Possum Summer Blog Tour: Interview with Jen K. Blom

Today, we’re lucky to have Jen K Blom here. Her debut novel comes out from Holiday House. Look for it in bookstores or online and be sure to thank her for stopping by!

Welcome to the POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour for the middle-grade book, POSSUM SUMMER, coming out in March! (Have you preordered yet?)

I’m here with the lovely and talented Chan to discuss my debut middle grade book, POSSUM SUMMER! And the protag *who is stubborn* has insisted upon adding her own little piece to the puzzle.

First off, a little about the book:

a lonely kid.

an orphaned baby possum.

a dad that says no way.

how do you keep that kind of secret?

and what happens when you’re found out?

Here we go!

CC: Which call thrilled you more? The call that landed you your agent or the call about publication?

JKB: Well, although I got a *big* thrill from my agent and talking to her, it was the pub call that got me all shaky.

I’m going to make a horrible confession to you, Chan: When I get super nervous and super excited and super happy I have this high-pitched monotonous giggle that just keeps going and going … and I can’t turn it off. So I giggled like an absolute freak through my call with Marlene and ended up having to email her after and apologize!

I’ve only done that about four times in my life. I did one last week! *is mysterious*

CC: This is Fumbling with Fiction, so I have to ask, in your writing career have you ever had a big “Oops” moment?

JKB: Oh man did I ever. I have many ideas, and I write very fast. It was hard for me to realize that only a particular type of book was gonna be accepted from my publisher for the first few. I thought I could switch from Fantasy to kids contemp to classics … um, NO.

But I learned it. And learned it good.

CC: Everyone has a different relationship with his or her agent. How would you characterize yours and has it changed since your book deal?

JKB: I think that Marlene and I have a fabulous relationship. We both came into it with very clear ideas as to how it would play out and it has worked perfectly! If anything, we’ve gotten along better since the deal – she is one of the only people that can tell me to ‘shuddap and go to bed’ and stop worrying about something writing related that I’ll actually listen to.

The woman has the knowledge of a dozen swamis!

Princess: What? A swami? Is that some kinda facebook feller?

JKB: Chan, P. P, Cha–

P: Wow! Chan? What kind of GREAT name is that! Do you know, my mama and dad called me Princess? Princess? Can you imagine a worse name? What do you like to eat, by the way?

CC: Yellow Chicken Curry!

P: Wha-at? What’s that? It sounds g-r-o-s-s with a capital SSS!!!!

JKB: P — *warning look*

P: Fine. *huff* What do you like to do?

CC: Skateboarding and boot camp!

P: *speechless* …

…

…

What the heck is skateboarding? And boot camp? My dad had to go to that! Isn’t that where people that stand up really straight YELL at you? *perplexed* What’s really interesting about you?

CC: Ummm…Let’s see…I hate all forms of cake. That includes pancakes, cupcakes, muffins, and brownies. I’m nothing if not consistent.

P: Wow. No cake either, huh? But you like biscuits, right? You can’t live in Texas and not like biscuits! They’d kick you out! Guess what guess what guess what I DRAWED YOU!:

P: You are a 13-lined ground squirrel! Have you ever heard of such a thing? 13 lines is not bad luck, it’s LUCKY! You are so little and cute and I bet you are quick and happy just like ‘em! Why, —

**scuffle**

JKB: Chan, my apologies! But thank you once more!!

Jen K. Blom writes about animals, the land, and kids, not necessarily in that order. Her debut, POSSUM SUMMER, is available March 2011.

Just the thing to give to a kid to start their summer of reading off right! (Available from your local indie,Amazon,Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Book Depository!)

Seen the book trailer yet?

Want more POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour tidbits? Gohere and knock yourself out!

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