Dana Alison Levy's new novel for kids is This Would Make a Good Story Someday.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your new book, and for your main character, Sara?--Marshal Zeringue
A: There was no one “ah-hah!” moment with this book, but rather a quieter series of “what if” moments.
What if I write a story about Ladybug’s family (she’s a secondary character from The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher, for those who don’t know!). What if it’s told from her 12-year-old sister’s point-of-view? What if they are taking a family trip?
So Sara already existed, because I mention her (in I think only one line, almost at the end of Misadventures). But everything else just followed.
Q: Did you need to do much research on the cities Sara and her family visit in the course of the story?
A: I really did! I wish I had thought to take a cross-country train trip with my family and written it all off as a work expense, but...[read on]