Emily Kenny answers #13Questions in OA's Debut Author Spotlight

13 Questions shine Operation Awesome's Spotlight
on this
2022 Debut Author

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks by Emily Kenny

1- Would you please tell us more about the library cat?

The library cat has a tongue as sharp as her mind! She's a tradition at Pebbles, the school in my story, and takes her role very seriously. Ultimately, grumpy as she is, she is also very loveable and extremely loyal.

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

Comparison is the thief of joy. Actively try to avoid it.

3- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

Comfort and cosiness in parts and edge-of-the-seat peril in others!

4- How do book reviews help middle-grade authors, in your opinion?

Book reviews help enormously by making the gatekeepers of children's fiction - parents, librarians, teachers, booksellers etc - aware of your book. Assuming the review is positive, they're vital in selling the idea of your story to the people who will then in turn sell it to kids.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book with an animal friend?



6- How do you support your fellow debut authors and have any of them supported you?

I've been really lucky to be in a brilliant Twitter group for debut kidlit authors and I've had enormous support from many of the members. We try to celebrate one another's writing and promote it where we can but it is also a safe place to ask tricky questions that you might not ask publically.

7- Time to double-down on social media! What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?
Also, can you please recommend a favorite #bookstagram account profile?

My twitter handle is @Emilie_London and I would love to shout out my fellow MG debut writer friends
@bookloverJo
@MissDePlume
@FinlaysonPalmer
and @kfosterauthor .

One of my favourite bookstagram account is definitely
@goldenbooksgirl as she does so much to champion diverse books and brilliant disability rep.

8- What is your favorite creative non-writing activity to do?

When I have time, I love art journalling.

9- In what ways are the main characters in your book diverse? diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

The main way is that the protagonist, Alice is Autistic like me. It was important to me to not write a book about autism but where an autistic main character had all the adventures!

10- What's the biggest writing goal you hope to accomplish in your lifetime? #WriteGoal #BucketList #WriterBucketList

I would LOVE to have a fandom! I have been a member of several fandoms and loyal fans are so creative. They're the best!

11- What was the query process like for you?

I was really lucky in that I met my dream agent very early in the querying process through an event so I didn't need to write too many of those pesky query letters. I feel super privileged in this regard.

12- Would you please ask our audience an intriguing question to answer in the comments?

In 'The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks', Alice's favourite place to escape to is the library. Where is your favourite place to sneak off to and why?

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

About the Author

Like Alice, Emily Kenny is autistic and wanted to write her debut novel about an autistic child protagonist. Emily studied English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, completed the MA in Children’s Literature at Roehampton University, and was part of the Spark Mentor scheme with WriteMentor. Emily works as a secondary school English teacher and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, and lives in London.

Twitter: @Emilie_London

Alice Tonks would love to make friends at boarding school. And, being autistic, she just wants people to accept her for who she is. But after a rather strange encounter with a talking seagull on her first day, she suddenly has a new challenge and a lot of questions.

Animals are going missing and Alice can’t solve the mystery alone. With new friends behind her, can Alice harness her magic powers and become the hero she never imagined?

A story about finding your voice, friendship and unlikely heroes, for fans of A Kind of Spark


The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks by Emily Kenny