MG Author Interview: Karen Foxlee & The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe Giveaway

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome middle grade author Karen Foxlee to the blog for an exclusive author interview. Karen is stopping by to chat all about her wonderful new middle grade fantasy, The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe. 

Today, Karen is sharing about her writing process, how she has grown her career as an author, and what it’s like for her as an Australian author to publish a book in the United States.  As a special treat for our readers, Karen’s publisher is also generously offering a free book giveaway to one lucky winner! Read on to see our full conversation, and leave a comment below to enter the giveaway. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

An inventive and playful fantasy-adventure about an abandoned girl, a friendly ogress and a terrible curse from the multi-award-winning and bestselling author of Dragon Skin and Lenny's Book of Everything.

'A fabulous magical quest, strange and wonderful.' Judith Rossell, bestselling author of The Midwatch

Lavender Wolfe is a clapperdudgeon, pickpurse and all alone on a wharf when she is snatched by Big Agatha and thrown into the galley of a pirate ship, The Good Marchioness.

Disguised as a boy (for only boys may live in the galley) and renamed Hans Whitby, Lavender has to make her home among the kitchen rats. However, The Good Marchioness is no ordinary ship. Captained by Odyessia Pleasant, a fierce pirate with long blonde hair, violet eyes and a bird's wing in the place of an arm, the crew are on a desperate voyage - to find and return stolen treasure before all those who sail within the cursed pirate ship are turned to sand. Lavender included.

Lavender is quick-witted and sharp as a tack, and as her magic starts to be revealed she finds herself coming under the arresting gaze of Captain Pleasant. Will Lavender help break the curse? Or will she be just another victim of this story within a story within a story, her true identity lost to the sands of time?

An adventure as big as the ocean and as warm as your heart. All aboard! 

Hi Karen! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

I wrote my first story in second grade and decided, then and there, that I wanted to be an author. Even though I became a registered nurse when I left school, I never really gave up my dream of becoming a writer. In my late twenties I decided to go to university and completed an arts degree majoring in creative writing. My first novel took me ten years to write, and it was published when I was in my thirties. I’ve written another ten novels since then! 

2. Where did you get the idea for The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe? 

The idea was a tiny scrap of voice that kept repeating in my mind. I had three names. Lavender first, a pretty name, but with too many letters to remember if you’re not much good at spelling. Often my stories start like this. I knew I had to sit down and explore what those words meant. Before long I’d discovered I was writing a story about a young pickpurse, stolen by a ship’s cook, onto a cursed and magical sailing ship. The inspiration that fueled the growth of the story came from many places. I love the sea, desserts and puddings, and epic adventures, and all of those things turned up in the narrative. The more I learned about Lavender the more I wanted to write about belonging and finding ourselves. 

Writing Process 

3. What was your writing process for The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe? Was it different from how you wrote your other middle grade books? 

I’m not a plotter so it was chaos, exploration, and fun. All fairly normal for the way I write! I knew that if I stuck with Lavender in Big Agatha’s galley, I’d find my way into the story. This novel is layered, so it was challenging but satisfying to gradually get everything in the right place. 

4. It’s interesting that you haven’t started plotting, but it sounds like your process works for you. How did you develop your fantasy world and Lavender’s magical abilities? What tips do you have for writers who write fantasy about world-building? 

World building starts really close to the characters for me. I created Big Agatha’s ship kitchen first and the ways that Lavender would experience it. That meant the physical environment, the smells and sounds, the magic recipes, and the hierarchy of her fellow “kitchen rats.” In a similar way, the magic grew out of the characters. I got to know them first and gradually their magic was revealed. It sounds strange but sometimes writing as a non-plotter feels magical itself. I didn’t have any preconceived notions for what the magic had to be starting out, only that each of Big Agatha’s rats would have their own unique abilities. I let Lavender’s magic grow in the same organic way. That she was a “wind-knower” was very exciting to me. I have a fascination with useless facts, and I went down the rabbit hole of researching the names of winds and storms from around the world and fed that inspiration into developing her budding powers. 

5. Even though you don’t plot, it sounds like you spend a lot of time creating your world before writing.  Share what you love about Lavender? Did you know her fully as a  character when you started writing your first draft, or did she develop as you wrote it? 

Lavender Wolfe definitely developed as a character as I wrote. I would say she started as little more than a voice and a vague idea of her appearance (she looks a lot like me as a child!). I wanted her to be streetwise and tough but with a softness too. I love her tenacity. She refuses to give up on her new friends. She’s exactly the kind of girl who would stop to help a boy trapped inside a cursed shell! But I also love her vulnerability. She’s so hurt by the Little Duchess and many of the events of the story. Lavender really does wear her heart on her sleeve. Each draft taught me new things about her. I also had so much fun learning the type of eighteenth-century words she might use. 

Your Road to Publication 

6. How did you get your first publishing contract? 

I entered my first novel in an unpublished manuscript competition here in Australia. It was part of a literary award program in my home state. I entered it hoping I might receive some feedback, but I won! Part of the prize was a publishing contract with a university press. I was very fortunate to get my break this way. 

7. The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe was published in Australia last year. How did you get your US publishing contract? 

I am lucky to have a wonderful agent, Catherine Drayton with Inkwell Management. I was so thrilled to learn that Sarah Barley books wanted to acquire the novel. I started crying on the train in the city. It was a lovely moment and I’m so glad she fell in love with this story. 

8. Did you work with an editor and your publicist at Simon & Schuster for Books for Young Readers? How was it different than working with your editor and publicist in Australia? 

The editing was fairly light because the novel had already been published in Australia. There was just the usual checking for the Americanization of spellings (please excuse my British / Australian spellings in these responses!) I love the process of working with editors no matter where they are and the team at Simon & Schuster Sarah Barley Books have been amazing. The publicist has been great too. There’s always the obstacle of a rather large time difference between us but nothing that can’t be overcome! 

9. Yes, Alex is a great publicist. You’ve also published ten other books since your debut YA book, The Anatomy of Wings, was published in 2007. How have you grown your career as an author? 

I’ve just kept writing! I follow whatever is the next story in my head. I’ve been fortunate to have publishers waiting for what I write next and who are open to my ever-changing stories. I’ve written both fantasy/ magical realism and contemporary stories. I also wrote a picture book. Each novel I’ve learned more about myself as a writer and stayed true to wanting to write complex, moving stories for children. 

Promoting Your Book 

10.  How are you planning to promote your book in the US?

The publicist at Sarah Barley Books has been great at lining up podcasts and interviews. I will share and promote at my end on social media. 

11. What are you working on now? 

I’m currently working on another middle-grade novel. It’s set in the 1980s so I’m channeling my inner 80s child. It’s a coming-of-age story about a girl and her grandmother’s magical sewing machine and a mysterious sewing pattern from the past. It is a lot of fun! 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Karen. You can find Karen at karenfoxlee.com and instagram.com/karenfoxleeauthor. 

🎉 ENTER LITERARY RAMBLES’ THE WONDEROUS TALE OF LAVENDER WOLFE BOOK GIVEAWAY! 🎉

Want to win The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe? Thanks to Karen’s publisher for supplying a book for this book giveaway contest.

How to Enter:

• Leave a Comment: Drop a comment below by November 21st with your email address. To protect your privacy from spam bots, please write your email address using the "name [at] gmail [dot] com" format.
• Bluesky Bonus: If you follow me on Bluesky, mention your handle in your comment for an extra entry!
• Sharing Bonus: If you share about this contest on your own social media sites or blog, let me know in the comments for an extra entry.
• Author Bonus: If you follow Karen on social media, let me know in your comment for an extra entry!
• Blog Follower Bonus: If you follow Literary Rambles via Blogger or email subscription, let me know in the comments for an extra entry.

🌍 Eligibility: The book giveaway is U.S. only.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

• Wednesday, November 11th: Agent spotlight interview with Riley Jay Davis and a query critique giveaway
• Monday, November 16th: Bobbi Miller guest post and The Barnaby Chronicles: The Lost Prince Giveaway
• Monday, November 16th: In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop
• Monday, November 23rd: Agent spotlight interview with Hannah Teachout and a query critique giveaway
•  Monday, November 30th: Agent spotlight interview with Michaela Whatnall and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

 

 

Debut Author Interview: Angelica Cheng and The Fast Track Giveaway and IWSG Post

 Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome debut young adult author Angelica Cheng to the blog for an author interview. She is stopping by to chat all about her wonderful debut romance novel, The Fast Track. 

Today, Angelica is giving us a peek into what it’s like to be a debut author, sharing her favorite tips on writing romance stories, and discussing why she chose F1 racing to play a major part in this story. As a special treat for our readers, Angelica’s publisher is also generously offering a free book giveaway to one lucky winner! Read on to see our full conversation, and leave a comment below to enter the giveaway. 

Here’s a blurb of The Fast Track from Goodreads:

 

An ambitious racer who dreams of becoming the first female F1 champion finds her plans going off track when she catches feelings for her biggest competition in this dishy, delicious contemporary romance for fans of love, Lynn Painter, and Lewis Hamilton.

Justine Kwong has always dreamed of becoming a Formula 1 champion. There’s just one problem: no female driver has ever done it before. So when she’s offered a coveted chance to race in Formula 3, she leaps at the opportunity. Sure, half the fans think she’s just there to fill a diversity quota, and her teammate—the infuriatingly cute Cameron Evans—mistakes her for an intern, but Justine knows her talent will leave them all in the dust.

But driving well isn’t the only prerequisite to getting noticed, and Justine’s forced to fend for herself in a sea of prejudice, paparazzi, and petty backstabbing. There’s a lot riding on her ability to navigate the complicated trackside hierarchy—like the open F2 seat that could be her ticket to the big leagues.

Except…when Justine and Cameron’s bickering gives way to unexpected chemistry, the boy she’s falling for may be the one person standing in the way of her dreams—because while they may be teammates, they are also each other’s biggest competitor. And with her only shot at glory on the line, this race could break more than just hearts. 

 

We are also celebrating the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) post day.  

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:  Kalpana, Kim Lajevardi, Rebecca Douglass, Jennifer Lane, and Cathrina Constantine!

Optional Question:  As a writer, do you have favorite themes that you like to explore in your stories? If so, what are they? 

I’m going to skip this question. As a blogger helping writers, I’m always trying to find better ways to promote the authors I feature, like Angelica Chang today. I’m not on TikTok or Bookstagram and don’t want to be. The best ways I’ve found so far are to join the MMGM bloggers and this ISWG group, and join in monthly blog hops. I’m wondering if I should join Instagram, but I don’t have time to follow lots of people, which is why I don’t have a big following on Bluesky. 

Know any middle grade or young adult blog groups or giveaway hops I can join? Do you have any suggestions for helping writers I feature? Let me know in the comments. But please, focus on Angelica and her fantastic book.

Interview With Angelica Cheng 

Hi Angelica! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

Hello! I’m so excited to be here. I used to read all of the agent profiles on Literary Rambles so this is such a nice full circle moment, thank you for having me! 

About myself: I was born in Shanghai, and moved over to the US with my parents as a child. Growing up, I fell in love with books via our local library. (It was a great place to hang out—fun and safe—while my first-generation immigrant parents were busy working or running errands.) By the time I was ten, I had pretty much read my way through the entire children’s section and was often scribbling stories of my own in notebooks or, not to totally date myself, typing them up and saving them down on floppy disks. 

All that’s to say, I’ve been a writer almost my entire life, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I decided to make a concerted effort to write a full-length novel. 

2. We adopted my daughter from China when she was a baby. We spent our first day in Shanghai. Where did you get the idea for The Fast Track? 

I got super into Formula 1 during COVID. I’d binged all available seasons of Netflix’s Drive to Survive and it was one of the first sports to come back from lockdown. As I watched, I started wondering why there were no female F1 drivers currently on the grid, and that sent me down an entire rabbit hole on the history of female F1 drivers (fun fact: they do exist, they are just far and few in-between), which then turned into me wondering what it would look like for a girl in today’s day and age coming up in this the racing world trying to make it to F1. 

At the same time, the pandemic also motivated me to finally write a full-length novel. Because of how much free time I had during lockdown, it felt very much like a “If I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it” moment. As I was casting around for fun story premises, my what if? questions about female drivers in F1 dovetailed nicely and the plot of The Fast Track pretty much wrote itself from there. 

Writing Process 

3. Justine wants to become an F1 racer in a male-dominated world. What made you decide to have racing play an important role in this story? What research did you do on what it’s like to race and the behind-the-scenes world of racing? 

I’ve lost track of the amount of hours I’ve spent watching and listening to behind-the-scenes F1 footage. Not just the fun social media videos the different teams put out, but also podcasts and videos focusing on the engineering, tire strategies, track technicalities, evolution of the sport, old must-watch races, the list goes on and on. I even went to a local karting track with friends to get a first-hand feel of what driving and racing would feel like! Even though the kart I was driving only went up to 40 mph, it was so endlessly thrilling—I understood instantly how kids can get hooked on racing at such a young age. 

4. What was your writing process like for The Fast Track? How long did it take you to write and edit your manuscript before you were ready to query? 

If I had to sum it up in one word: long. Draft 1 of The Fast Track was the first time I’d written a full-length novel, and it absolutely showed. I then spent two years nonstop revising that draft until I felt it was ready to query. 

Spoiler alert: it was not ready to query. A slew of rejections made me realize I had more work to do. So I re-worked my draft again. I applied to mentorship programs and was lucky to be selected for the Inclusive Romance Project (where I met my mentor Jamie D’Amato) as well as Revise & Resubmit (where I was selected by Joel Brigham). With Jamie and Joel’s help, I again re-worked my manuscript. By the time I started querying again, I think I was on draft 12 or 13. 

Luckily, this time around all the hard work paid off, and I got to sign with my agent, the fabulous Claire Friedman of Inkwell. All in, it took about five years from when I wrote the first word of The Fast Track to when I signed with my agent. 

5. The first time I wrote a novel, I knew nothing either and spent years revising it. This is a romance, and, on your website, you describe yourself as a young adult and romance author. Why do you love writing in this genre so much? What tips do you have for writers to learn how to write a compelling romance? 

I have always LOVED reading romance. Even as a kid, my favorite parts of books would be when the main characters developed crushes or got their first kiss. There’s just something so evergreen and delightful about two people finding their way to each other, not to mention that romance and love is pretty much woven into our brain chemistry as a species (just think about how many love songs and poems there are out there, and that these have existed since the start of recorded history!) 

My biggest writing tip would be: write what you want to read. What are your favorite premises? Tropes? What has you stressed out and worried for your characters? What are scenes that made you howl with laughter? That made you swoon? That made you despair and wonder how these two characters were ever going to get it together and find their way to each other? Figure out what you love and then write for that audience of one! 

Journey to Publication 

6. Claire Friedman is your agent. Share about your experience querying agents and how she became your agent. 

Oh my gosh, are you really going to make me relive the nightmare?! (I’m kidding, but only a little bit.) 

As mentioned, I queried in two main rounds that had almost two full-years in-between them. Round one can best be described as “pie in the face”. I sent out a handful of queries and didn’t get a single full request. My most “successful” query resulted in one partial request that was swiftly rejected. Luckily, that rejecting agent gave extremely valuable feedback about my pages, and I dove back into revising. 

Two years, two mentors, and many, many drafts later, I finally felt ready to dive back into querying. (I’m using “ready” loosely here, the reality was that I was so sick of revising that it became a “Welp, I’m not revising again so might as well query” decision.) This time around, all the hard work paid off and I had a much better request rate and smoother querying experience. I was lucky enough to wind up with multiple offering agents. I chose Claire not just because she’d sold some of my favorite YA books, but also because she covered a huge breadth of genres, including pretty much everything I thought I might ever want to write. 

7. Your book was released on August 4, 2026. What has it been like being a debut author both before and after your book was published? Is there anything you would do differently? 

The feeling is very similar to getting married! Meaning, in the months leading up, you are super busy, it’s a moment you’ve waited so long and thought so much about. But then after the day/week passes, you realize you’re still very much the same person at the core! For me, the most transformational part wasn’t actually the release date, but it was when advanced copies went out and readers started leaving reviews for my book. Up until then, the audience for my book had been confined to a small circle of close friends, my agent, and my editors, so it almost felt unreal to have actual people who didn’t know me, didn’t interact with me, didn’t have any vested interest in me beyond the fact that they thought the premise of the novel sounded interesting, reading my book and interacting with it. 

In terms of what I’d do differently...I think it would be to stress out less and take a step back and enjoy the process more! (This advice, I’m realizing as I type, also would have applied to my wedding, ha.) In the lead-up, I let all sorts of small things, some of them truly trivial, stress me out. I wish instead of moving goal posts on myself, I had stopped and smelled the roses a bit more, and savored the fact that I was getting to fulfill my childhood dream of publishing a novel. 

Book Marketing 

8. How have you been promoting The Fast Track? What are your future marketing plans? 

I will caveat this answer by admitting upfront that I am terrible at book promotion and no one should be taking marketing advice from me. For The Fast Track, I’ve mostly stuck to social media. I can’t say it’s my favorite thing in the world, but it is so nice to have a platform and forum where you can openly interact with your readers. In terms of future marketing plans, I’ll still continue to post on social media and interact with readers there! 

9. When I was writing these interview questions in late September, I noticed that you have 316 ratings and 159 reviews. That’s impressive! Did you or your publisher do anything to encourage readers to rate your book and write reviews? 

My publisher, Simon & Schuster, posted advanced copies of the book on NetGalley which was so helpful in getting early reader reviews. I did my part by boosting and shouting about The Fast Track on social media, but if I’m honest I’m not sure how much of a difference that made relative to the efforts of my publisher! 

10. What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on another YA romcom (also with Simon & Schuster!). Like The Fast Track, it features high stakes and a messy and ambitious main character. I don’t know how much I’m allowed to disclose, so I’ll stop myself there! 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Angelica. You can find Angelica at:

IG: @byangelicacheng

TikTok: @byangelicacheng

Substack: substack.com/@byangelicacheng 

🎉 ENTER LITERARY RAMBLES' THE FAST TRACK GIVEAWAY! 🎉

Want to win The Fast Track? Thanks to Angelica’s publisher for supplying a book for this book giveaway contest.

How to Enter:

• Leave a Comment: Drop a comment below by November 14th with your email address. To protect your privacy from spam bots, please write your email address using the "name [at] gmail [dot] com" format.
• Bluesky Bonus: If you follow me on Bluesky, mention your handle in your comment for an extra entry!
• Sharing Bonus: If you share about this contest on your own social media sites or blog, let me know in the comments for an extra entry.
• Author Bonus: If you follow Angelica on social media, let me know in your comment for an extra entry!
• Blog Follower Bonus: If you follow Literary Rambles via Blogger or email subscription, let me know in the comments for an extra entry.

🌍 Eligibility: The book giveaway is U.S. only.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

• Monday, November 9th: Interview with Karen Foxlee and a giveaway of The Wonderous Tale of Lavender Wolfe
• Wednesday, November 11th: Agent spotlight interview with Riley Jay Davis and a query critique giveaway
• Monday, November 16th: Bobbi Miller guest post and The Barnaby Chronicles: The Lost Prince Giveaway
• Monday, November 16th: In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop
• Monday, November 23rd: Agent spotlight interview with Hannah Teachout and a query critique giveaway
•  Monday, November 30th: Agent spotlight interview with Michaela Whatnall and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Monday!

 

 

Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop

Happy Sunday, Everyone! Welcome to the Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop at Literary Rambles. Can you believe that it's already November? I am thrilled to kick off the holiday season with this fantastic book or Amazon Gift Card giveaway event hosted by MamatheFox and MomDoesReviews. 

If you are a writer working hard to get traditionally published or a book lover looking for your next favorite read, you are in the perfect place. Alongside today’s fun giveaway, I have a packed month ahead full of exclusive literary agent interviews with query critique giveaways, author interviews with book giveaways, and industry insights to help you on your publishing journey.

Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card Giveaway 

I’ve got a lot of exciting, newly released middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) book choices this month that you might like!

Your Prize Options:

• A New Release: Any of the featured MG or YA books featured here.
• Series Continuation: Another book in a series by these same featured authors.
• Book of Your Choice: Any book of your choice valued at $20 or less—this includes all genres and age ranges, including Adult fiction and non-fiction!
• The Fan Favorite: If you haven’t found a physical book you want, you can choose a $10 Amazon Gift Card instead! 

Here are your choices. You can find excellent summaries and descriptions of these titles on Goodreads.

 

🎉 ENTER THE LITERARY RAMBLES BOOK OR AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY! 🎉

Want to win your next favorite read or a gift card? Enter today for a chance to win a book of your choice ($20 or less) or a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

How to Enter:

• Leave a Comment: Drop a comment below by October 15th telling me whether you want a book (and which one) or the Amazon gift card. To protect your privacy from spam bots, please write your email address using the "name [at] gmail [dot] com" format.
• Bluesky Bonus: If you follow me on Bluesky, mention your handle in your comment for an extra entry!
• Sharing Bonus: If you share about this contest on your own social media sites or blog, let me know in the comments for an extra entry.
• Blog Follower Bonus: If you follow Literary Rambles via Blogger or email subscription, let me know in the comments for an extra entry.

🌍 Eligibility: The book giveaway is U.S. only, and the Amazon gift card giveaway is International. You must be 13 years or older to enter. Good luck to all book lovers and writers!

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

• Wednesday, November 3rd: Interview with Angela Cheng and a giveaway of her YA The Fast Track
• Monday, November 9th: Interview with Karen Foxlee and a giveaway of The Wonderous Tale of Lavender Wolfe
• Wednesday, November 11th: Agent spotlight interview with Riley Jay Davis and a query critique giveaway
• Monday, November 16th: Bobbi Miller guest post and The Barnaby Chronicles: The Lost Prince Giveaway
• Monday, November 23rd: Agent spotlight interview with Hannah Teachout and a query critique giveaway
• Monday, November 30th: Agent spotlight interview with Michaela Whatnall and a query critique giveaway I hope to see you on Wednesday!

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

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.