Monday, November 1, 2021

Q&A with Danielle Joseph

 

 


 

Danielle Joseph is the author of Sydney A. Frankel's Summer Mix-Up, a new middle grade novel for kids. Her other books include the young adult novel Shrinking Violet. She lives in Miami.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Sydney A. Frankel's Summer Mix-Up, and how did you create your character Sydney?

 

A: I was inspired to write the book when my oldest son was in 5th grade.

 

He was always a shy kid and told me that he didn’t want to try out for the spelling bee because he didn’t want to win. He was a great speller but was terrified of being up on stage competing against people that he didn’t know. This was the seed that eventually grew into the story.

 

A lot of times people equate shy people with having boring or subdued personalities, which is so far from the truth. I wanted Sydney’s humor to shine through as she navigated summer classes, the impending start of middle school, and breaking out of her shell.

 

Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, “The book’s treatment of the complexities of tweendom are pitch perfect: the need for autonomy, the intensity of friendships, crushes, and the messy process of growing up.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I was very pleased with the description and quite flattered. I spent a lot of time working on this book and it is nice to hear that Sydney’s experiences ring true.

 

Q: You've written for other age groups--why did you turn to middle grade fiction for this book?

 

A: I love writing for all age groups and always intended to explore each one as an author.

 

The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big one and a lot of kids feel lost. I still remember how daunting the prospect of starting middle school was for me and I wanted to capture that feeling in this story.

 

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 originally had a different ending to this book. During the revision process I changed one of the major threads in the story and as a result the ending had to be changed. I always knew that Sydney’s growth process would be the same, but how she got to that point is what changed.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Right now, I’m working on an action-filled romantic young adult historical novel. It’s an idea that I’ve carried with me for a few years, and I finally just took the plunge!

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: That my dog Ringo is the boss of the house. He doesn’t care if I’m in the middle of a very important scene, if he wants to go out for a walk, I better meet him at the door! But usually you can find him peacefully sleeping under my desk!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb

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