A Gathering of Characters...

 

Fairday Morrow ☞ Lizzy Mackerville ☞ Marcus Brocket

The DMS sits down with Joshua... 

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 Joshua from Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti. We're happy for the chance to find out what he thinks about things! So, without further ado, let the meeting commence...

Lizzy: Your grandfather told you and Finn to stay away from the windows during the storm. But, you guys were playing and Finn was taken.  If you had it to do over again would you still play the game with Finn and get too close to the window? 

 

Joshua: That’s a really hard question! I first thought, ‘no’, but then…I thought, sheesh, Finn could have still been taken at a different time and what if I didn’t see it happen? I might not have known how to try and find him – and our adventure could have turned out way worse.

Fairday: You have been raised by your grandfather, and he sounds amazing. I’m sure it’s hard not knowing your parents or having any memories of them. What is the best thing your grandpa does to help you not feel so alone?

Joshua: He makes my favorite sandwich when I’m feeling kind of down (usually because we’ve just moved to yet another new house) of ham and cheese with crunchy slices of apples in them. And whenever I get sick, he stops whatever he’s doing and spends time just reading to me or telling adventure stories. He actually wants to spend time with me – and that’s the best.

Marcus: Finn is your best friend and it is easy to see that you guys are really close. What is your favorite thing about Finn?

  
Joshua: Finn is not afraid of stuff like me, like whether people will make fun of him for not being cool. He also just doesn’t worry about stuff like I do. But the best part is that we became friends the day we met out back by the creek. He walked up and said “hey” and I said “hey” and we started building our fort that very first day.

Lizzy: You met a lot of scary creatures and beings when you were snatched from your home. Who were you the most afraid of and why?

Joshua: There were so many! The smelly Child Collector, the snake spears that could zap you to dust, and especially the fire wolves who could torch you to a crisp but it was that evil Hekate, who ran the slave power mill, who scared me most of all. She was so beautiful and smelled like roses but it was her beauty that terrified me – and the magic in her fingers. I knew what bad things all the other scary creatures and people could do but with her, I never knew for sure all the bad things she could do to me or my friends. And not knowing was definitely the scariest part.

Fairday: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not trying to save your best friend, other kids, your grandpa, and your new friends? Basically, describe your perfect day. 

Joshua: I love art, especially drawing, and hanging out with friends. My perfect day would be to work on my fort by the creek with my friend Finn on a summer day, and then make an amazing sketch of it for him.

Marcus: You had to face your fears and do many dangerous things while you were trying to save Finn. Do you have any advice for kids who are afraid of doing something? 

Joshua: Just do it! And trust your instincts. Usually, things aren’t as bad as you think and if you take chances you can make them better most of the time. But if you don’t try, you might never know. If you can do one thing that scares you and it turns out okay, then you can do more (I did).

Lizzy: If you had any idea you were going to be going to another world, is there anything you would have done to prepare?

Joshua: Yah! I would have brought better snacks (pretzels, popcorn, Oreos) and a jacket. And instructions on how to use my grandfather’s lightning orb – that would have been really helpful! It would have been awesome to have had a camera and take photos to record my adventure so Finn and I could remember all the good, and bad, about the world we got stolen away to as slaves.

Fairday: You met some people you had to say goodbye to (I don’t want to give anything away). It is hard to say goodbye to friends and people we have a bond with, even if we know it is for the best. Do you think you will see any of them again? 

Joshua: It’s been really hard, yeah. But I also believe I will see them again someday and that makes me happy. When I think about them now I first get sad, but then remembering our adventures together makes me feel like I am with them again for just a little bit. And I also talk to them (to myself) about what’s going on in my life now, so I can record all the things I want to tell them when (if) we do meet again.

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

Joshua: 1.  To meet my mother and father.

         2.  To stop any kid from getting kidnapped ever again (maybe invent a siren warning system that would go off, like they have for tornadoes out west!).

          3.  To be super talented at drawing and have a traveling art show around the world!

This book will hit bookshelves in May, 

so check out the awesome trailer for 

Joshua and the Lightning Road

 

17th Meeting of the CBC 

Where: Fairday's Blog! 

When: Friday, January 16th

Feature Guest: Mia from 25 Roses by Stephanie Faris

Notes: What a fun meeting! It was excellent to get to know Mia. Middle school drama can really get the emotions flowing, and Mia's idea to inspire love took some strange turns. We were sorry to hear that she's out of the makeover business, because Marcus could really use one- lol. We can't wait to hang out with Mia again soon! 

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16th Meeting of the CBC

Where: F.T. Bradley's Blog! 

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! ; ) 

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15th Meeting of the CBC

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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14th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Fairday's Blog! 

When: Friday, May 16th

Feature Guest: Little Orchid from Little Orchid's Sea Monster Trouble by Gueh Yanting, Claudine

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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13th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Bookworm Blather

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?

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12th Meeting of the CBC

Where: This Kid Reviews Books

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! 

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11th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Fairday's Blog!

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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10th Meeting of the CBC

Where: The Deliverers!

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! 

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9th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Margo Dill's blog!

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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8th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Kai Strand's blog!

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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7th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Beverly Stowe McClure's blog!

When: Friday, September 20th

Feature Guest: Millie from Millicent Marie is Not My Name by Karen Pokras Toz

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! 

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6th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Millie's Blog!

When: Friday, August 16th

Feature Guest: Erik Burkes A Pirate, A Blockade Runner, and A Cat by Beverly Stowe McClure

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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5th Meeting of the CBC

Where: Fairday's Blog!

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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4th Meeting of the CBC

Where: The Write Game 

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 ; ) 

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3rd Meeting of the CBC

Where: The Deliverers

When: Friday, May 17th

Feature Guest: Millie from Millicent Marie is Not My Name by Karen Pokras Toz

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! 

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2nd Meeting of the CBC

Where: Millie's Blog!

When: Friday, April 19th

Feature Guest: The DMS from the The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J.Haight & S. Robinson

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! 

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1st Meeting of the CBC

Where: Fairday's Blog!

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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