Title:
Penelope Gilbert and the Children of Azure
Author:
Emily A. Steward
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Cover Blurb:
When 13 year-old Penelope Gilbert
accidentally transforms into a stapler during math class, she’s sure she’s
going crazy. But she’s not imagining the men in black suits now patrolling the
halls at school, nor is she imagining the new substitute teacher who orders the
class to take a special new test. A test that requires blood. Hunted for her
powers, and torn from the life she knows, Penny is swept up into a world in the
clouds where magic meets machine and pirates rule the sky.
Excerpt:
A six-foot-tall arachnid hovered over
them. One of the creature’s razor-sharp metal legs was raised to attack. The
scream seemed to confuse it. It wasn’t much of a window, but it was long
enough. She rolled to the side just as the beast’s leg smashed into the ground,
leaving a deep hole behind. Crane turned to see what was happening. He let out
a cry and fell back into Haldor.
“Guard
your necks!” Penny shouted. A web shot out from another spider just behind the
first, catching Crane around the ankle. It pulled him in faster than he could
react. Another web shot toward Penny. She managed to deflect it with her sword.
She could hear Chip hooting wildly from somewhere above, as if cheering them
on.
“Haldor,
these guys are metal, can’t you do something?” she cried.
“I’m
trying, but I have to get closer.”
“Help!”
Crane yelled from where he hung upside down from the spider’s back. Haldor
jumped to his feet and ran at them, swinging his spear around. He let out a
gasp as a spindly leg knocked him to the ground. Another rose up to make the
kill. Penny leapt forward and chopped the leg in two with her sword before it
could connect.
The
metal shrapnel scattered onto the ground. Haldor took that moment to drive his
spear into the soft underbelly of the animal. It let out a horrible shriek but
only seemed to be angered more. It came at him again, foam dripping from his
fangs, his glass eyes gleaming red like a hundred tiny traffic lights. Haldor
fell back, losing his grip on the spear. The spider lunged just as Penny attacked
it from behind, stabbing her blade deep within his thorax. She then swung
around, looking for the spider who held Crane. She could see it skittering
toward the forest.
“Come
on!” she yelled to Haldor who was wriggling out from under the spider corpse. She
ran to the spot where she saw the creature enter as Haldor hurried to catch up.
She scrambled through the brush until she came to a stream. There she saw the
spider. He was across the water under a large tree. Above him were several
objects swinging in the breeze. It took her a moment to realize that they were
rotting bodies strung up by their necks. Their unseeing eyes stared eerily into
the darkness. Upon closer inspection, she saw that there were at least thirty
of them. She wretched silently as she tried to think of a way for Crane to not
become one of them. The spider was already trying to wrap a strand of webbing
around his neck. A thought occurred to her. An outrageous, outlandish thought.
I can do this, she assured herself. She tried to picture every last detail of
her slain foe—every creepy crawling, hairy, shiny detail. Penny could feel the
energy pulsing through her. Her hands were no longer her own. Her teeth had
become fangs, and her eyes were the eyes of a killer.
Author Bio:
Emily Steward spent the better part of her childhood dressed as a ninja and trying to convince others to call her ‘Ace.’ When she wasn’t saving the world from evil samurai, she could usually be found in the branches of a tree reading a good book. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three daughters, and dog Bentley. Though she seldom dresses as a ninja now, her adventurous spirit remains as does her love of tree climbing and reading good books.
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Author Interview:
What is the best thing for you about being
a writer?
I love the ability to share the stories and ideas I have running
through my head. It’s so cool to see a project come together, and a story form
out of nothing. You also can’t beat the flexible hours!
What is the hardest thing for you about
being a writer?
The hardest thing is finding the time to sit down and actually
write and there are so many distractions when I finally do.
What genre/s do you write and what genre is
your latest release?
I write primarily middle grade books. I’ve written a
mystery/horror novel that I hope will be published in the near future and I’m
also working on a realistic fiction book along the lines of a more contemporary
Harriet the Spy. My latest release is my debut novel and it’s a middle grade fantasy called Penelope Gilbert and the Children of Azure.
What essential things have you learned
about writing in the last year?
That persistence does actually pay off! I’ve
also learned the value of good writing buddies and critique groups. These have
been so helpful. Some critiques may sting, but there is usually something you
can learn from them… even if it’s how not to critique others.
Who is your favourite heroine from your
books and why?
I would have to say Penny from my new release. She has a great
imagination, a feisty spirit, and she has the awesome ability to morph into
anything!
What type of hero do you like? Super alpha,
wounded or somewhere in between? Or even something totally different? You could
give an example from a movie or well-known book.
I’m not too familiar with
these hero types. I do like a good antihero though as long as they aren’t too
dark. A hero with some flaws is much more interesting and relatable like
Captain Jack Sparrow. You never know quite what he’s going to do.
Tell us about your journey in writing this
book.
Well, I first started writing it about ten years ago. I just decided to
quit waiting for inspiration to strike, and start writing. The story looks a
lot different now than that early draft, but it was effective because it got me
out of my head and actually writing. I took some long breaks and took a few
writing courses before I got back to it.
Tell us three quirky or interesting things
about yourself.
1. Sometimes I wish I had the power to turn back time so that I
could do something outrageous and funny and then take it back afterward.
2. When
I was 8 or 9 I started a no girls allowed club. I said that I was a tomboy, so
I let myself in.
3. When eating M&M's I have to eat an even amount at a
time. Preferably the same color.
What rituals do you use to help you focus
or get the words down on the page e.g. music or a snack?
I almost always have
to leave the house and go to the library or a coffee shop. I just can’t
concentrate when I can see things around me that need done. I actually love to
eat sunflower seeds while writing, but sunflower seeds are not exactly an easy
thing to eat in public without looking like a cow chewing my cud. Since I
prefer to write in public, my methods kind of clash.
Mention something unique about your books
and your writing style.
My books are a little eclectic. I feel like each one
could have many sub genres. This is partially due to the fact that I don’t work
well with an outline. So I may veer off a bit, but it all seems to work
together in the end.
What book would you like to work on next?
I
plan on diving into book two in my Penelope Gilbert series very soon. I already
have a few chapters and a (very) loose outline.
Thank you for a fascinating interview. I love your "no girls" club idea! So funny!
