a lawyer, which is a demanding career. I know because I was one too. You’ve talked about using the 30-minute rule to stay productive as an author in our interview and your guest post. Can you explain this rule? Do you still follow it? 

The 30-minute rule has been a mainstay of my writing career for over a decade, and yes, I still practice it to this day. I dedicate 30 minutes a day to writing, no matter what. But I want to emphasize an important distinction in the previous sentence: I don’t write for 30 minutes a day, I devote 30 minutes a day to writing. My writing time can be used for research, reading craft books, reading novels as inspiration, attending a writing course, chatting with writing friends, etc. What’s important to me is that I reserve a small part of each day to acknowledge and celebrate the fact that I’m a writer. As you say, I have a demanding job, so if I don’t make an effort to hold onto my writing identity, it could easily get lost in the shuffle.   

6. Thanks for the clarification. How have you continued to sell so many stories when many authors struggle to sell their stories after their debut book? What advice do you have for other writers? 

To be honest, I don’t focus on the salability of a book while I’m writing it. Sometimes, I’ll email my agent with a list of the ideas bumping around in my head, and she’ll guide me to the ones that might be most attractive to editors. But I never present her with anything I’m not already excited about in the first place. There are three reasons I’ll never try to write for the market. First, trends change quickly, and what is popular in one sales cycle will be over-saturated by time I’m done with my manuscript. Second, a story evolves so much during the writing process that the final product may look nothing like the initial pitch. And third, writing for the market would negate the reason I write in the first place. If a story doesn’t worm its way under my skin and keep me up at night, why would I go through all the effort of writing it? Yes, I’ve had to shelve a few manuscripts that didn’t hit at the right time, but at least I wrote them from the heart. And I hold out hope that one day the market will be ready for them! So my advice for other authors is pretty basic – be patient and write what you love. 

7. Has your approach to your social media platform and marketing your books changed since you were a debut author? How? 

My marketing approach has definitely evolved since the first book. When Kingdom of Secrets came out, I joined a large chat group of debut authors. It was a great place to share ideas, ask questions, and commiserate. The only drawback was that I was constantly aware of what everyone else was doing to promote their books, including authors with bigger budgets and flashier titles than me. As a newbie, I assumed I had to do it all – printed swag, pre-order campaigns, blog posts, speaking engagements – just to keep pace. And on top of all that, I felt pressure to maintain an active social media presence (for which I am entirely unequipped!). I quickly discovered that most of my activities didn’t move the needle at all in terms of sales. 

That said, I don’t regret making a big marketing push during my debut year. Even though not everything was successful, it helped me figure out what works and what doesn’t for me. A lot of seasoned authors will tell you to focus on the types of marketing you enjoy, but how do you know what you enjoy until you give it a try? Here’s an example – before my first book came out, the idea of an in-person school visit terrified me. So many little faces, looking up at me to entertain them for an hour? Panic-inducing! I’d much rather have done a virtual visit from the safety of my office. But after I tried them both, my opinion was flipped on its head. The energy of the in-person visit was unmatched, while I found the virtual visits lackluster in comparison. So my advice would be to try lots of different tactics (so far as your budget and mental health allow) so you can narrow down the list of things that work for you. These days, I focus on in-person school visits, bookstore events, speaking to aspiring authors, and strengthening the connections I’ve made with people in the industry. 

8. Have you been able to connect to librarians in schools and libraries over the years? What tips do you have for authors wanting to make these important connections? 

I’m fortunate to have encountered many supportive, engaged, and inspiring librarians over the years – school librarians, in particular. I met most of them through direct mailings I did for my earlier books (side note – postcards are a better investment than bookmarks when it comes to printed swag, IMO). 

My first piece of advice is to keep in mind that librarians are BUSY, especially in the current landscape, and they don’t have time to reach out to every author who contacts them. The response rate to my postcard and email campaigns is usually around 10%. But that doesn’t mean the marketing isn’t making an impact. And the librarians who do respond are worth their weight in gold! 

My second piece of advice is to compile a running list of librarians (and teachers, booksellers, etc.) that you’ve interacted with. that list to promote your next book and announce any other author milestones. Not only are librarians loyal – I tend to visit the same local schools over and over with each new book – but they will spread the word to their colleagues and increase your network even more. Trust me, nothing enhances your author cred more effectively than a positive review from a librarian!   

9. What are you working on now? 

I’ve been flipping back and forth between two projects lately. As I mentioned, I’m working on an adult project that is still in its earliest stages, and therefore under wraps. My other project, which will be more exciting to your audience, is a middle grade novel that takes place in the same universe as Trex, my sophomore sci-fi novel. It features the same nefarious Company up to its old tricks, but this time my young protagonist has a different ability. She can read minds… 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Christyne. You can find Christyne at www.christynewrites.com and on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky at @christynewrites. 

Giveaway Details

Christyne’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite 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 March 7th. 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 Christyne 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 U.S. 

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 

Wednesday, February 25, I have an agent spotlight with Renee Runge and a query critique giveaway 

Sunday, March 1, I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop 

Monday, March 2, I have a guest post by Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG The Secret Winners Club 

Wednesday, March 4, I have an interview with Stacey Lee and a giveaway of her YA Heiress of Nowhere 

Monday, March 9, I have an interview with Ciera Burch and a giveaway of her MG Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away 

Wednesday, March 11, I have an agent spotlight interview with Lindsey Aduskevich and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 16, I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop 

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

It’s All Connected…Writers, Rubber Suits, and Begging for Readers by Michael P. Spradlin and The Spider Strikes Giveaway

 Happy Monday, Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Michael P. Spradlin here to share a guest post to celebrate the release of his MG, The Spiker Strikes. I interviewed Michael last year when Threat of the Spider was released. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in this WWII story. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

Amid the chilling rise of Hitler’s Germany, a twelve-year-old boy and his friends confront rising Nazi threats during a family trip to Austria in this third book in the action-packed middle grade series Web of the Spider for fans of I Survived and A Night Divided.

It’s the summer of 1931 and, like most summers, Joshua and his family are vacationing in Salzburg, Austria. But unlike most years, Joshua is looking forward to escaping the upheaval and bigotry back home in Heroldsberg and the Nazi presence threatening Jewish families like his own. This year, he’s invited his best friends Rolf and Ansel to join him for one last summer before Rolf leaves for America with his father.

But the trip becomes far from relaxing as the Nazis take root in Austria as well, and a gang of Hitler Youth set their sights on Joshua and his friends. When the boys decide to hike up the mountains to camp out at Joshua’s family cabin, things go from bad to worse when they quickly realize they aren’t alone. Can the boys evade the Nazis and make it back to their families safely? 

Followers News 

Before I get to Michael’s guest post, I have Follower News to share. Nina Snyder has published a Mardi

Gras-themed picture book with illustrations by Paola A. Crisante. Blue Crab feels left out when Clown Crab doesn't invite her to his Mardi Claw party, so she decides to host her own party. But the coral reef isn't big enough for two parties... or is it?  "A bright, beautiful work that serves as a gentle introduction to diversity and schoolyard dynamics." -- Kirkus Reviews. Here’s a few links: Buy on Amazon Kirkus Reviews 

It’s All Connected…Writers, Rubber Suits, and Begging for Readers by Michael P. Spradlin 

            As a pretty big fan of Star Trek (although I refuse to call myself a Trekkie) I recently watched a documentary called CENTER SEAT: The Making of Star Trek. I’m always fascinated by these behind the scenes looks at how things were built. How the creators had to chase down money, support or even readers and fans. In this case, the producer of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, spent many of his early days on the show, going to Science Fiction conventions and literally begging people to watch the show. (It worked! And funnily enough, I find myself doing a version of the same thing these days. Going to conventions and conferences and begging for readers!) 

            The documentary was extremely well done, displaying how a television show is/was produced. Many of the stories I had heard, but most I hadn’t. And through the interviews with the actors, directors and producers one thing kept coming back to me. It seems to me that the most common thread running through this sixty-year phenomenon and what really held the whole property together was the writers. 

            If you watch the original series, it’s plain to see that fans of the show didn’t come to it for the brilliant special effects. Maybe some tuned in to see the actors’ performances (the thrice Emmy nominated Leonard Nimoy became a global phenom because of the show). The vast majority of the fans came to the show for the stories. And given the confines and realities of 1960s television, some of the stories were inarguably silly (Dr. McCoy’s ex-girlfriend turning into a giant salt monster) there were some that stand the test of time and hold up in any era. 

            I was watching the episode titled City on the Edge of Forever, in which Kirk and Spock much travel back in time to correct an error in the timeline that wipes out their future existence. This classic episode was written by the great science fiction writer Harlan Ellison. And like many of the best Star Trek episodes, it leans away from the special effects or aliens and into the story and the characters. It’s often voted the greatest episode of the Original Series. It’s a love story. 

            It’s said that Harlan Ellison was disappointed in how the story was filmed and produced and for many years hesitated to have his name associated with it. But eventually he came around and this episode became the yardstick by which most other episodes are measured. It explored the themes that make great stories in a new and unique way. Love. Life and death. Loyalty. Selflessness.

            City on the Edge of Forever is the perfect jumping off point to explain why Star Trek caught on and became the multi-billion dollar franchise that it is. But in those early days it was writers like Ellison and Robert Bloch (Psycho) and D.C. Fontana that held it all together. My view is that it was one of the first TV shows that placed an emphasis on writing and storytelling. When we think of television today, you can swing a salami and hit two dozen brilliantly written television shows. But for those of us who came of age in the 60s and 70s, it wasn’t always that way. Trust me. My Mother the Car anyone? 

            I’m fairly sure, given the enormous amounts of fan fiction for Star Trek and Marvel Comics that I wrote in my youth, that they are one of the pillars that led me becoming a novelist. I could rewrite the ending of a Star Trek episode and change the villain in a Batman story. I learned that it’s the writer that has the control and that was a powerful realization. 

            Today, after forty some books, I still find myself turning to the silver screen for inspiration. Modern Classics like The Wire and Justified have carried the torch forward from the sixties and the show with the men in the tiny rubber suits. And during long writing sessions, when things start to bog down, when I feel the dialogue is getting stale, I’ll turn to YouTube and listen (listen NOT watch) clips of some of my most favorite scenes and the dialogue that creates them. 

            That’s the great thing about writing. We all have our secrets and our techniques to get the words down. Whether inspiration is from other  formats, other writers, music, art or whatever inspires you. There is no right or wrong way. 

Even aliens in rubber suits can inspire you to boldy go where no one has gone before. 

Thanks for all your advice, Michael. You can find Michael at michaelspradlin.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.  

Giveaway Details 

Michael’s publisher is generously offering a paperback of The Spider Strikes 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 February 28th. 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 Michael. on his 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 U.S. 

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, February 23, I have an interview with Christyne Morrell and a giveaway of her MG The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite 

Wednesday, February 25, I have an agent spotlight with Renee Runge and a query critique giveaway 

Sunday, March 1, I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop 

Monday, March 2, I have a guest post by Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG The Secret Winners Club 

Wednesday, March 4, I have an interview with Stacey Lee and a giveaway of her YA Heiress of Nowhere 

Monday, March 9, I have an interview with Ciera Burch and a giveaway of her MG Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away 

Wednesday, March 11, I have an agent spotlight interview with Lindsey Aduskevich and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 16, I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop 

I hope to see you on Monday!

 

 

Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Today I'm excited to participate in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox and MomDoesReviews. I've posted this a day early because I have another post scheduled for tomorrow. I hope you're doing well.  I'm really enjoying the extra time to crochet little stuffed animals to donate. And I'm dreaming of warmer weather. It's actually sunny and in the 30's. Woo hoo! I hope your winter isn't too bad.

Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card 

I'm keeping this giveaway simple. I am offering a book of your choice that is $20 or less on Amazon. I’m looking forward to seeing what books everyone is looking forward to reading.  

If you don’t have a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway Details

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 March 31st telling me whether you want a book, and if so, which one, or the Amazon gift card and your email address. Be sure to include your email address. 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, 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. The book giveaway is U.S. only and the Amazon gift card giveaway is International.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Tomorrow, February 16, I have a guest post by Michael P. Spraudlin and a giveaway of his MG The Spider Strikes
 
Monday, February 23, I have an interview with Christyne Morrell and a giveaway of her MG The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite
 
Wednesday, February 25, I have an agent spotlight with Renee Runge and a query critique giveaway
 
Sunday, March 1, I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop
 
Monday, March 2, I have a guest post by Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG The Secret Winners Club
 
Wednesday, March 4, I have an interview with Stacey Lee and a giveaway of her YA Heiress of Nowhere
 
Monday, March 9, I have an interview with Ciera Burch and a giveaway of Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away
 
Wednesday, March 11, I have an agent spotlight interview with Lindsey Aduskevich and a query critique giveaway
 
I hope to see you tomorrow!

And here are all the blogs participating in this blog hop:

 

MamatheFox, Mom Does Reviews, and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

 

Author Interview: Seema Yasmin and Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can

 Happy Monday, Everyone. Today, I’m honored to have Seema Yasmin here to share about her upcoming MG nonfiction, Maysoon Zavid, The Girl Who Can. Seema is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, a medical doctor, professor, and an author. Her book sounds like a riveting story of how Maysoon became one of the first woman Muslin comedians and was an actress on her favorite TV show. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

From the prolific Pulitzer Prize–nominated Muslim reporter Dr. Seema Yasmin comes an exciting nonfiction chapter book about one of America’s first female Muslim comedians—Maysoon Zayid—the first in the riveting and inspirational Muslim Mavericks.

This is the story of the girl who could!

Maysoon Zayid was just a girl from New Jersey. She might have sometimes felt like she was in the shadow of her three older sisters, but in her dreams, she was Mimi—an amazing actress, comedian, and dancer! The only problem? People kept telling Maysoon her dreams were impossible!

Achieving her goals certainly wasn’t easy; as a Palestinian Muslim girl born with cerebral palsy, Maysoon faced all sorts of challenges—both physical and societal. But Maysoon didn’t dare give up. Instead, she followed her heart all the way to the screen and stage to become one of America’s first ever women Muslim comedians and an actress on her favorite TV show. 

Hi Seema! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I am a queer, Indian-Muslim author, born and raised in the UK and calling the USA my home for the last 15 years. After medical school, I attended journalism school and my first forays into writing were as a science reporter at the Dallas Morning News in Texas starting in 2013. I began writing poetry in 2016 and published my first book in 2018. 

2. You’re also a journalist, doctor, and professor. What made you decide to write for kids?

Writing for kids feels like the most hopeful work I do. Children’s books are often the first place we encounter ideas about who matters, who belongs, and what’s possible. I love to write stories that expand those possibilities—especially for kids who don’t see themselves in books. Middle grade readers, in particular, are curious, thoughtful, and ready to engage with complex ideas when they’re presented with care and honesty. The first book I wrote for younger readers was a non-fiction young adult book called What The Fact?! Finding the truth in all the noise. WTF is a fun guide to the worlds of misinformation and disinformation with instructions on how to BS-proof your brain. I haven’t stopped writing for younger readers since WTF. The fact that I get to write for younger readers thrills me. It is a huge pleasure and a privilege. 

3. Where did you get the idea for Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can? 

The idea came from a mix of admiration and frustration. I’ve long been a fan of Maysoon Zayid’s comedy and activism, and I was struck by how rarely kids get to read about disabled Muslim women who are funny, ambitious, and unapologetically themselves. I wanted the first book in the Muslim Mavericks series to feature someone who immediately shatters stereotypes…and makes you laugh! 

4. It sounds like a great start to your series. What research did you do to learn about Maysoon Zayid before telling her story? Did your experience as a journalist make the research process easier? 

I interviewed Maysoon, reviewed her stand-up performances, talks, essays, and interviews, and researched cerebral palsy to make sure my age-appropriate explanations were still medically accurate. My journalism background absolutely helped—it trained me to fact-check rigorously, ask follow-up questions, and center the subject’s voice. But this project also required something beyond reporting: collaboration. Maysoon was deeply involved in reviewing the manuscript, and her feedback shaped the final book in meaningful ways. 

5. It’s great how Maysoon collaborated with you. Did you plot out your chapters or just start writing? Why did this process work for you? 

I did outline the book, especially because nonfiction for kids requires clarity and structure. That said, I stayed flexible. As I learned more from Maysoon, the emotional arc of the story became clearer, and I adjusted accordingly. This balance—planning with room to listen—works well for me, particularly when I’m writing about real people. 

6. What are you hoping that kids will learn from Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can? How did you share this message in your book without being preachy? 

I hope kids walk away understanding that there is no single way to dream, succeed, or belong. Maysoon’s story isn’t about “overcoming” disability; it’s about living fully, creatively, and truthfully. I have let Maysoon’s humor, determination, and voice carry the message. Kids are incredibly perceptive—they don’t need lectures, they need stories that feel authentic. 

7. You’re the author of five books and have three upcoming books. You also have an impressive bio of accomplishments and other non-writing projects you’re involved in. How do you juggle your fiction and nonfiction writing for kids with your other jobs and stay so productive?

I rest a lot. I schedule rest like it’s my job. I am hyperproductive in bouts and my creativity and productivity demands deep rest. I also play a lot through improv and clown performances. Because I’m always working on more than one project at a time, each project is in different states of wholeness. For example, right now, I owe my editor a revised version of my next novel, but I am waiting for notes from another editor for my next middle grade book. I am also working on my stand-up comedy special and am producing a one woman clown show. All of these projects are different but feed into each other. Because I have so many ideas, I have to be good at time management in order to honor all of them!

8. I like your idea of scheduling rest breaks! Your agent is Lilly Ghahremani. How did she become your agent, and what was your road to becoming a published children’s author like?

I did not have an agent for my first two book deals and didn’t think I needed one because I did not plan on writing any more books. But when a viral tweet led to a book proposal for Muslim Women Are Everything in 2017, the illustrator I was working with suggested I meet with her agent, Lilly, to discuss representation. I thought I’d sign on to work with Lilly for that one nonfiction project. And here we are 15 book deals (and one oracle deck deal) later… 

9. Do you have any plans to promote Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can? How?

Yes! I’m excited to share the book through school visits, library events, festivals, and conversations with educators and parents. I also love engaging directly with young readers, whether through virtual visits or classroom discussions. This book is meant to spark conversation, and I’m eager to be part of that dialogue, especially as anti-Muslim hate is at record high levels right now in the UK and the USA.

10. It sounds like you’ve got a solid marketing plan. Are you working on any other projects for children?

Yes! I’m continuing to work on the Muslim Mavericks series, which will spotlight more Muslim trailblazers across different fields. My second illustrated picture book Inshallah is coming out with Simon and Schuster next year alongside my second YA novel, which is also being published by Simon Schuster in 2027. I am also developing two very different middle grade series. 

Thanks for sharing all your advice and for all the good work you do, Seema. You’re an inspiration! You can find Seema at https://seemayasmin.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/drseemayasmin/. 

Giveaway Details

Seema’s publisher is generously offering a paperback of Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can

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 Febrary 21st. 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 Jacqueline 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 U.S. 

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

Wednesday, February 11, I have an agent spotlight interview with Tamara Kawar and a query critique giveaway 

Sunday, February 15, I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop 

Monday, February 16, I have a guest post by Michael P. Spraudlin and a giveaway of his MG The Spider Strikes 

Monday, February 23, I have an interview with Christyne Morrell and a giveaway of her MG The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite 

Wednesday, February 25, I have an agent spotlight with Renee Runge and a query critique giveaway 

Sunday, March 1, I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop 

Monday, March 2, I have a guest post by Donna Galanti and a giveaway of her MG The Secret Winners Club 

Wednesday, March 4, I have an interview with Stacey Lee and a giveaway of her YA Heiress of Nowhere 

Monday, March 9, I have an interview with Ciera Burch and a giveaway of Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away 

Wednesday, March 11, I have an agent spotlight interview with Lindsey Aduskevich and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

Author Interview: Alechia Dow and Until the Clock Strikes Midnight Giveaway and IWSG Post

 Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Alechia Dow here to share about her new YA cozy fantasy, Until the Clock Strikes Midnight. I interviewed Alechia in 2020, when she was a debut author, for her first book, The Sound of Stars. She and her co-author, Tracy Badua, shared a guest post in September 2025 to celebrate the release of Their Just Desserts. I’ve been reading more cozy fantasies these days, and I’m super excited to read Alechia’s. 

Here's a blurb from Alechia’s website:

 

The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow.

Darling is the most talented—and unusual—Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms—if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job… until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover.

Calamity is the most talented—and arrogant—Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical "Happily Ever After." When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy—Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too—a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand.

To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves... and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love. 

Before I get to Katie’s interview, I have my IWSG post.  

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day. 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!  

The awesome co-hosts this month are: J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox! 

Optional Question: Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you? 

No, I've only written two manuscripts, which I’ve been revising. I worked on each for about ten years. Once I started working on the second one, I stopped revising the first story. I haven’t gone back to it. 

Interview With Alechia Dow 

Hi Alechia! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Where did you get the idea for Until the Clock Strikes Midnight? 

Hi! Thanks for having me, it’s always a pleasure chatting with you! So, the concept for Until the Clock Strikes Midnight came from two places: Whitney Houston’s version of Fairy godmother in Cinderella––I wanted to write a fairy with incredible power and a gold, glittery wand––and the idea of a devil and an angel sitting on your shoulders, goading you to take their advice. I’ve always loved the visualization of that, especially in Emperor’s New Groove, and it illustrates our impulses and the way our brain makes choices based on them. 

2. Your story is a cozy fantasy. What makes a story a cozy fantasy, and what made you decide to write yours in this genre? 

Cozy fantasy is defined by a low stakes, gentle approach to storytelling. It’s more slice of life, character-focused, and quiet. While I’d read Legends & Lattes and The Spellshop––two books that are standouts in the genre, I wasn’t sure I had the skills to write it until my editor gave me the confidence to try. Honestly, if I’d sat down to consider it fully, as a former librarian, pastry chef, food writer and author, I’m a cozy person. This should’ve felt natural. Once my editor helped me find my voice, writing Until the Clock Strikes Midnight became shifted the way I thought about my career. Cozy wasn’t something I’d read much of in young adult fantasy that’s known for being epic, twisty, and high stakes. With it gaining traction for younger audiences, I think it’ll find audiences that crave an escape from the overwhelming weight of the world. I’d love to think that Black youth particularly deserve books where it’s not life and death, it’s hopeful, joyful, and magical. 

3. I agree with you that there’s a YA audience for cozy fantasies. When I interviewed you in 2020, you were a pantser, a half-plotter, who wrote the first 30 pages without an outline to get a feel for the plot and your characters. Has your process changed at all since then? If so, how, and why does it work for you? 

My process has not changed at all, ha! The more I outline, the less I enjoy the discovery of the characters and plot. Drafting out the first thirty pages by excitement and a sprinkle of an idea lets me have fun and feel free to fail. There’s no pressure; I just get to explore the story and see if it could be a book. I write my best when I’m not stressed about making it perfect. 

4. I’ve read some reviews that praise your story for the humor and banter between your characters. How did you create such good dialogue between Darling and Calam and slip in humor, which is hard for many of us to write? 

Oh, that’s lovely! I hoped readers would enjoy the humor and that the banter would land well. Darling and Calam were so easy to write and creating conversations between them was a blast. They’re incredibly different, approach their work from opposite ends, are ambitious, driven, and for the most part, confident. But neither are villainous, they believe they’re doing the best by Lucy and that they deserve that mentorship, which means they’re not going to sabotage each other in unforgivable ways. With that, it’ll shake their confidence and it’ll cause them to reconfigure their desires––a perfect opportunity for comedy, and love. 

5. Your story deals with difficult issues, like bipolar disorder, self-harm, parental abandonment, death, and grief, that you experienced in your own life. Share about how you drew on your own experiences in writing your story. 

After I participated in the anthology, Ab(Solutely) Normal, where I wrote a young adult short story about a fallen star with bipolar disorder, I decided I wanted to write bipolar in my characters going forward. Its underrepresentation only adds to its stigmatization, and when it is there, it has the tendency to be detrimental rather than helpful. For the longest time in media, characters with bipolar are unstable, chaotic, prone to violence or evil. Imagine seeing that as a teen and thinking that’s all you can be? Yes, there are difficulties; it can include spirals of doom, negative, intrusive thoughts, self-harm, and those things can be compounded by death, grief and abandonment…but that’s only one side of this illness. We can also be creative, bubbly, in tune with our emotions and the emotions of our friends and family. We contain multitudes. I wrote my experiences into this book because I want readers with similar experiences to feel seen and give the chance for those who haven’t to understand us. Destigmatize, show that we’re love interests, magical, and we’re more than a diagnosis. 

Your Journey to Publication 

6. This is your seventh published book since 2020. How has your career progressed over the years, and how have you been able to sell so many books when many debut authors aren’t nearly as successful as you? What tips do you have on growing a career as an author? 

This is an interesting question. I used to say that it’s all luck, and while I still believe luck plays a big part in publishing, it’s also having a great agent, writing the right book at the right time, finding your editor match, talent, and not giving up when it’s tough. Your question reminds me that people might consider me successful while I struggle with feeling like an imposter and a flop. Isn’t that weird? My advice is to keep writing what makes you happy. Don’t try to cater to the market; it’s always changing and what’s big now was written two years ago. Read more, watch more media, take breaks, and don’t be afraid to try something new. I mean, here I am chatting with you about cozy fantasy when I didn’t think I could pull it off two years ago. You don’t know what you’re capable of unless you try. 

7. I think feeling like an imposter is common, even if you’re successful. I used to feel like one as a lawyer when I went to court. What’s your writing schedule like? How do you complete so many books with different publication deadlines, plus keep up your social media platforms, and market your books? 

Without deadlines, I’m privileged to treat writing like a regular job; I’m a full-time author living in Germany where the cost of living is substantially cheaper than in the US. I start my day around 8am by doing admin stuff like emails or making graphics. By 10-11am, I’ll open my manuscript and begin reading/editing the last three chapters of whatever I wrote the day before until 1pm. This helps me stay on track, clean up little things, and makes it easier for me to jump into drafting. At 2pm, I do a virtual sprint with my friend (and fellow author) Rocky Callen until about 4-5pm. Without deadlines, that’s when I’ll finish up for the day. On deadline, I’ll dive back in around 8pm and go until 11pm. My last deadline had me up until 1am because I can be annoying. I’m in the weeds of every word, every line, every chapter, trying to make it perfect. All that said, you can understand why promoting on social media, marketing, only happens when I know it has to be done. I’m not keen on it, I’m not talented at it, and I find it really challenging. In my ideal world, I’d hire someone to do that for me so I could focus on writing, but I can’t afford that. And thus, you get me bumbling online with little interaction, hoping for the best. On the plus side though, I have gotten exponentially better at making graphics over the years! 

Promoting Your Book 

8. Wow! You have a long day. I saw on your website that you’ve planned an eight-city blog tour where you’ll be discussing your book with other authors. How did your book tour get scheduled? 

The tour will be a wild ride! I planned the first half myself; I reached out to bookstores and friends, scheduled the best I could. The second week of tour was completely done by Fierce Reads and Macmillan to celebrate four of us authors with recent releases. I finish up at Love Y’all Bookfest––where I’m beyond excited to meet so many folks I’ve admired from afar, and then I’ll head back to Germany. I’m nervous but ecstatic too. 

9. What other plans do you have to market your book? How have your plans for promoting your books changed over the years? 

I’ll be doing interviews, podcasts, writing articles and sending out books to influencers. We’ve always had booktubers, bloggers, booktokers, but influencers blew up in a big way over the years. It shows how the book community has expanded and how we reach people has changed. We’re lucky there are people blossoming on social media, who want to shout enthusiastically about our work––especially those of us who can’t be out there in person doing such. From afar, even with new methods of promoting on social media, the best way to get kidlit books into readers’ hands still is chatting with teachers, librarians, and booksellers. They’re the ones who are with the public the most and who genuinely want people to find the books they’ll enjoy reading. 

10. What are you working on now? 

So at the end of the year, I turned in A Taste of Memories; my next young adult cozy fantasy coming out in Spring 2027. It’s about a witch at a magical tearoom who lets patrons relive their memories associated with a recipe from their past and a warlock whose future is threatened by a spirit that’s slowly being forgotten. It’s very foodtastic and powerful. I’m also working on an adult fantasy about a romance bookstore, it’s a HOOT! 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Alechia.

––Thanks for having me!!

You can find Alechia at alechiadow.com, on threads and Instagram as @alechiadow. 

Giveaway Details

Alechia is generously offering a hardback of Until the Clock Strikes Midnight 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 February 14th. 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 Alechia 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, EU, and the United Kingdom. 

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, February 9, I have an interview with Seema Yasmin and a giveaway of her MG Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can

Wednesday, February 11, I have an agent spotlight interview with Tamara Kawar and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, February 15, I’m participating in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop

Monday, February 16, I have a guest post by Michael P. Spraudlin and a giveaway of his MG The Spider Strikes

Monday, February 23, I have an interview with Christyne Morrell and a giveaway of her MG The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite

Wednesday, February 25, I have an agent spotlight with Renee Runge and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Monday!