The Girlfriends’ Cyber Circuit Keeps On Rockin’
The authors on the Girlfriends’ Cyber Circuit are having a wildly prolific summer, which means I get some seriously fabulous interview opportunities here on the blog!
And for the next three weeks, my posts are all coming from EUROPE, which I firmly believe makes them better. As I type, I’m woozy from jet lag, in a hotel in Edinburgh with Miss M. We have an amazing location and we’re surrounded by wondrous things to do… but we’ve been up for over 24 hours and our bodies have no idea what time it is, so we’re spending the evening with room service and Harry Potter. I have no complaints. In fact, I just ate four incredible French macaroons, so I’m in fact right chuffed.
But now the awesome business of the day… Amanda Ashby!
Amanda was born in Australia, and after spending the last sixteen years dividing her time between England and New Zealand, she’s finally moved back and now lives on the Sunshine Coast. When she’s not moving country, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to eat chocolate, watch television and sit around doing not much, but let’s just keep that amongst ourselves, shall we?)
She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. Her debut book, YOU HAD ME AT HALO, was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award, and her first young adult book ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEWBURY HIGH was listed by the New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen Age 2010. Her latest release, FAIRY BAD DAY, has been selected by Voya as one of their Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2012 and is a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award finalist for the Australia/NZ region.
So that’s Amanda’s history, but what’s going on with her now? Turns out she has two books releasing at once, the first two installments of a middle grade series called SOPHIE’S MIXED-UP MAGIC. Here’s the scoop:
Book One: Wishful Thinking
Be careful what you wish for…
After eleven year old Sophie accidentally gets herself turned into a djinn, she starts to think that it might not be so bad after all. (Of course, that’s after she gets the whole orange skin problem sorted out.) Who wouldn’t enjoy having the power to grant wishes! But when Sophie develops RWD (Random Wish Disorder) and can’t STOP granting wishes, things get more than a little mixed-up!
Book Two: Under a Spell
And that spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E…
As Sophie gets used to her magic, her relationship with the adorable Jonathan Tait is blossoming. There’s only one problem: Jonathan’s twin sister, Melissa. She’s a total mean girl who seems intent on making Sophie’s life miserable. On top of that, Melissa somehow seems to sense that Sophie has powers–and manages to bind Sophie to her in a totally self-serving way. Can Sophie figure out a way out of this–without ruining her chances with Jonathan?
Total fun, right? So to continue the fun, I foisted my GCC interview questions on Amanda! Here’s how it went:
Me: If you had no other responsibilities and could take off on a retreat to your dream place to write, where would that be, and what would your dream daily schedule be like?
Amanda: The other day a friend was telling me that she stayed in a penthouse on the beach here in Australia. There was an enormous spa bath and 360 degree views and it sounded pretty amazing. There was also no mention of children demanding to be feed, or asking for me to Google the answers on how to get through their latest Nintendo games, which also sounded pretty amazing!
Me: Is there a character you thought would be in the book, but who landed on the cutting room floor? Conversely, is there a character you never expected to appear, but turned out to be intrinsic to the story? If so, tell us about him/her.
Amanda: Malik! In SOPHIE’S MIXED-UP MAGIC I knew that she would be having a djinn guide to help her navigate her new world but I had No Idea that he would take over the story as much as he did. Honestly, I had to put a muzzle on him in the end because he was so ridiculous and out of control! Though I guess that’s what happens when I make a dead djinn look like Zac Efron and let him get addicted to Cheetos and American Idol!
Me: Writing rituals: do you have any? If so, what are they? If you don’t follow them, do you find it harder to write?
Amanda: Diet Coke and my playlist. I’m a bit like Pavlov’s Dogs so I need to trick myself into it!
Me: Ever gotten a piece of fan mail, or had an experience with a reader that really stands out in your mind? Tell us about it!
Amanda: Last week I did a writing festival and after my first presentation this lovely teenage girl came up to me. She was super nervous and her friends had to convince her to talk to me. Anyway, she wanted to tell me that I had the most amazing aura and that I must love writing books because it lit up the room. It was the single nicest compliment I have ever received and especially coming from a teenager!
Me: Let’s reach back to school and describe your book in a single… HAIKU! Three lines, five syllables-seven syllables-five syllables. Ready? Go!
Amanda:
Once a normal girl
Now a powerful genie
Chaos will ensue.
(apologies in advance to Haiku police)
No apologies needed, Amanda — it was fabulous! Thanks for stopping by the blog, and I look forward to picking up your new books — they sound right up Miss M’s alley!
