Today we welcome Joy McCullough. Joy debuted with a young adult novel in verse, Blood Water Paint, which went on to win numerous awards and honors. Since then, she has written picture books, middle grade, and more young adult. She’s also a playwright!
Her latest novel is a middle grade novel, Basil and Dahlia: A Tragical Tale of Sinister Sweetness. We discuss how this was her first novel on submission (but not first to publish), writing a loose fairy tale retelling, unique narrators, and the power of trusting your gut.
Further down in the description you can read more about the book, where to buy your own copy, a writing challenge, and what we are doing next.
You can listen to the podcast above or on Apple Podcasts. We also have transcripts available if listening is not for you. Note: Transcripts on Substack are only available in the web version, not the app.
Discussion
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Writing Challenge
Take an aspect of a favorite fairy tale - the shoe in Cinderella, the library in Beauty and the Beast, whatever you are interested in - and write a scene using that piece. See where your creativity takes you and if you feel brave, share it below.
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Music credits: Will Saulnier
Basil and Dahlia: A Tragical Tale of Sinister Sweetness
With interior illustrations by Shane Cluskey
Two orphan siblings with truly terrible luck battle an evil celebrity chef in this uproarious illustrated middle grade romp with the dark humor of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Beast and the Bethany.
It’s hard to imagine things could get worse after one’s parents die in a greenhouse explosion. But that is precisely what happens to Basil and his younger sister, Dahlia. They escape from the social worker who wants to split them up to different foster homes by jumping off a moving train, only to find themselves wounded (Dahlia) and bedraggled (Basil) and without a soul to care for them. What’s more, they’re lost in the wilds of New York City.
Famished and alone, they wander into Cravings, the delectable bakery owned by Laurel Fox, disgraced celebrity chef with a soft spot for poor, hungry orphans. When she offers them luxurious accommodations and all the éclairs they can eat, Basil and Dahlia dare to hope their luck has changed at last. But the savvy reader will know it can’t be as simple as all that! Laurel Fox is out for redemption, and she’ll do anything to get the sinister secret ingredient she requires.
Looking Ahead
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See you next month!
S1 E10: Joy McCullough and Trusting Your Intuition