Awesome Possums

I'm surrendering the blog to my friend Jen K. Blom today--her middle grade book comes out this month. Got any kids? Well, what are you waiting for? Preorder! Take it away, Jen:

-------

Welcome to the POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour for the middle-grade book, POSSUM SUMMER, coming out IN SEVEN DAYS HOLY COW! (Have you preordered yet?)

It's surprising that we're still doing this and nobody's chased me off, but there's always today, right, Wendy? Darling woman. Lets me come by and still talks to me, even after P had at her.

First off, a little about the book:

a lonely kid.

an orphaned baby possum.

a dad that says no way.

how do you keep that kind of secret?

and what happens when you’re found out?

Here we go!

WC: What do you hope your readers will come away with after reading POSSUM SUMMER?

JKB: Well, I think I'd like two things:

1. It's okay to second-guess your parents. They aren't always right; a lot of the time they're flying by the seat of their pants as well.

and

2. POSSUMS ARE AWESOME. :-D

WC: What are some of your favorite MG books?

JKB: Ooooh! Cool question! I love Wilson Rawls' books SUMMER OF THE MONKEYS and WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS, Sterling North's RASCAL, and WHITE FANG by Jack London. Animal-y type books. Obviously.

WC: What kind of advice would you give P as she grows into her tween years?

JKB: That sometimes, more than sometimes, people can be mean on purpose. Especially if she doesn't march to the same beat they march to. To ignore them as best she could, celebrate who she is and reach for her dreams. I think that's the best I can do.

P: I don't have dreams yet! Hey, Miss Wendy! How are you today? What do you like to eat?

WC: I'm a simple girl when it comes to my favorite meal. I like my dad's famous barbeque ribs he makes in the smoker, my mom's deviled eggs, and I'll need some baked beans and cornbread to go along with that.

P: Ribs are good! Eggs...not so much. But on a whole, you're doing good. What do you like to do?

WC: It sounds so smaltzy I hesitate to answer...but my favorite activity is spending time with my kids. They are at such a great age (9 and 11) and are so funny.

P: One word: Iapprove. I like it! Kids are super more funny than adults ever are! What's something funny about you?

WC: I was once hypnotized at a comedy club and I sang like Madonna.

P: Wow, really? I bet that was the most embarrassing thing ever! *looks at JKB* *JKB shoots glare* *P tries to look innocent* Look, I drew you!

P: Have you ever seen a pronghorn antelope? They are so pretty! They look like a showtune kind of animal, don't you think? I saw a picture of Madonna once, she had cone-things on her that looked like those horns...why, one day, I --

**scuffle**

JKB: Wendy, you rock. :-D Thank you!!!!

Jen K. Blom writes about animals, the land, and kids, not necessarily in that order. Her debut, POSSUM SUMMER, is available March 2011.

Just the thing to give to a kid to start their summer of reading off right! (Available from your local indie, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Book Depository!)

Seen the book trailer yet?

Want more POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour tidbits? Go here and knock yourself out!