Jarm’s insatiable thirst for world exploration and its history inspires her writing. This interview provides a glimpse into her love for all things distant in time and place. Jarm, we’re so pleased for your success. Your book will allow children to traverse new worlds and endless possibilities. Best of luck with THE HEART CHANGER, and with many more books to come. 





​What would you like readers to know about you?

I believe with a bit of imagination from the past, children can be the heroes of their own stories. Historical characters have a real-world set of super powers kids can truly imitate. My passion is to breathe new life into the pages of history, making it come alive for my readers. I want them to realize the past has so much to offer by way of lessons and inspiration.

What inspires you to write? 

Definitely visiting new destinations gives me “scope for imagination” as I explore my own city or travel across the globe. Sometimes a quirky sign or odd cultural custom will spark an idea or blogpost. I am slowly checking off destinations on my bucket list. So far, I’ve stepped foot in six continents! And my goal is to never visit the same place twice, although I’ve broken my rule a few times — can’t help it. I love Europe, especially the French countryside and the Cotswolds in England. It’s no wonder Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens are my favorite authors!

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 

Be faithful in keeping a daily journal. Someday, you may be famous — and its discovery may change the world! Also, dare to be different. Be who God meant you to be. And don’t be afraid to try new things or go out of your comfort zone. You’ll be able to write about them later.

What’s your favorite thing about writing for kids? 

Kids have their entire lives ahead of them. My story may change the way they see the world, and give them confidence to be who God made them to be. The sky’s the limit! Young people can make a difference in the lives of those around them — they just need to be brave and step forward.

Do you have any writing rituals? 

I always have a steaming cup of white Peony tea and a burning crystal candle by my side. My stories are created exclusively on an iPad in my Victorian sitting room.

Are you working on something new at the moment? 

Yes, another middle-grade fiction set in early nineteenth century Spain, based on a little-known medical expedition. I have titled it, The Orphans Who Saved the World. I also have a completed MG historical novel set at the World Columbian Exposition called Fair Investigation!I’ve been sending out to editors and agents, but no bites yet. I have plenty of ideas but it’s difficult to know which one to focus on first.

Our very own autha from down unda, Lisa Kalma, joins us for a fabulous interview. (I couldn’t resist- sorry!-haha). But in all seriousness, we are incredibly happy for Lisa. Her debut picture book, MY LLAMMA DRAMA, releases this Spring. A big thank you to Lisa for opening up and sharing how she got her start as a writer. Congratulations! We wish you all the success in the world and can’t wait to get our hands on a copy of your book. 
 

At what point in your life did you know you wanted to write?

I’ve written in one form or another since I was a little girl. I even still have some of my stories and poems from when I was in primary school! I’m also a primary school teacher so I’ve been in the spoilt position of reading many quality children’s books to my students and watching their faces light up with delight! I understand the power good books can have on children’s ability to learn to read and develop the magic of reading for pleasure. The seed for writing was planted during my time in the classroom.
 
It wasn’t until I had my son ten years ago that I thought maybe I could do something with my writing. I have written stories with and for him, have entered various competitions, and I have a folder full of stories, some finished and some half-finished. It wasn’t until I wrote My Llama Drama last year that I actually gathered the courage to put my work out there and publish to a wider audience. Taking the step to find an editor was huge for me, and has also given me the motivation to write more for children. This is only the beginning!
 
Where were you when inspiration struck for your story?

My ten-year-old son absolutely adores llamas and we also enjoy making up silly songs together. We were at home one day when we started making up a funny llama song, which then stuck in my head all day. That night while I was in the shower (where a lot of inspiration seems to hit!) I began adding to it. 
 
At first I just added a few stanzas, as it was originally going to be a poem. Then it grew and I thought, “I wonder if I could make a story out of this?”. So, the silly ditty turned into a poem, which turned into a full-blown story. I could see the llamas doing pretty funny things in my head and I just had to get it onto paper!
 
Are you working on something new at the moment?

I’ve usually got a few things on the go at any one time. I’ve written the second book to My Llama Drama, which is in the editing phase now. I’m also working on a short story collection, and I am writing a fantasy YA story about zombies - eeek! 
 
What jobs or careers have you worked in prior to becoming and author?

My first ever job was as a checkout operator in a retail store when I was still in school. I then moved on to be a receptionist and trades manager for a private company. From there I moved into secretarial work and accounts payable in a government agency.
 
My father passed away when I was 22 and this was the catalyst for me to take stock and reassess my career direction. Life was just too short to be doing something I didn’t have a passion for. I’d always loved being with children, but never had the courage to go to university to pursue my passions. 
 
When my dad died, I decided to take some time off to go travelling overseas. I met two awesome primary school teachers from New Zealand on my travels, which really affirmed that teaching was for me. I returned from my travels and went to university for four years while I was still working casually at the government agency, along with babysitting and house-cleaning on the side. I’ve been a primary school teacher for the past 16 years and continue to work in the education field as I write. 
 
Who is your favourite writer?

If we are talking picture and middle grade books, I can’t go past Australian author Aaron Blabey for his fun and entertaining body of work. From Pig the Pug to The Bad Guys - his stories are consistently fantastic! I also really enjoy the writing of Emily Rodda, and who can go past Roald Dahl? There are just so many wonderful writers to choose from!
 
What would you like readers to know about you?

I would like readers to know that I am an everyday person who loves to be with her family, write, draw, create and read. I have a wild and vivid imagination and sometimes that’s hard to turn off, but I’m not sure that I’d want to - it’s a very helpful thing for being a writer!
 
Some trivial facts about me: I love adventure and spontaneous travels with my family. I was the under 18’s pool (8-ball) female state champion when I was 17. I was born and raised in the capital city of Australia, Canberra, where I still live (I love this place!). My favourite colour is navy, and even though I come across as confident and energetic, I’m actually quite an introvert and enjoy my quiet time.

Let’s congratulate Malayna Evans on the tremendous achievement of publishing JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH, the first book in a three-book series. Wowza! That is truly something to be recognized and celebrated. All the members of On the Scene in ’19 are excited to read this Middle Grade novel coming to bookstores near you on April 30th. As writers, the inspiration to write our stories comes from many different sources. Read on to find out what inspired Malayna to write this Egyptian tale...and for a juicy little secret. 
 
Where were you when inspiration struck for your story?
The idea for this story wasn’t mine. It was my son’s. At nine-years-old, he asked me what ancient Egyptians looked like. When I told my beautiful, biracial son he’d fit in well, he spontaneously whipped up a story about a kid who looked like him lost in ancient Egypt. We went home and wrote a chapter that afternoon. 
 
While that original chapter has been edited out of existence, Lil’ Man’s starter idea is still in the book. He wanted the South Side Chicago kid to get to the past via mummy. In my son’s story idea, the boy stared into a mummy’s eyes and was magically transported back in time. In JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH, Jagger and his little sister Aria touch an ankh amulet, which shoots them three thousand years into the past. But, the amuletison a mummy, and the mummy is a big part of the story, so my son’s inspiration is still in there. Of course, Lil’ Man is now sixteen and 6’2”, so he’s proud of himself for inspiring me, but not terribly interested in actually reading the book. (Good thing for his little sister, aka my best beta reader, who, predictably, inspired Jagger’s little sister character, Aria.)
 
 
What other jobs or careers have you worked in prior to becoming an author?
I’m an Egyptologist by training so I spent a fair number of years (and dollars!) studying at the University of Chicago, where I also did a bit of teaching. I spent the decade prior to that in media and I’ve spent the decade since grad school running a small marketing business, which I still run. I find I’m happier and more productive when I’m working in a creative environment, and the older I get, the more aligned my daily life seems to be with my creative goals. So hurray for growing older (and wiser?). 
 
 
What does your writing schedule look like on a daily/weekly basis?
As a single mom and small business owner, my schedule is pretty hectic. But writing is a priority so I’ve found some creative ways to work writing hours into every week, if not each day. I’ve trained my kids to stay away on weekend mornings. (This gets easier the older they get—they sleep while I write.) I tuck extra weekday hours in during kid activities, primarily my daughter’s many hours at the gym for gymnastics. I’ve become a master at writing in small bursts at coffee shops and, um, sometimes the car. It’s wrong, I know, but a gal’s got to do what she’s got to do!
 
 
 
At what point in your life did you know you wanted to write?
I was raised in a small town, but I’m a big city girl at heart. As a kid, I spent hours on end pouring over books, usually science fiction. I loved Piers Anthony and Anne McCaffrey. Those books took me out of my small town, into world full of magic and adventure. I think I wanted to grow up and be like Piers and Anne even at a young age. But I wanted to be a writer in the same way some kids want to catch a unicorn—I meant it, but I didn’t really imagine I’d accomplish it. 
 
After college, I started writing for fun. I wrote my first (really terrible) novel when I was about twenty-five, and a few other (equally bad) novels since. When I wrote my first version of Jagger’s story, I felt, for the first time, that I had a germ of something worth pursuing in those messy pages. By the time I finished my first full rewrite, I believed I could launch Jagger into the world if I could commit, do the hard work, and rustle up resources. Bless my fabulous agent, Liza Fleissig, and Month9Books, my publisher, for helping me get it into tip top shape. Now I can’t wait for readers to share Jagger’s adventure. Fingers crossed it resonates.
 
 
Are you working on something new at the moment?
JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH is book one in a three book series. So I’m busy working on book two, and thinking about book three. 
 
The other thing I’m really excited about right now is school visits. My passion for ancient Egypt has been a driver in writing and launching this series. I’m looking forward to sharing that passion with kids and can’t wait to get into classrooms and engage.
 
 
What would you like readers to know about you?
Well, I’m not sure I’m terribly interesting, but I will share an unexpected, book-related tidbit from my life. I’ve always wanted a tattoo. When I was trying to find my book a home, I decided I’d get a tattoo—an ankh, of course—to celebrate my first book deal. But then it took a minute (okay, a lot of minutes). So because I’m an optimist, I dove in and got the tattoo first, convinced a book deal would follow. Like magic, it panned out perfectly. Nothing like the power of positive thinking.

Suzanne, Suzanne, Suzanne…what would we do without you?
If it wasn’t for Suzanne, On the Scene in ’19 would not exist. She took the first step by asking if anyone else would be interested in forming a debut author group and here we are today. We’re twenty strong with diverse stories to tell. But in this interview, we’re excited and proud to celebrate Suzanne’s debut, I CAMPAIGNED FOR ICE CREAM, coming in April 2019.(PRE-ORDER NOW) Let’s all commemorate this occasion with an ice cream sundae on this fabulous Sunday. YUM!


What inspires you to write?
My kids! Whether it be an experience one of my sons had or a topic my students and I have delved into, the enthusiasm radiating from a child learning something new is my primary inspiration.
 
Did you always want to be a writer?
I was that kid who when assigned a two-page paper, wrote ten. I received my first rejection letter from Western Publishing Company for my manuscript BOOGIE THE SNAIL when I was twelve. In high school, I was co-editor of the school newspaper and co-wrote articles for the High School Happenings page of a local newspaper. As a freshman in college I majored in journalism, but my desire to teach children triumphed. Now as an author, I have combined both passions!
 
Are you working on something new at the moment?
I have a fiction middle-grade version of I CAMPAIGNED FOR ICE CREAM in the works. It was actually the manuscript I started with, but it was set aside after I took Kristen Fulton’s Nonfiction Archealogy class. The idea of writing nonfiction picture books strongly resonated with me. I teach developing readers by immersing my students in a different science theme each year and I saw nonfiction as a natural segway from my method of teaching to my writing. The course inspired me to try the ice cream truck story in a nonfiction picture book format and it worked! However, I can’t let the original manuscript go—I adore the main character’s voice. My other work in progress is a STEM based picture book that spans several genres: fiction since the main character is an inatimate object and the story is told from its perspective, narrative nonfiction since the information in the book is factual but told in story form, and expository nonfiction since I have included sidebars with additional science and technical information. 
 
What other responsibilities or activities do you have as a writer?
My writing life has me hustling. My prime responsibility is to find time to write, but too often I get distracted by the other writing tasks I can easily check off my list. In a close second, is finding time to learn as much as I can about the craft of writing. I enjoy learning from webinars, conferences, and my critique group. I am especially excited to attend the Nonfiction Writing Retreat hosted by authors Jennifer Swanson and Candace Fleming in May. In addition, I am the co-founder of the debut group On the Scene in ’19 (today’s interviewer); I have four author assemblies and one parent presentation scheduled for this month; and oh yeah, I teach part time and share my love of writing and all things KidLit with my students.
 
What were your favorite books when you were a kid?
I was also that kid who always had her nose in a book. Some of my favorites include all books by Beverly Cleary, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET, A WRINKLE IN TIME, and A BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA (the first book that made me cry). My all-time fav was HARRIET THE SPY which I read over, and over, and over again. I even created my own spy notebook—shhh! 
 
What would you like readers to know about you?The acrostic poem SUZANNE JACOBS LIPSHAW from my website should fill in the gaps.

Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw, but you can call me SuzanneUs = My devoted husband Marc + my incredible sons Josh and Jeremy + my furry writing buddy…
Ziggy!
Author of children’s books – mostly nonfiction, but I have a fiction middle-grade in the works too.
Never want to stop learning.
Need to read—big fan of the Harry Potter series (BTW, I’m a Hufflepuff).
Educator who’s all about encouraging and engaging developing readers.
 
Jazzed about science—especially space, nature, and oceanography.
Also dabble in interior design.
Cayaking* is one of my favorite pastimes (*I know it starts with a K, but there’s no K in my name).
On my yoga mat at least twice a week.
Born and raised in Michigan—still livin’ in and lovin’ the Great Lakes State.
Spend my Sunday mornings hiking no matter how crazy the Michigan weather gets.
 
Live on a peaceful lake.
Ice cream! Pizza! Starbuck’s hot chocolate!
Paul is my favorite Beatle; did I mention I’m a Beatles’ fanatic?
Sunshine and sunsets!
Happiness is spending time with my family.
Always willing to help a friend.
Want to be remembered as a mother, teacher, and author whose passion was growing young minds.