Young adult author Amy C. Laundrie joins me today to chat about her new middle grade novel, Stranded on Castaway Island.
During her virtual book tour, Amy will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!
The book is on sale for only $0.99.
Bio:
Amy writes about nature and animals and spends way too much time imagining what it would be like to survive on a remote island. Her eleventh book, Stranded on Castaway Island, is for readers 10 and older. She also has picture books, middle-grade chapter books, an adult memoir, and she’s a weekly columnist.
Welcome, Amy. Please tell us about your current release.
After a sudden storm turned what should have been a quick boat ride into a nightmare, Annie is shipwrecked on a remote island near Nova Scotia with her ex-best friend Mirra. Learning to survive together would have been easier if they could get along–not possible after the hurtful words neither can forget. Annie and Mirra’s only company is a herd of wild horses–or that’s what the 14-year-old girls think at first. But when they discover still warm embers from a campfire and man-sized footprints, they know they’re not alone. Someone is watching them.
What inspired you to write this book?
I read a “National Geographic” article about explorers uncovering a boy’s skeleton on an island inhabited by wild horses off the coast of Maine. I based Castaway Island on the real place, Sable Island, which still has wild horses today. The boy’s death will probably always remain a mystery, but readers of Stranded on Castaway Island will find out who has been secretly watching the girls and whether the castaways are able to survive.
Excerpt from Stranded on Castaway Island:
I used the toilet and flushed for the first time since June 6th. I caught sight of myself in the mirror. Oh my God! Straggly hair and leathery, blotchy skin. Shaken, I shed my clothes and stepped into the shower. I uncapped the coconut shampoo and massaged my scalp. I held a dollop of soap to my nose and practically purred. “Mmmm.” I soaped my arms, legs, and body. I let the warm water soothe my tired muscles and dry skin. After I toweled off, I caught sight of myself in the mirror a second time.
I combed out my hair, then opened a bottle of lotion. I poured some on my hands and gently rubbed a generous amount onto my leathery arms. These were the arms that had helped carry Mirra onto the island. I rubbed lotion into my legs. Without these strong legs, I could never have found us water or gathered firewood. Finally, I rubbed Vaseline onto my lips, and lotion onto my face, forehead, and my feet. Spearing fish, capturing and cooking a duck, and roasting seal meat would have been impossible without this body. I looked in the mirror again. This time, I didn’t see scars or peeling skin. I only saw a strong, beautiful body. A body that had survived.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m working on a three-book series about a quirky middle-schooler. Imagine an older Ramona whose enthusiasm for life knows no bounds and you’ll envision Bronte Sauer, or Bronte-saurus as she’s sometimes called. In book one she tries to win back the friendship of Max by taking him bog stomping. In book two, she hikes Isle Royale and hopes to spot the albino moose and win the $500 prize. In book three, she tries to figure out who’s pretending to be the camp ghost,
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
At the age of nine, I brought out a notebook, a pen (I didn’t think I’d need to change a word) and sat under my favorite elm tree to write a novel which I still have today. I’ve abandoned that first story, titled Miss P.JJ., but I’ve never abandoned my dream of being a writer.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do write full-time and schedule my day so I do the hardest tasks first. I leave household chores for later in the day. I enjoy reading, taking walks in the woods with my dog, kayaking, and playing tennis and pickle ball.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I get up at 5:00 a.m. while the world is till quiet and I can be creative.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a writer and a teacher.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Never give up on your dreams. They will come true.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Barnes and Noble | Twitter | Blog | Instagram | Goodreads | YouTube | LinkedIn | Book Marketing Global Network
The book is on sale for only $0.99.
Thanks for hosting!
Thank you, Lisa Haselton, for hosting Annie and Mirra’s book tour. These 14-year-old girls, stranded on an island, are real to me, and I can tell you that Annie is shy to have all the attention, but Mirra is enjoying it. I look forward to visiting with your guests.
Really nice cover and excerpt, looking forward to reading this!
Thank you, Sherry. I get to meet with kids at the library next week where they’ll try their hand at survival techniques including making a fishing pole and trying to start a fire. Sharing the story is my favorite part.
I enjoyed the interview, Stranded on Castaway Island sounds like a thrilling read to share with the kids! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a spectacular day!
Thank you, Eva. I do love to share my stories through fun presentations with kids. It’s the teacher in me, I guess.
Thank you for sharing your interview and book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to sharing Stranded on Castaway Island with my teen-aged granddaughters
Thank you for your interest, Bea. Your granddaughters are lucky to have a hands-on grandma. I have two granddaughters myself.