Q&A with Christy Mihaly

  

 

Christy Mihaly is the author of the new children's picture book Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals. Her other books include America's Founding Myths...and What REALLY Happened!. She lives in Vermont. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write a picture book biography of cellist Pablo Casals (1876-1973)?

 

A: I knew that Casals was a great cellist. That’s because, as an adult, I started taking cello lessons, and every cellist knows about Pablo Casals.

 

Then, 15 years ago, I spent a year living in Spain. During that year, I learned a great deal about Spanish history. I also visited the Pau Casals museum in Catalonia, where I viewed a compelling video of Casals, as a very old man, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly. I was enchanted and wanted to know more.

 

As I studied his life, I was increasingly fascinated by his personal philosophy, his anti-fascist activism and heroism. It seemed wrong to me that he wasn’t better known, and I thought kids should know his story.

 

Q: How did you research his life, and what did you learn that especially surprised you?

 

A: I started writing the story years ago, when I was just starting out as a children’s writer. I kept researching as I wrote and revised. My research included conversations with people in Spain and with other musicians, visiting the Museu Pau Casals, and reading extensively (in English and a little Spanish). I dug into the history of the Spanish Civil War and that period of history.

 

Casals himself left two co-written works of autobiography/memoir, which were fascinating to read. I listened to many, many recordings of his music. And I spent many hours watching video footage, which we’re so fortunate to have, including documentaries, interviews, and recordings of master classes. And of course, those videos of his speeches and performances at the United Nations.

 

Much of this material, of course, didn’t fit into my little picture book biography. Eventually, I decided to conclude the book’s narrative some 23 years before Casals died. I included in the back matter a summary of his final years, along with context about the Spanish Civil War and a timeline of Casals’s life and world events.

 

In addition, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers has posted, on its YouTube channel, a playlist of recommended videos related to the book.

 

One fact that surprised me was that Pablo Casals, this brilliant, world-renowned musician, was plagued his entire life by stage fright. Kids who have stage fright might assume that such a great performer wouldn’t be afraid.

 

So, I mentioned young Pau’s pre-show panic in the scene of his big debut, and then in the back matter included a quotation from Casals describing his lifelong feeling that facing a public performance was an “ordeal” that gave him nightmares. Take heart, young readers!

 

Q: What do you think Mariona Cabassa’s illustrations add to the book?

 

A: Oh my gosh, Mariona’s illustrations are gorgeous! I love how she uses the images of birds throughout the book to symbolize music and hope, and how she captures the feeling of music visually. You can see that Mariona brought her heart to these pages.

 

As she says, as a person of Catalan heritage, she treasures the legacy of Casals, his resilience and his messages of hope and freedom. I am so thrilled with the beauty of Mariona’s illustrations. I think her art elevates this book and I know it brings pleasure to readers young and old.

 

Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it “intense and heartfelt.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: It is heartfelt. And Casals’s story is intense. So, yes.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m working on unwinding from the heartfelt intensity! I’m trying to read and write some new poetry. I’m chasing a couple of elusive ideas that aren’t fully cooperating yet. So, we’ll see.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I have another nonfiction picture book that was just published May 26. (Sometimes publishing is like that.) It is America’s Founding Myths … And What REALLY Happened! https://www.barefootbooks.com/americas-founding-myths.

 

Published by Barefoot Books and illustrated by Marta Sevilla, it’s a middle grade infographic style book, quite different from Music and Silence. But both books encourage young readers to understand the past and to seek the truth. And I’m looking forward to sharing them both with readers this summer, and beyond.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Danielle Postel-Vinay

  

 

 

Danielle Postel-Vinay is the author of the new novel Murder Most Delicious. She has written previous books under the name Danielle Trussoni, including The Puzzle Box.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Murder Most Delicious, and how did you create your character Olivia?

 

A: There are many things that might inspire someone to write a book, and it's often to pinpoint just one influence.  But I'll say that I did have an experience that is directly responsible for the character of Olivia Beech, who is the main protagonist. She is a master sommelier, one of the top experts in wine in the world, who loses her sense of taste after contracting Covid.

 

Her character was inspired by my own interest in wine.  For years, I studied wine and even worked with a master sommelier for a while. Then, during Covid, I lost the ability to drink alcohol. I began to feel sick when I drank, and even the smallest glass of wine left me ill. Feeling shut out of something I had studied and enjoyed was extremely difficult! So in some ways, I'm a little bit like Olivia, who lost her sense of taste.

 

Q: The novel is set in Paris--how important is setting to you in your writing?

 

A: It’s extremely important! Setting is one of the first things that comes to me when I’m imagining a new novel. I begin the process of figuring out a story by imagining where each scene will take place. Often, I go to the place so that I can experience it in real life.

 

Paris, which is the setting of Murder Most Delicious, is a place I’ve been to dozens of times, and the neighborhood where the murder occurs, Gros Caillou, is a real neighborhood. I love atmospheric novels!

 

Q: Why did you decide to write the novel under the name Danielle Postel-Vinay?

 

A: Danielle Postel-Vinay is my married name, and because this novel is set in France, I thought it made sense to use it. This novel is also quite different from my previous books, and so I wanted to make a distinction.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: While the fun of the book is in the mystery—and learning who poisoned Jacques de Bizet—I wanted to create a pleasurable experience for readers.

 

One of the central themes of the book is that we should slow down and experience the simple pleasure of life: good food, leisurely walks, moments with friends. I hope that people read this novel and decide to take a few days off from work and just relax.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m working on another mystery, although I don’t have it full mapped out yet, so I’m not saying much about it.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I’d love for readers to get in touch with me. It’s always great fun to hear from people, so please come find me on Instagram or my website www.danielletrussoni.com.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Robert Bailey

  

 

Robert Bailey is the author of the new novel The Mediator. His other books include The Boomerang. Also an attorney, he lives in Huntsville, Alabama.

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Mediator, and how did you create your character Max Ringo?

 

A: I have been a registered mediator since 2019. Mediation is a legal vehicle that hasn’t been explored much in contemporary fiction. In civil litigation and divorce matters, cases are being resolved in mediation much more often than trial, and it is not a stretch to say that the mediation is replacing the trial as the biggest event in a case.

 

While “method writing” (ha!) wasn’t really something I had planned, the story was aided by also having to do the work of a mediator while crafting Max’s journey.

 

For the creation of Max, I always saw her, first and foremost, as a mom. When her son is kidnapped by one of the parties to the mediation, Max must settle the case on that party’s terms, or her son will be killed.

 

Q: The novel is set in Huntsville, Alabama--how important is setting to you in your writing?  

 

A: I like the setting to almost feel like a character in the story, and Huntsville is tailor-made for this treatment.  

 

With the missile defense and government contracting industry that has sprouted up around Redstone Arsenal, the city’s emergence as the largest (by population) city in Alabama and the rural feel of the small towns and communities in Madison County and north Alabama, the area is solid gold for a dynamic setting that will hopefully come alive for readers.

Q: This is your first female lead character--what was it like to write about Max?

 

A: From my first few minutes with Max, in her dad’s old Toyota Tundra moving into the Huntsville City Limits on her way to a mediation that she hopes will be her big break, I just loved the character.

 

Max is attempting a comeback as a mediator after a horrific car accident derailed her personal and professional life. Her path to redemption is a gritty journey, where she risks everything to save her son’s life.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: I hope they are entertained by the story, and I’m also hopeful that they are inspired by Max’s resilience in the face of tremendous obstacles.

 

Q: This is the first in a series--can you tell us what's next?

 

A: In book two, Max will be forced to return to the courtroom to defend a client charged with murder. Again, Max will have a personal stake in the outcome, as everything she’s worked to regain in her career and life could be lost if her client is convicted.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: In addition to book two in the Max Ringo series, 2027 will also see me return to the inspirational fiction arena with a story about a teenage songwriter who teams up with a drifter to write and perform a song amid great personal tragedy. The book should come out close to the holidays. 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Robert Bailey.

June 5

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
June 5, 1898: Federico García Lorca born.

Q&A with Amy Fellner Dominy

  

 

 

Amy Fellner Dominy is the author of the new middle grade novel Monster Down Deep. Her other books include A House with No Door. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Monster Down Deep, and how did you create your characters Cassie, TJ, and Blue?

 

A: The idea came to life after I saw a news story about a 5,000-mile patch of seaweed off the Florida coast. The image of all that seaweed was so startling, it got me thinking. What if something was trapped in all of that goo? Or growing in it? Or hiding in it?

 

I visited an aquarium soon after and saw a Blue Wrasse—a type of fish with knowing eyes who seemed to watch me as I watched it. That fish was the inspiration for Blue.

 

Cassie was a different story. I was dealing with a new anxiety over hiking—something I’d been doing for years. I was embarrassed, even with my friends. I thought about how often we tell kids to face their fears and conquer them. But what if it’s not that easy? Cassie’s fear of the ocean was born from my own struggle.  

 

And TJ? He’s one of those magical characters who just appeared on the page as if he belonged—and he absolutely did!

 

Q: The author Lynne Kelly called the book a “memorable and compelling adventure about facing long-buried fears while standing up to protect an unusual creature...”  What do you think of that description?

 

A: I wish I had written it myself.  Lynne captured Cassie’s struggle to hide her fears rather than accept herself. It took another creature in danger, Blue, to give Cassie the courage to stand up for Blue and then for herself.

 

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: I never know how a story will end before I write it. Somewhere about halfway through, I start outlining and plotting more carefully. I knew the direction I wanted the story to go, but how to get there changed more than a few times.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: I hope Cassie’s journey to self-acceptance will resonate for kids who are dealing with their own fears or trying to be who others what them to be.

 

I also hope readers will come away feeling empowered that they can make a difference in their worlds—no matter what it is they’re passionate about. Just in the world of ocean conservation, kids are putting their huge hearts to good use in clean-up and recycling projects. It inspired me to see that and shine a light on it.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Just this week I saw another news story that grabbed my attention—and my imagination. Too soon to say, but I hope it will be my next middle grade.

 

In the meantime, I have a new picture book coming on August 4 that celebrates nature and the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. It’s called A House with No Door, and I’m excited for that one, too.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I love to do school visits and I’m going to be offering free virtual visits in the fall in honor of Monster Down Deep. I’d love for educators to reach out and let’s see if we can arrange a visit to their class or school. amy@amydominy.com.

 

I also send out a newsletter once a month with the inside scoop about the publishing world and life lessons it’s taught me, as well as giveaways and offers. Sign up at my website www.amydominy.com/newsletter or click on the QR code:

 

Thank you so much for hosting me!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Mima Tipper

  

 

 

Mima Tipper is the author of the new young adult novel Channeling Marilyn. She also has written the YA novel Kat's Greek Summer. She lives in Vermont.

 

Q: What initially intrigued you about the actress Marilyn Monroe, and at what point did you decide to write Channeling Marilyn, which features her spirit?

 

A: For as long as I can remember I’ve been a fan of Marilyn Monroe’s films. When I was young, I’d see that one of her movies was on TV, and I’d always want to watch. I thought she was gorgeous and funny, and the films were a pure joy to watch.

 

I never thought much about Marilyn’s fandom until I was well into my writing life. Here’s what happened: I was looking at a fashion magazine with my then-middle-school-aged daughter when an ad caught my attention. It featured a young model done up to look like Marilyn Monroe, pin-up style. Then later in that same magazine, another image popped out, a pop star made up to look like Marilyn.

 

I thought: Damn! The woman’s been dead for over 50 years, and the world is still obsessed with her. That thought flipped a switch in me, and I began to imagine a story of Marilyn’s spirit looking down on this world; then I thought, what would happen if her spirit could come back?

 

Q: How did you create your character Lexa?

 

A: As I thought of a story that included Marilyn’s spirit, I had to think of who Marilyn’s spirit would visit if she could come back. Lexa’s character was the natural response.

 

The real Marilyn appeared to love children, and if her spirit would want or maybe need to help someone on this mortal coil, helping a young person—a young woman with self-image issues—seemed the most likely candidate. Lexa grew from there.

 

Q: The Midwest Book Review called the novel “a deftly crafted blending of paranormal fantasy, coming-of-age, and high school angst.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I think MBR captured the essence of the book with that description. This is a story of a teen girl coming up on the huge transition of graduating from high school, and it was natural to write her as being full of yearning for that “something great” to happen during her senior year that would launch her into her life.

 

I loved exploring that wonderfully confusing time in a young person’s life, and also including a paranormal element that would push the character to make unexpected choices.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: When readers turn the last page of Channeling Marilyn, I think that–even though they knew what was coming–they will be a little weepy. I want them to feel like they’ve been on a fun, delightful, heartfelt ride with Lexa and the delicious spirit of Marilyn Monroe, and that they are more willing to put their fears aside, and engage with their dreams and the world.

 

Also, I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, and part of me wrote this book to give her another story. I’ve enjoyed this journey and have enjoyed spending time with my idea of who Marilyn’s spirit would be. I want to share that experience with other fans, new and old.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Right now, I’m working hard on continuing to promote my first book, Kat’s Greek Summer, as well as launching Channeling Marilyn. It’s a bit of a challenge as I’m doing lots of talks and school visits around my first book, while keeping my eye on the bouncing ball of talking and writing about my second book.

 

I do have another book in the works as well—a YA novel based on a couple of Greek myths—and I hope to spend more dedicated time on that project once Channeling Marilyn is out in the world.

 

Q: Anything else we should know? 

 

A: I want everyone to know that June 1, 2026, was Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, and I encourage all to check local listings to see if any theaters in their area are celebrating this milestone with showings of her films on the big screen.

 

A couple of events in Vermont that I will be part of are showing her films, and I cannot wait to see some of my favorites the way they were meant to be seen. :)

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Mima Tipper. 

Q&A with Margaret Whitford

  

 

 

Margaret Whitford is the author of the new memoir The History We Carry. She held leadership positions in the nonprofit world for 20 years, and she lives in Massachusetts and in France. 

 

Q: Why did you decide to write this memoir?

 

A: I decided to write The History We Carry because I wanted to understand the origins of the emotional distance that characterized my relationship with my mother.

 

It also seemed to me that I had both a responsibility and an opportunity to do something with the stories about the past my mother had shared with me during the last decade of her life, many of which I had recorded. It felt as if she had given me the stories as a way to make sense of our relationship. The memoir is my effort to do that.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between you and your mother?

 

A: My mother's and my interactions were characterized by an emotional and physical distance. At the same time, I recognized that she loved me and hope she understood that I felt the same way. She never failed to support me in realizing my dreams. She believed in me and my abilities. I know she was proud of my accomplishments.

 

That said, the warmth I suppose I'd always wanted from her was rarely present. And my inability to appreciate her loving me in the ways she could further divided us.

 

Q: How was the memoir’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: My publisher, She Writes Press and Brooke Warner in particular, suggested the memoir's title. I liked it immediately because it conveyed a core belief that guided my exploration of my mother's and my relationship. The past is alive in the present. My mother's history shaped and is part of my own. I carry it within.

 

Q: The writer Sue William Silverman said of the book, “Courageous, precise, and ultimately both urgent and forgiving prose.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Sue is both a friend and a significant writing mentor to me. She supported my work on this memoir in its early stages, so her opinion on the final result is gratifying.

 

I think courage is essential when writing memoir because doing so often involves facing uncomfortable or painful truths. I strive for clarity in both my thinking and my writing, and it seems that Sue appreciated that.

 

And, finally, I hope my memoir is compassionate toward the people whose lives I explore on the page, including my own.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am in the early stages of writing a book exploring my husband's and my experiences as Peace Corps volunteers in Kenya.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: In addition to writing, I am a dedicated Francophile. With my husband, I divide my time between Massachusetts and France. I appreciate the ways in which making a home in a country other than the United States enriches our lives and challenges our perspectives. 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb