MMGM: "T" IS FOR SARVENAZ TASH - GIVEAWAY & AUTHOR INTERVIEW

- Win STARTERS signed by author Lissa Price
- Blogging From A to Z Giveaway - Win A $20 Amazon Gift Cerificate

- Win The Rock of Ivanore @ Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews

- Win "The Wicked & The Just" by  J. Anderson Coats

- Win "Neversink" by Barry Wolverton

- Win "The Rock of Ivanore" on Goodreads 

Welcome to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (MMGM), a weekly event hosted by author Shannon Messenger. For a list of other MMGM posts, click HERE.

THE MAPMAKER AND THE GHOST
by Sarvenza Tash
Walker Childrens
Ages 8 & up
256 pp.

Goldenrod Moram loves nothing better than a good quest. Intrepid, curious, and full of a well-honed sense of adventure, she decides to start her own exploring team fashioned after her idols, the explorers Lewis and Clark, and to map the forest right behind her home. This task is complicated, however, by a series of unique events—a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag gang of brilliant troublemakers. And when she stumbles upon none other than the ghost of Meriwether Lewis himself, Goldenrod knows this will be anything but an ordinary summer . . . or an ordinary quest.

The Mapmaker and the Ghost is a brand new middle grade novel by debut author Sarvenaz Tash. It is being released TODAY! Sarvenaz received a BFA in Film & Television from NYU where she concentrated on screenwriting. She has been a semi-finalist and quarter-finalist in several major screenwriting competitions and is also an Emmy and Webby Award-winning writer/editor who has written on the digital side for both Bravo and MTV. Sarvenaz lives in Brooklyn, NY. She was gracious enough to share some thoughts with us today about books. At the end, find out how to win a copy of her book.

1)      Tell about your book in one sentence.

A simple decision to map a forest lands 11-year-old Goldenrod in the midst of a true blue adventure involving a gang of brilliant troublemakers, a mysterious and very ugly old lady, and an exceedingly unexpected—and long dead—questmaster. 

 2)      What inspired you to write this story?

I really wanted to write a book that I would have loved to read as a kid and I was a huge fan of Roald Dahl and adventure stories growing up. I was also inspired by The Goonies, especially the dynamics between the large cast of characters and the very kid-friendly humor.

3)      Tell us a little about your road to publication.

I went to film school and studied screenwriting in college, but I always knew I also wanted to try my hand at writing novels – especially for kids. A few years out of college, I decided to take a few classes to learn how to do that and I started working on Mapmaker. About 5 years and 26 drafts later…it was accepted for publication.

 4)   What books did you enjoy reading as a kid?

I read a lot of Beverly Cleary, Baby-Sitters Club, Roald Dahl and Mary Downing Hahn. I also loved Encyclopedia Brown and anything with a good mystery at the heart of it (like my beloved The Westing Game). I read a lot as a kid; it was always my favorite form of escapism.

5) What books do you enjoy reading now?

Anything really. I prefer fiction to non-fiction but I will pretty much read any genre as long as the story and writing grip me. Though, sometimes, scary books give me vivid nightmares and they might end up in the freezer for a night or two a la Joey Tribbiani.

6)      What can we expect from you in the future?

More books hopefully! I’m working on a couple of MG and a YA novel right now.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Sarvenaz has graciously offered a copy of her book to one lucky winner. 

To enter, just post a comment below and include your email address so I can contact you if you win. (U.S. only please.) This giveaway will run until May 7th.