Tell us about yourself!
I live in south-central Pennsylvania with my husband, daughters, three adorable kitties, and one spoiled puppy. I love writing YA fantasy, drinking coffee, and doing yoga
Tell us about your books.
The Curse of Ozpa Springs is a supernatural middle grade mystery about Gemma, a thirteen-year-old girl searching for her dad. Along with her mom and sisters, they are stranded in the strange town of Ozpa Springs . . . and are quickly pulled into a decades-old mystery!
The book is appropriate for ages 8 to 12.
What kind of child are you trying to reach with your books?
The Curse of Ozpa Springs is for kids who like supernatural mysteries and adventure! I compare this to the Lemony Snicket books along with a Scooby Doo vibe, so readers who like silly plots will enjoy this. There’s an adorable dog named Pancho and an iguana named Luke Skywalker that readers will love!
It will appeal to both genders, as the main characters are Gemma and Xavier. Xavier is an orphan, and Gemma is in search of her dad who is missing, so some readers may identify with this.
Give us a little flavor of some great characters or the setting.
From The Curse of Ozpa Springs:
“What’re ya doing?” Six-year-old Gwendolynn trailed Xavier and Gemma like a bee to honey.
Gemma hopped over the cracks along the sidewalk. “Nothing.”
Gwendolynn imitated Gemma as she hopped, too. “Where are you going?”
“Somewhere. And nowhere.” Gemma began walking in the grass.
Gwendolynn followed her. “Why?”
“Why?” Xavier scratched a hand through his red hair. “That doesn’t seem like the next logical question.”
“I wasn’t trying to be logical.” Gwendolynn shrugged.
“Then why don’t you go find a game you could play? One that is logical.” Gemma winked at Xavier.
He smiled.
Gwendolynn huffed. “There are no games to play. And no friends to play with.”
Xavier patted her on her shoulder. “No worries. Once school starts I’m sure you’ll find plenty of friends to play with.”
“Yeah, but what do I do until then?”
Gemma rolled her eyes. “I guess you can come with us.”
“Yay!” Gwendolynn skipped in step. “Where are we going then?”
Xavier laughed. Gemma growled.
What inspired you to write this book?
I had a dream about a couple of thirteen-year-old teens acting as lawyers who defend an innocent person. And they won the case! I woke up and thought it would make such a fun story!
How did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve always loved telling and writing stories. Eventually, those stories got longer and longer until I was writing multiple book series. My husband challenged me to try to get one of them published. Over a decade later, here I am!
What’s one middle grade book you always recommend?
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen. I love the entire series! The way it’s written and the twists and turns are genius!
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Give yourself grace. There will be seasons where the stories flow and you write a ton. And some seasons where you write less but are on a journey of learning. Allow yourself to enjoy all the seasons and don’t put pressure on yourself to be like other writers.
What formats are your books available in?
- Paperback
- Ebook
Find it here.
What’s next?
I publish both traditionally and indie. I don’t have a specific schedule for my indie books. I write them and publish them as the ideas come!
I’ll be re-releasing my YA fantasy Banshee Song Series under a different publisher over the course of this year and next year. Silence, book three in the series, will be releasing for the first time!
How can parents find you?
I’m most active on Instagram @lauralzimmauthor and Goodreads, and also have a Facebook page, X, as well as my website www.lauralzimmerman.org.
The books are available on Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and my website!
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If you’re in the market for middle grade books, I’d love to share my series with you!
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