Operation Tenley (The
Fair City Files #1)
by Jennifer Gooch
Hummer
Publication Date:
September 13, 2016
Publisher:
Month9Books
Meet
Tenley Tylwyth, an Elemental Teen born with the power to produce weather. Cool?
Not really. Elementals who can create weather make Mother Nature angry. It’s
time she got rid of them. Only one thing is standing in her way—Fair Ones.
These ancestors of fairies keep kids like Tenley safe, but when rookie Fair
One, Pennie, fails to do so, she’s forced to travel to Earth—a place where no
Fair One wants to go. Now, Pennie has forty-eight hours to convince Tenley to
give up her power. It won’t be so easy. Tenley’s got a way with wind. And after
falling deep into Mother Nature’s gardens, where trees grow upside down and
insects attack on command, a little wind might be just what Tenley needs to
survive. Even if it kills her.
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Excerpt:
Mrs. Tylwyth stepped
into Tenley’s room. “Actually, it’s a good thing you called. I forgot my
catalogues anyway. Have you seen them anywhere?”
“You mean
these?” Tenley looked up from the other side of the bed. Two pom-poms made of
shredded paper were clutched in her hands. She clapped them together.
“Tenley. You said you had to come home
because you ate a bad waffle.” Mrs. Tylwyth crossed her arms and frowned. “I
left the store halfway open.”
“I’m
sorry, Mom. But I didn’t think you’d let me come home if I told you the truth.”
“Which is?” Mrs. Tylwyth smoothed down
the end of Tenley’s bedding before she sat.
“Cheerleading auditions. They’re today
and I needed pom-poms. I didn’t want you to have to go buy me some real ones,
so I made these. I might even use them in my nail tutorials.”
“Cheerleading?
Why would they be holding auditions at the end of the school year?”
It was
a little weird, considering it was June. “All I know is that this really cute
guy was setting up auditions with Mr. Frimpy and told me I could audition too.
Anyway, it’s the perfect place to get more votes.”
“Honey,”
Mrs. Tylwyth started.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Tenley brushed out a pom-pom. “I’m going to get it.”
“This is a small town, Tenley. These
teens that you’re watching, the ones that actually get onto the show and win
the nominations, they’re from big cities. ANMIT only takes one teen from each
state. And these kids have moms and dads who work in big companies where they
can get lots of votes, not at their own antique shop. I might only get one or
two walk-ins a day, honey, and even though I put your signs up, well, I just
don’t want you to be heartbroken.”
“I’m not going to be heartbroken; I’m
going to be nominated.” Tenley clapped her pom-poms and stood. “I made these
out of your Secret Antique Finds
catalogues. I mean, am I inspirational or what?”
“A
paper tutu, too?” Mrs. Tylwyth chuckled.
Tenley
swiveled her hips. “Cool, huh?”
“How
did you know how to make all that?”
“YouTube,
Mom. DIY.”
Mrs.
Tylwyth couldn’t help but look impressed.
“So you’re not mad at me?”
“No, I’m still mad, Tenley. And you’ll
have to pay me back for those catalogues. But you are pretty clever.”
“Can you
take me back to school now please?”
“Let’s go.” Mrs. Tylwyth walked to the door.
“I hope this rain stops soon or I’m afraid you’ll be wearing a soggy ball of
paper for a tutu.”
“It won’t rain on us,” Tenley said
glancing out the window confidently. “I promise.”
An Interview with Jennifer Gooch Hummer
What inspired you to
write Operation Tenley?
I am a true believer in fairies, particularly the nature
kind. Nature fascinates me and I think that unless we start respecting it, we’re
going to obliterate ourselves. Everyone knows that Mother Nature always wins. Why
would Mother Nature sit back and allow
us to ruin her planet? Maybe her revenge is already happening? I mean, look at
all the natural disasters happening out there. So I thought I’d write a techo-fairy
tale about kids with Weather Powers who set out to save the planet from a
vindictive Mother Nature.
When or at what age
did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Ten! I remember it exactly. I was brushing my teeth,
looking in the mirror and imagining becoming a superstar singer when just then,
this voice said, “You’re not going to be a singer. You will be a writer.” I
said, “No way. Writers are weird.” But I knew right then that the voice was
right.
What is the earliest
age you remember reading your first book?
I remember my parents reading me The Lorax. Which still reigns supreme.
What genre of books
do you enjoy reading?
Young Adult. But when I’m writing I can’t really read fiction.
It throws me off. So I read memoirs and non-fiction. I love books about the
stock market!
What is your favorite
book?
The Center of
Everything
by Laura Moriarty.
You know I think we
all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?
Not to sound too cliché, but it might be John Greene. Or
Rainbow Rowell. And definitely David Sedaris. I like stories about growing up
and trying to figure out where one fits in in the world.
If you could travel
back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?
I think I’d go back to the 70’s. I was alive, but little.
I think it would have been amazing to be 20 in the 70’s. I love jumpsuits and
big earrings and wide-leg pants. It’s always been my style.
When writing a book
do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?
Writing is work. I treat it like a job. When I’m writing
a first draft, I write four pages a day. Even if they are the worst pages ever,
I write them. The next day, I might only keep one of the pages, but this page
has something that propels me into the next four pages. I have to write; it
keeps me sane.
Do you have any
little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?
We have two King Charles Cavalier rescue dogs. They are
brothers and inseparable and quite possibly the most neurotic dogs on the
planet.
What is your "to
die for", favorite food/foods to eat?
Ice cream. Never say no to ice cream.
Do you have any
advice for anyone that would like to be an author?
Start reading like a writer. Notice how the author tells
the story; how much dialogue they use to give the exposition; how fast the pace
is delivered. Become an observer of story structures and writing styles. This
way you become your own best writing teacher.
Jennifer
Gooch Hummer is the award-winning author and screenwriter of her debut novel,
Girl Unmoored (SparkPress). Girl Unmoored has also been published in German
(Carlsen). Jennifer has worked as a
script analyst for various talent agencies and film studios. She lives in Los
Angeles with her husband and three daughters.
Giveaway:
·
One (1) winner will receive a scrabble tile book cover charm (US ONLY)
·
Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Operations Tenley by
Jennifer Gooch Hummer (INT)
Ends September 30, 2016
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