MMGM: GIVEAWAY & INTERVIEW w/ ADAM SIDWELL, author of EVERTASTER

- LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER GIVEAWAY HOP (Ends 8/1)
- Win my ARC of SLIDE by Jill Hathaway (Ends 7/31)
- Win FOX INHERITANCE SWAG signed by Mary E. Pearson (Ends 7/31)
- Win a copy of THE SECRET LIFE of COPERNICUS STRINGFELLOW (Ends 7/30)

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

EVERTASTER
Adam Sidwell
Future House Publishing
304 pp.
Middle Grade

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother's casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

EVERTASTER is one book I cannot wait to read! I anticipate that not only will I love it, but my kids will love it, too. Just the cover cracks me up. I feel very fortunate to have the author, Adam Sidwell, as my guest today. Also, he has graciously offered to GIVEAWAY a SIGNED COPY of his book to one lucky reader. Details on  how to win are at the end of this post.

1.  Describe Evertaster in one sentence.

Evertaster is the story of the Johnsonville family who goes across the world on a dangerous quest to find a legendary taste that might just have the power to change humanity forever. 

2.  What inspired you to write this story? 

Pinterest, Food Network, and the cooking section of the book store. What is it that everyone is looking for? Is there a perfect taste that once it is found, will cause all the chefs to throw up their hands and retire, because there is nothing better left to bake? Evertaster is the story of the kids who go looking for that taste. Of course if a taste like that existed, there would be connoisseurs  willing to kill for it.

3.  Could you share a little of your writing process with us?

When I write a story I like to outline the idea in a few brief sentences and then take notes about character, settings, plot outlines. These are very loose. I like to think about them for a few months, usually while I’m working on another project. I let it percolate. There’s a magical moment when that mixture ripens just enough and you have just enough detail and understanding of the characters’ struggle that the story pops out of your head. That’s when I begin to write. Once I start, I dont’ stop. I usually write 2000 words a day. I finish my first draft in 90 to 120 days. After that I step back for a few weeks and think about something else then go to revisions. When it’s revised 3 or 4 times. When I’m confident enough in the draft, I send it off to my agent and we continue to revise it together.  

4.  Tell us about your road to publication?

 I queried Alyssa Henkin of Trident a few years back with the Evertaster manuscript. She loved the story and the concept and the writing, so we worked on it together over the next 2 years. Previously she worked as an editor for Scholastic, so she really knows what she’s doing. It was great to work with a pro like her. We shopped the manuscript around, and ultimately decided that the best home for it was right there with Trident in it’s new ebook department. The book is also available in paperback.  I’m very happy with how it all worked out and it’s exciting to see it do so well and readers responding so enthusiastically! Evertaster even hit the bestseller list on Amazon it’s first day out!

5.  What books did you read growing up, and what are you reading now?

The books that I read growing up where the Chronicles of Narnia, The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander and a lot of Roald Dahl: The BFG, The Twits, The Witches and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Today I am reading Demian by Herman Hesse as well as Farewell to Arms -- if I can ever find my copy I’ll finish it -- I think it’s under the couch. I like to read things outside of the genre I’m writing in. There’s so much to learn from other genres and from authors who have written in time periods where the fashions of the day are different than ours. 

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

There will be two follow up novels to complete the story arc for evertaster. Evertaster the Delicious City and Evertaster the Final Season. I’ve started work on the second in the series and outlined the third book. There may also be a short story or novella popping up soon in the Evertaster world. In the meantime I’ve got a manuscript I’ve finished that has to do with TV and techno savvy pirates. There are a few follow ups in that series I have outlined as well. There are also a few more books I have in mind and have started writing that I can’t wait to dive in and finish. 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

To be eligible to win a signed copy of EVERTASTER, just fill out the rafflecopter form below. 

This giveaway will end on August 14th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway