I want to thank Jenny Lundquist for being a part of the March MG Madness and for stopping by to answer a few of my questions. Be sure to check out my review to learn more about Jenny's MG book Seeing Cinderella.
Q. What three words best describe your MG book Seeing Cinderella?
Only three? Arrgghhh that's hard! Okay, here goes: Sweet, Magical, Empowering.
Q. In one sentence, tell readers why they should read your book…c’mon, really sell it!
If you've ever felt like no one in the world thinks like you; if you've ever felt unseen; in middle school if you ever felt (or feel) like you're one of the least: the least pretty, the least popular, the least noticed of all your friends—then Seeing Cinderella is the book for you.
Whew! How was that? Behold the miracles of modern punctuation!
Q. Now, using as many sentences as you’d like, could you tell us a bit more about Seeing Cinderella?
Seeing Cinderella is about a shy seventh grader named Callie who's terrified to start seventh grade because she's sure everyone is going to think she's a dork and make fun of her. Her goal is just to survive middle school by "being as unnoticeable as possible." The day before school starts she finds out she needs glasses—and her optometrist/fairy godfather gives her a pair of thick black glasses so dorky they make braces and headgear look trendy. But on the first day of school Callie discovers her glasses have magic powers: they can read people's thoughts. (And she's pretty sure they repel boys, too.) Callie uses the glasses to make sense of her middle school world, battle a best friend stealer, and realizes that people are more complex than she thought. Most importantly, she learns to "see" herself and everyone around her differently.
Q. What do you hope readers, especially younger readers, will walk away with after reading Seeing Cinderella?
When I started writing, I determined early on that I wanted to write for the girl who stands in the shadows. The wallflower who watches everyone else and wonders if anyone will ever notice her. It's my hope those girls will walk away after reading Seeing Cinderella feeling empowered to take that next step in their life, whether it's stepping out and trying something new or having the courage to pursue the things they're interested in.
Q. Why Middle Grade Fiction…why did you choose to write MG fiction and what do you love best about reading and writing MG?
I chose MG because as a child I felt overwhelmed with all the changes that early adolescence brings. I was the late bloomer who felt like one day everything was going great, and then, BAM! all my friends turned into boy-crazy aliens. I sought, and found, solace in books. There's a quote from Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail that I just love: “When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.” That was true for me, and as a writer I want to give back to a genre that gave so much to me as a child.
Q. Why do you think MG appeals to such a wide audience, from very young readers to adults like you and I?
I think MG holds a special distinction because at that age children are trying to figure out who they want to be in the world and yet they're still optimistic and filled with passion and believe that good times are ahead of them. For me as an adult, that's a refreshing perspective to read.
Q. What’s your current favorite MG book? Your favorite MG book of all time?
My current favorite is Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu. Her reading inspires me and makes me want to grow as a writer. My favorite MG book when I was a child was Thirteen by Candice Ransom because I felt like I could really relate to the main character, Kobie Roberts.
Q. If you could switch places with any MG character from any book, who would it be?
I'd switch places with Hermione Granger so I could attend Hogwarts. I would love to spend some time in the Gryffindor common room, overindulge in sweets from Honeydukes, and watch the new students face the Sorting Hat. (But I would have to insist on switching back before Hermione kisses Viktor Krum. The girl may be bright, but snogging Viktor ranks as one of her more brainless acts.)
Q. Who’s your favorite MG villain…who do you just love to hate or hate to love?
I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and I have a real love/hate relationship with Severus Snape. I think he's one of the most complex characters in recent literary history. Is he a villain? Is he a hero? I despised him in the earlier books in the series. But in the last book I was absolutely crying when…well, I don't want to spoil it if there's actually anyone out there who still hasn't read the series. But let's just say I've had lengthy conversations with my sister, who's just as much of an HP fan as I am, over my feelings for Snape.
Q. If you were to create/bake a Seeing Cinderella inspired cupcake, what flavor would it be,or what would it taste like, and what would you call your tasty masterpiece?
Hmmm…This is hard, because baking is on my list of Things I Don't Do. But Callie, the main character in Seeing Cinderella, has frizzy red hair and loves Red Hots. So maybe red velvet cupcakes topped with Red Hots? I guess I'd call them Red Hot Cinderella Cupcakes. I may not bake cupcakes, but I love to eat them. Know of anyone looking to hire a professional cupcake taster?
Only three? Arrgghhh that's hard! Okay, here goes: Sweet, Magical, Empowering.
Q. In one sentence, tell readers why they should read your book…c’mon, really sell it!
If you've ever felt like no one in the world thinks like you; if you've ever felt unseen; in middle school if you ever felt (or feel) like you're one of the least: the least pretty, the least popular, the least noticed of all your friends—then Seeing Cinderella is the book for you.
Whew! How was that? Behold the miracles of modern punctuation!
Q. Now, using as many sentences as you’d like, could you tell us a bit more about Seeing Cinderella?
Seeing Cinderella is about a shy seventh grader named Callie who's terrified to start seventh grade because she's sure everyone is going to think she's a dork and make fun of her. Her goal is just to survive middle school by "being as unnoticeable as possible." The day before school starts she finds out she needs glasses—and her optometrist/fairy godfather gives her a pair of thick black glasses so dorky they make braces and headgear look trendy. But on the first day of school Callie discovers her glasses have magic powers: they can read people's thoughts. (And she's pretty sure they repel boys, too.) Callie uses the glasses to make sense of her middle school world, battle a best friend stealer, and realizes that people are more complex than she thought. Most importantly, she learns to "see" herself and everyone around her differently.
Q. What do you hope readers, especially younger readers, will walk away with after reading Seeing Cinderella?
When I started writing, I determined early on that I wanted to write for the girl who stands in the shadows. The wallflower who watches everyone else and wonders if anyone will ever notice her. It's my hope those girls will walk away after reading Seeing Cinderella feeling empowered to take that next step in their life, whether it's stepping out and trying something new or having the courage to pursue the things they're interested in.
Q. Why Middle Grade Fiction…why did you choose to write MG fiction and what do you love best about reading and writing MG?
I chose MG because as a child I felt overwhelmed with all the changes that early adolescence brings. I was the late bloomer who felt like one day everything was going great, and then, BAM! all my friends turned into boy-crazy aliens. I sought, and found, solace in books. There's a quote from Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail that I just love: “When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.” That was true for me, and as a writer I want to give back to a genre that gave so much to me as a child.
Q. Why do you think MG appeals to such a wide audience, from very young readers to adults like you and I?
I think MG holds a special distinction because at that age children are trying to figure out who they want to be in the world and yet they're still optimistic and filled with passion and believe that good times are ahead of them. For me as an adult, that's a refreshing perspective to read.
Q. What’s your current favorite MG book? Your favorite MG book of all time?
My current favorite is Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu. Her reading inspires me and makes me want to grow as a writer. My favorite MG book when I was a child was Thirteen by Candice Ransom because I felt like I could really relate to the main character, Kobie Roberts.
Q. If you could switch places with any MG character from any book, who would it be?
I'd switch places with Hermione Granger so I could attend Hogwarts. I would love to spend some time in the Gryffindor common room, overindulge in sweets from Honeydukes, and watch the new students face the Sorting Hat. (But I would have to insist on switching back before Hermione kisses Viktor Krum. The girl may be bright, but snogging Viktor ranks as one of her more brainless acts.)
Q. Who’s your favorite MG villain…who do you just love to hate or hate to love?
I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and I have a real love/hate relationship with Severus Snape. I think he's one of the most complex characters in recent literary history. Is he a villain? Is he a hero? I despised him in the earlier books in the series. But in the last book I was absolutely crying when…well, I don't want to spoil it if there's actually anyone out there who still hasn't read the series. But let's just say I've had lengthy conversations with my sister, who's just as much of an HP fan as I am, over my feelings for Snape.
Q. If you were to create/bake a Seeing Cinderella inspired cupcake, what flavor would it be,or what would it taste like, and what would you call your tasty masterpiece?
Hmmm…This is hard, because baking is on my list of Things I Don't Do. But Callie, the main character in Seeing Cinderella, has frizzy red hair and loves Red Hots. So maybe red velvet cupcakes topped with Red Hots? I guess I'd call them Red Hot Cinderella Cupcakes. I may not bake cupcakes, but I love to eat them. Know of anyone looking to hire a professional cupcake taster?
Be sure to stop by the March MG Madness home post and enter the big month long giveaway to win a box of MG books and swag! You can earn extra entries in the big giveaway by answering a question whose answer can be found in Jenny's interview above...go HERE to enter
Jenny Lundquist grew up in Huntington Beach, California, wearing glasses and wishing they had magic powers. They didn't, but they did help her earn a degree in intercultural studies at Biola University. Jenny has painted an orphanage in Mexico, taught English at a university in Russia, and hopes one day to write a book at a café in Paris. Jenny and her husband live in northern California with their two sons and Rambo, the world's whiniest cat.
Win a signed ARC of Seeing Cinderella & a cute bookmark!
I have one signed ARC and one Seeing Cinderella bookmark to giveaway.
Giveaway will run from 3/1 - 3/8
There will be one winner
US only
Fill out Rafflecopter form to enter
- Must be 13+ to enter
- One main entry per person
- Winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
- I am NOT responsible for lost or damaged prizes in the mail
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18 comments:
interesting, thank you for the discovery of this new author ( from the list it seems i will have lot's of new discoveries)
I'd also like to be Hermione Granger! Howgarts was just amazing, and since I'm also a fan, I think I'd really enjoy it. I thought the same about Hermione kissing Viktor!! That was really weird...
BTW, those cupcakes sounds yummy :P
Oh wow, this sounds too fun! I haven't read a lot of MG, but there is so much new stuff coming out that sounds great - I'm going to have to explore :o)
Jenny, cupcakes are fool-proof, and so much fun to play with! You've got the right idea in coming up with the one for Callie: flavors + decorations ... Now I want a cupcake, LOL! :o)
Oh wow, this would be the perfect book for my daughter. She's 10 years old, is legally blind, and has a brain and spine disorder. She is entering middle school in September and is already freaking out about it.
Congratulations!
I can't wait to share this book with my daughters!
Great interview! This book sounds so fun and great! Love the cupcake idea! Yum!
“When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.” OMG this is such a beautiful quote! Its true too! I wish that ur book came out when i was in middle school. It would have def helped me w/ my wallflower habits!
I really like your inspiration for this book. Can't wait to read it. =)
~Paige @ Comfort Books
http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/
Hi Jenny! And Aeicha of course! I have wanted to read this for a little while and this is a good opportunity to get it! Jenny, I just have to say that as interesting as your cupcake sounds I wouldn't want to try it... :) Thanks for the giveaway!
I don't know what it is with me and Cinderella lately, but we are definitely having a love affair... :)
This looks like a cute book, I think my cousin would really like it. I love getting my sister and cousins into reading.
Thanks for the giveaway ! Jenny, what did you do when you first found out you were being published?
I think this would be a great book for my daughter to read, thanks for introducing it!
Every time I am on this blog, I really crave cupcakes.. haha. Great giveaway!
Thanks for the awesome interview and giveaway! :))
I love re-tellings! and this one sounds so sweet! Thanks for the giveaway :)
If only there was more time than fantastic reads. *sigh* There's sooo many I want to read. Great interview!
DeAnna Schutlz
Yay! So glad to hear a Harry Potter mention. :) But that's totally unrelated so I'll just say I'm looking forward for this book, I hope I can see this soon on our local bookstore. Great interview!
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