Al Capone Does my shirts and throws readers a heart warming curve

Today marks the 12th anniversary of Al Capone Does My Shirts coming out in paperback. As a way to celebrate this anniversary the author of the Al Capone middle reader series Gennifer Choldenko graciously answered interview questions for my blog.

This Newberry Honor winning book  paperback publication turns 12 today

Gennifer Choldenkos newest book The forth book in her historical fiction Al Capone series, titled Al Capone Throws Me a Curve comes out May 1st. This latest story explores common humanity, the role of sports, fragility, resilience, ability differences, autism, multiple Intelligence, and adolescence,  universal themes put into the context of 1936 on Alcatraz island. 

Our favorite narrator Moose is still trying to play baseball this time for his high school, any way he can. Moose tries several things including the mysterious appearance of a prison wardens gun to his school in San Francisco and a baseball signed by Al Capone and Babe Ruth.

Moose's sister Natalie is working with her Autism, bravely making friends and improving her verbal skills, and coping with serious anxiety. Her increased social and personal skills lead to dangerous trouble for the whole Alcatraz community.    

Baseball, rule breaking, convicts, anxiety, family, friends and empowerment are combined marvelously.  

The story's heart which is deeply personal is covered in a warm frosting blanket of family and includes sprinkles of forgiveness, the book is a delicious and heart warming story of the growth and power of family. 

 
"Don't give up on people, everybody messes up now and then."   
The fourth story in the Al Capone series named Al Capone throws me a curve that comes out May 1st.

If you want to see Gennifer Choldenko live and in person, come to our July 8th event at Books Inc Burlingame.

Heres the interview:

Gennifer Choldenko and yours Drewly at a recent event

In your own words please introduce your new book Al Capone Throws Me a Curve to our readers?


Moose would do almost anything to be on the high school baseball team. His older sister Natalie wants to be treated like the seventeen-year-old girl she is – not the little kid with problems her mother thinks she is.  But Natalie doesn’t always understand the subtle cues of social interactions or the dangers of living on Alcatraz. What she thinks will help Moose get on the team and her father get to be warden, backfires.  And when the clever, but heartless Bea Trixle gets involved, everything goes terrifyingly awry.


Why did you choose Al Capone and Alcatraz again for book 4?

I chose to write about Alcatraz and Al Capone because I like to finish what I start. I knew the end of Al Capone Does My Homework was not the end of the series.  And I wanted to write the book that fit the ending I had in my head.

What Are 4 of the most important influences on book 4:

The most important influences on this book were definitely:

My sister, Gina.  Gina had a severe case of what is now called Classic Autism.  She was a touchstone for Natalie. 
 
My editor, Wendy Lamb and her assistant, Dana Carey.  They prodded and encouraged by equal measures, until I was able to get down on paper the book I wanted to write.

The many prisoners who did time on Alcatraz and in other maximum-security prisons. I wanted to give some sense about what it would be like to live inside the cellhouse up top.  I felt like I hadn’t really done that in the other books.

The Alcatraz Alumni Association. I have been a member of the Alcatraz Alumni Association for many years.  I could not have written the Tales from Alcatraz series without the help of Chuck Stucker, George DeVincenzi, Robert Luke and so many other people who spent significant time on the island because their fathers were guards, because they were guards or because they were prisoners on the island.




Your authors note before Al Capone Throws Me a Curve, you talk about your unfinished business with Moose, who is in his own way a needy child with an important perspective to difficult themes. How did you make Moose such a relatable young boy despite the time period differences?

I’d like to tell you that Moose just appeared to me one day and I began writing. But that would be a big fat lie.  I struggled to find Moose.  I spent months trying to capture his voice. I was intimidated by the time period – at that point in my career I had not attempted to write historical fiction. And I had never written from the POV of a boy.

What helped the most was trying to envision what my father’s voice might have been like when he was twelve.  I believe your voice is formed when you are a kid.  It evolves over time, and changes around the edges, but the core remains the same.  What also helped was imagining how my big brother, Grey, might react to Moose’s circumstances.  Grey is an extremely kind human being and I borrowed a bit of his soul for Moose.

Your series has one of the more complex characters with autism of any middle grade series. Why did you choose to involve Natalie so much in the series? What was your process for writing her into your new book in particular?

One of the reasons I wrote Al Capone Does My Shirts and the other books in the Tales from Alcatraz series is I wanted to write the stories I needed to read as a child.  When I was a kid, the word autism was almost never in the press; most people had never heard of it and certainly there were no children’s books about kids with autism or siblings of kids with autism.  At that time, few children received a diagnosis of autism and most who did were boys.  I loved my sister deeply, but I had a lot of confusing feelings about her and about the family dynamics that swirled around her.

I read a journal entry my father wrote when I was ten.  It said my oldest sister paid no attention to Gina.  My brother was incredibly doting and caring toward her.  But my relationship with Gina was puzzling.  I would try so hard to make a connection with her and include her in my play.  But then she would react in ways I didn’t know how to deal with I would get depressed and go off by myself.

We shared a room, Gina and I, and I desperately wanted to understand her. I wanted her to know that I loved her.  And I wanted to know she loved me.  


Explain the role of baseball on Alcatraz during the Al Capone era? Explain Moose’s obsession with baseball?

I grew up hearing Red Barber calling play-by-plays on the radio and seeing my brother and my father glued to the TV watching the game. But in doing research I discovered that baseball was even more important in the 30’s than it was when I was a kid or it is now, simply because today the world of sports and entertainment has grown exponentially.  Baseball has a lot more competition now than it did then.

So yes, Moose was obsessed with baseball, like many other boys and like many of the convicts on Alcatraz.  I was intrigued by the fact that the prisoners were playing baseball in the rec yard while the kids were playing on the parade grounds, a stone’s throw away.  What I love about baseball is when you’re in the game, what’s important is not who you are or where you came from, but how well and how fairly you play. Baseball brings people together.  It’s so much more than just a sport.



Moose and his family live very near some of the most notorious convicts ever, explain what that experience teaches moose?

I once gave a presentation about Al Capone Does My Shirts to a group of boys in Juvenile Hall.  I said something about the bad guys being locked up and a kid raised his hand and said: “Excuse me, Ms. Choldenko but there are not bad guys.  There are only people who made the wrong choices.”  I’ll never forget that moment.

I did a lot of research into what it might be like to serve time in the big house and then be released.  What would it feel like to walk out of prison after fifteen or twenty years of incarceration? I’ve talked to a number of ex-convicts who spent time on Alcatraz.  One gentleman understood that he had made big mistakes and that’s why he had ended up on Alcatraz. And it was only when he changed his behavior, that he was able to alter the course of his life. Another convict I interviewed had pride in his bank-robbing profession and believed one of the unfortunate consequences of his trade was jailtime.  My research on Al Capone, makes me think he did not have regrets for his truly horrifying behavior.

In other words, there is no way to say what it was like for convicts on Alcatraz, because each convict’s experience and frame of reference was different.  I wanted Moose to understand that. I wanted him to see that some of the convicts were good men who made mistakes.  Some of the convicts had the capacity to change.  While others were deeply troubled and would continue to make the wrong decisions.

The fourth book in the Al Capone series comes out May 1st

What do you want readers to come away with after reading book 4?

First and foremost, I want to entertain my readers.  But I don’t want my books to be junk food.  When readers are done with Al Capone Throws Me a Curve, I’d like them to think about what it means to stand up for yourself and what it means to be free. I’d like them to treat kids on the spectrum with kindness and consideration the way Moose and Passerini did.

If you want to see Gennifer Choldenko live and in person, come to our July 8th event at Books Inc Burlingame.

Book Scaevnger 3: Alcatraz Escape

Hello Eager readers,

Today is the second Anniversary of the paperback publication of Book Scavenger book 1! In celebration of that I have a preview interview with Jennifer Bertman whose next book Alcatraz Escape (Book Scavenger book 3) comes out on May 1st. More info on my Previous interview with Bertman here.

Alcatraz Escape out May 1st

Full of whimsy, history and plenty of mystery, the newest Book in the Book Scavenger Series, the Alcatraz Escape, is the most fun a kid can have visiting Alcatraz today. Emily and James are back as witty teenagers whose Book Hunting reputations follow them around. Our quirky dynamic duo along with a new cast of characters,  find their way into another multi layered and character driven game called “unlock the rock” full of even tougher puzzles. Our dynamic duo ends up discovering much more than simple answers while they find themselves exploring new parts of the Bay Area and it’s history. They leave a legacy in the story’s carefully and accurately crafted rendition of San Francisco. Treat yourself to another heartwarming multi layered mystery gem of a book from Jennifer Chambliss Bertman.

With out further ado here is my most recent interview with Jennifer Bertman.

1. Please introduce your new book in your own words?

In The Alcatraz Escape, Emily and James hope to play Mr. Griswold’s latest game extravaganza, an escape-room-style challenge set on the famous San Francisco landmark, Alcatraz Island. Their efforts to play the game are sabotaged and they soon discover there are more mysteries to solve than simply the one presented in Mr. Griswold’s game.

2. How was your writing process different from the first two books?

One thing I did differently with this book is I wrote in only one Word file. Maybe that’s something every other writer always does, but for me it was very different from how I’ve written my last two books.

With the first Book Scavenger novels, I had many, many digital files—files for brainstorming, research, experimenting with scenes, freewriting about characters, bits I’d cut but worried about deleting permanently, fussing-with-revisions files, and on and on. I also had paper notebooks and binders with notes and lists and printouts of things. Working this way gave me the illusion of being oh-so-organized with a purpose for each file and notebook, but in actuality it was a very messy way to work. I was constantly trying to remember where I’d placed a certain bit of writing or research note and would spend a day searching through all my files for that one little thing.

I knew I wouldn’t have any time to waste working on the third book, so I wrote everything in one file. It began as a sketchy outline and I gradually replaced my bullet points with brainstorming notes, which grew into written scenes, which I eventually broke into chapters. I typed my research notes into the file in the places where I thought they might be useful, then moved those to the end of the file once they’d been incorporated so I could find them easily for the Author Note. If I realized something needed to change in my next round of revisions, I added it to the list in the very long comment bubble I kept at the beginning of the file. Basically all the writing I generated that related to The Alcatraz Escape I kept in that one file. I imagine it might have looked like a nonsensical mess to anyone else much of the time I was working on the book, but it made sense to me and felt more efficient than how I’d worked previously.

3. What were the top 3 major influences on The Alcatraz Escape?

One influence was, of course, Alcatraz itself. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and Alcatraz has always been a fixture of history I was aware of, and also a little scared of. But my knowledge of Alcatraz was limited mainly to the infamous prison, so learning about more of the island’s history was fascinating.

A second influence is the relatively new phenomenon of Escape Rooms, where a small group of people are locked in a themed room with a story created around it, like a spy has hidden blueprints in what appears to be a studio apartment and your group has a set amount of time to find the blueprints using puzzles and clues hidden around the room in order to “breakout.” My writing group and I did one together a few years ago and I absolutely loved it.

A third influence was visiting a place called Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I went there with my family and, honestly, I will probably have stories inspired by it for years to come. It is a magical, amazing place. I suppose you could describe Meow Wolf as an interactive art installation, but that sounds so stuffy and clinical and doesn’t give the experience justice. "Wandering into Wonderland" might be a better way of putting it, but I suspect every person who goes there will take away something different.

4. Why write three books in the same city? 

San Francisco is the city I know best and has always been a fixture in my life, even now as I live states away. The more I learn about the history of the city, the more I love it. Also, speaking from a storytelling perspective, it didn’t feel right to have Emily’s family move on from San Francisco so soon. If the series were to continue in other locations, I think either her family would have to go through a progression that takes them to that point of moving again or the characters would be traveling temporarily for some reason or the story would feature new main characters playing Book Scavenger in a different city.

Yours Drewly with Jennifer Bertman last year promoting book 2, which has my name in it.

5. The book scavenger series is not just a love letter to San Francisco, but also a loving reflection on local bookstores everywhere. Please describe the role of independent bookstores in your stories and the role of bookselling in your own life?

In my ideal world, every neighborhood would have its own charming bookstore with the bookseller everyone knows, like Hollister. Maybe also a bookstore cat or dog or llama that you greet as you wander through the shelves.

I feel like bookstores—like libraries—have the capacity to bring people together in a low-pressure but profound way. There are books for every type of person and all interests, so they have the potential to be inclusive and welcoming places within the community. These are the bookstores I’m always drawn to in real life, and Hollister’s is a fusion of many different bookstores I’ve known and loved.

6. How can kids of all ages and parents promote the series and its real-life applications?

Recommend the book to others! Start a Book Scavenger club and play the game. Suggest Book Scavenger to teachers or librarians for a classroom read-aloud (there’s an excellent Teacher’s Guide on my website). Partner with your local library to plan your own Book Scavenger book hunt event.

7. What do you want the legacy of the book scavenger series to be?

The series is only three years old, so thinking in terms of a “legacy” feels . . .  I don’t know. Like I’d be getting ahead of myself? Right now, I’m hoping people will buy the third book and enjoy it, and that the series will continue to stay in print for years to come. I don’t think many readers realize how special it is to simply have your book stay in print and be found on the shelves of a bookstore. The fact that Book Scavenger is nearly three years old and I continue to hear from readers who have newly discovered it feels like a wonderful, wonderful gift.

I will add that my intention with each book in the series has been to write a good story, first and foremost. A story that keeps people turning pages, a story where readers feel like the characters are alive and well and bustling around in San Francisco even after the book is closed, a story that makes people laugh, that has heart, that has unexpected moments, that leaves the reader feeling like they’ve visited San Francisco even if they never have. I’m always excited when a reader tells me about connections they’ve drawn from my books into their everyday life, like the reader who told me he’d participated in an event with a cipher challenge and, even though he was the youngest on the team, he was the only one able to solve the puzzle because he’d read Book Scavenger and remembered the chapter where Mr. Quisling talks about decoding a substitution cipher.  I’ve also heard from readers who have been inspired to visit San Francisco and see some of the locations in person, and others who have gotten so interested in codes and ciphers that they’ve made up their own and trade encrypted messages with friends. 

My favorite books when I was young always inspired me to do something outside my experience of reading the book, whether it was creating art projects, learning more about a topic the characters were interested in, or devising my own game or activity or business based off what the characters did. If the Book Scavenger series has a similar effect on its readers, I’m thrilled by that.  

8. What’s next for you and the book scavenger crew?

Well, the Book Scavenger crew is shuffling to the back of my imagination for a bit while I work with a new cast of characters on a very different middle-grade mystery. It’s too early to say much more than that, but I hope fans of the Book Scavenger series will enjoy this new adventure just as much.  

Thank you all!

yours Drewly and Jenifer Bertman at an event last year

To find Jennifer Bertman there are links below. To see her in person come to this event at Books Inc Burlingame!


Thank you all!

--------------------------------------------

Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

www.jenniferchamblissbertman.com

www.bookscavenger.com

Twitter: @jabertie

BOOK SCAVENGER (Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt)

New York Times Bestseller |  Best Book of the Year: Bank Street, Amazon  | NCTE Notable Book

BOOK SCAVENGER 2: THE UNBREAKABLE CODE (Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt)

             New York Times Bestseller |  Junior Library Guild selection

  "Readers who loved the first volume will find this follow-up even more satisfying. Purchase extra copies where there are fans." --School Library Journal 

BOOK SCAVENGER 3: THE ALCATRAZ ESCAPE coming May 2018!

                Junior Library Guild selection |  An Amazon Best Spring Book for Ages 9-12

                 

 

Ages of Oz and Truth Above All!

Eager readers! Welcome to another interview and book review. 

Ages of OZ book 1 Fiery Friendship

 First my review: Truth above all! Ages of Oz book one Fiery Friendship is an elemental, mysterious and thrilling epic fantasy that revitalizes the Wonderful World of Oz and uses brilliant modern language to capture the real story of the coming of age of Glinda. Fiery Friendship is a powerful story full of insight into Glinda’s personal world, some life lessons, and plenty of gorgeous illustrations and an abundance of witty character building. The book is full of magical and exciting plot twists and sharp plot turns that will keep the reader guessing throughout the book! Well worth a careful and open hearted read! Truth above all!

To celebrate “Tell a Fairytale” day, which is today, February 26th, I wanted to share my interview with the creator, Gabriel Gale, and author, Lisa Fiedler, of Ages of Oz. Ages of Oz has been launched with a new book series by Simon & Schuster and is a new adaption of L. Frank Baum’s original 14 Oz books including America’s fairytale “The Wizard of Oz.” The first book in the series is called A Fiery Friendship and was published May 16, 2017. The second book in the series is called A Dark Descent and will be published May 15, 2018.

 1. In 144 words or less reveal to our readers how did the books came to be?

Gabe: I’ve been working on the larger Ages of Oz project for about 11 years. It is a vast story that I always intended for transmedia and spans 1000 years of Oz history – starting roughly 900 years before Dorothy landed in Oz. It includes a magical parallel world called Lurlia (where Oz is only one country), time travel, robots, and other types of land, sea, and sky beings. I chose to launch the brand with a children’s book series about Glinda as a young woman for a few reasons: (1) I think Baum would have wanted to continue telling stories to young people about heroic young people, (2) I wanted to pay tribute to the most influential person in Baum’s life, his mother-in-law Matilda Joslyn Gage (Google her, she’s amazing!) (3) I believe this is the best story to tell during this tumultuous political climate, and (4) I wanted to tell a story of Unity and the overturning of Wickedness by a young woman and her friends. We’re extremely happy that Simon & Schuster agreed! (Ok, so that was a few more than 144 words.)

2.     In the opening letter from the creator, you say it’s true and that Gabriel is a historian of the world and ages of oz. please explain?

Lisa: Ah, ha! I knew this would come up again!... Gabe, I told you that we should ease our readers into this whole “I’ve been to Oz,” thing slowly because it’s a little difficult to believe…

Gabe: Yes, yes, I know. Ok, so we agreed to call it “fiction” – for now. But our readers should know that while Baum was writing his books, he also insisted that Oz was real (for example, saying that Dorothy “shared these stories with him through the wireless”). He took letters from his passionate readers and incorporated some of their ideas into his books. He believed in imagining that anything is possible, that Oz belonged as much to his readers as himself, and that we could all be Royal Historians of Oz. I took that to heart and whole-heartedly agree with him.But, from a “fictional” perspective, when I say the story is “true,” I also mean that the powerful ideas in our book series such as Unity and Friendship, despite differences, can be truer than the reality that is presented to us every day in the news. We can investigate and discuss very powerful ideas through fiction because we put aside the political, ideological, and sociological lenses that have grown over our eyes over the course of our lives. These lenses are very hard to see through once they grow over our eyes. In fiction, since we are discussing a ‘fantasy world’ we are more likely to relax the lenses and see with fresh eyes. We use the phrase “Truth Above All” in our book series because we believe that a powerful idea can sometimes be more truthful than our everyday lives.  

3.     How would you introduce ages of oz book 1 fiery friendship in your own words? . 

Lisa: I would say… Girl power collides with Magic. A quest for truth, a battle against Wicked, and some laughs along the way.  

Gabe: I would say it’s a story of how Unity, Intelligence, and seeking ‘Truth Above All’ in a tumultuous political environment can still vanquish Wickedness. Yes, girl power is a large themebecause we believe that Baum was greatly impacted by his women’s suffragist mother-in-law while he was writing about Oz, but Glinda rose to be the most powerful Sorceress in Oz with the help of all her friends – male and female, human and non-human, younger and older. 

4.     Why did you choose to explore the childhood and youth of Oz characters? Why is Glinda the lead character in book one?  

Gabe: All the original Oz books were targeted for children, so I thought it’d be a great homage to Baum’s work to identify with Baum’s original audience with friends that we can all grow and learn with. I chose Glinda to be the main character of the book series that we launched the entire brand with because I thought her origin story would have the most apropos message for all readers – both younger and older – to identify with today.

Lisa: Further to Gabe’s points, it’s always interesting to take characters we know as ‘adults’ and imagine them as younger versions of themselves.  Glinda, for example, grows up to be a powerful force in Oz, but that had to start somewhere, there had to be a time BEFORE she was confident and capable.  This story shows her coming into her talents, finding her own voice, her own way of thinking.   Glinda is an excellent role model for girls in today’s world.  She is not perfect, but she tries her hardest.  She’s eager to learn, and to do what’s right, and she understands that when you are faced with a challenge, you must face it head on and do your best.  

5.     Explain the title Fiery Friendship as it is defined in the first story? Do Fiery Friendships exist today?  

Lisa: The fiery friendship in the title refers to the relationship between Glinda and Locasta.  In many ways they are total opposites—Glinda is by nature soft spoken and polite, a bit of a rule follower.  Locasta is feisty and impulsive and has a quick temper.  When the girls disagree, it’s like a small fire igniting (and of course, this is an allusion to the Fire Fairy, Ember, whom they must find together.)  The important thing is that as different as they are, they do share some very important traits and values.  They are both loyal, they are both determined to succeed, and in my opinion they can both be very funny!   Fiery Friendships definitely exist.  Whenever you hear someone use the phrase ‘opposites attract’ they’re probably talking about a relationship that creates sparks!

Gabe: Agreed. And they certainly do exist! I know that Lisa would agree that our friendship is a testament to that. 😉

6.     What is meant by “truth above all?” Is it a lesson or a warning throughout the book? 

Lisa: “Truth Above All” is definitely a lesson.  In Glinda’s story, the truth has been hidden from the people of Oz, and it will be up to her and the powerful group known as the Foursworn to reveal it.   So finding the truth and setting the world to rights is Glinda’s most important goal.  Finding the truth comes ‘above’ everything else.

Gabe: Yes, it’s definitely a lesson that I think we should all pursue. 

Will the Truth set Glina free? Illustration by Sebastian Giacobino

7.     What is your favorite quote from book 1?  

Gabe: It’s when Glinda’s mother, Tilda, tells Glinda that she is going to allow herself to be captured by the Wicked Witch. Glinda asks her mother ‘Why?!’ And Tilda’s response is “Because you are going to save me.” Tilda had an incredible amount of confidence in what Glinda could accomplish and it was a significant wake-up call for our 13-year old Glinda! 

Lisa: When Tilda tells Glinda, ‘Be as brave as you’ve been and as wise as you are.’   I tell myself that when I need a pep talk, although I’m nowhere near as brave or wise as Glinda!

8.     What is the role of paths and decisions in the book?

Gabe: For me, Magic is a metaphor for making our dreams come true. The “Pathways of Magic” refer to my thoughts on the elements necessary for us all to be successful creators. We need to balance our Intellect, Emotion and Ambition and create Objects which will represent our thoughts and hopes for the world. In my case, I wanted to tell a story about the search for Truth. First I made a plan (Intellect), and I had to muster all my courage (Ambition) to believe that I could execute the plan. I had to deal with my own Emotions and the emotions of others. And I had to see the plan through to completion, which in this case was a Book series, so that my ideas could be shared with the world.   

Lisa: The Road of Red Cobble is very symbolic.  In life, the path you’re meant to take isn’t always clear.   You have to go on faith sometimes, and trust that you’ll get where you need to be.  Sometimes we decide, and sometimes the path decides for us.  Mostly though, it’s a team effort!

9.     What magic do the witches have?  

Lisa: There is a long answer to this question, that deals with the four types of Magic that exist in Oz—too much information to include here.  Let’s just say that the Witches have taken what was once a good and powerful gift and turned it into a very Wicked set of powers.  They use spells to manipulate and destroy.  Each Witch is connected to an element, and this informs the kind of Magic she practices.  

Gabe: There’s a lot of backstory to the 5 Wicked Witches. Yes, there’s 5! Without giving away too many spoilers, the majority of the witches have come to rule their respective lands through obtaining magical objects from one powerful being. Each of the witches control different hybrid-being armies and each have a different Wicked way of ruling over their people. For example, Aphidina, the Wicked Witch of the South, has an army of plant-like creatures and controls Quadling country through Illusion and brainwashing her people into believing that “ In Quadling Country all is well” while it is far from ‘While Mirada, the Wicked Witch of the North, has an army of horned, quilled and furry beasts and controls Gillikin country through mass incarceration, to which her people are shackled and forced to work against their will. 

10.  What makes Glinda so special? 

Lisa: Glinda is special because her power comes from her genuine desire to be Good.  She recognizes that strength—Magical or otherwise—is not a license to do whatever you want to do.  Sometimes a bit of restraint is called for.   She understands that the greatest power in the universe is balance. 

11.  Explain the significance and limits of words to create and change magic in Oz?

Gabe: As you will see in the book, words are arranged into Spells which are a way for the Magician (be she a Witch, Wizard, Sorcerer or Maker) to channel her thoughts into a focused idea. The limits of the Spell are the same as the limits of the spell-caster. So in that sense, if the Magician were to free her mind, she could accomplish anything. 

12.  What would you do if you were Glinda in Oz? 

Gabe: Ask Tilda more questions about their genealogy. No spoilers for Book 2 though! 😉

Lisa: I would stay away from Blingle Plunkett!

Yours Drewly with Gabriel Gale and the Witch of the South

13.  What would Glinda and her fiery friends tell kids today? 

Gabe: They would tell the kids of today to think for themselves and pursue their individual strengths in the name of Unity and Truth Above All.

Lisa: “Think for yourself!” Align with people you trust and respect, and take their advice to heart, but use the lessons they teach you to find your own voice, and your own sense of purpose, and see it through.

14.  What does the future hold for the Ages of Oz series and beyond? 

Gabe: We are working on the transmedia and further sharing the story across the country!

Lisa: Book 2, “A Dark Descent,” comes out in May.  Glinda’s quest becomes even more dangerous, more exciting.  Her Magic will grow stronger and she’ll learn some incredible secrets about her own family history.   There’s still work to do in Oz, and Glinda is eager to do it!

 Thanks to the Simon and Schuster especially the Ages of OZ team (official website) and Instagram  and especially to Gabriel Gale facebook,  on (twitter)  and Lisa Fielder!


Thank you all!