Guest Post with author D.D. Roy

 

Writing What Thrills You 

By D.D. Roy, author of Jinnie Wishmaker 

Jinnie Wishmaker almost didn't get written at all. In November 2007, I was preparing to write a completely different book for grown ups for National Novel Writing Month.

But just three days into the writing challenge, I found I hated the book. It was sad and dark. I remember sitting with my kids to watch the movie Meet the Robinsons. At the end of that movie I knew I wanted to write something amazing and magical with the craziest happy ending EVER.

Since my favorite writer of magical things as a kid was Roald Dahl, I quickly read my favorites, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda. Matilda especially intrigued me. I wondered what would happen if you granted someone a power that someone else tried to take away?

And so the book began. If you've read those books or seen Meet the Robinsons, you'll recognize one thing that I did just like them. All the kids in the book are practical and smart and, well, they act normal.

The grown ups, however, are NOT. They are all really ODD. Think of Matilda's parents, who are so evil, and Matilda's teacher, who is so perfect. And the parents of all the kids in the Chocolate Factory. Or any of the Robinson family. See, you get it.

One thing I learned--write the story that you love the most. You can't write a book just because you think it's clever, or you think it will impress people. You have to write it because it thrills you to type the words.

The author is offering the following prizes to randomly drawn commenters during the tour (this is an international contest):

As a tie in to Jinnie Wishmaker, each blog will have two Magical Mood Rings to give away. Mood rings are a central item in the book as it is how the Troubled Tweens determine if a new member has a magical power or not. Very fun!

For the grand prize, Casey Shay Press is offering their bestselling balloon animal kit. It includes the paperback book Kids Show Kids How to Make Balloon Animals (for the same age group as Jinnie Wishmaker) as well as a professional pump and balloons. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/04/virtual-book-tour-jinnie-wishmaker-by-d.html.

About the Author:

D.D. Roy wrote her first story "Blackie and the Garbage Dump Dogs" when she was in elementary school. As a teen, she tried to destroy her little hand-made books, but if you get a chance to meet D.D.'s mom, she will whip out the one surviving copy, still to D.D.'s total embarrassment.

Her first middle grade novel, JINNIE WISHMAKER, became a Hot New Release on the Nook, and was re-released as a hardcover School Library Edition through Casey Shay Press in spring 2012. Her story book app for the iPad, DUST BUNNIES: SECRET AGENTS, just came out in May through Polycot Labs.