Yay for Middle Grade Books: Interview With Merrie Haskell!

Today on the blog I get to present an interview with Middle Grade author Merrie Haskell! Ms. Haskell is the author of the MG books The Princess Curse, Handbook for Dragon Slayers, and The Castle Behind Thorns! :)

Here's the interview! :)

The bold font are my questions, the regular font are her answers, and the bold italic font are my comments about her answers! :)

1. You've written three MG books! Would you please describe each in three words?

The Princess Curse --> poisoning princesses paused

Handbook for Dragon Slayers --> three magic horses

The Castle Behind Thorns --> mend all things

2. What was your favorite book when you were in Middle School?

Technically, the only year I attended a middle school was sixth grade (our district's elementary schools ran to 5th grade and there were many junior highs of 7,8,9, but everyone in the district came together in one school for 6th grade).  So, my favorite book in 6th grade was In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, the 2nd Alanna/Lioness book. I stayed up very late reading it, telling my babysitter I had a stomach ache and needed to read since I couldn't sleep. So not only was it the first book I stayed up past my bedtime to finish, it was also the first book I lied to finish. It was absolutely enthralling. I checked it out probably six times from the school library.

3. Random question! Do you listen to music when you write?

Occasionally. Lyrics distract me unless they're highly repetitive. Arcade Fire's "Abraham's Daughter" and Florence + the Machine's "Dog Days" were two songs I could manage--I've played them each nearly two hundred times.  ("Dog Days" is the Handbook song. The horses are coming! Here they come!)   Otherwise, I listen to movie soundtracks or classical music or video game music.  Even then, I have to have a particular need to block out ambient noises. I find comfort in normal house, library or coffee-shop noises.

4. If you're able to talk about it, are you working on any MG books now?

I'm working on outlines for a couple--I think the one that is least dangerous to talk about it (I have a hard time talking about books in process!) is a contemporary fantasy about a girl who finds Excalibur under her adopted grandma's floorboards.

This sounds interesting! :)

Thank you for participating in this event! :)

Author bio: Merrie Haskell’s novels are The Princess Curse, Handbook for Dragon Slayers and The Castle Behind Thorns. Merrie won the 2014 Middle Grades Schneider Family Book Award and was a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature in 2013 and 2015. She lives in Michigan and works in a library with 7.5 million volumes.

Here are a few links:

Her Website

Her Twitter

Her Goodreads

Her Facebook