AVA Timpanaro MEETS AN AUTHOR
I went to the Port Jefferson Free Library to meet a group of authors called "The Sisters In Crime." They write mystery books, but not always. They were there to donate $1000 to the library to buy new books. That’s really cool. One of the authors I met was Marilyn Levinson who wrote a book I really liked called "Rufus and the Magic Run Amok." I liked it so much that I bought the book. It is about a boy named Rufus who comes from a long line of witches. But when he makes the class bully, Big Douggie, do a double somersault in the air and reads his best friend’s mind, Rufus thinks he is a witch. The only problem is that he does not want to be witch. I asked Marilyn to autograph my book. She told me to e-mail her to tell her if I liked it or if I didn't like it. But I did like it, I think it's wonderful. Three days later I e-mailed her. I also asked her a few questions about her books and being a writer. These are some of the questions and answers.
1. How did you come up with this book? I wrote Rufus and Magic Run Amok before the Harry Potter books came out. I wondered how a boy who was chased every day by a bully would feel if he suddenly had magical powers. And once he had magic, he wouldn't want to tell his parents because he'd have to take lessons to learn how to use it to do good deeds.
2. Why did you write this book? To show how a kid like Rufus could learn to handle someone like Big Douggie without using magic.
3.What was your favorite part of writing this book?
I loved writing the parts where Rufus gets Big Douggie in trouble.
4. What was your favorite part of this book? The ending, where Rufus and Big Douggie find they have something in common.
5.I f you weren't an author, what would you be? When I was young, I wanted to be a ballerina.
6. What do you like the most about being an author? Meeting readers like you.
7. What is your favorite book you wrote? I love Rufus. I also love Getting Back to Normal, which will be coming out soon. It's about Vannie Taylor whose mother has recently died. Her father takes her and her brother to live on this huge estate where he works. Here Vannie meets a ghost and learns how to deal with her new life.
8. What are your newest books? I've two books coming out in a few months: Getting Back to Normal and an adult mystery, Murder a la Christie.
9. What do you like about being in the mystery sisters group? Making good friends and being able to discuss issues related to writing mysteries. I really admire Mrs. Levinson for following her dreams of being an author just like me. You can follow your dreams of being an author too. A good place to start is your local library.
Ava
Ava Timpanaro writes a children's chapter book series with her sister Kayla and mom Laura called the Great Story World Mix-Up. To find out more about her books, author school visits and other Big Ideas please visit www.gswmu.com
