C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

Interview with Leigh Brescia

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Author, LEIGH BRESCIA, opens the door to Wrenn Scott’s world where if Wrenn had only ONE WISH she’d wish to be thin. Overweight Wrenn Scott desperately wants to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend. Her amazing voice (for once) overshadows her weight when she lands a lead role in the high school musical. Pushing to get thinner by opening night, Wrenn’s waistline shrinks as she learns all the wrong ways to lose weight from a new “it-girl” friend in the show. By opening night, the old Wrenn has almost disappeared. After a crisis reveals her weight-loss tricks, Wrenn realizes there are much more important things than being thin, popular, or even dating a hunk.

Leigh Brescia grew up in North Carolina, spending most of her days playing in the woods behind her home and imagining she was a princess.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Communication from Mount Olive College and her Master’s degree from Fort Hays State University. She currently teaches online English composition courses for three universities, and an online “Writing Novels for Young Adults” course for UC Irvine.

When she’s not grading papers or writing, she enjoys reading and watching movies. She sings when she’s in a good mood and has killed every plant she’s ever owned. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and her three-year-old.

When came to The Write Game I asked her to tell us just a bit more about herself. Here’s what we talked about.

Of all your favorite books, which one do you wish you had written?

Everyone knows I am a huge Sarah Dessen fan, so if I had to choose I would probably pick one of her books. Of course, if I had to be specific, it would be a close race between The Truth About Forever or Just Listen.

What fictional character do you wish you could be?

Probably Elizabeth Bennet (an obvious choice), because she’s true to herself and still manages to snag the guy.

After chocolate what do you eat to make the writer-block pain go away?

Cheese fries (french fries/cheese/bacon bits) smothered in ranch dressing. This will usually make any kind of pain go away. 🙂

Why are authors such food junkies, I wonder? Not one has opted for salad or broccoli when I ask this question.

ONE WISH is now available at Amazon

Deva Fagan Visits The Write Game

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FORTUNE’S FOLLY is here and so is DEVA FAGAN to tell us about her book and the author behind the story. Welcome, Deva. Let’s start by knowing a bit about Fortunata, your fortune-telling main character. Here’s how Fortunata’s story goes.

Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she’s tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy-or her father will be put to death. Now Fortunata has to help Prince Leonato secure a magic sword, vanquish a wicked witch, discover a long-lost golden shoe, and rescue the princess who fits it. If only she hadn’t fallen in love with the prince herself. . . .

So how about Deva? Here’s what I’ve read.

Deva likes searching for patterns, which is how she explains both her degree in mathematics and the echoes of old fairy-tales in her stories. She also loves tea, gardening, and playing the fiddle. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog.

Deva took some time to tell a bit more about herself as a person. I asked her a few questions and here’s what she told me.

Of all your favorite books, which one do you wish you had written?

Tough question! I don’t think there’s anything quite like the experience of reading a book — writing a book is fun and thrilling in its own way, but I don’t know that I would sacrifice the enjoyment of the first time I read WATERSHIP DOWN or THE BOOK OF THREE or THE HUNGER GAMES or ANNE OF GREEN GABLES to be the one who wrote them.

You’ve chosen one of my favorite books, Anne of Green Gables. What fictional character do you wish you could be?

I would be Betsy Ray, from Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series. I’d get to enjoy the wonderful, warm Ray family, taste one of those onion sandwiches Mr Ray is famous for, have Miss Mix make me pretty clothes, hang out with a bevy of high-school chums, making fudge and singing and dancing, go on picnics with Tacy and Tib, flirt with Joe Willard, and even spend a year touring Europe in preparation for being a Writer.

Everyone who writes complains in varying degrees about “writer-block,” and most of the ones I’ve talked to say they rely heavily on comfort food during these muse-less days. After chocolate what do you eat to make the writer-block pain go away?

When I encounter writing troubles I tend to drink even more hot black tea with milk than I do usually.

Sounds very comforting, Deva. Thanks so much for the interview. I’ve enjoyed your visit.

Deva’s book is available at Amazon.

Carrie Ryan Interview

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I’m so excited to have CARRIE RYAN here. Her book, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH was released in March and is quite prominent on the book shelves.

About The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is about a young girl named Mary growing up generations after an apocalypse in a village surrounded by fences protecting them from the Unconsecrated, zombie-like creatures inhabiting the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Cut off from the rest of the world and told they are the last survivors of the Return, every part of her life is controlled by the religious order called the Sisterhood. As Mary starts to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t, she learns the extent of the Sisterhood’s power and starts to discover more of their darkest secrets. When the security of the fences is threatened and her world is thrown into chaos, Mary must decide what she’s willing to risk to find out if there’s life beyond the Forest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carrie was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Carrie Ryan is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University School of Law. A former litigator, she now writes full time. She lives with her writer/lawyer fiancé, two fat cats and one large puppy in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse.

Hi Carrie. I’ve been blogging about the opening lines of books for the past few days. I know authors take a lot of time crafting those lines, so I hope you don’t mind my sharing the way your book begins. It did all of the things a good opening should: It made me curiosity about the character, it introduce the setting, and gave the story resonance. Here’s how The Forest of Hands and Teeth starts.

“My mother used to tell me about the ocean. She said there was a place where there was nothing but water as far as you could see and that it was always moving, rushing toward you and then away.”

So immediately I need to know who this person is that doesn’t know what an ocean looks like and what kind of world she lives in. Great start.

Readers like to know about writers, so here are some questions that might give your readers a peek at the person who created this world of dark secrets.

Of all your favorite books, which one do you wish you had written?

I wish I’d written a Dr. Seuss book. I was reading a few to my nephew recently and had forgotten just how fun and clever his language is! Those books are just pure fun!

He was a master at making language fun.

What fictional character do you wish you could be?

I’d probably want to be someone like Batman — he has so many cool gadgets! Having the fate of humanity resting on my shoulders wouldn’t be fun though…

I thought you were going to tell me The Cat in the Hat. Now that’s one cat that has nothing resting on his shoulders.

I know writers have some times when they just can’t put those words down-at least not the way they want. So, after chocolate what do you eat to make the writer-block pain go away?

Pumpkin seeds and diet coke. Most random food ever, I know, but it’s what I practically lived on while I was revising the sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth!

Random or not, it worked. The Dead Tossed Sea is on its way. Congratulations.

Thanks for the visit, Carrie. I’ll be looking for your next book.

Be sure to visit Carrie at her website. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is available at Amazon and at your local Indie.

Carrie’s making the rounds of a lot of blogs. Catch her next interview with Sarah Ockler tomorrow.

Interview with Neesha Meminger

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In SHINE, COCONUT MOON Samar-a.k.a. Sam-is an Indian-American teenager whose mom has kept her away from her old-fashioned family. It’s never bothered Sam, who is busy with school, friends, and a demanding boyfriend. But things change after 9/11. A guy in a turban shows up at Sam’s house-and turns out to be her uncle. He wants to reconcile the family and teach Sam about her Sikh heritage. Sam is eager, but when boys attack her uncle, chanting “Go back home, Osama!,” Sam realizes she could be in danger-and also discovers how dangerous ignorance is.

The author,NEESHA MEMINGER, was born in India, grew up in Canada, and currently lives in New York City with her family. All of her writing explores the inner landscape of her characters, and how it merges or conflicts with the outer. She writes stories of women and girls defining themselves and shaping their own destinies within the confines of their day to day realities.

I feel so close to this book and this author because I was very fortunate to read it during its development. Right from the beginning I knew it was a winner, a book I’d tell friends to read. How much fun it has been to connect with NEESHA MEMINGER along her creative path to publication.

So trying to be as creative as Neesha, here’s the interview I conducted. Already I wish I had oodles more time to do this. This writer bubbles over with enthusiasm and her responses only bring more questions to mind.

COCONUT MOON does Sammy’s struggle for a big, loving family stem from your personal experience?

Yes and no. I had a pretty large extended family and a medium-sized immediate family. But we are an imperfect bunch and when I was in high school, I probably bought into the Hallmark commercials and television families and thought I wanted what was depicted. My poor, flawed, family didn’t stand a chance next to those picture perfect ones :). So maybe that was part of the experience I drew upon when I wrote about Sammy’s longing for a big, beautiful, perfect family.

Since your story is about such universal issues-search for love and belonging, family half-truths, breaking from tradition-I’m thinking a mom /dad/grandmother/grandfather would find it a fascinating read. Can you comment on this observation?

Actually, the relationship between mothers and daughters is what I initially wanted to explore when I began writing SHINE. That includes Sam’s relationship with her mother, and her mother’s relationship to her own mother. Then, of course, Sam’s relationship with her grandmother. I loved being witness to the complexities in those relationships — what made them work and what made them fragment. I also wanted to look closely at how these relationships and generational rifts fare when issues like immigration, displacement, and migration are thrown into the mix.

So, to answer your question, I think mothers, fathers, grandfathers, uncles and aunts would find this a terrific, perhaps insightful read :).

Okay, Neesha those were fabulous answers. Here are some sorta not so book-specific, but maybe a bit self-revealing questions, things your readers just might find fun to know about you.

Of all your favorite books, which one do you wish you had written?

Wild Seed, by Octavia Butler

That’s an interesting choice, Neesha. Sci-Fi.

What fictional character do you wish you could be?

The main female character in Wild Seed — I can’t remember her name right now, but it became Emma toward the end of book two.

Was it Anyanwu? No wonder you couldn’t remember it. I can barely spell it. But I did admire her power and her generousity in using it for the good. Says something about you Neesha.

After chocolate what do you eat to make the writer-block pain go away?

Cheese, or something creamy. Or caramel.

Yeah! My kind of writer.

Order your copy of Coconut Moon from Amazon, U.S or Amazon, Canada now, and visit Neesha at her website to see what’s up with this writer-diva.

AND . . . there’s more to come. Check out what Neesha and Cindy Pon talk about on March 31st.

Erin Dionne Interview

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MODELS DON’T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES by ERIN DIONNEis here and ready to treat you to a great story about thirteen-year-old Celeste Harris. This girl is no string bean, but comfy sweatpants and a daily chocolate cookie suit her just fine. Her under-the-radar lifestyle could have continued too, if her aunt hadn’t entered her in the HuskyPeach Modeling Challenge. To get out of it, she’s forced to launch Operation Skinny Celeste—because, after all, a thin girl can’t be a fat model! What Celeste never imagined was that losing weight would help her gain a backbone . . . or that all she needed to shine was a spotlight.

Our author in the spotlight has lived on two coasts and in four states. Her debut novel, MODELS DON’T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES, was inspired by events that occurred in seventh grade, when she wore a scary peach bridesmaid dress in her cousin’s wedding and threw up on her gym teacher’s shoes (not at the same event). Although humiliating at the time, these experiences are working for her now.

Now Erin lives outside of Boston with her husband and daughter, and a very insistent dog named Grafton. She roots for the Red Sox, teaches English at an art college, and sometimes eats chocolate cookies.

Hi, Erin and welcome. It’s always fun to talk to writers and let their readers get a better idea of who they are. Hope my questions will give people a brief glimpse of the person behind the “pen.”

Of all your favorite books, which one do you wish you had written?

So many choices…ummm…I’ll have to say THE GIVER, by Lois Lowry. That book is simply amazing. AMAZING. I use it nearly every semester when I teach.

The story of Jonah is amazing. I remember how beautifully Lois Lowry revealed the truth to him. I can see why you chose this book.

What fictional character do you wish you could be?

I love villains, and was kind of a “good girl” growing up…so I’d like to be someone bad. Like Bellatrix LeStrange. Bad and crazy!

That’s very revealing, Erin. Now your readers have something to think about when they see your name on that book cover-a writer with an interesting “bad” side to her. My next question is kind of silly, but what writer hasn’t had THE BLOCK?” We have to talk about that.

After chocolate what do you eat to make the writer’s-block pain go away?

Chocolate chip cookies, actually…so a little chocolate in my baked goodness.

Now I have to ask this. What if anything about Celeste Harris, your overweight eighth grader, comes from personal experience? I feel I can ask this question because if anyone could have won the Miss HuskyPeach beauty pageant in high school, it would have been me.

So much of Celeste comes from me, in varying degrees. Like her, I was an outcast in junior high. Like her, at different times I’ve been “chubby.” Like her, I seek refuge in books and had celebrity crushes growing up (okay, maybe as an adult, too!). Like her, I’ve had to learn how to assert myself. The list could go on…

Some of the situations she finds herself in are also familiar to me, too, including the whole “puking on the gym teacher’s shoes” things.

I’d love to talk to your former gym teacher after she reads your book.

If there was one piece of advice you’d give to a “chubby” teen, what would it be?

Here goes…
I’d tell the teen to embrace what they like about themselves, and focus on those positive elements. What makes you feel good about yourself? THAT’S what’s most important.

Ignore other kids who are teasing or bullying you, but make sure to tell a trusted adult about their behavior. They need to be stopped. And never, EVER resort to drastic measures, crash diets, etc, to lose weight. They don’t work, they’re not safe, and the weight is just going to come back. Instead, if you’re after weight loss, be smart and make little changes that you can sustain for a long time.

Amen to all that you’ve said. I hope readers drop in here and have a look at this answer.

Great Questions, Lee!!

Thanks, Erin. Great answers too. Thanks so much.

And readers, you can findMODELS DON’T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES near you. Or look at Amazon.

Erin’s tour doesn’t end here. You can catch more about her and MODELS DON’T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES atR.J. Anderson’s Blog next week.