Wicked Wednesday Writer -- Revealed!

You may have spotted this mysteriously disguised writer over on kcdyer's blog. Let's just have a look at her, shall we?


Hmmm.


Mortar board. Shiny achievement plaque.


I'm thinking we might be dealing with an academic here. Perhaps even ...some kind of a Golden Girl? Aside from her academic aspirations, I can tell you that in all likelihood you have read something by this author before, as she is hugely prolific, high energy and a lot of fun. She claims her biggest fan is a french bulldog named Bridget Jones.

Figured it out yet?

Let's unmask her and find out!




It's Micol Ostow! Micol is the author of more than 40 books, and her brand new series of Bradford novels just released in January.

Darby Christopher: It's great to meet you, Micol. A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW is all about how different people came to live in Canada. You live in the US, but have a pretty interesting background yourself. Where were you born?

Micol Ostow: I was born in exotic Long Island, New York! And we moved to New Jersey when I was about a year old. So probably the "interesting" part that you're getting at is how my mother is Puerto Rican, and my father is Jewish/Eastern European. So I was raised a conservative Jew (my mother converted and we were pretty observant while I was growing up), but with a little Latina "flair." And--it must be said--a serious "Ramos family booty."

DC: That's not too far south of where my grandparents live on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Where do you live now?

MO: These days I live in NYC, in the West Village, home to many a literary heavyweight. I love my neighborhood because it's got so much personality and history...but it's a lot to live up to!

DC: That sounds like a cool neighbourhood. Do you remember any special stories about your family or your neighbourhood from when you were a kid?

MO: Apparently I was staying with my grandparents in Riverdale, NY, while my mother was in labor with my brother. When my father called to tell me that I had a baby brother, I asked if I could live with my grandparents instead of going home.

So, yeah--brother Dave and I, off to a rocky start. Good thing that's all changed! (We have a book coming out together this summer, SO PUNK ROCK (and Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother. So we've managed to work through the sibling rivalry drama).

DC: Ha. Luckily I have never had that problem. I fill the time other kids have to spend dealing with their sibs riding my skateboard around. Can you ride a skateboard?

MO: Never tried!

DC: Hmmm. I think that's something you need to remedy. So, besides writing books, do you have a secret skill or talent you’d like to share?

MO: It's been a few years, so I'm probably rusty, but I can tap dance! Also, I ran the NYC Marathon back in 2003. Although these days, I'm more likely to run for the phone when it rings than in a race.

DC: You know, I'm beginning to think tap-dancing must be a part of the writing process! Maybe it helps you come up with good story ideas. That marathon must have been wild! Speaking of wild, if you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

MO: Too many choices! I think I would have liked to be a settler on one of the early Zionist kibbutzes, to get a sense of what the real feeling of community and purpose was in founding the state of Israel. I would have liked to see Kurt Cobain perform. I would have liked to attend a writers' retreat with Virginia Woolf.

DC: Whoa -- I think you would have put your window to a lot of good use with all those choices. Is there anyone special you’d like to meet?

MO: I would love to talk to Barbara Kingsolver about the process of writing "The Poisonwood Bible." What a feat--an exercise in point of view and an epic saga. One of my favorite books of all times.

DC: Sounds like a good book -- great creepy title, for sure. Can you tell me a bit about your latest project?

MO: My very latest release is "GoldenGirl," the first book in the new Bradford Novels series. It's mean-girl lit in the same vein as many of the (amazing) privileged, private-school students books out there, but what sets Bradford apart is its staggering online universe.

We've got character blogs online that offer alternate points of view of events that took place in the book, as well as online-only story arcs and scandalous reveals. We've also got Facebook profiles, student networking pages, and real-time Twitter updates from all of our characters. Come visit us at: www.bradfordnovels.com.

DC: I've had a look around your site and it is astonishing. But it is also a whole lot of fun to go peeking around that universe. I really enjoyed it. So, when you have been working hard and need a little treat, what’s your favourite? I'm into red licorice, myself.

MO: Ooh, you're a girl after my own heart. Red Vines all the way!

DC: Yeah! Fist bump! So, other than the Bradford Novels site, if I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

MO: I'm at www.micolostow.com. Hope to see you there!

DC: You will see me, no doubt. I've got to check up on how the Golden Girl is doing! Thanks so much for joining me today, Micol.

If you'd like to win a copy of Micol's latest book, leave your name in the comment section. How about this -- pop over HERE and check out the Bradford Novels site. Then come back and leave a comment as to your Favourite Thing about the site. Is it the blogs? The real-time tweets? What appeals to you most?

We'll do the draw for Micol's book this Friday, March 20th after 8 pm. Get all your friends to enter...this is a great chance to win!

~Darby