Writing characters with unique voices, staying in the middle grade voice with dialogue, and using a timeless character such as vampires, but putting your own spin on it, are some of the topics we discussed with Kalynn Bayron.
As we read, there were two passages that stood out to us:
Brittany: I toss my phone onto my bed and go find my mom, who tells me she thinks folding laundry is kind of relaxing and I just don’t get why she lies to me like that.
Alexis: I tabbed so many lines that had modern references (midnight/twilight, man talking about aliens and the Great Pyramid) but overall my favorites were quotes from Cedric- “I’m so mad at y’all. You saw the mask up close?” He tilts his head back and closes his eyes. “Y’all don’t even love me at all. I know it.”
Further down in the description you can read more about the book, where to buy your own copy, 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.
We would love to hear what you thought of the book and our talk with the author.
Music credits: Will Saulnier
About Kalynn Bayron
Kalynn Bayron is the New York Times Bestselling author of Young Adult and Middle Grade books. The Vanquishers is book one of a series, the third book of which was just recently released, and has won numerous accolades including Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Kids Indie Next Selection, Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review, Waterstones Book of the Month and 2024 Lone Star Reading List Pick.
About The Vanquishers
Twelve-year-old Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of masked vampire hunters who wiped out the last hoard of the undead decades ago. For kids today, vampires feel more like fun comic book fodder than real life, and the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews are long gone.
But when a new student, Aaron, joins Boog's crew, and goes missing after a school fundraiser, the kids suspect a vampire was involved. Boog is convinced their school counselor, Mr. Rupert, is hiding something and she is determined to save Aaron. No one ever expected The Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, they know who to call.
Inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Watchmen, this adventure launches readers into an exciting new series. - summary from Kalynn’s website.
Looking ahead
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