The really neat thing about blogging is that you get to connect with great people on a daily basis. Stephanie has this awesome blog where she brings up interesting and informative topics, then adds her brand of humor. But guess what? Not only does she have a blog, she's a bestselling author who writes these fantastic stories for kids in the middle school age range. She just released the brand new cover for her new book to be released in 2016, so we get to check out the blurb AND find out a little bit more about Stephanie. Yay!
Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.
Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses, as well as the upcoming Piper Morgan series. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive.
You
always knew you wanted to write, but what were you reading back in the day?
When
I was a teen, I read everything Stephen King published. I also loved the teen romance
novels that were popular in the mid-80s: First Love from Silhouette, the
Cheerleaders series, and Sweet Dreams, among others. There were so many fun
books for girls back then.
Stephen King is an awesome writer for sure, and I remember those teen romance stories, too! Both
30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses are stories about middle school. What made
you write children's books and will you ever write novels geared toward adults?
I
got my start in romance, but I always wrote fun, lighthearted stories. It’s
interesting because when I started writing young adult, I wrote them the way I
knew young adult growing up, which was also fun and lighthearted. I was
immediately told my voice was better suited to middle grade. With Piper Morgan, I was inspired by reading
Junie B. Jones books. I was amazed that I was actually laughing out loud at a
book that was written for elementary school kids.
What
does hubby think of your writing, and does he offer any feedback?
My
husband is great at coming up with ideas and titles, so I love bouncing ideas
off of him. Titles have always been especially difficult for me. Sometimes they
come naturally, along with the idea, but often a title just doesn’t feel right.
That's awesome to have that support! Did
you have anything to do with the covers of your novels?
They’ll
usually ask me to describe my characters’ physical traits and provide any other
details that need to be included on the cover.
Who
is your writing inspiration?
My
mom has always been my inspiration. I was lucky enough to inherit her good
writing genes!
Kudos to mom! What
guilty pleasure is in your fridge right now?
I
found this yogurt that has Dove chocolate bits in it. Only 200 calories! I also
love sugar free miniature Reese’s Cups. I can only find them at Target, so I’ll
stock up every month or two!
One word - Yum! What
would people be surprised to know about you?
That
I worked in computer tech support for 13 years. You usually don’t see someone
make the tradition from help desk worker to children’s book writer!
I'll bet those computer skills come in super handy! What's
your pet peeve?
Rude
people. There are so many instances where this applies, I couldn’t even begin
to list them all, so it just applies everywhere: on the road, in the grocery
store, and online, for sure!
Ditto on the rudeness thing. Just not necessary at all. Speaking
of pets, do you have any?
I
have a seven-year-old King Charles Spaniel mix named Shelby. She’s sleeping on
the chair next to me as I type this!
Way cool and hello King Charles! Do
you have a favorite genre to read?
I
love reading books for young girls, so I’m glad it’s my job. When chick lit was
popular, I loved reading adult books, but so few books now are lighthearted and
funny. By contrast, I also love reading murder mysteries.
I've been reading mysteries and suspense lately myself before going back to my all time fave genre of romance. Do
people consider you an expert on kid topics when you go out and about? (lol)
Not
at all. When most people hear I write children’s books, the first thing they
generally do is determine whether or not their own children might be interested
in reading them.
That makes sense. Tell
us about your latest novel due to release in 2016. Will you do anything special on release day?
I
usually take a trip to the bookstore and snap a photo of it! I probably should
make a whole ceremony out of it. Usually on release day, I’m smack dab in the
middle of a blog tour, too, so it can be a crazy day.
LOL! I can just imagine how hectic it can be, and we definitely appreciate the visit! Hugs....
BOOK EXCERPT
When Piper Morgan has to move to
a new town, she is sad to leave behind her friends, but excited for a new
adventure. She is determined to have fun, be brave and find new friends.
And after learning her mom’s new
job will be with the Big Top Circus, Piper can’t wait to learn all about life
under the big top, see all the cool animals, and meet the Little Explorers, the
other kids who travel with the show. She’s even more excited to learn that she
gets to be a part of the Little Explorers and help them end each show with a
routine to get the audience on their feet and dancing along!
But during Piper’s grand debut, her high kicks and pointed toes
don't go quite as planned. After causing a dance disaster, she has to prove to
everyone--especially queen of the Little Explorers, Lexie--that she belongs in
the spotlight.
If you want to find out more about Stephanie, or her other two novels, be sure to visit either or all of the links listed below. She enjoys interacting with other readers!
Link Up:
Here's a super simple recipe that will get you out that kitchen in minutes and your kids will love how it tastes.
Put pieces of bacon in between the pancakes - 4 is a good number
