Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen (The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes #1) by Louise Lintvelt
Harriet Hughes is not your typical 12 year old girl. She does not like pink and she is not what you would call breathtakingly beautiful. Harriet considers herself decidedly average; her sister Abigail on the other hand is very pretty and good at everything. Join Harriet as she makes her way through middle school. In diary of a dancing drama queen Harriet has to face the embarrassment of a dance class after her mother enrols her and her sister at Madam Zangara’s School of Dance. She is not exactly the best dancer in the world and when the most popular girl in school, Melanie joins the dance class, it marks the start of a fun filled adventure that includes a birthday party, a talent show and a school dance. Will she get asked to the dance by her biggest crush, Oliver Russel? Harriet writes about family, friends, school and boys in a fresh, young voice and the sketches in her diary (secret ramblings) add a touch of whimsy. This funny book is sure to be a hit with 8-12 year old girls.
Find the book:
Diary of a Pop Sensation (The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes #2) by Louise Lintvelt
Harriet is whisked off to New York with her best friends to take part in a talent competition. Harriet has to focus on winning the talent competition while trying to deal with the aftermath of the school dance where she was humiliated by her crush Oliver Russel. Join the Daisies as they experience New York for the first time, navigate the twists and turns of the Tween Talent competition and take on the Trendy Triplets. This second book in the Harriet Hughes series is funny, imaginative and entertaining; the perfect read for tween girls.
1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I decided to write my middle grade series because I wanted to feel young again. I wanted to write in a fresh young voice that would make readers laugh while helping them understand that you should always seethe funny side of things.
The first book in the Harriet Hughes series was sparked by an aerobics class at the gym. During this class I felt a bit like Harriet, I was taking a step to the left while every other person in the room was already two steps ahead swinging their arms to the right. I went home thinking about how ridiculous I had looked and started to imagine what it would be like for a clumsy young girl to have to endure a dance class.
2. Who is your favorite character in the book?
I love Harriet’s Mom – Mrs Hughes. I have always wanted to have my very own aphid eating insect – a red 1973 Volkswagen beetle with a black spotty paint job.
3. Which came first, the title or the novel?
The Title.
4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I love the scene where Mrs. Hughes Manages to land her Volkswagen beetle on the roof a house.
I can’t help but laugh at the thought of her spotty Volkswagen beetle being lifted out from the roof
of a house as the neighbors watch from the side-lines.
5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
Make sure that your book is ready before jumping into the publishing process, self-published books need to be professionally edited and of very high quality if you wish to compete with the mainstream books on the market. The book market has been flooded with masses of books in recent years and you really need to deliver a good quality product if you hope to achieve commercial success.
6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?
I really like the colours, the textured green background on the cover of Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen is really striking. I may be a bit biased though because I love anything in green.
7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2014?
I will be publishing a picture book, called How Andrew got His Spots early next year. I am very excited about this book!
The story is a rhyming adaptation of a story I wrote in the third grade, about how giraffes came to have spots.
I have just received the first illustration for the book and it literally took my breath away.
8. What was your favorite book in 2013?
I really enjoyed reading the Hunger Games.
9. What’s up next for you?
I am busy working on some illustrated picture books, which will be released next year. They have been lots of fun to write and are currently in the process of being illustrated.
The biggest problem I have is that I come up with picture book ideas and write them faster than they can be illustrated so I end up having to wait a long time before seeing
the end product.
10. Is there anything that you would like to add?
I would just like to remind all aspiring writers to follow your dreams and write because you enjoy it.
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She didn’t know what she was missing…until he found her.
