Amy Noelle Parks is the author of the YA romantic comedy The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss and the middle-grade realistic fiction novel Summer of Brave, both of which we absolutely loved! We were thrilled to interview her for this month's feature! 

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Rapunzel Reads: Middle-grade books often focus on a single issue or topic, or become waylaid by too many plot threads--but Summer of Brave does neither, instead painting a beautiful, nuanced portrait of the many layers of one girl's life. How did you go about weaving together the many aspects of Lilla's life in such a balanced, realistic way? 

Amy Noelle Parks: Thank you so much for the kind words. I really wanted to write a book that captured—for me anyway—what it was like to be twelve or thirteen. And for the most part, that means many things happening at once. I don't really love issue books in part because they can be heavy handed but also because issues don't tend to wait neatly on the sidelines until we can give them our full attention. The rest of our life doesn't stop because we get catcalled. For Lilla's story I really wanted to explore themes of people-pleasing, introversion and bravery so I tried to think about all the ways those might come up in a girl's life and then weave them together—hopefully in a way that made sense!


RR: Lilla constantly feels the pressure of how she's 'supposed' to be a girl, particularly when she struggles with wanting to do things that are seen as 'girly', or not do things which would be groundbreaking for her gender, and I loved how  she  slowly  realizes  there  is  no one 

Janae Marks is the author of the highly acclaimed middle-grade novels From the Desk of Zoe Washing-ton and A Soft Place to Land. Her next book, On Air with Zoe Washington, will be released next February. We loved From the Desk of Zoe Washington's thoughtful plot, realistic characters, and compelling writing, so we were thrilled to interview Janae Marks this month! 


Rapunzel Reads: What inspired From the Desk of Zoe Washington?

Janae Marks: I was actually first inspired by a podcast! Back in 2014, I listened to the first season of the podcast Serial, which told the story of a man who's in prison after being convicted of murder, but many people believe he's innocent of the crime. The podcast got me thinking about wrongful convictions--when someone is convicted of a crime they didn't commit. Since I like writing for kids, I started to wonder what it would be like to be the child of someone who may have been wrongfully convicted. Zoe was born from there! Because I love watching baking competition shows for fun, I decided to make her an aspiring pastry chef.


RR: The characters in From the Desk of Zoe Washington are layered and feel completely     real,     particularly     Zoe 

Diana Farid is a poet and award-winning author. Her debut novel in verse, Wave, tells the story of thirteen-year-old Ava, who must draw on every bit of hope and resilience within her to help her best friend fight for survival. Eloquent, heart-wrenching, and tender, we absolutely loved Wave, so we were thrilled to inter-view Diana Farid for this month's feature! 


Rapunzel Reads: One of the things that makes Wave such a standout is the gorgeous free verse it's written in. What's it like to write a novel in such spare lines, and what influence did that format have on the story as you were developing it? Was it a challenge to create such emotional depth with so few words?

Diana Farid: Writing a verse novel in free verse with spare lines was a wondrous experience. It required me to hone in on the heart of the story and find the most powerful and direct words that would transmit that heart. I developed most of the story before I started writing WAVE. So when I went to put words to paper that would eventually become the book, I knew what I wanted to say. What was left to work out were some of the more creative poetic questions like, “What should a poem that says [insert feeling or plot point] look like?” or “How will I show dialogue here that will show the action and underlying themes?” and one of my favorites, “How can I be the most honest about what the experience I’m describing feels or sounds like?” Writing WAVE was one of the most challenging things I’ve done, because of the

Claribel A. Ortega ​is the author of Ghost Squad and Witchlings, a middle-grade fantasy novel about three young witches who must complete an impossible task to keep their magic--and avoid being turned into toads. The second book in the series, The Golden Frog Games, will be released next year. We loved Witchlings's whimsy, strong sense  of place, and characters, so we were thrilled to interview Claribel A. Ortega for this month's feature! 


Rapunzel Reads: The world of Witchlings blends magic with technology in a way that feels vivid and utterly believable, full of quirky details and beautiful imagery. How did you go about creating this setting? Do you have a favorite part about it? 

Claribel A Ortega: When I started the world building process for Witchlings I knew I wanted it to feel like a place that was not that far removed from our own world. The use of technology was deliberate in that sense. It’s such a huge part of our everyday life that I didn’t feel it would be grounded in our world without it. I also saw it as an opportunity to create fun names and interesting gadgets, although it was a challenge sometimes. The more tiny details you can put into your world building the more fleshed out and immersive it can feel and that was really my goal with Witchlings. My favorite part about it is probably how it takes so many of the real life places I love and gives it a magic twist. The Twelve Towns themselves are inspired by

Harry Harvey is the debut author of The Summer My Grandmother's Yard Tried to Kill Me, a humorous and action-packed summer adventure about a boy and his newfound friends who must save an island from a botanical experiment gone very wrong. We loved its quirky characters and witty writing.


Rapunzel Reads: What was your favorite part of writing The Summer My Grandmother's Yard Tried to Kill Me?

Harry Harvey: I think my favorite part of writing the book was the original rough draft. Every day I would fill pages of a notebook and the story was unfolding as I was writing it. I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen, so most days were fun and exciting and surprising. My second favorite part was the help I received from everyone when I was revising and applying different suggestions.


RR: One of our favorite things about The Summer My Grandmother's Yard Tried to Kill Me is the irresistibly quirky characters. What's your process for creating them? Who is your favorite, and why?

HH: I think I create most characters out of my imagination. Others are slightly based on people I meet. My favorite characters probably are the twins. They came out of a short reference of Peter talking about Godzilla versus Mothra. In that classic monster movie there were two magical twins on a magical island where Mothra lived. I thought why not

Barbara Dee is the author of numerous middle-grade realistic fiction novels, including the upcoming Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet and Maybe He Just Likes You, which tells the story of seventh grader Mila, who's beginning to get some odd--and unwanted--attention from boys, which seems to be much worse than the flirting everyone else makes it out to be. We loved the story's characters, realism and deftness, so we were thrilled to interview Barbara Dee about it! 


Rapunzel Reads: The characters in Maybe He Just Likes You are all relatable, particularly Mila's friends: even when they're not helping her--or perhaps then specifically--they always feel honest and believable, like someone I could know myself. How do you create your characters? Do you have a favorite among them? 

Barbara Dee: Thank you! Of course I relate most strongly to Mila. But I have a special place in my heart for her bratty little sister Hadley, who cracks me up. Also, I’m pleased with Zara, the toxic friend. Everyone has a Zara in their life!

When I’m creating a character, I always try to give them some quirks and inconsistencies—little (and sometimes big) surprises. So for example, Zara is the leader of their friends group--a loud, charismatic, extroverted kid who is also insecure about her body.


RR: Do you have any tips for an aspiring writer?

BD: First, if you want to be a writer, you need to be a reader. Read constantly. Read what you love, and ask yourself: Why do I love this book? 

Scott Reintgen is the author of several books for young adults and kids. His middle-grade Talespinners series (Saving Fable, Escaping Ordinary, and Breaking Badlands) tells the tale of Indira Story, an aspiring character who, despite being relegated to the role of Side Character, may still have it in her to become a hero. We loved the series' quirky humor, clever plot twists, and detailed world, so we were thrilled to interview Scott Reintgen for this month's feature! 


Rapunzel Reads: What inspired Saving Fable?

Scott Reintgen: I really just wanted to explore what it would look like for someone to prepare for a role in a story. What kind of training would they need? And who would their teachers be? But maybe the main inspiration was this: I wanted to have fun writing. I'd been reading darker stories and writing darker stories--and this world let me enjoy the whimsical and fun of writing.


RR: Saving Fable's world is full of quirkiness and writing references in a way which makes it awesome to read. Do you have a favorite part about it?

SR: My personal favorite might be Detective Malaprop. I just have a soft spot for the bumbling detective type character? I  also  love  the   Sepulcher.   I   truly   have 

Lisa Fipps is the author of Starfish, a middle-grade realistic fiction novel in verse. It tells the story of Ellie, who has spent years trying to keep people from targeting her because of her weight, but who maybe can learn that she's worthy of respect and love, too. We loved Starfish (it was one of our favorites from 2021), and so we were thrilled to interview Lisa Fipps for this month's feature!


Rapunzel Reads: Ellie is a multi-dimensional character who feels real, and who we both quickly fell in love with, and your supporting characters (especially Doc!) are also irresistible. What's your process for creating characters?

Lisa Fipps: Characters come to me through what I call movie trailers in my head. A little weird, huh? For example, one movie trailer I had was Ellie swimming in the pool. She was angry. I could tell from how hard her arms slapped the water, how hard she kicked. She swam and swam until she calmed down. Then she floated. I could tell by the look on her face that she was thinking. And then she stretched out her arms and legs — starfished — and her mouth drew up in a smile. Watching that movie trailer made me ask all kinds of questions about her. Why is she angry? What is she thinking about? Why is she stretching out like a starfish? That movie trailer became the poem I’m a Starfish. I don’t get a movie trailer for every poem and I don’t get them in chronological order. Darn it. I get them for the big moments and have to piece together the story. I’d like to get a full-length movie in my head sometime. That’s be sooo helpful! LOL. The closest I’ve come to that is with book two. I   saw   what   I   call   a   mini-movie,  showing

Graci Kim is the author of The Last Fallen Star, an instant New York Times bestseller and the first book in the Gifted Clans trilogy. The sequel, The Last Fallen Moon, will come out this June. We loved her first novel for its awesome protagonist, constantly surprising plot, and vivid world--we can't wait for book two! We were thrilled to get the chance to interview Graci Kim for this month's feature. 


Rapunzel Reads: Who is your favorite character in The Last Fallen Star, and why?

Graci Kim: My favorite character has got to be Emmett Harrison. I love him because he claims to be allergic to emotions and pretends to be all snarky, but really deep down, he's this baking-obsessed, uber loyal dude who loves dressing dogs up in funny costumes. I wish I could meet him in real life! 


RR: Hattie and Riley's relationship feels extraordinarily real, and is one of the strongest I've come across in fantasy novels. What inspired it?

GK: I have two younger sisters and they were my inspirations for the sisterhood between Hattie and Riley. They are four years and five years younger than me, and I love them with 

Karah Sutton is the author of A Wolf for a Spell, a middle-grade fantasy novel inspired by Russian fairy tales. We loved it for its complex characters, layered plot, and exquisite atmosphere. We were thrilled to interview her for this week's feature! 


Rapunzel Reads: Who is your favorite character in A Wolf for a Spell, and why?

Karah Sutton: I am especially fond of Veter, the lone wolf. I love how expressive he is. How he's always optimistic even though he has experienced so much pain. He was a lot of fun to write.


RR: What books inspired you when you were growing up?

KS: Growing up I was an especially big fan of Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede, and The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce. Even though I'm now an adult I still read a lot of books for young readers and I'm grateful to have found books that I didn't read growing up such as Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, both of which were major sources of inspiration for A Wolf for a Spell!


RR: The world of A Wolf for a Spell clearly echoes folklore, but also adds its own elements,   with    Zima’s    forest    feeling 

Padma Venkatraman is the author of four novels for teens and middle-grade readers. Her most recent book, The Bridge Home, tells the story of sisters Viji and Rukku when they run away from home, and make friends who help them survive on the streets. We loved its believable characters, vivid imag-ery, and beautiful, heartbreaking humanity. Her next novel, Born Behind Bars, will be released tomor-row. We were thrilled to interview Padma Venkatraman for this week's post! 


Rapunzel Reads: The narrative of The Bridge Home is an interesting combination of first and second person, which I don't remember having seen before, and powerfully anchors the story around Rukku, despite being told from Viji's perspective. What inspired you to write it in that way, and what was it like doing so? 

Padma Venkatraman: It is, indeed a very way to write a story - and it's also really hard to pull off (luckily I 

Christina Diaz Gonzalez is the author of several middle-grade and young adult novels. Her Moving Target duology (Moving Target and Return Fire) is a fast-paced fantasy series which tells the story of Cassie Arroyo, who discovers she has the ability to wield the powerful--and dangerous--Spear of Destiny. We loved the duology for its detailed plotting, strong sense of place, and brilliant characters. We were thrilled to interview Christina Diaz Gonzalez for this month's feature! 


Rapunzel Reads: In the Moving Target duology, you evoke a strong sense of the setting (Italy). What inspired you to set these books there?

Christina Diaz Gonzalez: Setting is an important part of every book and I knew that this story required a place that blended old world legends with modern attributes. Italy fit the bill perfectly as I had taken a family trip to Rome and absolutely fallen in love with the mix of old and new.


RR: Do you have any tips for an aspiring writer?

CDG: My best tip for aspiring writers is to observe the world around you and let your imagination roam free. Some of the 

Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty
 
Stuart Gibbs is the New York Times-bestselling and award-winning author of the Spy School, FunJungle, and Moon Base Alpha series, among others. We recently read and loved one of his recent books, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation, which tells the story of a girl genius who teams up with the CIA to find the hiding place of a Einstein's last equation. We were thrilled to interview him for this month's feature! 
 
 
Rapunzel Reads: We love the way Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation blends real historical facts with a fictional storyline! What was the research process like (we read in your afterword that you traveled to many of the places the story is set in), and how much of the material you used was true?
 
Stuart Gibbs: The research was really done over a long period. I first had the idea for the book well over a decade ago, after seeing an exhibit on Albert Einstein at a science museum. To help build the story, I read a few books on Einstein and physics, and then was lucky enough to be invited to Jerusalem on an author tour, which allowed me to do research there.  Mount Wilson is located close to where I live, so that was easy to visit. I would say that every fact I give in the book that does not concern Pandora is true: everything about Einstein's life, physics, and history.
 
 
RR: Who is your favorite character in Charlie Thorne,