Maw Books

Maw Books – book reviews, book recommendations, book lists, author interviews and more!

I’d love to welcome Christina Meldrum, author of the debut young adult novel Madapple, who is guest posting today.  I really enjoyed Madapple and you may read my full book review.   And check out her recipe for blueberry pancakes.  I don’t know about you but I’ve really enjoyed getting all of these great recipes from authors!  Also, visit Christina’s website. 

So please, stop in and give Christina a very warm welcome!

Thanks so much for inviting me to write a guest post.  It is a pleasure to be here!

I began writing Madapple over ten years ago.  I was working as a litigator then, and I would rise at five each morning to write before work.  I initially had the idea to write Madapple when I was an undergraduate studying comparative religion, but it was not until I was practicing law that I realized how to structure the book, by incorporating the trial scenes.  Still, because I was working and eventually raising children—and because I did years of research for Madapple—the book took a very long time to finish.

I was very lucky in that I found my agent, Laura Rennert, before I finished the manuscript.  I was approximately two-thirds of the way through my draft when I met Laura at a writing conference at Big Sur.  I signed on with her shortly thereafter.

Laura sold the book to Knopf in 2007 and, again, I was very lucky in that my editor at Knopf, Michelle Frey, is a fantastic editor.  The whole process of publishing Madapple truly was fun for me.  I really loved working with Michelle and the copy editors at Knopf on finalizing the manuscript.  The editing and copy-editing process is fascinating.

Deciding on the jacket cover also was great fun.  Knopf hired an artist, Jonathan Barkat, to read Madapple and design the cover.  First I received a sketch of the jacket cover, then the completed artwork and jacket design.  It was so interesting to see another person’s vision of my protagonist Alsaug and her world.  Until I saw the jacket art, Aslaug existed only in my mind.

And until I saw the bound galleys (otherwise known as the advanced reader copy or ARC), Madapple existed only in my mind.  But the ARC looks like a paperback version of the book and, although it is not finalized yet, it looks like a real book, not a stack of paper.

Still, walking into a bookstore and seeing Madapple on the shelf for the first time may have been the most delightful experience of all.  I was with my two sons and we were in a small local bookstore to buy a book for one of my sons.  Because the store is very small, I had not expected to see Madapple there.  But there it was!  My sons both jumped for joy, and I nearly joined in.  (Actually, I probably did.)

Favorite Recipe:  BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
(This recipe makes enough to feed a very large family—or two.)

Mix together:
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup White Flour
1 Cup Oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking power
Pinch of Salt

 In separate bowl mix:
1 Cup Plain Yogurt
2 eggs
1/3 cup Canola Oil
1 Cup Milk (or more if needed).  (Batter should not be to runny or too thick.)
½ Cup Honey

Stir this mixture into flour mixture.
Pour batter onto hot griddle.  Pour a full handful of blueberries on to each cooking pancake.  When batter begins to bubble, flip.
Then eat.  Yum!

Would you like to win a copy of Madapple?  Christina Meldrum has graciously donated two copies to be given away in conjunction with my Darfur awareness campaign.  Click here for details on how to get involved and entered to win. It’s really easy! Check back (you are subscribed to this blog, aren’t you?!) at the end of the month to put your name in the hat for this one.  Prizes will build up throughout the month.  Thanks Christina!

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