Book Giveaway and Interview-Danika Dinsmore

It’s my great pleasure to welcome Danika Dinsmore to the blog and to Oh (MG & YA) Canada! Danika is the author of Brigitta of the White Forest, a middle grade fantasy which launched last and is was just re-launched this year.

From Danika’s blog, The Accidental Novelist:

“I’ve always been a writer. Or what I should say is, I’ve always been writing. I think it’s not until one believes she is that she becomes a writer. That part took a while.

I started out as a poet, spent many years as a spoken-word artist, and began screenwriting in my late 20′s. I wrote while I earned my paycheck as a waitress, teacher, non-profit arts administrator, event manager/producer, and on-set tutor.

One year I wrote a screenplay that landed me an agent. It was my 6th feature script, a fantasy adventure for kids. Around that time, a screenwriter friend of mine adapted one of her original screenplays into a novel. The novel was published, which got the screenplay optioned. I thought this sounded pretty good. I asked if she would consider adapting my screenplay into a novel. She told me to take a year off and write it myself.

But I’m not a novelist, I said.

Neither was I, she responded.

I took a year off and birthed Brigitta of the White Forest. But it didn’t stop there… I discovered something about myself that I never thought possible. I could write a novel. And I liked writing novels.”

A little more about her book, which I will be giving away (details at the end of the interview).

Brigitta is a young Water Faerie from the village-nest of Tiragarrow. She’s anxious about going through The Change, as she doesn’t see how destiny markings on her wings should determine her life’s path.

A few days before the annual Festival of the Elements, Brigitta is flying an errand with her tag-a-long sister when a mysterious curse turns everyone in the White Forest to stone, except for the two of them. They have no idea why they were not cursed, but they do know if they don’t turn everyone back in time for the festival rituals, the Hourglass of Protection will run out and so will its protective field around the forest.

With no one in their forest left to help them, they must leave the protected realm to seek an exiled faerie they have only heard about in ancient tales.



The book trailer is still in production, but check out this FABULOUS teaser! Makes me want to read the book all over again. And I probably will.




Danika, thanks for taking the time to do this. The book we’re giving away is Brigitta of the White Forest. It is going to be the First Fan Edition. Can you tell us the difference between that and the one launching this month?

The First Fan Edition is a limited run of the book the publisher had printed up last year. They are all stamped, signed, and numbered. The number will actually get fans into a club that will give away secrets, previews, and special deals. There are very few copies left, but some still are available from the publisher.

The book being released this month is the wide release edition, the one that will be in bookstores and libraries. It’s been edited once more and there are 2 additional definitions in the lexicon. It’s also off-set printed as opposed to digitally printed. So, I suppose it’s more professional. lol.

The story is exactly the same, though. 

There are some debut authors taking part in our interview and book giveaways for Oh MG & YA Canada. Do you have any advice for them going into their first school or library visit?  What is one of your best school, library or book signing moments?

Actually, one of my favourite classroom moments (and this is really an extended “moment”) happened before the book was even published. I used a small focus group of students to test out the book before my editor looked at it. We met twice and they met with their teacher twice as well to discuss the story. It was due to their feedback that I added an extra chapter and changed a major sequence in the story. Having such extended discussion time with young readers was invaluable.

Regarding classroom visits, I think finding your “niche” is important and will not only give you direction and focus, it will help to brand and market yourself. For instance, fellow Indie Debuter Jo Ramsey’s book has girl who is bullied in the story, so she created a talk about bullying and uses that when she goes in for classroom visits. I designed an “Imaginary World Building” class because my book is fantasy adventure and I had to build an imaginary world from scratch. My class focuses on creating a World Book from which to launch infinite amounts of stories. I teach it to both kids and adults - it’s quite versatile. And fun, so much fun!

So, find something that is uniquely yours. What can you bring to the visit that other writers can’t?


In my book club I have some keen readers (of course!), but also some keen writers. They range in age from 8 to 13. When did you start writing and do you have any advice for them? Plus could you tell us (and them) about how many revisions your book has been through?

I wrote my first book when I was 7 years old. It was called “Brace Face.” It was a gripping tale about how a young girl overcame the brutal taunting of her elementary school classmates. I sold 4 copies door-to-door and spent the money on ice-cream. Since that time I have been a poet, a screenwriter, and now a novelist.

It’s hard to say how many revisions the book has been through because it was a screenplay first. The screenplay itself was probably rewritten 6 or 7 times. I always print a copy and hand edit, then edit into the computer, so that’s really 2 edits right there! After I adapted it as a novel, I edited it about 4 more times before I started approaching agents and publishers, 3 or 4 more times during that process, and 3 or 4 more times with a proper editor. And once more between the two editions. Anyone care to count all those up?

I have to add, too, that between the screenplay and the novel I also wrote my World Book - which detailed the history, flora, fauna, magic, character backstories, and definitions. This was for my own reference, so I new how my world worked. I’ve rewritten that several times as well and am still updating it as I work through the rest of the series.

That right there would pertain to my advice. If you love your story and characters, love them enough to make your story the very best it can be. Writing is editing. Preparation, prewriting, character developemnt, and world-building are really good habits to get into. The more you know about your world and characters going in, the smoother the story will be. So it’s about taking time to prepare and taking time edit. You’ll be amazed how your 1st draft can be transformed over time. 

Speaking of my book club kids. Anything you’d like to recommend they read or we get for our library? Something that is a recent read, or a book you loved when you were a kid?

Sad to say I’ve only recently discovered Laurie Halse Anderson and Patricia McKillip and I’m enjoying getting to know their work.

One of my favourite books growing up was The Phantom Tollbooth. I still get a kick out of it. Another one of my absolute favourite children’s books (but a more recent discovery) is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane.


What is your favourite part of living where you do? Do you have another part of Canada that you love to visit or that you’ve always wanted to but haven’t yet?

Having so much variety - mountains, beach, city, country, forests. And I really enjoy the islands and the Sunshine Coast. Riding the ferry and riding the train are my two favourite ways of seeing this part of the country.


Anything I didn’t ask that you were hoping I would ask?

I’d just like to add that if anyone reads and enjoys the book, do let others know about it. And posting reviews on GoodReads and/or Amazon is really helpful. Know that authors really do appreciate the support, even if there was something you didn’t like about it, I’d certainly like to know. Feedback is so crucial.

To learn more about Danika you can check out the following links:


www.thewhiteforest.com
www.theaccidentalnovelist.blogspot.com

Thanks to those who have stopped by for a read!


In order to enter your name to win a copy of Brigitta of the White Forest all you need to do is comment (and as always feel free to recommend a favourite read, something that you think might be something like Brigitta’s story for us to try out in my book club.) 


Contest is open INTERNATIONALLY and until midnight MST, April 3.


Enjoy the rest of your day!