interview by vanessa willoughby

//

In terms of Archie comic books, are you more of a Betty or a Veronica?
It's been so long since I read Archie, I'm not sure. I think I identified most with Jughead.

Where in the world do you feel most at home?
The Bay Area, where I live, an incredibly beautiful place.

You've just made the discovery of a lifetime. What is it?
The discovery for me, in my lifetime, was writing, especially writing in the notebook format where I could go back and forth between words and pictures. It might not matter to anyone else, but it definitely mattered to me!

Write a love letter in ten words or less.
First love, trembling new, too fragile to last. A haiku!

Make up a name for a new perfume.
Cinnamon toast -- you smell delicious and cozy, all at once!

Who do you consider an unlikely role model?
Mrs. Frizzle from the Magic Schoolbus series.  I loved how she encouraged kids to get messy, make mistakes, and ask questions.

You've been commissioned to paint a portrait of your favorite singer/musician using only two colors. Who is it and what two colors do you pick?
I don't really have a favorite singer/musician. But I'm very fond of the French singer Zazz. I'd paint her in silver and blue because that's what her voice sounds like.

You find a time machine. Would you go back in time and try to change a historical event?
I'm just finishing my fourth and final book in my time travel series, Mira's Diary. The answer is in this last book, Mira's Diary: California Dreaming.

What is your go-to karaoke song?
Dare I admit, I've never done karaoke? My favorite place to sing is in the car, on long drives. Patsy Cline's These Boots Are Made for Walking is a favorite.

What is your favorite myth or fairy tale?
Again, it's hard to pick a favorite. Probably Perseus and Andromeda because it involved flying and sea monsters and a dramatic rescue, though the story of Theseus in the labyrinth is also compelling because of the puzzle aspect.

//