Ask the Author: Alba Arango
Answered Questions (14)
Alba Arango
Hi Linda! I apologize for the late response. I've been busy with a deadline and haven't been checking my Goodreads page.
That's wonderful that you have a special needs protagonist! I love seeing more and more stories with inclusion and diverse characters. Here are a couple of middle grade books I love that have special needs protagonists:
-Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
-The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Both are mysteries and both are excellent, albeit VERY different.
Good luck with your writing!
Alba
That's wonderful that you have a special needs protagonist! I love seeing more and more stories with inclusion and diverse characters. Here are a couple of middle grade books I love that have special needs protagonists:
-Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
-The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Both are mysteries and both are excellent, albeit VERY different.
Good luck with your writing!
Alba
Alba Arango
Why is she still single? Or is she?
Alba Arango
Of course! Let me know if you need anything else. :)
Alba Arango
I can do it in one...
No more pizza.
No more pizza.
Alba Arango
Such a difficult question to answer! So many choices and so many cool adventures to be had. I suppose if I had to pick only one, I would go to Narnia. I really want to be in a place where animals talk and so many amazing things to do. But,,,Hogwarts is a VERY close second. :)
Alba Arango
I did read quite a few books this summer. Let's see if I can remember them all...
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Mac B., Spy Kid by Mac Barnett
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
The World's Greatest Detective by Caroline Carlson
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
and, I continued my secret obsession with the Manga, Black Butler by Yana Toboso (I'm on vol. 25 now)
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Mac B., Spy Kid by Mac Barnett
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
The World's Greatest Detective by Caroline Carlson
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
and, I continued my secret obsession with the Manga, Black Butler by Yana Toboso (I'm on vol. 25 now)
Alba Arango
Hello! Thank you for your kind words! You can send your address to my email: [email protected] and I will mail her book there. :)
Also, since your daughter is a teacher, I would be happy to send some bookmarks for her students as well if you think she might like them.
Happy Monday!
Also, since your daughter is a teacher, I would be happy to send some bookmarks for her students as well if you think she might like them.
Happy Monday!
Alba Arango
Wow. That is a tough question. I know I'm going to sound boring, but my favorite couple is Romeo and Juliette. I know. Boring, right? But, I just love their story. I mean, it has it all... forbidden love, deception, secret plans, and, yes, well, death. But, the story is so romantic. And, in my mind, they reunite in Heaven and look down, happy that their families are now getting along. Ha! (ps...Shakespeare is probably looking down and rolling his eyes at me right now)
Alba Arango
I stop writing. Worst answer ever, I know. You were expecting some inspiring words like...Oh, I just make myself sit down and stare at the computer until the feeling returns...
Bah. That is SO not me. I, literally, stop writing and do other things with my free time. Eventually, what inevitably happens, is I start to miss it. I force myself to hold off a little longer, then...BAM! I can't wait anymore.
Writer's block over.
Bah. That is SO not me. I, literally, stop writing and do other things with my free time. Eventually, what inevitably happens, is I start to miss it. I force myself to hold off a little longer, then...BAM! I can't wait anymore.
Writer's block over.
Alba Arango
Honestly? I get to put all those strange, crazy ideas swarming in my brain on paper. But, the best thing of all happens when a mom tells me that their 8-year-old boy, who hates to read, couldn't stop reading my book because they love it. That's happened to me twice. Greatest feeling EVER! :)
Alba Arango
Write. Read. Write.
I know, that has to be the most redundant thing that is said to newbie authors. But, there's a reason for that. The more you write, the better you get. I guess that can be true of anything (except maybe me and skiing, but that is a whole other dark place that I don't want to go), but in writing, it is solid truth. And, the more you read, especially great writing (although bad writing can teach you a thing or two about what NOT to do), the more you'll see how amazing authors can transport their readers to another place through nothing more than words.
Oh! I forgot to mention...read books ABOUT writing. Stephen King's "On Writing" is a great place to start.
I know, that has to be the most redundant thing that is said to newbie authors. But, there's a reason for that. The more you write, the better you get. I guess that can be true of anything (except maybe me and skiing, but that is a whole other dark place that I don't want to go), but in writing, it is solid truth. And, the more you read, especially great writing (although bad writing can teach you a thing or two about what NOT to do), the more you'll see how amazing authors can transport their readers to another place through nothing more than words.
Oh! I forgot to mention...read books ABOUT writing. Stephen King's "On Writing" is a great place to start.
Alba Arango
I have two projects going right now.
Book 4 in my Decoders series, which as of right now has my three kid detectives starting a treasure hunt for a haunted statue of Anubis. At least, that's where the story line is now. Ask me in a couple months and it could be completely different. (They could end up looking for a missing cat worth a million dollars...who knows?)
The other project is Book 3 in the JJ Bennett: Junior Spy series. This book takes them to Honolulu, where their nemesis Ivana is up to something, they just don't know what. And neither do I. At least, not yet. I guess I'll find out when they do.
Book 4 in my Decoders series, which as of right now has my three kid detectives starting a treasure hunt for a haunted statue of Anubis. At least, that's where the story line is now. Ask me in a couple months and it could be completely different. (They could end up looking for a missing cat worth a million dollars...who knows?)
The other project is Book 3 in the JJ Bennett: Junior Spy series. This book takes them to Honolulu, where their nemesis Ivana is up to something, they just don't know what. And neither do I. At least, not yet. I guess I'll find out when they do.
Alba Arango
I get ideas everywhere. Scooby Doo is a great idea-maker for me. Weird, I know.
My biggest inspiration to actually sit down and do the writing (thinking of ideas is the easy part) is other writers. I belong to a writers group (the Henderson Writers' Group), and just hearing other authors talk about their books and get excited about writing gets me excited. Even seeing new stuff posted here, at Goodreads, gets me invigorated and gives me the urge to pull out my laptop and get to work. So...thanks everyone! You give me strength!
My biggest inspiration to actually sit down and do the writing (thinking of ideas is the easy part) is other writers. I belong to a writers group (the Henderson Writers' Group), and just hearing other authors talk about their books and get excited about writing gets me excited. Even seeing new stuff posted here, at Goodreads, gets me invigorated and gives me the urge to pull out my laptop and get to work. So...thanks everyone! You give me strength!
Alba Arango
Okay, here's a little insight into how my mind works (please don't have me committed). I was flipping through the channels and one of the channels had some show about aliens. I didn't even stay on that channel to watch the show. Instead, I ended up watching a rerun of Criminal Minds (my favorite show, btw).
Don't ask me why, but during one of the commercials, I started thinking about aliens invading the Earth. That led me to wonder if aliens could be bribed...which then led me to wonder if aliens had already come to Earth and our government were secretly bribing them to leave us alone.
Boom. The Secret of the Alien Tribute was born.
Don't ask me why, but during one of the commercials, I started thinking about aliens invading the Earth. That led me to wonder if aliens could be bribed...which then led me to wonder if aliens had already come to Earth and our government were secretly bribing them to leave us alone.
Boom. The Secret of the Alien Tribute was born.
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