I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Halloween than with Lynne Marie’s new Halloween book, Moldilocks and the Three Scares: a Zombie Tale (llustrated by David Rodriguez Lorenzo, Sterling Children’s Books). Lynne Marie, as you’ll learn in this interview has a knack for wonderful holiday stories, but Halloween is extra special for her. She explains why on The Kids Are All Write. Thanks, Lynn, for hanging out with us here!

What was your inspiration for Moldilocks and the Three Scares?

Definitely you can see shades of my childhood -- growing up reading fairy tales, as well as watching T.V. shows like The Addams Family and The Munsters, as well as Dark Shadows and Creature Feature.

What was the journey like for this book? Did Moldilocks find a home right away?

The seed for this idea started as a turn of the phrase “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” into “Moldilocks and the Three Scares.” I knew I had to really switch things up to make it new and different, so from there, I started flipping things. I made Moldilocks an answer to the Scares’ nightmares (prayers) instead of an intruder, I gave Papa the role of homemaker/cook, and Mama worked in the lab, etc. It was a really fun book to write and it sold quickly. I was at an SCBWI Conference and had a critique for THE DINOSTORE, but the editor, Meredith Mundy, had too many dinosaur books on her list already, so had asked what else I had, and I pitched her MOLDILOCKS :)

One of the things I like best, without, I hope, giving it away, is the sweet, inclusive twist you give the story. Was that part of it from the beginning? How are kids responding to it?

Yes, that was there from the very beginning. As an adopted child, I had never liked the idea of Goldilocks wandering around alone in the woods without a family, so I fixed all that! I am happy to say that kids are really getting the adoption angle and in a very sweet way. It really makes my heart swell.

What makes Halloween special for you? Can you share some of your favorite Halloween memories?

I’ve always been *over-the-moon* crazy over Halloween. My mother says this is very common in adopted children. If you can’t tell by that statement, she was a social worker before she retired. Regardless, I LOVE Halloween, dressing up and costumes, decorations, monsters, the orange and black, Halloween movies and Halloween parties -- I love it all. I guess I was the exact right person to write this book as they say.

Favorite Halloween memories. Hmmmm. One that truly stands out was when I met John Astin of The Addams Family in New York. He was starring in Once Upon A Midnight: The Story of Edgar Allen Poe ON Halloween. I called the theatre and asked if people would be wearing costumes and they said, yes, of course! So I dressed in my Morticia Addams costume. My husband and son of course refused to wear costumes. When we showed up at the theatre, I was the only one wearing a costume. Well, I slunk across the lobby with all the grace I could muster, but boy was it funny!

Another is when I got to meet up with Douglas Sills who played Gomez Addams in the touring company for The Addams Family (also on Halloween), again, dressed as Morticia. I knew him from when I lived in New York. I was a Pimpie which meant I had seen The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway many, many times and he was the starring role. For those who don’t recognize this play, it’s technically one of the first costumed SuperHero stories, set against the French Revolution and written by Baroness Orzcy. I’ve attached a picture of me with Doug.

You’ve written a lot of holiday-themed books — not always intentionally, I understand! Can you tell us how you came to write your other holiday books?

Well as you mentioned, it was unintentional. It’s apparent that I am drawn toward cinema, costumes, creatures (all creatures great and small) and celebrations. I think it’s the stuff I’m made of. HEDGEHOG GOES TO KINDERGARTEN focuses on the event of going back-to-school, HEDGEHOG’S 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL focuses the 100th Day of School Celebration (I honestly really LOVE that day), THE STAR IN THE CHRISTMAS PLAY -- Christmas, and of course, MOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE SCARES - Halloween. My fifth book, LET’S EAT! MEALTIME AROUND THE WORLD is not tied to a specific date, but it does celebrate culture and customs and mealtimes -- eating together and sharing.

This is quite a punderful book. Did you crack yourself up with the wordplay?

I can easily crack myself up with wordplay and go overboard. The truth is that I had to pull back and leave in just enough to not overdo it, or over-decorate LOL

There are a lot of visual jokes in Moldilocks, too. Did you indicate some of them in art notes? Did your illustrator, David Rodriguez Lorenzo surprise you? Do you have any favorite spreads?

Well, I am a self-admitted Queen of the Art Note. I try extremely hard to make sure that they are essential, so I have never been called to task over them, but I am a very visual writer/thinker, so I do often write in a way that depends upon them. I have, in facts, been asked to add more. True Story! For Moldilocks, I did have many art notes, and no, David did not honor my art note to have Papa’s bed be a Bed of Nails. Too much I guess LOL! I do agree a slab was a better choice. And Baby Scare’s Bed was not a coffin, but just an appropriately Scare-y bed. See -- sometimes I get carried away. And I was pleasantly surprised by his contributions.

To be honest, I love the art and the color palette so I adore almost all the spread, but my absolute favorite is the family dinner scene as that has the heart of the story in it.

You have some more new books coming out, too. I was honored that you asked me to write a blurb for Let’s Eat!: Mealtime Around the World. Can you tell us what inspired that book?

Actually my editor asked me to write that book, but a lifelong passion for travel and love of culture inspired it. It comes out November 5, 2019 and I’m so excited about it. I’m crossing my fingers that it sells well so I can write the next book, which I believe will be Let’s Play: Games Around the World.

What else do you have coming out and when?

I have some exciting things in the wings but nothing I can talk about yet.

Have you got anything special planned for Halloween this year?

This year was a big travel year for me. Since one year ago I’ve been to the Bahamas many times, to Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Belize, St. Maarten, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Holland, Sweden, Russia and I’m sure I’ve forgotten some place. I’ve actually cancelled a few trips so I can catch my breath and I’m just going to stay home and celebrate my dog’s birthday with my family. His name is Anakin, and we’re taking him to Woofgang Bakery in Fort Lauderdale for his 2nd birthday to have a pupcake and pick out a present, as well as Starbucks to get a pupaccino.

Thank you for this boo-tifu interview on The Kids Are All Write, Lynne Marie! You can visit Lynne Marie on her website here:

LiterallyLynneMarie.com

On Facebook: LiterallyLynneMarie

On Twitter: @Literally_Lynne

On Pinterest: @LynneMarie