Author Interview: Ryan Douglass and Night of Madness Giveaway and IWSG Post

 Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome New York Times bestselling author Ryan Douglass to the blog for an exclusive author interview. Ryan is stopping by to chat all about his gripping new YA horror/thriller, Night of Madness. I don’t usually read much horror, but since this one is also a fast-paced thriller with a highly compelling main character, I was hooked from the start! 

Today, Ryan is giving us a peek behind the scenes of his writing process, sharing how he brilliantly balances horror and suspense, and discussing his journey as a seasoned author. with a fantastic book giveaway! Read on to see our full conversation, enjoy the book blurb, and leave a comment below to enter to win a copy of this chilling new release. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

Teen influencers compete in a horror movie–themed overnight competition, only to realize the real test is staying alive in this chilling, blood-soaked horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston and the production company behind Clown in a Cornfield.

Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley—the producer of the eighties. Stanley’s campy slasher movies may have kept Mara’s fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.

Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley’s attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.

When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it’s a horror fan’s dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic… They’re not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn’t know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise—and will she still recognize herself by the end? 

IWSG Post

 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:  Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Liza at Middle Passages, JH Moncrieff,  Jemima Pett! 

Optional Question:  Many people are calling for writers who use AI to disclose it. Most who employ ghostwriters do not admit it - do you think authors who use ghostwriters should have to disclose that, too? 

I’m going to skip the question this month. I’m sorry that some of you may have had trouble accessing Literary Rambles. Alex let me know about the problem last month. Since then, I’ve been brave and changed Literary Rambles to a secure site by myself, with Google’s help. The link is https://literaryrambles.com instead of http://literaryrambles.com. 

That made me feel really brave, and I just finally installed Google Analytics all by myself, again with Google’s help. Now I’m trying some new features so that Google sees and recommends Literary Rambles more as a help to writers on their journeys to publication. I’m also hoping these changes will help make my author interview posts more visible, because I feel that with shifts in blog popularity, it’s harder for me to support the authors I feature. 

Finally, I'm really sorry, but it may take me time this month to visit your blog. I just recovered from a bad case of the flu and need to go visit a dear friend in hospice at a nursing home today. I also suddenly lost my dear nephew two days. I hope you'll understand if I get to your blog late or don't get to your blog this month. And the best way you can support me today is to support the author I'm featuring today.

Author Interview With Ryan Douglass

 Hi Ryan! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

I had a natural love of storytelling even as a toddler. I would always want to read or hear a story before bed, so after a certain age, I just started writing my own so my grandma wouldn’t have to keep coming up with them and my mom wouldn’t have to keep buying more books. As I grew up, I just kept writing to make sense of my experiences. I studied theatre in college, and I think that experience shaped how I handle character. I’m still discovering the writer I am, and having fun on the journey. 

2. Where did you get the idea for Night of Madness? 

I wanted to write a horror story about performance and the way people consume other people’s suffering as entertainment. I was thinking about the ridiculous emphasis we put on social media, and the blurry line between watching something horrible and participating in it. The basic premise came from the idea of a group of young influencers being offered an absurd amount of money to spend the night in an abandoned asylum. From there, I asked myself what kind of person would sign up for this, and what kind of person would run it.  So, you get big personalities mixed with old-school slasher energy, and a sense that things could go completely off the rails at any moment. 

Writing Process

3. Yes, we do put way too much emphasis on social media. Did you plot out this story, or were you a pantser? Why do you think this process works for you? 

I had the major beats, character arcs, reveals, and ending before I started, but discovered the texture of the actual story while writing. Sometimes the things I planned to be scary aren’t scary once they hit the page or a character starts behaving in a way I didn’t anticipate and that becomes more interesting than what I had planned. I need enough structure to keep myself from wandering too much, but enough freedom to enjoy the process. 

4. Night of Madness is both a horror and thriller story. How did you weave both aspects into your story and make them work to complement each other? 

For me, the thriller element is about momentum and solving clues, while the horror element is about fear. The thriller asks, “What is going to happen next?” Horror asks, “What happens when you realize you’re doomed?”

So, characters are constantly learning new information about the situation they’re in while simultaneously losing control of it. The more they understand about the place and each other, the worse things become. I also wanted the book to have the feeling of a game where you’re trying to figure out the rules while sensing that the odds are stacked against you. 

5. That’s a great way to frame the difference between the two. Mara, your main character, finds a ruthlessness in herself that sounds like she needs to survive and live. How did you balance this side of her with other parts of her character so that she would be a likable teen that readers want to root for? 

I think because the situation requires Mara to fight for her life, she’ll naturally make decisions that are selfish, violent, or frightening. At the same time, I wanted Mara to have empathy and humor and relationships that reminded us she’s an ordinary, relatable person who wants things beyond simply surviving the night. I think that contrast is what makes her compelling, because ruthlessness doesn’t erase her humanity. It’s actually an expression of how desperately she wants to keep living so she can save the people she cares about. 

Road to Publication

6. This is your third book. What was your road to publishing your first book, The Taking of Jake Livingston, like?

It was a long process that kind of surprised me. I wrote Jake Livingston in college while I was figuring out if being an author was a realistic career path for me, so I wasn’t even sure if it would be published, because I was pitching various books at the time. The concept was popular while querying, and we sold it in a few months. Then I had the experience of realizing publishing does not make you into a career author after one book. Once it published, I felt weirdly lost, in wondering how to pull it off again. My debut taught me how to work with publishers which is great experience, because I know how it works now. Lately I’ve been figuring out for myself much exposure I want to the industry stuff outside of writing. To be honest, I prefer to be a recluse, and mostly private, and to let my work speak for itself. 

7. I think many writers would prefer a quiet, solitary life too. How has submitting manuscripts and getting publishing contracts changed since you were a debut author? Do you have any tips on this for other authors hoping to sell more manuscripts after their debut book? 

I understand the more exploitative aspects of the business better now. When I was a debut, I was hopeful about enjoying my time in publishing. Now I treat it as more of a job and I know there are lots of things to keep my distance from. That may sound dark, but I do think it’s worth it to be prepared for what it means to business with big corporations, especially for people who have a lot of creative passion, as authors do. I’m less interested in trying to convince a market that a book is valuable than polishing my own distinct, creative instincts, and drawing those out. If I’m constantly chasing what I think publishers want, I can end up writing a soulless version of my work that makes me lose passion for the craft. There are others whose main goal is to satisfy publisher demand and make money, so sometimes it works.   

My advice for anyone would be to develop mastery of your craft. Know what you want out of the business, including what you want your visuals to be for your covers. Don’t assume that the people who work with you naturally will give that to you. And don’t let rejection convince you that your work is not valuable. A career is longer than one book and this industry is ever-changing, with everyone looking at everyone’s paper to see what can be done, and what’s up next. Just be you as brilliantly and vibrantly as possible. 

Book Marketing

8. How are you celebrating the release of Night of Madness? 

It feels like a lot of logistics and making sure I show up for things on time, so I’m trying to actually be present for it and be grateful to everyone who helped bring my third book into the world. With what happened between 2022-2025, and how my career was kind of in this slow-moving place, and how Black authors are being sidelined, that part feels pretty miraculous to me. 

9. How are you planning to promote it in the coming months? Has your approach to promoting your books changed over time? IF so, how? 

My approach to promotion has not changed much, but I am more intentional about collaborating directly with readers. I promote my work with the capacity that I have, but I have to set boundaries with how much work I’m doing outside of writing, which is my real job. I don’t think authors should have to turn themselves into content creators in order for their books to be seen. Social media is useful, but I’m interested in tailoring promo to specific outlets and focusing on reader outreach, so I can build a creative practice that exists beyond constantly shouting “buy my book” into a void. For Night of Madness, I’m excited about the conversations around the book, because I haven’t had conversations with the horror community in years. Campy horror is such a fun genre for reactions. 

10. It sounds like you have a good balance and focus on what’s most important: writing. What are you working on now? 

I’m working on several adult projects because I’m so excited to move into that market.

I’m interested right now in an American Gothic story with family dynamics that’s looking at an underrepresented part of history, and exploring religious trauma. I’m also working on a soft sci-fi project that focuses on achieving personal freedom when you’re behind bars. I’m finishing up another Night of Madness story, so I’m very much still in that world, seeing what I can draw out about the pressures that the digital age puts on young people. But beyond that, I’m trying to allow myself to move at a comfortable pace. Three books in, I don’t feel like I need to constantly prove that I can write a novel anymore, or that people will want to read it. Now I’m much more interested in building a life around my creativity that feels less like asking for permission, and more like setting myself free.  

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Ryan. You can find Ryan at ryandouglasswriter.com and on Instagram. 

🎉 ENTER THE LITERARY RAMBLES NIGHT OF MADNESS BOOK GIVEAWAY! 🎉

Want to win Night of Madness? Thanks to the publisher for supplying a book for this book giveaway contest.

How to Enter:

• Leave a Comment: Drop a comment below by October 17th 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 Ryan Douglass 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, October 12th: Guest post by Shifa Saltagi and a giveaway of her MG Sisters Alone
• Wednesday, October 14th: Agent spotlight interview with Jenny Lewis and a query critique giveaway
• Friday, October 16th: Participating in the Silly Pumpkins Giveaway Hop
• Monday, October 19th: Interview with Kate O’Shaughnessy and a giveaway of her MG Brittle Magic
• Wednesday, October 21st: Agent spotlight interview with Cate Hart and a query critique giveaway
• Monday, October 25th: Interview with Jackie Garcia Morales and a giveaway of her MG Pesky Rules 

I hope to see you on Monday!

Author Interview: Isaac Fitzsimons and Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers Giveaway

 Happy Monday, Everyone! Today, I’m excited to have Isaac Fitzsimons here to celebrate the release of his middle grade, Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers. It sounds like a unique fantasy world, and I’m drawn to the beautiful cover. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

An orphan with big dreams becomes entangled in the corrupt magic system of her city in this gripping middle grade fantasy adventure from critically acclaimed author Isaac Fitzsimons—perfect for fans of Chronicles of Whetherwhy and School for Thieves.

Astra Fox longs to be a wonderworker, traveling the world and casting fantastical illusions. But as a ward of the awful Sisters of Sorrows’ Foundling Home for Friendless Children, her dreams seem impossible. Then Astra’s fate takes an incredible turn when she’s granted an apprenticeship with the Bellamys, a prominent family who made their fortune manufacturing wonderwork into everyday products.

Surrounded by wealth and glamor, Astra is captivated by her new world and feels closer to her ideal future than ever before. But when rumors of a mysterious figure who sparks rebellions reach the city, Mr. Bellamy places Astra in his gilding factory as a spy, promising sponsorship and an opportunity to explore the world as a wonderworker in exchange.

Now working in the same factory from which her sister disappeared years earlier, Astra experiences firsthand the perils and injustices suffered by the employees and discovers a larger plot that puts them all in danger. With the help of her new friends and some unexpected allies, can Astra put her dreams aside to save Empire City? 

Hi Isaac! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

Thank you for having me!

I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. In first grade, I wrote a book called The Vampire Rabbit which was essentially Bunnicula fan fiction. For a long time, writing was just a hobby. One year, I decided to try Camp NaNoWriMo, mostly to see if I could finish a full manuscript. I did! And while that first draft was terrible, it opened the door. 

From there, I spent several years researching the publishing industry, studying story structure, and working to improve my craft. Then, in 2016, I entered Pitch Wars with the manuscript that eventually became my debut novel.

2. Where did you get the idea for Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers? 

I wish I could point to a single moment, but really it was a combination of several ideas that had been simmering in my brain separately for years. First, there was a Tumblr post about how humans don’t need to be taught to fear the dark. Then, a documentary examining Princess Diana’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth. Next, a sermon on how enslaved people used gospel music as a tool for survival and communication. And finally, two photo essays—one of a six-year-old girl who was the youngest student at a Chinese Kung Fu academy, and another of a thirteen-year-old eagle hunter in Mongolia.  

3. You certainly drew from lots of different ideas. What was your worldbuilding process like? Did most of the process happen before you started your first draft or while you were writing? 

I did a huge amount of heavy lifting pre-drafting. The basic premise I started out with was an underdog living in an unjust society, who is a member of the exploited class, but also complicit in the system in her own way. I knew that access to magic would be the dividing force between the wealthy and the poor. I chose illusion magic because it allowed me to explore how misinformation and disinformation can be weaponized by the elite, which is relevant in our day and age. Instead of making magic illegal, which is a trope found in many fantasies, I decided to industrialize it. A Gilded Age-inspired setting made sense, plus I’ve had a long-standing love for Newsies, and so was eager to explore that world. 

Even though it’s a fantasy, so much of the plot is grounded in actual history. For instance, there’s a scene where Astra encounters a wealthy couple touring the poorest neighborhoods as if it’s a tourist attraction. That was based on an actual Gilded Age trend in cities like New York and London called “slumming.” 

During revisions, my editor, Alyson Heller, helped me clarify any worldbuilding details that remained confusing, which often meant drawing out all the implicit subtext about inequality that existed in my head and making it explicit on the page. 

4. Were you a plotter or a panster? Why does this process work for you? 

I am an unapologetic plotter. I use a progressive outlining technique, where I run my premise through several story structures, making each pass increasingly more detailed. 

This takes the pressure off having to know every detail from day one. Each pass also acts as a stress test for the story. There have been plenty of times when I’ve hit a structural wall in the outline and realized there was an issue with the premise. Finding that out early on means I can fix the foundation after a few thousand words, rather than writing myself into a corner 60,000 words in. That said, I still leave room for discovery. My favorite moments in drafting are when previously unconnected plot points suddenly snap together with no advanced planning. 

5. It sounds like a smart approach. Share a bit about Astra Fox, the main character. Was her development as a character easy for you? 

Astra is a wonderworker, meaning she can weave illusions. She was raised in an orphanage alongside her older sister, Pippa, but when the story opens, Pippa has aged out, moved to Empire City, and gone completely silent.

When developing Astra’s personality, I kept thinking about that photo essay of the young girl at the Kung Fu academy. In one image she’s executing a flawless kick, and in the next she’s peeking over her classmate’s shoulder during a test. I knew Astra needed that exact combination of mischievous spark and practical focus when stakes are high. Then, a workshop I taught on writing through trauma deeply informed her emotional core. Hearing participants share their survival stories served as my guiding light for Astra. I wanted her to be undeniably brave, but to hold on to her vulnerability at the same time. 

6. This is your second published book. Your debut book, Passing Playbook, is a contemporary romance about a 15-year-old trans athlete. Congrats on the book being named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and being awarded other accolades. What made you decide to write a middle grade fantasy, which is such a different genre, and for a younger age group? 

It came down to what the story called for. It sounds counterintuitive, but I found I could go much darker in middle grade fantasy than in young adult contemporary. The book deals with heavy thematic elements like child exploitation, systemic corruption, loss, and the threat of violence. Middle grade fantasy gave me the perfect arena to explore those big, daunting real-world issues through magic, resilience, and hope. 

There’s a saying in children’s literature that has always stuck with me: you can lead young readers into very dark places, with the promise that you’ll guide them back into the light on the other end. 

7. Your agent is Jordan Hamessley. How did she become your agent? 

Through good old-fashioned querying! My manuscript was selected for Pitch Wars, where I worked through revisions with my mentor, Natalka Burian. The book emerged much stronger, but the agent showcase itself didn’t result in an offer. 

So, I hit the query trenches. After collecting my share of rejections, I revised the manuscript again. In the next round of querying, I sent my work to Jordan, and the rest is history. 

8. How are you planning to promote Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers? How is your approach different than for your debut book? 

My debut was a pandemic book baby. While I missed out on in-person events, the flip side was that going virtual meant I could hop on panels and connect with readers from across the world right from my living room. 

For Astra Fox, I’m thrilled to be blending both worlds. I have several in-person events lined up, and I’m looking forward to meeting readers face-to-face this time around. 

9. What are you working on now? 

The hardest part about publishing is that you spend years working in total secrecy because you can’t talk about projects until deals are announced! I hate giving vague teasers, so I’ll just share that I have stories across multiple age categories and genres sitting in various stages. 

Specifically, I’m bouncing between an adult sports romance, a young adult historical folk horror, and a middle grade historical gothic horror/fantasy. 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Isaac. You can find Isaac at https://linktr.ee/isaacfitzbooks. 

Giveaway Details

Isaac’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers 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 October 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 Isaac 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 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 

Thursday, October 1st, I’m participating in the Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop 

Wednesday, October 7th, I have an interview with Ryan Douglass and a giveaway of his YA Night of Madness and my IWSG Post 

Monday, October 12th, I have a guest post by Shifa Saltagi and a giveaway of her MG Sisters Alone 

Wednesday, October 14th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Jenny Lewis and a query critique giveaway 

Friday, October 16th, I’m participating in the Silly Pumpkins Giveaway Hop 

Monday, October 19th, I have an interview with Kate O’Shaughnessy and a giveaway of her MG Brittle Magic 

I hope to see you on Thursday!

 

 

 

 

Author Interview: M.K. England and Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth Giveaway

 Happy Monday, Everyone! Today, I’m excited to have M.K. England back at Literary Rambles to share about their new MG mystery, Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth. I interviewed M.K. in 2018 when they were a debut author. I’m super excited to read their newest middle grade because it’s a mystery, and it’s witchy! 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

Queen of Mysteries Riley Dare has her first real-life case to solve!

Riley Dare is a master of solving puzzles. After all, she helps run her aunt’s beloved escape room, Level Up, and makes it extra special thanks to the flicker of magic she’s gifted with. Need some extra shadows? Some spooky lighting? She’s got it covered.

But when a celebrated author of children’s mysteries vanishes during the latest, greatest escape room she’s designed with her aunt, one themed after the biggest unsolved heist in her small town’s history, things get complicated fast.

Not only is the author missing—and oh, maybe there’s a ghost inside the escape room—but with reservations being canceled left and right alongside the police investigation, there’s a chance Level Up might not survive. Riley will have to team up with her closest friends to figure out what’s going on, and how all this might be tied to that same unsolved heist from twelve years ago. A heist that happened on the day she was born . . .

It’s her greatest puzzle yet, and Riley Dare is on the case. 

Hi M.K.! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Tell us about yourself and your life as an author. 

I’m your run of the mill nerd, filling my time with board games and Dungeons & Dragons and video games and fandom, with a little twist of country. I live out on 2.5 acres with huge gardens, and I’m always covered in dirt. 

I’ve been at this author thing for a little while now, and I’m lucky enough to do it full time these days. My debut came out in 2018, and now Riley Dare is my twelfth book, and my fourth in middle grade. I’m a notorious genre and age category hopper, writing in fantasy, sci-fi, romance, and mystery for kids, teens, and adults alike. Maybe it would be smarter to stay in one lane and have a brand, but I don’t think I’m actually capable of doing that! 

2. It’s great you are now a full-time author. Where did you get the idea for Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth? 

I originally developed this concept years ago when a publisher put out a call for a “modern Nancy Drew,” but Riley quickly grew beyond that original prompt quickly. I wanted to write a kid detective who was a little gender-bendy and who could use gamer skills in solving mysteries. Riley Dare was born! 

3. I loved Nancy Drew as a kid and am excited to see more middle grade mysteries these days. How did you plot out Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth? Was the process any different than your other novels, especially ones that weren’t mysteries? 

The process was definitely different from my other novels, mostly because I am not a natural mystery writer! The beats of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance are pretty ingrained in me, but for whatever reason I just have not internalized mysteries and thrillers to the same degree. I’ve really had to sit down and study a variety of sources on plotting a satisfying mystery. (Also, book 3 is currently kicking my butt—when I overcome that problem, I’ll let you know!) But my overall process was still very much the same: I outline ahead of time and figure out solutions to all my plot problems before I ever write a single word. 

4. What made you decide to add the magical elements to your story? How did you balance that out with the main mysteries to be solved? 

I actually wrote Riley Dare as a straight-up non-magical mystery at first! It always felt like it was lacking a little something, though. Once I added Riley’s little flicker of magic to the story, it blew the whole thing wide open, and it quickly became essential to the trilogy’s overall plot and enriched the world so much. I think the fact that the core mystery was developed without magic in mind makes it stronger, though; it’s robust enough to stand on its own, and the magic only enhanced it. 

5. Share a bit about Riley, your main character, and what makes her unique. Did you draw on anyone you know or yourself in developing her as a character? 

Riley is my favorite sort of spunky kid protagonist. She’s smart and quirky and so much her own person, with her own sense of style (bow ties!). She’s very secure in who she is and what she likes, which is both really tough and really brave at that age. Having nerdy community that embraces and celebrates you as you are makes such a difference. I definitely drew from my own experiences with her, both with her gender-bendy-ness and her nerdy community, though I wish I had been as confident and secure as her. 

6. This is a trilogy, which is not as common for a mystery as it is for a fantasy. What made you decide to write it as a series? 

The series part sort of naturally evolved from Riley herself, and from the fantasy elements of the work. The core mystery itself is resolved, but there are things about Riley’s backstory and about the magical parts of the mystery that I could have left alone… but it was way more fun to play them out. She’s got parents she’s never met who she’s pretty sure are secret agents or witches or secret agent witches, and that just screamed for some follow-up. The magical elements also provided great fuel for a longer arc. 

7. Eric Smith is your agent. How did he become your agent? 

Eric is actually my second agent. My first agent and I parted ways when we couldn’t connect on any other projects past my original two-book deal for The Disasters and Spellhacker. I did a short round of querying and, lucky for me, Eric had already read my existing work and was interested in the newer stuff I had to offer. He’s been a fantastic partner for the past six years and I really think I ended up exactly where I needed to be. 

8. That’s great that you were able to find an agent with whom you work better. This is your 12th book since The Disasters, your debut book, was published in 2018. How have you been able to grow your career as an author so much? What tips do you have for other writers on going forward after their debut novel is published? 

I recognize that my career is kind of unusual and what I have to say might not apply to many people, but for me the key to a sustainable career was to diversify my writing across age categories and genres. I like and prefer doing this anyway, but it also meant that low sales in any one particular area wouldn’t necessarily kill my entire career. I hopped around, I used pen names when publishers asked me to, I said yes to some IP opportunities when they were offered to me, but all along I followed where my own interests took me. I just don’t have whatever that focus and fire is that lets people settle into one genre and live there, so I’ve had to let myself pursue what I most wanted to write and let Eric worry about the selling part. Having a trusted partner in Eric makes a huge difference. 

9. That’s great advice on how to grow your career. How are you planning to promote this book? How has your approach to marketing changed since your first book was published? 

My approach to marketing has changed a ton since my debut. As a debut author, you feel such immense pressure to do All The Things and make swag and do giveaways and post on social media constantly. I learned that 1) that’s not sustainable, especially when you have multiple books out in a year, and 2) it’s not all that effective for most books, especially not in the middle grade space. No marketing will ever matter anywhere near as much as what your publisher does unless you’re able to sink a lot of money and time into it. So, I’ve largely decided to keep my head down and focus on the part of the job I have the most control over, which is writing the best book I can. Because this is my full-time job and I’m typically putting out 2-3 books per year, I am constantly on deadline and just don’t have the bandwidth for my own huge marketing campaigns or constant social media posting, which I’m not very good at anyway. For Riley, I’m sticking to a few interviews and working with a local bookstore on school visits, which is much more directly impactful. 

10. It’s great that you don’t have to do too much marketing. What are you working on now? 

I just wrapped up copyedits on the second book in the world of my adult cozy fantasy, Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous, and I’m diving into edits on my as-yet-unannounced middle grade graphic novel debut. After that, it’ll be time to write Riley 3! 

Thanks for sharing all your links, M.K.! You can find M.K. at www.mkengland.com and on Instagram at @mk_england. 

Giveaway Details

M.K. is generously offering a hardback of Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth 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 26th. 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 M.K. on their 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 

Wednesday, September 16th, I’m participating in the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop 

Monday, September 21st, I have an agent spotlight interview with Tali Shammas and a query critique giveaway 

Monday, September 28th, I have an interview with Isaac Fitzsimmons and a giveaway of his MG Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers 

Thursday, October 1st, I’m participating in the Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop 

Wednesday, October 7th, I have an interview with Ryan Douglass and a giveaway of his YA Night of Madness and my IWSG Post 

Monday, October 12th, I have a guest post by Shifa Saltagi and a giveaway of her MG Sisters Alone 

Wednesday, October 14th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Jenny Lewis and a query critique giveaway 

Friday, October 16th, I’m participating in the Silly Pumpkins Giveaway Hop 

Monday, October 19th, I have an interview with Kate O’Shaughnessy and a giveaway of her MG Brittle Magic 

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

Author Interview: Dinesh Thiru and My Killer Family Reunion and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Dinesh Thiru here to share about his YA mystery My Killer Family Reunion. It’s a mystery and funny. I love mysteries and could use some funnies in life, so I’m excited to read it. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

Knives Out meets Never Have I Ever in this hilarious and twisty young adult mystery-comedy about an Indian American teen whose family reunion at a lavish manor falls into chaos after her grandma is attacked.

Nothings brings family together like attempted murder.

There are three things Jayshree Devi can count on happening at her annual family 1) her cousins will forget she exists, 2) her aunts will try to set her up, and 3) her uncles will get into a fight. What she doesn’t expect? An accident that lands her grandmother in a coma, throwing the family—and their matriarch’s sizeable fortune—into chaos.

When Jay discovers Grand Mom’s “accident” might not have been so accidental after all, she’ll have to dig through decades of secrets to find the truth. With the help of her (annoyingly perky) cousins and one of their (annoyingly hot) friends, Jay finds herself knee-deep in a mystery that’s even more tangled than her family tree.

But the closer Jay gets to answers, the closer she gets to finding her place amongst the relatives who once felt so distant. With Grand Mom’s life and fortune hanging in the balance, can Jay save her family and maybe hook up with a hottie while she’s at it?

 

Before I get to my interview with Dana, I have my post for the Insecure Writers Support Group. 

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:  Kate Larkinsdale, SE White, JS Pailly, Olga Godim, and me! 

Optional Question:  Do you have a favorite character archetype you tend to gravitate toward in your writing? 

First, Happy 15th Anniversary, IWSG! I'm so grateful for all the friendships I've made and support I've received over the years. Thanks to Alex for creating this group and keeping up going. And I love the idea of celebrating by purchasing five books from members of the group.

Yes. Since I’ve written middle grade and young adult, of course, my main character is a kid. I’ve only written two manuscripts. They have both been about adopted middle graders or teens. I also gravitate to writing about Chinese or Mexican-American adopted kids. I know all about Chinese adoptions, since my daughter is adopted from China. I’ve also been a part of a Mexican-American family for over forty years. 

Interview With Dinesh Thru 

Hi Dinesh! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

 

Hi, I'm Dinesh Thiru, father of three (2 humans, 1 dog); I enjoy reading, hiking, cooking, and my karaoke song is “Teenage Dirtbag.” I stumbled into writing several years ago while I was staying at home with our 2nd baby. During nap time, I would journal about life, work, and being a dad. That turned into a gag book that I wrote to roast my cousin for his 40th birthday. My family loved it, and I was having fun, so I kept going and wrote a novel.
 
Several novels later… I finally got published! 

2. Where did you get the idea for My Killer Family Reunion?

I'd read Dial A for Aunties and My Sister, the Serial Killer and I was confident that my family was just as unhinged as those families. I'd also watched Knives Out, and that reminded me of two family legends:

 

1. My Indian grandmother — Born rich, she survived decades in poverty, only passing at 103! As her grandson, I saw her as the ultimate matriarch. Strong and stubborn, feared and revered.
2. My Indian great-grandfather — One of the wealthiest men in Bangalore in the 1930s, he cut his entire family (12 kids!) out of his will, leaving all his money to charity. Personally, I think it's amazing, but obviously the family freaked. 

So a book about a highly dysfunctional Indian-American family where everyone has a plot to kill Grand Mom and steal her inheritance… that came together quite naturally! 

3. What a cool way to come up with a book idea. Your debut YA, Into The Sunken City, is a fantasy/dystopia story? What made you decide to write a contemporary mystery for your second novel?

My Killer Family Reunion just poured out of me. I wrote the first draft in six weeks! 

Into the Sunken City is the type of adventure story I've always loved—a book for teen Dinesh. My Killer Family Reunion is the book of my heart. The setting is my aunt's absurd house, complete with spa room and creepy basement. Multiple scenes are inspired directly from my childhood reunions—for example, why do we open with one of the cousins hooking up in a closet and getting busted by her aunty?? Because my cousin did that! Even the murder is inspired by… 

… just kidding, there were no murders at my family reunions. 

4. Six weeks! I wish I could write a first draft in six months. What was your plotting process for My Killer Family Reunion? Will you change the process at all from what you learned from writing this story?

 

Ah, plotting. As a thriller writer, I should probably be good at that. Truthfully, I'm between a plotter and a pantser. When I decide to write a first draft, I have a concept, a voice (b/c I've written a few pages), and I have some major scenes and (ideally) an ending in mind. But I can't plot in rich detail—at least not at first. Instead, I write a terrible first draft and revise (e.g., this book took 2 years of revision).

 

Will I change the process? Probably not. But all those revisions created more misdirection, bigger reveals, tighter pacing. I hope those learnings stay with me. 

5. I plot like that too. Your book is also described as hilarious. How did you figure out the balance between making your story funny and keeping up the tension of the mystery? What tips do you have for other writers about adding humor to their stories? 

Ooo, that's hard! Humor is so personal. For this book, a big part of why it works is that Grand Mom is such a loved character. When she has an "accident", you're immediately like, "Oh, heck no. We are NOT letting that happen." So one of my tips would be: Even in a humorous book, you need to have strong emotional hooks that get deep under a reader's skin. 

6. That’s a great tip. Share what you like about your character, Jay? Did anything about her surprise you as you wrote her story? 

Jay's a half-Indian, half-white, middle cousin like me. She's trying to understand her identity more. Why she needs her dad to say "I love you" even though she knows he loves her. Why she feels Indian, but not quite Indian enough. She's trying to find her voice in the family, which is different from me, I'm more of a loud mouth. What surprised me about Jay is how much confidence she gains when her older cousin, Prithi, starts to look out for her. No one's ever done that for Jay, and all the sudden, Jay starts finding her inner strength. Sometimes you just need one person to believe in you. 

7. Your agent is Claire Friedman. How did she become your agent? 

I cold queried Claire with Into the Sunken City! The query process is brutal at times—you get so much rejection—but it's also really cool because it's open to anyone. Claire's incredible: brilliant editorial insights, on top of a thousand details, fun and easy to work with. She also sells a lot of YA. Unagented writers, put Claire on your list! 

8. This is your sophomore book. How was getting a publishing contract and working with your editor different from your debut YA fantasy, The Sunken City? 

Much of the process was the same, but with Into the Sunken City, it was a rollercoaster as I had three different editors. My original acquiring editor was let go, and my second editor shifted publishing houses, and then my third editor took over. These things happen, but with My Killer Family Reunion, I've had a single editor the whole way, Kristie Choi, who has been amazing. 

9. You live in Barcelona. How are you planning to promote your book in the U.S.? Has your approach to marketing changed since you were a debut author?

 

I had a launch event at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina on August 11th. My parents live in Raleigh, the book's dedicated to them, and we had 20 family members come to town. It was really special.

 

As for marketing, I have a love-hate relationship with author marketing. My old career was in marketing, so I enjoy the intellectual challenge. But there's something about all the bragging and self-hype that doesn't sit well with me. Reading The Anxious Generation also made me realize how bad social media is for my health. So I do plenty (e.g., videos, influencer outreach, interviews, events), but I prefer writing. 

10. What are you working on now?

Pitch: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder meets Eurotrip in this summer-vacation romp about a group of cousins who road trip across Europe, staying with aunties and uncles, and investigating the mysterious death of their famous aunt. I hope it sells! 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Dinesh. You can find Dinesh at www.dineshthiru.com and https://www.instagram.com/dineshthiruwrites/.

Giveaway Details

Dinesh's publisher  is generously offering a hardback of My Killer Family Reunion 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 12th. 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 Dinesh 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 US-only.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops 

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 

Monday, September 21st, I have an agent spotlight interview with Tali Shammas and a query critique giveaway 

Monday, September 28th, I have an interview with Isaac Fitzsimmons and a giveaway of his MG Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers 

I hope to see you on Monday!