Interview with Anna Staniszewski
On November 1, our own Inkie Anna Staniszewski released her middle-grade debut novel, MY VERY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE with 
Sourcebooks Publishing. Told through the eyes of the plucky, humorous, and sometimes-reluctant hero Jenny the Adventurer, the reader becomes acquainted with some of the less glamorous realities of dealing with magical creatures. Ultimately, Jenny must do battle with the creepy evil clown, Klarr, to save herself, not to mention the kingdom of a very cute prince.
So Anna, welcome to the Inkpot as a debut interviewee! Kirkus calls your book “charming,” which it is, but it’s also fun, creative, and a wonderful girl-power adventure. Let’s find out more about you and MY VERY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE.
Where did the inspiration come for Jenny as a character? And what do you expect readers will like about
her?
Jenny first appeared in a scene I wrote several years ago when I was taking a break from a dark YA novel
that was sucking the life out of me. In the scene, Jenny came into her room to discover a talking frog on
her bed. Instead of being surprised or intrigued by the frog, she was annoyed. Not only that, but she threw
the magical frog out the window! I knew I had to find out more about this character.
I think readers will enjoy Jenny’s sense of humor and resourcefulness, but they’ll also be able to relate to her on an emotional level. While Jenny might be braver than the average girl, ultimately she wants to find people who understand her. I think that’s something we can all relate to in some way.
Beyond the silliness and fun of this book, there is also a lot of heart, where Jenny learns some great life lessons, about friends, family, and even herself. What do you hope readers will learn from this book?
Though Jenny goes on a magical quest, she also goes on a personal one. She starts off as a pretty lonely and isolated character; part of her journey is about accepting her own identity and finding her place in the world. I know it took me years to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be, and I hope that’s something readers will also think about as they read the book. (And hopefully, they’ll have a few good laughs, too.)
I’m one of those who’s always felt there is just something not right about clowns. Klarr interested me as the villain, since he’s not one of Jenny’s usual magical creatures. How did you decide upon an evil clown for the villain?
I honestly didn’t know the bad guy was a clown until Jenny saw him for the first time. When I wrote that scene and described all of Klarr’s horrifying features, I realized they added up to a super creepy clown. I’ve never thought of myself as particularly coulrophobic (i.e. afraid of clowns), but I guess I must be!
Tell us what’s next for you as a writer. Do you have an exciting current project or any top-secret news worth sharing?
I always have a few projects in the mix. Right now I’m reworking a light tween fantasy, brainstorming a new picture book idea, and planning to return to a dark YA fairy tale I’ve been tinkering with for a while.
Finally, with very brief answers, help us get to know you as an author.
* Do you first draft on paper or the computer?
I draft mostly on the computer, though if I get stuck on a scene or need to do some brainstorming, I grab a
pen and pencil and scribble down ideas to help get the creative juices flowing again.
* Do you write to music, and if so, what was inspiring song for MY VERY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE?
I actually can’t listen to music while I’m writing, especially anything with lyrics. Maybe the lack of music
helped me to embrace my totally wacky side while I was writing MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE!
* Morning or evening writing?
I find that I’m actually more of an afternoon writer. I tend to spend my mornings running around, trying to
get a bunch of different things done. Once those are out of the way, I can settle down in the late
afternoon for some focused writing time.
* Favorite place to write?
My posture hates me for this, but I love writing curled up in the corner of the couch.
Thanks Anna! For readers, you can learn more about Anna at her website, www.annastan.com, and can see the trailer for her new book here!
Sourcebooks Publishing. Told through the eyes of the plucky, humorous, and sometimes-reluctant hero Jenny the Adventurer, the reader becomes acquainted with some of the less glamorous realities of dealing with magical creatures. Ultimately, Jenny must do battle with the creepy evil clown, Klarr, to save herself, not to mention the kingdom of a very cute prince.
So Anna, welcome to the Inkpot as a debut interviewee! Kirkus calls your book “charming,” which it is, but it’s also fun, creative, and a wonderful girl-power adventure. Let’s find out more about you and MY VERY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE.
Where did the inspiration come for Jenny as a character? And what do you expect readers will like about
her?
Jenny first appeared in a scene I wrote several years ago when I was taking a break from a dark YA novel
that was sucking the life out of me. In the scene, Jenny came into her room to discover a talking frog on
her bed. Instead of being surprised or intrigued by the frog, she was annoyed. Not only that, but she threw
the magical frog out the window! I knew I had to find out more about this character.
I think readers will enjoy Jenny’s sense of humor and resourcefulness, but they’ll also be able to relate to her on an emotional level. While Jenny might be braver than the average girl, ultimately she wants to find people who understand her. I think that’s something we can all relate to in some way.
Beyond the silliness and fun of this book, there is also a lot of heart, where Jenny learns some great life lessons, about friends, family, and even herself. What do you hope readers will learn from this book?
Though Jenny goes on a magical quest, she also goes on a personal one. She starts off as a pretty lonely and isolated character; part of her journey is about accepting her own identity and finding her place in the world. I know it took me years to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be, and I hope that’s something readers will also think about as they read the book. (And hopefully, they’ll have a few good laughs, too.)
I’m one of those who’s always felt there is just something not right about clowns. Klarr interested me as the villain, since he’s not one of Jenny’s usual magical creatures. How did you decide upon an evil clown for the villain?
I honestly didn’t know the bad guy was a clown until Jenny saw him for the first time. When I wrote that scene and described all of Klarr’s horrifying features, I realized they added up to a super creepy clown. I’ve never thought of myself as particularly coulrophobic (i.e. afraid of clowns), but I guess I must be!
Tell us what’s next for you as a writer. Do you have an exciting current project or any top-secret news worth sharing?
I always have a few projects in the mix. Right now I’m reworking a light tween fantasy, brainstorming a new picture book idea, and planning to return to a dark YA fairy tale I’ve been tinkering with for a while.
Finally, with very brief answers, help us get to know you as an author.
* Do you first draft on paper or the computer?
I draft mostly on the computer, though if I get stuck on a scene or need to do some brainstorming, I grab a
pen and pencil and scribble down ideas to help get the creative juices flowing again.
* Do you write to music, and if so, what was inspiring song for MY VERY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE?
I actually can’t listen to music while I’m writing, especially anything with lyrics. Maybe the lack of music
helped me to embrace my totally wacky side while I was writing MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE!
* Morning or evening writing?
I find that I’m actually more of an afternoon writer. I tend to spend my mornings running around, trying to
get a bunch of different things done. Once those are out of the way, I can settle down in the late
afternoon for some focused writing time.
* Favorite place to write?
My posture hates me for this, but I love writing curled up in the corner of the couch.
Thanks Anna! For readers, you can learn more about Anna at her website, www.annastan.com, and can see the trailer for her new book here!