This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and P. J. Davis. All opinions are my own.
Book Information
Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time
Written by P. J. Davis Illustrated by Thomas Peacock Ages: 8+ | 234 Pages Publisher: Philaments | ISBN-13: 979-8990031616 Book Summary: “…it’s hard to prove the world’s most important substance is missing when no one knows it’s gone.” “Substance? What substance?” asks thirteen-year-old Max Kellerman. “Why time itself!” exclaims the strange professor who Max meets in the back of his uncle’s bookstore. In fact, he says, time is being sucked out of every living person by invisible thieves and stored away in a deep, dark netherworld. Could the professor possibly be right… or just plain crazy? It depends on whether Max can unravel the mysterious clues in the tattered manuscript the professor leaves behind. With the help of his best friends Derek and Samantha, Max begins a quest to find this dark realm and to discover its hidden secrets. But with the time clock ticking and the professor gone missing, Max uncovers a truth he never thought possible. Max must unravel the mysteries of Nemesis to save not just his world, but the very fabric of time itself. Author Interview
GI am excited to share my interview with PJ Davis. He lives in the tiny mountain town of Brevard, North Carolina overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. He lives there with his wife, youngest son, three sleepy cats and three noisy ducks. For his day job, he names things, such as companies, products and services. he even named the town’s annual White Squirrel Festival.
For more information, visit http://www.PJDavisAuthor.com Where did you get the inspiration for Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time? It started with a feeling of empathy for the main character Max, who’s this kid that’s sort of lost in his own thought bubble. I could relate to how that internal world can lead to isolation and misunderstanding at school and in life in general. So I started to write about him, explore the character and let it play itself out with all of his ruminations and imaginations. Then I just followed the threads of his thoughts to see where it took him, and it took him to some pretty interesting places. What was your writing process like for this book? I would describe my process as inspired fits and spurts. When the ideas flow, they really flow. It’s almost like I’m a witness to the writing and there’s an internal dictation going on that I can barely keep pace with. But then the story will suddenly turn cold and just sit there for a while. So I typically let it do just that… sit. And then I come back and tinker a bit and see if I can pick up the trail again. Sometimes I ask the story what it wants to say, as if the story itself is a person. My goal is to get out of the way as much as possible and let the story tell itself. So it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Then there’s the more tedious process of synthesizing it, reviewing it, sending it to my editor for input, and doing the revisions and fine tuning. So it’s both inspiration and dedication, there’s no cutting corners. What is your favorite part about writing books for kids? My favorite part of writing middle grade fiction is the anticipation that comes with knowing who I’m writing for – those bright, bubbly, and unbridled young minds. In fact, I write with a very specific mental image of my intended audience. For this book, I pictured a ten or eleven- year-old boy coming up to my table at a future book signing alongside his mother. He asks questions about my book that even I don’t have adequate answers to. Why? Because he’s so fully invested in the story that he’s made this new world his very own. And when that moment arrives, I’ll know that my goal in writing this book was absolutely accomplished. What are you working on now? I have a strong suspicion that Max, Derek and Samantha will be back. There is some unfinished business they’ll need to attend to, and the forces at work are still very much at work. For a clue, look at the last illustration in the book at the very end… and stay tuned! What is your favorite book? Tough question as probably most would agree. But in terms of impact, I would say The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois. I have a soft spot for fantastical adventures and this book about a man’s globetrotting visit to a remote island of millionaires really captured my imagination. I was in fifth grade at the time and it helped spur a love of reading and misadventure. Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a copy of Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time autographed by P.J. Davis, a Galaxy Flying Orb Ball, and a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
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