After I read Moonstone by Marilee Brothers, I knew I had to get an interview with the books wonderfully spunky main character Allie. Check it out:
1. What can you tell us about the moonstone?
Allie: Wow! It’s hard to know where to begin. The whole moonstone drama was totally unexpected. One minute, I was just your average teenage girl trying to survive her freshman year. Then, within twenty-four hours – whammo - I fell off a ladder onto an electric fence, acquired a guardian angel and the town witch gave me the moonstone and insisted I’m a Star Seeker meant to save the world from evil. What’s even weirder is that the moonstone has all sorts of magical functions. But, since it doesn’t come with an owner’s manual, it’s up to me to figure it out what they are. Bottom line: be careful what you wish for. Magic powers come with a lot of baggage!
2. What’s it like growing up in a small town like Peacock Flats, Washington?
Allie: Since I live in the middle of an orchard, it’s pretty fruit intensive (make that boring). Most all of the grown-ups are obsessed with apples…the spraying of apples…the thinning of apples…the picking of apples and most importantly…the price of apples. A person can’t even enjoy the weather if it’s not good for the apples. Of course, living in a small town, everybody knows your business which can be a real pain in the butt. When I started hanging out with Junior Martinez, the whole town felt compelled to give me advice. Yeah, we were a real hot item, sorta like the Peacock Flats version of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
3. You’re a pretty strong, spunky girl. Why do you think you’re so good at standing up to school bullies like Cory Philpott?
Allie: I guess you could say I learned to stick up for myself at an early age since I got teased a lot. My mom and I live in a twenty-four foot travel trailer parked next to a cow pasture and my clothes aren’t exactly a fashion statement. Until recently, I didn’t even know my dad’s name. I can’t figure out why, but I seem to attract friends who can’t defend themselves which means I have to step up and do the job. But, after doing battle with a couple of scary guys who were after the moonstone, Cory Philpott is a piece of cake!
4. I know your Mom, Faye, really likes to watch talk shows (especially Oprah). If you had to be a guest on a talk show, which one would you pick and why?
Allie: I always figured Faye and I would be a natural for Dr. Phil, maybe a show with a title like “Dysfunctional Mothers and Daughters: When the Child Becomes the Parent.” But, since I don’t think a camera crew could squeeze inside our little trailer to capture our unguarded moments, it’s probably not gonna happen.
5. Your best friend Mercedes seems to think every boy has a crush on you. What boy would you say has a crush on Mercedes?
Allie: Excellent question and one I’ve thought a lot about. Here’s my working theory: Personally, I think Cory Philpott torments Mercedes because he’s got the hots for her. Besides being personally obnoxious, Cory has never outgrown the stage boys go through when they think it’s cute to be mean to girls they like. Of course, Mercedes is such a romantic, she’s holding out for someone who looks like a daytime drama star. Like that’s going to happen in Peacock Flats!
6. You’ve had a lot happen to you recently. Is life finally taking a break or is there more craziness in store?
Allie: Actually, life was calm during the summer months, but I was pretty down because of what happened at the warehouse and I really really can’t stand Faye’s new boyfriend, Brain Dead Roy. He’s an underwater welder and, in my opinion, he’s lost more than a few brain cells due to oxygen deprivation. My relationship with Junior has changed drastically. One of old man Bradford’s daughters moved back to Peacock Flats with her seventeen-year-old twins, Nicole and Beck who have some unique powers of their own. (By the way, Beck’s a hunk!) The moonstone continues to alternately fascinate and puzzle me. My new adventure is called Moon Rise and will be out in June, 2009.
7. If you had to switch places with any book character, who would you switch with?
Allie: Definitely not Bella in Twilight. Hey, the whole relationship thing is hard enough without hooking up with the undead. The character I’d like to switch with is Mia in The Princess Diaries. I could handle being Princess Allie of Genovia for a few days and let somebody else empty the garbage and do the dishes. Does that make me sound shallow? Probably.
8. If you could have any power, what would it be?
Allie: Because of what’s happened to me recently, I’m naturally cautious about wishing for additional powers. That being said, I think it would be a blast if I could make myself invisible on command. Just imagine the fun you could have! Who knows? Once I figure out all the moonstone’s settings, maybe I’ll get to try it out.
1. What can you tell us about the moonstone?
Allie: Wow! It’s hard to know where to begin. The whole moonstone drama was totally unexpected. One minute, I was just your average teenage girl trying to survive her freshman year. Then, within twenty-four hours – whammo - I fell off a ladder onto an electric fence, acquired a guardian angel and the town witch gave me the moonstone and insisted I’m a Star Seeker meant to save the world from evil. What’s even weirder is that the moonstone has all sorts of magical functions. But, since it doesn’t come with an owner’s manual, it’s up to me to figure it out what they are. Bottom line: be careful what you wish for. Magic powers come with a lot of baggage!
2. What’s it like growing up in a small town like Peacock Flats, Washington?
Allie: Since I live in the middle of an orchard, it’s pretty fruit intensive (make that boring). Most all of the grown-ups are obsessed with apples…the spraying of apples…the thinning of apples…the picking of apples and most importantly…the price of apples. A person can’t even enjoy the weather if it’s not good for the apples. Of course, living in a small town, everybody knows your business which can be a real pain in the butt. When I started hanging out with Junior Martinez, the whole town felt compelled to give me advice. Yeah, we were a real hot item, sorta like the Peacock Flats version of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
3. You’re a pretty strong, spunky girl. Why do you think you’re so good at standing up to school bullies like Cory Philpott?
Allie: I guess you could say I learned to stick up for myself at an early age since I got teased a lot. My mom and I live in a twenty-four foot travel trailer parked next to a cow pasture and my clothes aren’t exactly a fashion statement. Until recently, I didn’t even know my dad’s name. I can’t figure out why, but I seem to attract friends who can’t defend themselves which means I have to step up and do the job. But, after doing battle with a couple of scary guys who were after the moonstone, Cory Philpott is a piece of cake!
4. I know your Mom, Faye, really likes to watch talk shows (especially Oprah). If you had to be a guest on a talk show, which one would you pick and why?
Allie: I always figured Faye and I would be a natural for Dr. Phil, maybe a show with a title like “Dysfunctional Mothers and Daughters: When the Child Becomes the Parent.” But, since I don’t think a camera crew could squeeze inside our little trailer to capture our unguarded moments, it’s probably not gonna happen.
5. Your best friend Mercedes seems to think every boy has a crush on you. What boy would you say has a crush on Mercedes?
Allie: Excellent question and one I’ve thought a lot about. Here’s my working theory: Personally, I think Cory Philpott torments Mercedes because he’s got the hots for her. Besides being personally obnoxious, Cory has never outgrown the stage boys go through when they think it’s cute to be mean to girls they like. Of course, Mercedes is such a romantic, she’s holding out for someone who looks like a daytime drama star. Like that’s going to happen in Peacock Flats!
6. You’ve had a lot happen to you recently. Is life finally taking a break or is there more craziness in store?
Allie: Actually, life was calm during the summer months, but I was pretty down because of what happened at the warehouse and I really really can’t stand Faye’s new boyfriend, Brain Dead Roy. He’s an underwater welder and, in my opinion, he’s lost more than a few brain cells due to oxygen deprivation. My relationship with Junior has changed drastically. One of old man Bradford’s daughters moved back to Peacock Flats with her seventeen-year-old twins, Nicole and Beck who have some unique powers of their own. (By the way, Beck’s a hunk!) The moonstone continues to alternately fascinate and puzzle me. My new adventure is called Moon Rise and will be out in June, 2009.
7. If you had to switch places with any book character, who would you switch with?
Allie: Definitely not Bella in Twilight. Hey, the whole relationship thing is hard enough without hooking up with the undead. The character I’d like to switch with is Mia in The Princess Diaries. I could handle being Princess Allie of Genovia for a few days and let somebody else empty the garbage and do the dishes. Does that make me sound shallow? Probably.
8. If you could have any power, what would it be?
Allie: Because of what’s happened to me recently, I’m naturally cautious about wishing for additional powers. That being said, I think it would be a blast if I could make myself invisible on command. Just imagine the fun you could have! Who knows? Once I figure out all the moonstone’s settings, maybe I’ll get to try it out.
Did you get the info from Marilee to know that the new book will be out in June???
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