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Monday, August 5, 2019

An Inside Look #97 ( Author INTERVIEW)


Inside Look with Natalie Lloyd
(Author of Over the Moon)

*During the summer of 2016, I added this feature to the blog which was called "Season #ONE".  This first season ran from June of 2016 to March of 2017.  

*I started up the interviews again in June of 2017.  It was great to get back to Season #TWO.  This season ran throughout the summer.  

*Season #THREE ran during the school year of 2017-2018.  

*The next season (season #FOUR) of interviews took place during the summer and fall of 2018.  With each interview I became more and more impressed with the authors I was having interactions with.  

*Season #FIVE ran during the 2018/2019 school year.  I took a little break during June of 2019.

*I'm thrilled to be back with season #SIX featuring all new books, authors, and conversations.  


*It has been such an honor to connect with authors and "chat" about their novel, characters, and thoughts about the story.

*This is the SIXTH interview of what I'm calling Season #SIX.

*Thank you to Natalie Lloyd for being the Ninety-Seventh author that I've had the pleasure of interviewing.  I truly appreciate it.  


*Here are links to the first Ninety-Six interviews…


SEASON #ONE (2016-2017)

























SEASON #FOUR (Summer 2018)






















SEASON #FIVE (2018/2019)










Interview #81 with Tony Abbott (Author of The Great Jeff)

Interview #82 with Susan Ross (Author of Searching for Lottie)

Interview #83 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Caterpillar Summer)

Interview #84 with Rebecca Ansari (Author of The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly)

Interview #85 with Ali Standish (Author of August Isle)

Interview #86 with Shaun David Hutchinson (Author of The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried)

Interview #87 with Greg Howard (Author of The Whispers)

Interview #88 with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Author of Shouting at the Rain)

Interview #89 with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Author of One for the Murphys)

Interview #90 with Laurie Morrison (Author of Up for Air)

Interview #91 with Jody J. Little (Author of Mostly the Honest Truth)



SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)

Interview #92 with John David Anderson (Author of Finding Orion)

Interview #93 with Lisa Thompson (Author of The Light Jar)

Interview #94 with Keith Calabrese (Author of A Drop of Hope)

Interview #95 with Alicia D. Williams (Author of Genesis Begins Again)

Interview #96 with Kim Ventrella (Author of Bone Hollow)



*Natalie Lloyd was kind, gracious, and giving with her answers to the questions.  It is an honor to post her responses here on the blog. 

*Thank you Natalie for writing this incredible and thought-provoking book.

*Here is my book review...

Over the Moon Book Review



Over the Moon

by Natalie Lloyd (March 26, 2019)


How did you come to know Mallie?  
I’d been collecting threads of ideas that would eventually weave together to become OVER THE MOON for a long time. A reader at a school visit had asked me to write about horses (that sounded fun). I wanted to write about flying horses (so I could pretend I was on them). I wanted to write a world that was firmly fantasy, but had a distinct Appalachian feel to it. All of that was whirling in the blender of my mind and then finally, finally, I saw Mallie. That’s when a story excites me — when I can finally see the main character. The first scene I imagined is the one where she’s in the dark woods alone … and a monster is stalking her. Her heart is locked in this place between wonder and total fear, and I loved that clash of emotions. The scene starts with terror and ends with hope, and all the while Mallie is learning how to be brave even when she doesn’t *feel* brave. That’s when I connected with her. I can relate to that, and I know young readers can, too. That’s when I knew I had to write her story.


What do you think is Mallie's most admirable quality?
For me, it’s her love for her family — her little brother, in particular. My brother is five years younger than me, and we grew up very close. He’s still one of my very best friends. (He lives in Denver now, hence the name of Mallie’s little brother.) There are so many qualities I love about Mallie, but the lengths she will go to in order to protect her family — that’s one of my favorite thing about her. I see that same loyalty and love in young readers.


Is there anything you wish Mallie would have changed or done differently in her story?
Not at this point. While I’m writing a story, there’s always a point when I feel like I’m wrestling with the character a little —when I want them to go down a certain path and they just won’t. Or it just doesn’t make sense. In the end, I like that the story never works out exactly the way I think it will. I like that it always changes from what I think will happen. That’s what makes it fun to write. Also, Mallie is a girl with grit. She’s very passionate and brave. But she’s learning to use those qualities and develop them - she’s learning to speak up and ask questions. Sometimes I want to give a character the best of every quality right at the start, but what makes a story fun is seeing Mallie continue to grow in those areas.


What do you think Mallie can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what she went through? 
There are a couple of ways Mallie can encourage readers, I believe. The first is by reminding them that there is always something good past “the Dust.” The Dust covering Mallie’s world leaves people sad: it changed their way of life, it took the light away. For me, the way the Dust made the people in Coal Top feel mirrors how anxiety makes me feel.I think young (and young at heart) readers who have struggled with anxiety as well will get that. And I hope they remember there are still good days ahead. If we lean into people we love and keep pushing past whatever “dust” we face, I think there’s light to be found. I also think Mallie speaks to bravery. There are monsters in our world, too — fears we all have to learn to face and fight. And I hope Mallie encourages young readers to never, ever stop asking questions, especially of people in leadership positions.


How did you research Mallie and the circumstances she found herself in?
While Mallie’s world is definitely fantasy, I think her home resembles the sadness felt in some mining communities over the years. I grew up in Appalachia and still live here, and I’m enamored by the magic and wonder in this culture. But there is sorrow, too. There’s a sad (but beautiful) ballad written by songwriter Darrel Scott called ‘You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive,” reflecting the sorrow in one particular community. That song was floating through my mind a lot when I was writing. I also studied horses, watched them play, read about them, and talked to people who love horses - which was so fun. They’re amazing animals. Mallie’s horse flies, so I could make up some rules, but I wanted her experience to still ring true. (FYI: I’ve still never ridden a horse!)
Do you and Mallie share any similarities?  
We do! Besides the fact that we love our families (and animals) dearly, we’re also learning to navigate the world with a body that’s differently abled. 

Mallie’s left arm ends at the elbow, which doesn’t prevent her from doing anything (including racing flying horses). But it’s a noticeable difference from most people. So people sometimes stare at her arm, or they doubt her abilities. Mallie has adapted to her world totally, but she’s used to people doubting her just because her body looks different. 

I was born with a brittle bone disease that kept me in a wheelchair (or using a walker) through elementary and middle school. (In fact, I’m recovering from a broken leg right now, and hopping around on a walker.) When I was younger, I remember people staring, or people asking questions. I remember my parents making it clear to me pretty early on that there were some things I couldn’t do. (I couldn’t play contact sports, for example. Which was always fine with me since I’m not into sports anyway.) But they also told me to focus instead on the many, MANY things that I could do, to lean into that, and enjoy it. I think that gave me a real sense of autonomy even early on, learning my own limits and knowing my body and what I was capable of doing. It helped me realize how strong my body was in its own way. I think Mallie is learning about her body, too. She’s realizing how strong she is in all kinds of ways.
What was the hardest scene to write about Mallie?
It’s hard for me to write about a character being bullied. I remember what that feels like. I think we experience it as adults, too. Anybody who takes part in any social media has probably (or will) come in contact with some invisible internet troll. And I know I have to *feel* a scene to write it, which can be hard. I have to remind myself that every time Mallie felt defeated by jerks in her world, that it would only make her stronger in the end.


Who do you think was Mallie's biggest supporter and why?
So this is where Mallie and I differ. At her age, my biggest supporters in every endeavor were my parents. But Mallie’s parents, even though they love her unconditionally, are more concerned with protecting her. And it’s understandable when you consider this world they live in. They don’t want her taking any risk. I think she finds support in her best friend, Adam, and also in an eccentric, elderly lady — Granny Mab — who is a mentor for her in lots of ways. (And who happens to be one of my favorite characters in the story.)


Why do you think some young people, like Mallie, sometimes have more strength and courage to accomplish their goals than some adults?
That’s a great question. I think young people are incredibly resilient, with hearts that naturally bend toward hope. I think cynicism can sprout up like weeds as we get older. But young readers don’t seem as cynical to me. They just seem wide open to the good in the world. What I love about writing for a middle grade audience - and writing about people that age - is that their hearts and imaginations are still wide open. And maybe when you see the world the way young readers do - with an open heart, imagination, and a desire to make everybody feel like they belong - nothing feels impossible. I’m excited for the world they’re making.


What do you think Mallie is doing as this present time?  
This might be a little spoilery for anyone who hasn’t finished the book: I think Mallie is with Leo, her horse. I think she’s exploring places in her world she didn’t even know existed. And I think she’s always on the hunt for a villain who got away … making sure he doesn’t come to power anywhere else. Or maybe she’s flying through the stars right now, and the light is flowing through her fingers in ribbons of light. 
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