Friday, January 16, 2015

A Gathering of Characters!

The DMS sits down with Mia...

We are so excited for this meeting of the Character Book Club! In attendance today are the current members of the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS. Fairday, Lizzy, and Marcus are joined by Mia from 25 Roses by Stephanie Faris. We're happy for the chance to find out what she thinks about things! So, without further ado, let the meeting commence...
 Roundtable Feature: 

Lizzy: When you decided to buy roses from the school sale for kids who don’t normally get them, it sounded like a great idea to me. Of course, everything didn’t go smoothly. If you had it to do over again would you still buy the roses and/or would you do anything differently?  
 

Mia: Great question! I think I’d talk all of my friends into buying roses for each other. That way everyone would get a rose and I wouldn’t be in the center of it. Then again—that still might put me in the middle of it!

Fairday: Your older sister, Kellie, seems to do a lot of things right and that can make it hard on a younger sibling. What is the hardest part about having an older sister that everyone thinks is perfect? 
Mia: Most of the time, you end up just feeling invisible. Even if you do find a way to stand out, you always feel like you’re being compared.

Marcus: For a long time one of your best friends has been a guy. What is the best thing about having a guy for a best friend? What is the hardest part? 
Mia: Boys are fun when they’re young. But then they get older and they start acting weird. That part isn’t fun at all. If you can go back to being friends, though, a guy friend might help you understand why middle school boys are so weird. 
 

Lizzy: I had fun reading about the makeovers you were performing for girls who needed a little help. Are you still doing makeovers? How do you decide what to do for each person?

Mia: I’m out of the makeover business for good. Mostly I just paid attention to what other people were wearing and how they were wearing their hair and makeup. Then I made suggestions. But I think the confidence they got from getting roses on Valentine’s Day was the real makeover.

Fairday: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not trying to cheer up other people and make their world a happier place?

Mia: Watching movies with my BFFs Ashleigh and Alex. It doesn’t matter what movie we’re watching. I just like spending time with them.

Marcus: Middle school sounds like it can be a tough place. Do you have any advice for kids who are getting ready to start middle school?

Mia: Be yourself. It seems most of us get in trouble when we pretend to be something we’re not to impress other people.

Lizzy: Now that all the rose drama is over, do you have any more plans to shake things up at your school?

Mia: I think I’d rather enjoy a calm rest of the year. But summer break is coming up… I may have to come up with something to keep things interesting.

Fairday: Recently you were asked to do a lot of matchmaking. I know it made you feel a little uncomfortable. What did you learn from your experience and are you still trying to help your friends get noticed by their crushes?

Mia: No! Matchmaking is no fun at all. You end up in the middle of a big mess. Still, if my best friend needed my help, I’d tell someone she liked him. Wouldn’t we all?

Marcus:  If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?

Mia: Wish #1: That no kids ever feel left out. Wish #2: All the pizza I could ever eat. Wish #3: More wishes!


There's still time to enter the giveaway! Click here for your chance to win a signed hardcover edition of this excellent book! 

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Open to US and International 

When: Friday, November 14th
Feature Guest: Eva and Lewis from Time Square by S.W. Lothian

Notes: What a great meeting! It was so much fun to find out about these two awesome characters. Time traveling sounds exciting, though a bit harrowing- especially knowing that history and the future are the same thing. It was excellent to hang out with Linc again, and we can't wait to hang out with Eva and Lewis soon! ; ) 



Where: Fairday's Blog! 
When: Friday, October 17th
Feature Guest: Linc from the Double Vision Series by F.T. Bradley 

Notes: It was really cool for a chance to talk to Linc! Hearing about his adventures as a double agent was riveting, and it was fun learning more about Pandora. He leads an adventurous life, and if we're lucky, we'll get to hang out with him again soon! ; ) 

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When: Friday, May 16th
Notes: What an amazing time we had chatting with Little Orchid! Her unexpected underwater adventure was not only a lesson learned, but quite an exciting time. We can't wait to see what's next for Little Orchid, and we're happy we had a chance to hear her voice. :) 

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When: Thursday, March 13th
Feature Guest: Tomato and Pea from The Adventures of Tomato and Pea by Erik Weibel

Notes: Another great gathering of characters! Tomato and Pea were hilarious, and Taylor Davis had some really interesting questions. Be sure to check back in May for the next CBC meeting. Who knows what will happen?


When: Friday, February 14th
Feature Guest: Taylor Davis from The Flame of Findul by Michelle Isenhoff

Notes: What an excellent meeting! It was great to hear from Tomato and Pea- who are such cool characters! Tayor Davis told us about his fascinating adventures, and for the record, the DMS loves scented candles. :) Be sure to check back for the next meeting, where we'll find out more about these awesome characters and their exciting adventures! 


When: Friday, Janaury 17th
Feature Guest: Kate and Hallo from Order of the Crystal Lion by Gregory Slomba

Notes: It was awesome to hear from our friends Kate and Hallo over at The Deliverers, and it was interesting to find out about Calendria and the amazing adventures they go on. Hallo was a blast, and it was great for the chance to hang out with him. We look forward to getting together with these colorful characters again! 

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When: Friday, December 20th
Feature Guest: Anna Green from Finding My Place by Margo Dill

Notes: It was awesome to hear from our friends Kate and Hallo over at The Deliverers, and for the chance to chat with Anna Green. It was interesting to find out about life during war time, and excellent that these two different worlds were able to connect. Hallo was a blast, and it was great for the chance to hang out with him. We're hosting the January meeting, which will be awesome, so be sure to check back! 



When: Friday, November 15th
Feature Guest: Terra from Beware of the White by Kai Strand

Notes: What a fun meeting! It was so cool to hear about the two different worlds that Terra and Anna come from. It was interesting to find out about Terra being a nature's spirit, and excellent that Anna was able to transport herself to the present for the meeting. We're all excited to hang out with these amazing ladies again soon! In December, we're heading over to our friend Eric's corner of the book block, where we're bound to be amused by the clever owl, Stig, so be sure to check back! 

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When: Friday, October 18th
Feature Guest: Breeze from Just Breeze by Beverly Stowe McClure

Notes: It was a fun CBC meeting over at our friend Kai Strand's Blog! Breeze Brannigan is a really cool character with fabulous hair! We so want to find out more about Cam Smith, and we're impressed with Breeze's ability to keep a secret. : ) The next CBC is bound to be awesome, so be sure to check back in November! 

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When: Friday, September 20th

Notes: It was awesome to hear from Millie! Erik had some interesting questions prepared for the meeting, and it was fascinating to find out more about each of these colorful characters. We can't wait for the next CBC meeting in October, so be sure to check back! 




When: Friday, August 16th

Notes: Meeting Erik was awesome, and it was great to visit Millie's blog again- she's always so much fun! Erik's adventure with a pirate and his ghostly crew kept us on the edge of our seat, and Marcus cannot wait to meet Star to see if she can really read his mind- he's been preparing thoughts since the meeting- lol. We were happy to catch wind of this story, and a good time was had by all! We can't wait to chat with Erik and his interesting friends again soon.

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When: Friday, July 19th
Feature Guest: Pete and Weasel Alligators Overhead by C. Lee Mckenzie

Notes: It was fun to chat with Pete and Weasel! They are such cool characters! We enjoyed learning about their swampy adventures, and can't believe how awesome it is that Pete has an alligator for a familiar. Hopefully, Weasel will get a chance to read, and Pete will turn into a G-normas guy with x-ray vision who can fly. : )

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When: Friday, June 14th
Feature Guest: Eric & Stig from The Deliverers by Gregory Slomba

Notes: It was so much fun to find out more about Eric & Stig from The Deliverers! Pete did a great job hosting the meeting, and we hope he isn't in too much trouble with his author for hijacking the blog. Stig was as charming as ever, and it was really interesting to hear about his travels. We also found out that Alligators and Owls have no problems with each other and actually quite enjoy each others company. It's Pete's turn next to tell us what he thinks about things, so be sure to keep an eye out for the next CBC meeting. And guess what? It's going to be hosted by us, the DMS! We can't wait ; ) 



When: Friday, May 17th

Notes: It was great to find out more about Millie at the 3rd meeting of the CBC, hosted by the very charming duo of Eric and Stig from The Deliverers. Lizzy was excited to chat with someone else who loves to travel, and it was cool to hear Millie's excellent advice about what do do when faced with a bully. We are so excited to visit Pete over at The Write Game next month and hear what Eric and Stig have to say about things! 



Where: Millie's Blog!
When: Friday, April 19th

Notes: Visiting Millie's Blog was so much fun, and it was great to talk about how we started the Detective Mystery Squad. Millie's haunting problem was fascinating, and we hope that our advice was helpful! We can't wait for the next meeting of the CBC! 



When: Friday, March 22nd
Feature Guest: Nate from the Nate Rocks Series by Karen Pokras Toz

Notes: It was awesome to chat with Nate! We learned some interesting things about him and his big sister, Abby. As it turns out, his mom's cooking is as bad as he says, and it was a unanimous decision not to eat the Sunday Morning Surprise : )


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If you would like to add your colorful character to the Character Book Club roster and host a meeting on your blog, please send a request to haightjess@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!


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63 comments:

  1. All the pizza you could eat! I'm all for that.
    And boys get weird when they get older? I think it's the other way around...
    Congratulations, Stephanie!

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    1. Well...in my experience boys do get a little weirder around the age of 12 or so. That was when they became almost impossible to figure out because they got so quiet. But, yeah, at least by that age they've stopped eating bugs.

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  2. Thanks to Lizzy, Fairday, and Marcus for doing such a great interview. Mia had a great time!!!

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  3. Came over from Stephanie's blog; enjoyed the interview :) Mia is one special girl! I know that book will be a hit for Stephanie!

    betty

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  4. Mia's assessment of boys reminds me of a time in Jr. High when I told my teacher that I was tired of the boys in our class. They used to be my friends, but they had become so immature and annoying. She laughed and assured me they'd catch up in high school and be all right again. She was right- about most of them ;)

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    1. That's true...although by high school they'd become mysterious in an even more complicated way. Your male friends become questionable--some like you as more and some don't--it's impossible to tell! Men are just as complicated as teenage boys, I've found.

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  5. I second Wish #2 and would add it with a wish that I can eat all the pizza and not gain weight from eating it. :)

    Great interview! Loved learning more about Lizzy! Congrats, Stephanie!

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    1. I know--that would be MY wish as an adult...but with the weight gain part in there, for sure. Not just pizza, but chocolate. And Mexican food! I always try to avoid the weight thing when writing for tween girls because I know how hard body image is at that age.

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  6. loved this, so fun and creative. I agree with Mia on boys. And it doesn't change as we get older!

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    1. LOL that's what I said above. The male species is complicated...and the funny thing is, it's the fact that they aren't complicated that makes them complicated to females.

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  7. That was sure a fun idea indeed and a great way to promote many. It's fun being weird though haha

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    1. I don't think men were meant to understand women and vice versa. If we did figure each other out, life would be much less fun!

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  8. I love Mia's first wish! She's so thoughtful and I enjoyed getting to know more about her. Good luck with your book, Stephanie!

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    1. Mia's first wish would be my first one, too. Of course, most of us can't help left out kids at that age because we're too busy feeling left out ourselves!

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  9. A great and creative interview!

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  10. Love the interview. And Mia's heart. As the youngest child (lacking the talents of my older siblings) and not being part of the 'in group' at school, I needed a Mia...

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  11. What a great interview. My sister can relate to being the younger child. She once told me teachers and other people were always comparing her to me. Whether a good or bad comparison, that made it hard for her to be an individual in their eyes. The book sounds like a must-read for mg readers. (Older ones too.)

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    1. I was the oldest sister, but luckily for my sister, I wasn't all that impressive. I don't think anyone really remembered me by the time she got to junior high!

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  12. Another great Character Club meeting. I like that this book is so full of postiives and that advice about being yourself in middle school is spot on. I am adding this to my kids' reading list for when they are older.

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  13. What an imaginative interview. I was so enchanted by the gorgeous illustrations! Hello Mia and Stephanie!

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  14. More wishes. Yup that's what many young people would ask for. The first wish was sweet. Mia gave some great answers and I know what it is like to have a sibling outshine you. Matchmaking can be a dirty business. Hey Steph, waiting for my copy to arrive from The Book Dep. Fun interview, it kept me intrigued.

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  15. Wow, this was a pretty creative post! I like the idea of the interview. Reading the answers were definitely interesting! I like the idea of having friends by roses for each other - at our school you can anonymously send roses to each other on Valentine's day, and it's awesome. Roses are my favourite flowers, especially white ones.

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    1. That was what inspired 25 Roses, Olivia-Savannah! We did that in high school. Ours were carnations, though. I made the flowers in the book chocolate roses because...everything's better if it's chocolate!

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  16. Awe, I like this and the advice here is really good... it is really tough to go to grade 7, which is what middle school is here... I know it is hard for so many children... it was a rough year for me too...

    My wish would be that they could see that none of what goes on in middle school matters when they are grown up... they are special regardless... the book sounds really great Stephanie xox

    Cute interview <3

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    1. So true. It was junior high when I was in school and now it's middle school almost everywhere, or so it seems. Some areas have an "intermediate school" where the 5th and 6th graders go, then they advance to middle school for 7th and 8th grades. I think it's all based on overcrowding...middle school seemed to emerge when they realized the elementary schools couldn't hold all the students for K-6?

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  17. I enjoyed reading Mia's thoughts. Yes, guys do get weird when they get older! Haha! Wishing Stephanie much success! :)

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  18. Mia sounds like a sweetheart. She's giving and cares about others. I have a feeling I know why her guy friend started acting weird... although it just may be because he's a boy.

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  19. Love your illustrations, Jess! I like the little spider in the 'Be Yourself' sketch and the clairvoyant's beauty mark. Tiny depths. :)

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    1. I second that thought. The illustrations are beautiful.

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  20. Hey Stephanie, love Mia. I just love your writing. Your characters are so well rounded. Mia's three wishes are mine too. Great interview.

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    1. Thank you, Robyn! Glad your comment made it through.

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  21. Such a fun interview! I'm really looking forward to reading 25 Roses!

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  22. Mia is such a great character. I really felt for her in this book because she has a good heart.

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    1. She does have a big heart. I always did, too, although it seems in life when you have a big heart, you're constantly punished for it!

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  23. Thanks for a lovely interview. I loved reading it! Congrats!

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  24. Being yourself is exactly right advice. After all, everyone else is taken. Who said that? Oscar Wilde? Anyway, I enjoyed meeting your character and finding out out more about those roses.

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  25. Love the interview. I needed this advice (especially about the middle grade boys) when I was growing up. That might have made things a little simpler.

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    1. Stina- So glad you enjoyed the interview! I think we all could use more advice about middle school. :) ~L

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  26. Mia sounds quite wise, and like a great character. Giving roses to those who don't usually get them is a nice thing to do. I was always so stressed on the days the roses went out.

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    1. Shannon- I think a lot of kids are stressed on those days- that is why I love what Mia did! :) ~L

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  27. I like how your characters interview other characters. Sounds like Mia learned a lot about herself in the book.

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    1. Molly- I am so glad you like our characters interviewing other characters. :) Mia did learn a lot about herself! ~Stephanie and Jess

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  28. I think many kids (or the middle ones) can relate to feeling invisible. And lol, it's so true about boy friends acting weird when they get to a certain age!

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    1. Claudine- I agree that we all go through a phase when we feel invisible and our friendships go through interesting phases too! :) ~L

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