Spotlighting Kate Messner's THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z

Today, I get to spotlight Kate Messner's THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z as part of the Debs' Blog Tour.

Kate Messner grew up in Medina, New York and graduated from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communication with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.  She worked as a television news producer and reporter in Syracuse, NY and then Burlington, VT, before going back to school to get a teaching degree.  These days, Kate is a National Board Certified middle school English teacher. She has helped hundreds of kids work on leaf collection projects and likes sugar maples and catalpa leaves the best.  Kate lives on Lake Champlain with her husband and kids and loves spending time in the woods.

Here's a bit about her debut: Gianna Zales has a lot on her plate this fall – a father who drives her to school in the family hearse, a mother who’s turned into the junk food police, a little brother who thinks he’s a member of the paparazzi, and a grandmother who leaves false teeth in the refrigerator.  Worst of all, she’s left her 7th grade leaf collection to do at the last minute. It’s a monster project, and Gianna will miss cross-country sectionals if she doesn’t meet the deadline.  She’ll need the help of her geeky friend, Zig, and some brilliant ideas of her own to pull it off.

Here are Kate's answers to the Thorough Three...

NM: What is the age of your protagonist?

KM: 12

NM: What is the single, most important bit of advice you'd give to the You that was the same age as your protagonist/s?

KM: Relax, have fun, play outside, read your books, and stop worrying so much about boys.

NM: Complete the following sentences:

Everyone should definitely, for sure ______________.

You should NEVER EVER ______________, but if you absolutely must, make sure to ____________.

KM: Everyone should definitely, for sure climb a mountain some day.

You should NEVER, EVER try to pet a dolphin from your boat. But if you absolutely must, make sure to take your rings off first. (It is a long and embarrassing story...)

Thanks, Kate!

For more information about Kate and her work, visit her site. To get your own copy of THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z from Amazon, go here, and from Indiebound, go here.