PUYB Virtual Book Club Q&A: Interview with Elizabeth Woodrum, author of 'Maisy and the Missing Mice'

We welcome Elizabeth Woodrum to PUYB Virtual Book Club!  Elizabeth is here to talk about her new book and writing for the children’s market.  Ask her a question in the comment section and we’ll pick one of you to win free audiobook copy of her delightful children’s book, Maisy and the Missing Mice.  This contest will begin today and end on January 10 so get your comments in!  Only those leaving an email address (so we can contact you) are eligible to win.  Good luck and thanks for entering!

More about Elizabeth Woodrum:

Elizabeth Woodrum is a full time elementary teacher in Ohio. She began writing as early as when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children’s series, is the first series that she has published. The series currently has one book, Maisy and the Missing Mice. Elizabeth plans to add more books to the series, and would also like to publish books for adults in the future.

As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks.

Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.

You can view more about Elizabeth Woodrum at www.elizabethwoodrum.com.

 About Maisy and the Missing Mice:

Maisy Sawyer is not your average fourth grade student. She is a detective with a special skill for solving mysteries. She loves black and white mystery movies, cherry lollipops, and her dog, Reesie. When a thief known as The Black Boot steals the school’s mascots and her lollipops, Maisy sets out to solve the case. Can she help return the mice to their home in the science lab? Will she ever see her beloved lollipops again? Find out in the first book in The Maisy Files series.

Visit the book trailer at http://videodemo.co/JP2cf9mjLj/.

BUY THE BOOK AT AMAZON

 

Thanks for coming to the book club, Elizabeth!  Get comfy, grab yourself a cup of coffee and let’s get started.  My first book was a children’s book so I feel we have a lot in common.  Why did you decide to write for the children’s market?

Elizabeth:  I have been a teacher for over a decade.  The majority of that time has been spent teaching fourth grade language arts.  So, after spending my days working with words and children, I decided that realizing my dream of being an author would probably be most successful if I wrote for the children’s market.  I know the age group I’m writing for, so I feel that makes me able to write to their interests.

Where are you from and what do you do for a living there?  Do you have family?

Elizabeth:  I am originally from Indiana, but I currently live outside of Dayton, Ohio.  As I mentioned before, I am a teacher, but I work in a rural district in Preble County, Ohio.  My family is located in Indiana, but I do have my furry family with me in Ohio.  My dog Reese Cup, who was the inspiration for Maisy’s dog, and my cat, Butterscotch, keep me company at home. They are quite the twosome!

Back to your book, tell us all about Maisy!

Elizabeth:  Maisy is a fourth grade student with a special skill for solving mysteries.  She enjoys old, black and white mystery movies.  So, she pretends to be in a black and white world when solving a case. She even has an old fashioned hat that she wears when she’s on a case.  She also loves cherry lollipops.  She has a large collection of them that she has received as payment whenever she’s solved a case for someone.  Maisy almost always has at least one cherry lollipop with her!

Every book of fiction has a pivotal point for the reader that they can’t forget.  What do you think is one of the pivotal points in your book?

Elizabeth:  I’ve had many students in my school read the book.  Many of them have mentioned that they were interested in who the thief was more after he steals Maisy’s cherry lollipop collection.  Since Maisy is so attached to her lollipops, she becomes even more determined to solve the case at that point.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell your readers?

Elizabeth:  Maisy is an enjoyable and unique character.  I doubt you have come across someone exactly like her in your reading, even of the mystery genre. Reviews have mentioned that she was fun to read about and that readers are looking forward to more stories.  I do plan to have this be a larger series.  There are no set plans yet, but book two is in the process of being written.  I hope to have it out sometime in early 2014.