Under Locker and Key: Meet Jeremy!

ONE DAY MORE!

Oh my goodness, people, my book comes out tomorrow! And the day after that, I have my release at the Provo Library!

It's finally happening. A book I wrote is hitting shelves. I'll be able to see it at Barnes and Noble.

This feels...unreal. Like I'll wake up and it will have been a dream. But it's not, and even when I look calm, inside my head, I'm constantly doing this:

Anyway, I'm sure you're here for this week's interview. This week, in honor of the release, I'm interviewing Jeremy Wilderson himself, 12-year-old retrieval specialist.

Jeremy: Hey, you got the title right!

Me: Well, you're a retrieval specialist, right? Not a thief?

Yep. Not a thief. I don't steal anything, no matter what you might have heard.

But you do break the rules, so I hear.

Only when the rules get in the way of helping people. Then those rules, much like graham crackers, were made to be broken.

All right. Ready for a few questions?

Fire away.

Tell me about your work. What do you do, exactly?

Well, if you're calling me a retrieval specialist and not a thief, you probably have a good idea of what I do already. But, this is for your readers, right? At the core of it, I retrieve lost or stolen items for my classmates. So, if a bully steals lunch money, if you get a cell phone confiscated by a teacher, or even if you accidentally leave your hat on the bus or throw away your retainer, I'm the guy for the job. I can get anything back.

Why ask you, though? Why wouldn't kids go to a teacher to help them?

Sometimes they do. But sometimes the teachers are the problem, like with confiscated stuff. Besides, teachers aren't exactly subtle, are they? If a kid wants their stuff back but wants it back discreetly, they ask me. I don't make a mess, I don't leave evidence, and I don't make waves.

So, why don't you ever get in trouble? It sounds to me like this kind of thing would get you enemies.

Like I said, I don't leave evidence.

Do you have enemies, then?

One, for sure.

May I ask who?

Do you really have to ask? That gumshoe Becca! I could regale you with stories of all the times I outwitted her, but it might be better if we move to the pizza question now.

Very well. How do you eat your pizza?

I'm fond of pepperoni, and if that's what I have, I like to peel some of the pepperoni off and eat that first, then eat the slice from narrow point to the crust. I've tried Case's fork-and-knife combo, and Hack's roll-up method, but I prefer the classic style.

 How is it working with Case and Hack?

We don't really work together, since we all have our own areas of expertise. I'm no help to Case with his art, or Hack with his computers, and they haven't exactly mastered the art of picking locks, which is pretty much standard practice for retrieving. But it's great to be able to talk about my jobs with someone, and Case and Hack understand. We also use our skills to help each other. Case gives Hack and me forged hall passes, and Hack knows all the cheats for video games. They're my first priority when they need something retrieved.

You sound like quite the trio of criminal activity.

In the best way. We never use our skills to hurt anyone. We help people, and we're good at what we do.

So I hear. What is your favorite Disney movie?

I take it you're not counting Pixar, am I right? No? Then, at this point, probably Zootopia. It was smart and funny, and I loved the characters. The ending was pretty great, too. I like movies where someone gets outsmarted. That said, I have a soft spot for Tangled. I like Flynn Rider as a character. I know, I know. Figures, right? But I'm not a thief.

 ....By any chance, did you read Becca's interview from last week?

I read Case's and Hack's, but I don't really care what Becca has to say, so no, I didn't. Why?

No reason. Except that you and Becca may have more in common than you think.

Right, Becca and I are similar. Sure. She thinks rules are the greatest thing since buttercream frosting, and I think rules get in the way as often as they help. She throws people up against the wall and yells at them, and I quietly do my work with grace and finesse. She's a detective, and I'm a retrieval specialist. I can see why you'd think we have things in common.

But you both help people.

I guess there is that. I thought we could have worked together, but she made very clear what she thought about THAT idea.

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not working?

Hanging out with Case and Hack. We play video games mostly, but we also do other things like ride bikes and mess around with our craft, like explore air ducts and try to invent a better invisible ink. Sorry, I guess that counts as working. But it's more fun when we're all working on something together.

What are you most afraid of?

Easy. Becca Mills. Next question.

I was going to ask you what you thought of Becca, but I suppose you just answered that.

You know those horror movies where the monster isn't particular fast or strong, but is just always there, one step behind the hero? That's Becca. It doesn't matter where I am, or what job I'm working, she's always there! Lurking, just around a corner, waiting for me to leave evidence.

Which you don't do.

Nope! No evidence, nothing Becca can do. What can I say? I am just that good.

Well, thank you, Jeremy. That wraps up my questions.

No problem. And hey, readers? If you ever lose something, feel free to hire me any time. Refer your friends. And, if you want to pay me for my services, I like chocolate cake.

 
All right, that's all the interviews! If you want to see more of my characters, you can get the book starting tomorrow!

Here are this week's debuts:

Middle Grade:
Allison K. Hymas (MEMEMEMEMEMEME!) - Under Locker and Key (4/18)
Mark Maciejewski - I Am Fartacus (4/18)

Young Adult:
A.E. Caplan - Grendel's Guide to Love and War (4/18)

Under Locker and Key: Meet Becca!

Guys...8 days!

For all of you in Utah, next week on the 19th, I will be having my launch at the Provo Library at 7 pm. It's open to the public, and will be a fun event, so you should all come!

All right, I'm sure some of you have been looking forward to this week's character interview, so I'll get right to it. This week, we have with us Becca Mills, 12-year-old private investigator.

Becca: Hello. Yeah, I guess that's kind of me. Without those heels. I don't like heels.

Me: All right, so I'm going to ask you some questions.

I've seen the past posts with Wilderson's crook friends. I know how this works.

Some of your questions will be a little different.

They'd have to be. I don't work the same way those criminals do.

So tell me about your work. What do you do, exactly?

Like you said, I'm a private investigator. When kids have problems, like stolen goods, or if they're framed for cheating, they can hire me to solve the case and clear their name. My rate is reasonable.

I hear it's not just kids who hire you.

It's true. I'm a peer mentor during the school year, so the teachers give me a certain amount of responsibility, and I'm glad to say I've earned it all. They know if there are kids sharing gum in class or cheating on their cell phones, I'll find out and stop it. I ALWAYS stop it, and I do it WITHOUT breaking the rules!

May I ask how you got your start?

Sure! I've always wanted to fight crime. Dad's a lawyer, and Mom's a detective. I've grown up watching them make the world a better place by stopping criminals, and they seem so strong and happy. Especially Mom. So, when I entered middle school and saw what a lawless nightmare it was, I joined the peer mediators and started taking on individual cases. I did some freelance solving in elementary school. Not much, but enough so people knew I was the girl for the job.

It sounds like you're well on your way to being Scottsville's next big detective.

You really think so? That would be great!

So, tell me how you eat your pizza?

So, I am getting some of the criminals' questions. Hmm. Normally, I guess. I pick up the slice and eat it, and then toss the crust. It's a waste of stomach space. I like veggie pizzas best.

Me too, typically. What's your favorite Disney movie?

That's easy. I like Tangled. But, honestly, Zootopia really spoke to me. Maybe that one will become my new favorite. But right now, Tangled is definitely my favorite.

I notice that both those movies involve charming thieves.

What are you saying?

Just making an observation.

Reclaimed thieves. Both of them. Eugene and Nick both stop stealing and work for the good side.

Have you come across any thieves you think may be reclaimed, then? Someone who might switch sides?

I thought I had. Turns out I was wrong.

May I ask who?

I don't want to talk about it. What's your next question?



Favorite thing to do when you're not working?

Working is my favorite thing to do. But when I'm between cases, I like hanging out with my friends. Elena throws great sleepovers, and Liesl is the best to just spend time with at the mall or at a movie or something, though I prefer to be with all my friends.

Sleepovers? The mall? You like girly things like that?

Why so surprised? It's not like they take time away from my work or from the track and field team.

Tell me more about track and field.

I throw shotput. There's not much more to say. Coach says, though, that I'm the smallest shotput athlete he's ever had, and that's something to be proud of, I think.

*Silence while I speculate on how someone so small can throw shotput and decide to drop it*

Anyway...I have two more questions for you.

Fire away.

What are you most afraid of?

I'm not afraid of anything.

Everyone's afraid of something.

Not me.

You sure?

*glares at me*

Yes.

...Okay, then. Last question. What do you think about Jeremy Wilderson?

I don't want to talk about that creep.

Well, he's going to be here next week, and I'm going to ask him about you--

And he'll tell you all kinds of lies because that's what he does! He's a thief and a liar and he gets away with all of it! It's not lawful and it's not fair and I won't stand for it. Sure, the guy's cute, I'll give him that much, but it shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. Crime is crime. If no one else is going to stop him, then I guess I'll have to do it.

That wraps it up. Thank you, Becca.

You're welcome. It was a pleasure. Can I go now?

You're free to go.

Don't talk to me like I'm a suspect. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a thief to take down.

All right, that was Becca! Come back next week when we have the big man himself here and I interview Jeremy Wilderson.     


Here are this week's debuts:

Middle Grade:
Lindsey Becker - The Star Thief (4/11)

Young Adult:
JC Davis - Cheesus was Here (4/11)
Corrie Wang - The Takedown (4/11)

Under Locker and Key: Meet Hack!

Hello!

I'm about 2 weeks out from my debut, and I'm starting to get nervous. I attended Rosalyn Eves's book launch for her Blood Rose Rebellion, and it all became real that I'm going to be doing the same thing in a few weeks.

But it's okay. I'm currently reading The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes. The Phantom of the Opera in the Caribbean. BE STILL MY HEART.

Anyway, on to the main event. This week, I'm interviewing another character from Under Locker and Key, Paul "Hack" Heigel, 12-year-old hacker.

Hack: Yep, that's me! Where did you think the nickname came from?

Me: We're happy to have you here, Hack.

Happy to be here. Mom actually shortened my grounding sentence so I could do this.

Yes, we heard you were grounded last week. Did that have anything to do with computers?

You could say that.

What happened?

Let's just say Mom and I had a disagreement over the internet. She thinks changing the password every day should keep me off when I'm supposed to be doing homework. I think that's why we have neighbors whose WiFi password is so easy to figure out. She caught me chatting with J online, and well, that's history. But it's okay. I'm free now.

Glad to hear it. So, how do you eat your pizza?

Ooh! Are we having pizza then? No? That's too bad. Okay, I guess I eat it like a normal person. I pick up the slice and eat it from the pointy end first. Sometimes I roll it up, though, and eat it like a burrito, especially if there are a lot of toppings. I love Meat Lover's pizza.

 So, Case is into football. Do you have a favorite sport?

Rock climbing. I go with my dad when I'm staying with him, when the weather is nice. We climb real rocks! Case may be protective of his hands, but I think climbing helps me build the stamina I need for my work.

 Your work? You mean typing?

Sure! Have you ever typed for hours?

It's kind of in the writer job description.

Then I don't have to explain it to you. Hand cramps from typing feel like nothing after climbing for few hours.

But there's more to hacking than just typing, right?

Right. Hacking is actually a sophisticated area of expertise. I don't just decipher code and attack firewalls until something gives. I'd tell you more, but if Mom saw this she'd would ground me again. And she'd get better at changing the passwords.

Well, we can't have that.

That would be bad. But it's so good! I mean...okay, all right. You can actually figure out passwords from what you know about a person, and even if that doesn't work, people tend to use the same passwords for everything. If you can get their social media password, you can get their email, most of the time. Consider that a freebie.

Thank you. I know the readers will appreciate the tip. I hope you don't get in trouble for this.

Eh. Mom might not see it. And if she does, Case and J gave me a whole stash of comic books, and J even lent me an old handheld game system his older brother doesn't play anymore. I won't be bored.

That's a good attitude.

Grounding is part of life.

For some of us, sure. So, what's your favorite Disney movie?

Wreck-It Ralph. Duh.

 What's your favorite thing to do when you're not grounded or working?

I like rock climbing, but I'd have to say video games with Case and J. I always kick their butts. They think it's because I know all the cheats, but what they don't know is I'm just that good.

And I know all the cheats. All of them, for every game I own. Why would developers make cheats if they didn't want them used?

 Fair point. So, tell us about your family.

Mom and Dad split up a few years back. I live with Mom, but I still see Dad a lot, though. He works testing security systems for companies, trying to hack in. I learn a lot from him. No siblings to speak of yet.

Any projects you're working on now?

A book report for Language Arts. Oh, that's not what you're talking about? Hacking comes as I need it; I haven't really planned any big projects. You'd want to talk to Case about that. He's the big planner. I am trying to create some mods for some of the games I play, just for fun. Does that count as a project?

Sure. And, one more: What do you think of Becca Mills?

Oh, thanks for making me think about her. Now I'll have nightmares tonight. J's the one you'll want to ask about Becca. He's the one who retrieves at school where she's watching and waiting. If anyone's an expert on avoiding the snitch, it's him.

I'll take that into consideration when I talk to him in a couple of weeks. Thank you, Hack!

You're welcome!

Next week, we'll talk to the infamous Becca Mills herself.

Here are the week's debuts:

Middle Grade:
Ruth Lauren - Prisoner of Ice and Snow (4/4)
N.R. Bergeson - The Magnificent Glass Globe (4/4)

Young Adult:
Jessica Fleck - The Castaways (4/3)
Beth Ellyn Summer - At First Blush (4/4)
Heather Maclean - Toward a Secret Sky (4/4)
Sonia Belasco - Speak of Me as I Am (4/4)
Kelly Garrett - The Last to Die (4/4)
Andrew DeYoung - The Exo Project (4/4)
Sara Biren - The Last Thing You Said (4/4)
Whitney Taylor - Definitions of Indefinable Things (4/4)

Under Locker and Key: Meet Case!

Guys. Guys. I'm 3 weeks out from my release.

I can't. I thought it felt real, but it suddenly doesn't anymore. How can this be actually happening to me? I have mere weeks until a book I wrote is out in stores.

Last week, I said I had a series of special posts as we approach the release. Well, for the next few weeks, I'll be doing interviews with a few of my characters so you can get to know them a little better. This week, we have Casey "Case" Kingston, 12-year-old football enthusiast, artist, and forger.

Case: Hey, cool it with "forger." I don't want my mom to find out.

Me: Okay. How about we just leave it at "artist"?

That works.

Great. So, I thought we'd be seeing Hack here too. Where is he?

Grounded. Where else?

What happened?

I'm sure he'll tell the story better than me. He'll be free again next week.

I look forward to it. First real question: how you do eat your pizza?

Easy. I don't care what's on the pizza itself, but I always use a knife and fork. Picking up the slice itself gets cheese and sauce and grease on my gloves, and it's annoying to clean them off.   

     
I see you wear fingerless gloves. Philadelphia Eagles, huh? Is that your favorite team?

Yep. One day, they'll get what they deserve and win a Super Bowl.

 If the gloves are annoying, why do you wear them?

I never said the gloves were annoying, just that getting pizza on them is. I need the gloves. An artist is only as good as his instruments, and my hands are my primary instruments. I need to keep them warm and safe for when I need them for...uh, work.

It sounds like precision work.

Thank you! I have been telling Hack and J that for years and they STILL don't get it! If I get one stroke wrong, the whole thing comes apart. One twitch, and I have ink lines where they shouldn't be, and heaven help me if I hesitate and leave those marks on a signature, because then everyone can tell it's not real. J has a lot of room for error when he's picking locks, and Hack is always a monkey with a keyboard, but me, if I make any mistakes, the whole ceiling will crash down around me. Sheesh! No wonder why I investigate which brand of pens the principal uses to sign documents before I forge copies--

Uh, I mean....

It's okay. I'm sure the readers appreciate the work you do.

Um, I hope so. Any other questions?

Yes. What is your favorite Disney movie?

That's a tough one. Classic films like Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are so intricate and opulent. They look wonderful and grand, but Atlantis: The Lost Empire has such a unique style, I have to give it credit. Not to mention the new computer generated films, like Tangled and how they use the new medium to mimic old art styles - oh, you weren't just talking about the art? Well, I guess I'll say The Emperor's New Groove, then.

What is your favorite thing to do when you're not at school or "working"?

Video games with Hack and J. I prefer Madden games; I love football. Hack always kicks my butt, but I can beat J half the time.

Why don't you play real football if you love it?

Um, hands! Can't let anything happen to them.

Right. I forgot. What is your family like?

Big. I have two younger sisters and a new little brother. It can get pretty loud. My parents try to rein it in, but I like to get out of the house as much as I can.

Do you have any big projects you're working on right now?

A couple. The Scottsville Youth Art Show and Competition is this summer, and I'm entering this year, so I'm working on a painting for that. I'm also spending a lot of time at the art museum, examining a Picasso they have there, so that I can - uh, not copy it home just to see if I can. That's all. Just to see if I can. Nothing bad, I swear.

You sound busy. I have one more question. How do you feel about Becca Mills?

She's a self-righteous little monster. If it wasn't for her, I could help the kids at Scottsville Middle like I do the kids at other schools. But as long as she's prowling the halls, I don't dare work here. Hack won't either, other than the occasional time he loses control of his impulses. But J keeps retrieving right under her nose. If he's not careful, one of these days he's going to slip up and Becca will be there.

Thank you, Case, for your time.

You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Picasso to study.

Well, that wraps this one up! Join us next week when we meet Hack.

Here are this week's debuts:

Middle Grade:
Alyson Gerber - Braced (3/28)
Susan Tan - Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire (3/28)
Karuna Riazi - The Gauntlet (3/28)
Rebecca Donnelly - How to Stage a Catastrophe (4/1)

Young Adult:
Rosalyn Eves - Blood Rose Rebellion (3/28)

Live-Action Beauty and the Beast: A Review

Happy First Day of Spring! I'm now 1 month away from my book release! Under Locker and Key comes out in four weeks from Tuesday. Next week, I'll start some special posts leading up to the release, but this week, you get to hear about my weekend.

Last Friday, I went and saw the new live-action Beauty and the Beast. I went with my siblings and made "the gray stuff" as a refreshment:

I used a recipe that said it was what they used at Disney World. It was really good, so I don't care where it came from. It's basically an Oreo pudding mousse. Recipe is here.

So, if you follow this blog or know much about me at all, you know that Beauty and the Beast is my favorite. Favorite Disney movie, favorite movie in general, favorite fairy tale. I was thrilled to see the live-action film. And now you get my review.

I loved it. It was beautifully made. It was stunning to look at, and they balanced the orchestral score and singing which makes it harder to hear the words of the songs, but easier to hear the beautiful score accompanying the singing. Singing voices weren't spectacular (Emma Watson was autotuned), but not abysmal, in the final production. And man, Luke Evans can sing. Did not see that coming. I adored the new song "Evermore," as well.

The show was reminiscent of a Broadway production, with the dancing, musical timing, and gorgeous set. It was beautiful to look at, and so much fun to watch! My favorite thing about the film was how they blended the 1991 Disney movie, the Broadway show, and the original fairy tale. Elements of all three came together well, and I loved seeing that. The movie is most true to the animated movie, though.

Story-wise, they did some things I enjoyed. Major plot holes from the old movie (or at least places where plot holes could exist) are filled in, and they give more backstory about the Beast and about Belle. Maurice is a more complex character, as are the servants, Gaston, and LeFou. I especially liked how they took a turn on Gaston's vanity; he doesn't just care about his appearance, he cares about how other perceive him, and that was fascinating.

Belle knows more about the curse, which changed the dynamic a little, although she doesn't know how it can be broken. She's more part of the castle's household, helping out with cleaning and such, and I liked that since it showed more of a family dynamic in the house. I also liked seeing how the servants actually love the Beast, instead of simply fear his anger. I loved some of the new scenes with Belle and the Beast, and I thought it was cute and romantic. I will buy this movie and watch it again. It's going to happen.

That said, the movie isn't replacing the old, animated 1991 classic in my heart. I don't think the new movie is better than the old one, and here are my reasons why. First, in the older movie, I liked how the Beast was more willing to try to get along with Belle, and I missed in the new version the cute, awkward Beast who was SO EXCITED to give Belle the library.

The new one is more gentlemanly in some ways, and as much as I liked seeing him be more princely with Belle, I missed the "unsure" Beast. I also felt like he wasn't as active in the relationship as in the old one. Lumiere is the one who takes Belle to her room; as much as I liked how the servants had a bigger role, I wished the Beast was the one introducing Belle to the castle. I felt like he started to respect her earlier in the animated movie, and I missed that.

The main thing I disliked about the new movie was how they portrayed Belle. Now, you're about to get some spoilers, so if you don't want them, skip the next two paragraphs and just know that I didn't think she was as active a participant in the story and in her own life as in the animated movie.

[SPOILERS] Okay, you've been warned. In the new film, Gaston threatens to send Maurice to the asylum as a way to get Maurice to give him Belle's hand in marriage. He doesn't threaten Belle with this; the choice becomes Maurice's, not Belle's. I felt like this took her choice, her agency, out of the story, instead of it being her choice to reject Gaston and come up with a plan to save her father on her own.

[SPOILERS PART 2] Warned again. At the end of the movie, the Beast has been shot by Gaston and is dying, and the last petal falls before Belle says, "I love you." The curse becomes permanent. The reason it's reversed is because the Enchantress shows up, Belle says it too late, and the Enchantress reverses the spell on her own. Wait, what? Belle is the hero; she should be the one who breaks the spell. Having the Enchantress show up, decide, "Oh, well, close enough," and fix everything felt a little too deus ex machina to me and I felt it took away Belle's power in the story. Yes, she did love the Beast. But the spell wasn't broken by her. Who's the hero in this story, now?

Okay, we're back. So, overall, I loved the new movie. It was a good adaptation and loved the spectacle and the new takes on some of the secondary characters. I will watch it again and buy it on DVD. But, I didn't like how the major characters were less active in their stories as before. The new one is great, but I do and will always prefer the older one.

That dress, though:

I want that dress.

Here are the book debuts this week:

Young Adult:
Danielle Mages Amato - The Hidden Memory of Objects (3/21)
Michael Miller - Shadow Run (3/21)