J. Lynn Else asked Ally Malinenko:

What inspires you to write children's novels? Your Goodreads "read" list is very ecclectic and includes many adult-themed titles as well as biographies. I like the variety! PS - Your Lizzy Speare novel looks cute and full of fantasy fun.

Ally Malinenko Hi! Man, am I late in answering this. Okay so yes, my reading habits are all over the map. On the whole I'm usually reading more than one book at a time and I tend to have grabby hands whenever I see something that catches my eye.

I wanted to write a children's book to give back to the genre. I was a bookworm kid - typical under the covers up all night reader. The books I read as a child instilled not only a love of reading in me but a desire to give back and do that for someone else. I've had a few kids tell me how much they loved Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb and it has really really been the highlight of my writing career.

flag