Interview: Dorine White

I'm excited to have author Dorine White stopping by today to talk about her middle-grade book The Emerald Ring. You can check out the full March MG Madness schedule of events and giveaways here.

The Emerald Ring 

(Cleopatra's Legacy #1)

by Dorine White

5/14/13

Cedar Fort

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Purchase: Amazon / B&N

Ordinary tween life turns upside down when Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life. Twelve year old Sara Guadalupe Bogus reads about adventures, but unexpectedly is drawn into one when a mystical emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra becomes stuck on her finger.
A series of burglaries spook Sara’s small Ohio hometown. Concluding that the root of all the crimes is the emerald ring, Sara realizes it’s up to her and her friends, Heidi and African exchange student Kainu, to save the town and protect Cleopatra’s legacy. Filled with magic, the ring thrusts Sara into a world filled with nightmares, allows her to shape shift into an Egyptian cat and battle assassins.

WS: What three words best describe THE EMERALD RING? 

Action, magic, and mystery

WS: Can you give us your best one sentence pitch to convince readers (especially reluctant readers) why they should give the THE EMERALD RING a try? 

Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life when an emerald ring once belonging to Cleopatra, gives Sara the power to understand animals and shape shift into a cat, but she has to avoid the blood thirsty cult that is after the ring too.

WS: Grab a copy of THE EMERALD RING and answer the following:

Favorite chapter? 

Old Socks and Armpits

Favorite page? 

Page 14, when Sara thinks someone calls her a fat pig, but it is the hamster. 

Favorite character? 

Sara, I love how strong she is, and her courage.

Flip to a random page and give us 1-2 sentence teaser: 

What was that? While looking at the windowpane, she noticed a long, furry tail head out of her window into the night. An animal? A breath of relief came, but then she blinked. Her reflection looked straight back at her. Whatever had just left her room had passed through the solid glass.

WS: What inspired THE EMERALD RING? Where did the story idea come from?

 I love fantasy, and one day the idea to combine Egypt and the modern world popped into my head. Of course, there had to be magic! I was probably day dreaming at the time lol.

WS: Why did you decide to write a middle-grade book? What do you love about writing middle-grade? 

This book actually started as a YA novel, but all the people who critiqued it told me I had a middle grade voice. After some wavering, I finally took their advice and re-wrote the story. I found middle grade flowed from my fingers more easily than YA, and I didn't look back.

WS: Why do you think middle-grade is such a popular and important category of books?

 It is during the elementary years that a child builds a love of reading. Those years are so important. If a child can find a genre that they love and want to read, it is a blessing. Whenever I see a kid reading a book, I want to give someone a high-five.

WS: What is your all time favorite middle-grade book? Favorite middle-grade author?

 I read so many, that I don't really have favorites anymore, but when I was a kid I loved Mary Poppins by PL Travers. Another that stayed with me was A Wrinkle in Time by L'Engle.

WS: Who is your favorite middle-grade hero and heroine? 

I have to say Nancy Drew. When I was a kid I read the entire series. Boy-wise, hmm, maybe Percy Jackson.

WS: Fill in the blanks:

I'm really awesome at ___.

 sleeping :)

I'm really embarrassed to admit that ____. 

I hate socks.

My favorite midnight snack is ___. 

a bowl of cereal.

My theme song would be ____. 

It's Never Enough(Shell Shock)- from Pretty in Pink

The last great book I read was ___. 

Pride and Prejudice 

WS: If you were to create and bake a cupcake inspired by THE EMERALD RING what would it look and taste like, and what would you call it?

 How about a chocolate cupcake with vanilla butter cream frosting and green coconut flakes on top. For the decoration, what else? an emerald ring. I'd call it The Cat's Meow. (based on the cat in the book)

Thanks so much for stopping by Dorine!

Dorine White

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

 My name is Dorine White. 

 My first book in The Cleopatra's Legacy series, The Emerald Ring, will be published by Cedar Fort Books on May 14, 2013. It is a middle grade fantasy novel.

 I am a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and the PNWA (Pacific Northwest Writers Assoc.). I highly recommend joining either if you want to become a children's author or illustrator.