Sunday, April 25, 2010

Author Interview: Barbara Dee & Giveaway

I am so glad to welcome Barbara Dee, author of the new middle grade novel THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON. I reviewed this book yesterday, and I'm happy to say that Ms. Dee has written another fantastic book!

Since Ms. Dee writes books for tweens and I just happen to have my very own tween right here, I thought it might be cute to do something a little different with this Q&A. So I asked the 10 year old Booking Daughter to help me come up with some questions. I think she did a pretty good job!

Booking Daughter: What inspired you to write THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON?


Barbara Dee: I was thinking about what happened to me in seventh grade: I had a great group of best friends I’d known forever, but I was starting to get a little restless. So I became friends with a wilder girl who got me into some mischief—but she kept me laughing, and she taught me a lot about myself.


Booking Daughter: Are any of the characters based on people you know?

Barbara Dee: The main character, Evie, is sort of based on me in middle school. All of the other characters are completely made up.


Booking Daughter: Do you have a favorite book from the ones you've written so far?


Barbara Dee: Ack! Don’t even ask that! That would be like asking a mom which kid is her favorite. My favorite book is always the one I’m writing!


Booking Daughter: What made you decide to become a writer?

Barbara Dee: Really, I never decided it, I just WROTE. When I was a kid I always had a journal going. And of course I was always reading. My mom was always saying, “Barbara, put away that book and go to bed!”


Booking Mama: Why did you decide to write books geared towards middle graders?

Barbara Dee: I guess it’s because when my own kids were that age, they’d outgrown the Children’s section of the library, but they weren’t quite ready for some of the darker stuff in YA. I’ve always felt that middle graders needed more choices, so I wanted to write funny books that took them seriously.


Booking Daughter: So far, I have read three of your books which qualify as realistic fiction. Have you ever wanted to write another genre like fantasy or adventure?

Barbara Dee: Glad you asked that! I’m actually thinking about trying a comic fantasy. It wouldn’t be a fantasy like the kind Cassie reads in JUST ANOTHER DAY—more of a realistic book with fantasy elements. But right now it’s just sort of floating around in my head.


Booking Mama: Who are some of the authors and what are some of the books that have inspired you as a writer?

Barbara Dee: Whew, there are just so many! But I have to say that HARRIET THE SPY by Louise Fitzhugh was a big book for me, because it was about a girl who loved to write (even when writing made her life tricky). And I remember being blown away by THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, because it has such a unique voice. It’s also funny and sad at the same time, which is a combination I look for in books and movies.


Booking Mama: Are you currently working on another novel right now? Any hints about the storyline?

Barbara Dee: I’m about to send my editor a revision of my next book, which will be out next spring. It’s called TRAUMA QUEEN, and it’s about a middle school girl who has The Most Embarrassing Mom Ever. Really, I’m totally serious.


A huge thank to Ms. Dee for answering all of our questions. Ms. Dee has also graciously given me a cute little THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON-themed goody bags (a replica of Evie's amber necklace, lip gloss, sugarless bubble gum in a cute little pouch.) I will throw in my gently-read ARC copy of THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON too! To enter the giveaway for the book and goody bag, just leave a comment with a way to contact you. The giveaway will be open until Saturday, May 8th at 11:59 p.m. ET, and I will notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you in the U.S. and Canada only. Good luck!

32 comments:

cpullum said...

Wow count me in! Nice giveaway and great interview!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com

Beth F said...

Awesome interview! Please don't enter me in the giveaway, but Booking Daughter asked some great questions.

Simply Stacie said...

Please count me in.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Sandy Nawrot said...

I think Booking Daughter has a future in interviewing! I find that my 12-year-old is in the weird place with books. She is either too mature for some of them, or not mature enough. (BTW she thinks I am the most embarassing mom in the world ever.) Please count us in. I think she would love this book! rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com

Meg said...

Great interview. My daughter is an avid reader at almost 7 years old. I will keep Barbara Dee books in mind for the future.

@MegP1 (twitter)

katsrus said...

Great interview. Booking daughter did a great job! Please count me in.
Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Oh definately count me in Please. I love goodies and books! :)

chirth7@yahoo.com

bermudaonion said...

Booking Daughter is going to take over your blog before you know it! She did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed the interview. Don't enter me in the giveaway - I don't have anyone to share the goodies with.

Beth Hoffman said...

I loved this! Wow, Julie, Booking Daughter is right in line with your footsteps, she asked terrific questions. Brava!!!!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Booking Daughter did a great job!

Benita said...

What a terrific interview and a lovely giveaway. Please count me in.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

angie said...

Thanks for the great giveaway! I would love to be entered!
email bangersis(at)msn(dot)com

Kemi said...

Please count me in!

saetaafricanus (!at) gmail.com

Karlie said...

Great questions, Booking Daughter!

GaryPaulson said...

Would love to read the book

Dogberry Pages

Jenna said...

Good job on the interview BookingDaughter!! Id love to win this book... as a teacher of middle school, I've got tweens everywhere!!

papajm25 @ gmail . com

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

No need to enter me, babe. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book.

Anonymous said...

What a great interview! Quite funny to read and remember my middle school years...Enter me into the giveaway too!

bsyb100 at gmail d.c

Ammietia (a girl you once knew) said...

This seems to be something I'm going through, but me being older XP Please count me in!

lilybells@live.com

holdenj said...

She seems delightful! I am always searching for good middle grade books for girls...it can be such a challenging time. All her titles looks awesome, will be looking into them. Thanks for the chance to win!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Ruth said...

Sounds like a great book.
ruthaw_1974@yahoo.com

gayle said...

Would love this and so would my 12 and 13 year old daughters
Gayle

Nancye said...

Great giveaway! Thanks for the chance!!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

dlhaley said...

Sounds like a good read—please enter me to win!

dlhaley[at]hotmail[dot]com

skkorman said...

Please include me in your giveaway—thanks!

skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

Jonnie (JB) said...

Awesome prize! Please count me in.

dftrew(At)gmail(dot)com

ossmcalc said...

Please count me in for this great giveaway. I would love to read this book.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Misusedinnocence said...

Sounds like a great giveaway! Thanks, please count me in.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Debbie F said...

Count me in too! Great questions!

Thanks!

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

rubynreba said...

Nice interview - would love to read this. Thanks!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Kayla :) said...

This book seems great!

kayla3194@gmail.com

Jolee said...

Interesting interview and intriguing sounding read. Thanks! joleehamlin@comcast.net