Today we're highlighting the author
Beverly Stowe McClure
and her novel
Gabe's Guardian Angel!
Meet Beverly...
1. What was your hardest scene to write?
I think the scene where Gabe meets his
Guardian Angel was tough to write. To get the angel right. To see Gabe’s
reaction. To make it believable to the reader that Guardian Angels do exist. At
least in the story. And that moment changes his life forever. An important
scene, difficult to get just right.
2.
What
makes you run screaming?
If I’m outside taking a walk, the way I like to do, and see
something slithering across the grass, you can bet I run screaming, thinking
“snake.” I might be wrong, but I won’t wait around to find out.
3.
You’re
about to be dropped in a remote spot for a three-week survival test. Where
would you go? What three tools would you take?
Okay, let’s say it’s in the mountains with lots of trees. I’d
try to find a section where the trees formed a sort of fence around me. I’d
check the tree branches to make sure they were strong enough to hold me in case
some wild critter showed up and I needed to climb in a hurry. I’d definitely take
a skillet to cook on and food to eat in an ice chest, and hope I could find wild
fruits and veggies. I’d also take a blanket because nights in the mountains
sometimes get cold. The third tool I’d most definitely need is my Cell Phone.
4. What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life
would probably surprise your readers the most?
I don’t know if this will
surprise my readers or not, but when I was a kid I hated to read. I never went
to the library to check out books. At school I only read what I had to in order
to get by. Book reviews were a nightmare. Thank goodness for the jacket flap on
the book that told about the story. Shh, that’s my secret. So why did I end up
going to the university and getting a degree and becoming a teacher? Thank
heavens I discovered what I was missing. Reading was fun and I learned a lot.
5.
If you
had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a
book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?
This may sound strange to you, but I’d
go to South Carolina. That city has so much history and so many places to visit.
There’s no place I’d rather be. Stories are all over South Carolina. The
setting of one of my books, A Pirate, A Blockade Runner, and a Cat, is set in
South Carolina. I had fun with that story. I ought to write another one about
this interesting state.
6.
If you
could tell your younger writing-self anything, what would it be?
Write your story. Don’t worry about
whether anyone will like it. It’s Your
story. Don’t worry about others. Write what’s in your heart. That’s what’s
important. And you know what. They’ll probably like it.
7. What does literary success look like to you?
I used to think that
someone who wrote a book, won awards, and made movies of their book was a
literary success. Now that I’ve been writing for many years, to me a literary
success is writing your book and getting it published. Yes, winning awards,
making lots of money would be nice. That is success, and I love it when one of
my books wins an award. Another kind of success and maybe the most important is
being satisfied with your story, your dream of writing. Each of us likely has
our own idea of literary success. And that’s okay, too.
8. Tell us about the book you’re working on now.
I’m working on two books
currently. One is a middle grade story about a boy and his dog. It’s been
submitted a couple of times but no one was interested, so I’m completely
rewriting it to see what happens. The other book is a sequel to one of my
earliest books published. I don’t know why I decided to write a sequel so many
years later, and it may not work, but I had an idea. Also, another middle grade
idea has me thinking and jotting down notes. It might be a fantasy. Not sure
yet.
Thanks for listening to
my rambling.
It was our pleasure, Beverly!
*****
Gabe never asked for an angel…
Gabe Montana’s clumsy. He’s overweight, and he’s
dyslexic. Worse yet, the bullies make his fifteen-year-old life even more
miserable—so miserable he wants to die.
Charley, his guardian angel, says no to that idea, and
comes up with a different plan. He’ll give Gabe self-confidence so he can solve
his problems, not run away from them. But Gabe wonders why the angel doesn’t
just help with the bullies. What’s with this self-confidence stuff?
Can Charley help Gabe stand on his own two feet? Will
Gabe give up hope life can improve for him? Or will he finally listen to the
angel’s advice?
Buy Links
Most of the
time you’ll find Beverly Stowe McClure at her computer, typing stories young
voices whisper in her ear. When she’s not writing, she’s snapping pictures of
wildlife, flowers, and clouds. Or taking a walk with her cat Tiger. She’s a
member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She has fifteen books published, several of
them award winners. She’s sometimes known as the Bug Lady. She’s not telling
why.
Her short stories have
been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul Anthologies and children’s
magazines.
Social Links and
Website
We loved your visit, Beverly!
Readers, do you have any questions for this amazing writer?
To win a free copy of Gabe's Guardian Angel, just tell Beverly if you believe in angels, guardians, or otherwise.
