Jennifer Camiccia's Debut Author Spotlight #NewBook #20Questions at Operation Awesome

The Memory Keeper by Jennifer Camicciak

1- How did you spend your summer?

I spent my summer taking care of my new rescue puppy, Nova.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Once you finish a project, let it sit for a couple of weeks. Seeing it with fresh eyes can make all the difference when you're revising.

3- What ignited your passion for writing?

I've always daydreamed and made up stories, even before I could read or write. So, in that sense, I would say being read to from an early age ignited my imagination and made me want to make up my own stories.

4- Did you make any of the food you found on Pinterest over the summer? If so, what and how did it go?

I made gluten and dairy-free banana bread and it turned out, surprisingly, delicious!

5- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

@jencamiccia, @_CoryLeonardo, @leeseray, @LindsayWrites.

6- Would you share a picture with us of your book at a fun summer spot?

I had the amazing experience to go to the first SoCal NerdCamp this summer. I also had my first book signing!


7- Would you please tell us more about winning the #goldenheart?

I won the Golden Heart for a Young Adult book, LISTEN. Later we changed the title to BIRDY'S SONG. It's a story about a teenage girl who's devotion to her younger sister helps her overcome crippling stage fright in order to perform in a singing competition that could be the answer to their future. The RWA conference was also my first conference and I loved every minute of it. It's still weird to see a picture of myself accepting the award because I have no memory of walking to the stage.

8- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Lately, it's been to support my fellow debut authors. I love reading all the ARCs! There is so much talent in this year's group. I, also, admit that I'm a sucker for a beautiful cover :)

9- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

I have a hard time picking a favorite book. I love so many. One of my favorites is The Princess Bride. I found that book hilarious when I was a teenager, and it still holds up. A recent favorite is Sadie by Courtney Summers.
Author name:Courtney Summers @courtney_s
Title: Sadie
Love because: I loved it because she takes this impossibly difficult, complicated story and dares you to look away from it. You can't. It's a heartbreaking look at how easy it is for a girl to disappear. The podcast aspect really makes the book hard to put down. It was not an easy or comfortable book to read, but it was brilliant.


10- Who is currently your biggest fan? What does that person love most (or "ship") about your debut novel?
Is it cheesy to say, my daughter? She is the first person to read all my books, and she is my biggest cheerleader. I'd say she loves the mystery aspect of the book the most.


11- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader, and is there a particular scene you hope will resonate with readers?

I hope it touches readers and makes them value the people in their lives. I love the last story in the book--the one Lulu writes for her baby brother.

12- What's your favorite autumn dessert?

My favorite autumn dessert is Dutch Apple pie. My grandmother taught my mom how to make the perfect crust, and she passed it down to me. It’s one of those foods where every bite brings back so many treasured memories.

13- How do you hope your book will help readers in their life?

I hope it will help readers to be honest with their families. Sometimes we think that keeping secrets is protecting our family. But, sometimes, it's really distancing them from us. Obviously, every family is unique but I do believe honesty, if at all possible, is best.

14- What is the most memorable trait or visual oddity of one of your characters?

My main character has a Highly Superior Biographical Memory. This is the kind of memory where a person remembers everything about their own lives.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

My favorite diverse middle-grade book right now is Lisa Moore Ramee's A Good Kind Of Trouble


16- What's your favorite song and why?

My favorite song is The Story by Brandi Carlile. It makes me cry every time I hear it.


17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I've always dreamed of being traditionally published. It took a lot of hard work and patience—it definitely did not happen overnight. But the whole experience has been educational and, I'd even say, life-changing.

18- Why do you think readers should write book reviews?

If a reader enjoyed a book then reviewing it is really one of the best ways to thank the writer. It helps other readers to find the book and helps it to stand out in the marketplace.

19- Do you have one question or discussion topic which you would like the readers of this interview to answer or remark on in the comments?

I'd love to know other people's favorite book review bloggers

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

THE MEMORY KEEPER:
All Lulu Carter wants is to be seen. But her parents are lost in their own worlds, and Lulu has learned the hard way that having something as rare as HSAM—the ability to remember almost every single moment in her life—won’t make you popular in school.

At least Lulu has Gram, who knows the truth about Lulu’s memory and loves her all the more for it. But Gram has started becoming absentminded, and the more lost she gets, the more she depends on Lulu…until Lulu realizes her memory holds the very key to fixing Gram’s forgetfulness. Once Lulu learns that trauma can cause amnesia, all she needs to do to cure Gram is hunt down that one painful moment in Gram’s life.

With her friends Olivia and Max, Lulu digs into Gram’s mysterious past. But they soon realize some secrets should stay buried, and Lulu wonders if she ever knew Gram at all. It’s up to Lulu to uncover the truth before the only person who truly sees her slips away.

jencamiccia.com/


The Memory Keeper by Jennifer Camicciak