The 20 Question Interview with our very own Turkeybird is our feature interview that happens with all of the book authors, illustrators and poets we love!

Today we’re extremely excited to welcome the very talented author, reviewer, agent, mom and more…Pam van Hylckama Vlieg. Pam or “Agent P” as she’s called around our home is part of the group of wonderful authors in the recently released anthology of dark retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes, Two and Twenty Dark Tales. Her contribution, A Pocket Full of Posy, is an absolute favorite! Pam is also included in the Magical Mayhem anthology which we can’t wait to read as well. So, without further hesitation on our part, the Turkeybird’s 20 Question Interview with Pam van Hylckama Vlieg…

1. So, my mom said your book would scare me, a lot. How come?

Like at Halloween, you know the ONE guy who always thinks it is funny to sit really still and then jump out and scare the smallest kids and make them cry? My story is like that guy, but I’m much nicer and I won’t make you cry.

2. How long do you think I should wait until I get to read it?

I think you should wait until you can drive a car. Legally.

3. Crayons or Markers?

I like crayons.

4. Why?

I can stay inside the lines better with them. Markers mess me up, plus the smell of some of the markers give me a headache.

5. What’s your favorite color?

I was just thinking about this the other day, Turkeybird. It used to be blue, but it isn’t that simple anymore. I wore blue shirts, and had blue jeans, and my shoes were blue. But I noticed recently all of my new clothes are in all sorts of colors. So I really don’t know what my favorite color should be. Maybe you should pick for me.

(Turkeybird: Purple. Littlebug says pink, but I don’t really like pink anymore and purple is a good “girl” color. Or maybe green. I like blue too.)

6. If you were four what would you read next?

Harry the Dirty Dog. I quite like Harry, he goes from being a white dog with black spots, to being a black dog with white spots. He is silly.

7. What book do your kids make you read a lot right now? (Littlebug keeps asking mom to read this super sad book called The Scar, about a mom that dies. She cries every time and Littlebug asks her to read it every day!)

My little girl is nine now so she pretty much reads on her own. But I read all the books she does before she does so that I can make sure there aren’t any scary stories like mine in there. We recently read Pleasing the Ghost which is kind of creepy but pretty cool at the same time.

My little boy only lets me read one book. He’s kind of like Littlebug, he asks every day for the same story. But at least it doesn’t make me cry! He wants to read Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site!

8. Where is your favoritest place you’ve ever been to?

Your town, Turkeybird! I was there recently and your mom brought me a donut. They have THE best donuts, and I am a firm believer that you should never go anywhere where there aren’t good baked foods to be had.

9. Spaceships or pirate ships?

Spaceships!

10. Why?

Because boats have already been everywhere. I want to go somewhere completely new that no human from Earth has ever been before.

11. When you were my age did you like to read?

I did, I loved to read very much.

12. Why do you like to write?

I have so many stories in my head. If I don’t write them down, when I get old I may forget them. And that would be very sad for me.

13. Do you have a favorite treat? (Mine is anything chocolate! But today it was mint chocolate chip ice cream from Trader Joe’s.)

I do! I like to eat scones. Any kind of scone. You eat them when you drink tea, and if you hold your pinky finger out just right the whole experience can be very fancy.

14. Did you know my Aunt has a bulldog named Ozzy that’s like yours?

I do know that! And I think Ozzy is about the coolest dog ever.

15. What’s the silliest thing that Brixton has done?

Well, he does silly things all of the time. But the silliest thing he did today is quite funny. He was sleeping on the couch and snoring really loudly and then he farted, also really loudly. But after he farted he jumped up and turned around as fast as he could, he thought someone had poked him in his butt while he was sleeping but no one was there.

16. I’m in kindergarten now and I like math and story-making the very best. What was your favoritest part of school?

Lunch. And world history. I liked learning what people did in other places back before they had iPhones and TV.

17. Swings or Slides?

Swings!

18. Why?

Slides scare me when they are too high. I don’t have to swing too high if I don’t want to.

19. My mom read me your kids book and I thought it was super silly. Do you think you will ever write a book for my age and have it made into a book I can hold?

Oh, Turkeybird. I hope so!

20. What are you writing right now?

I’m writing a book for kids your age about Brixton and my other dog Jackie. But there’s no farting. (So far!)

The Turkeybird Speaks: Thank you so super much Agent P! My mom said I could call you that and since my favoritest show ever is Phineas and Ferb I thought it was super cool that your nickname is Agent P!

Fart! You said fart in your interview! Haha! I’m still cracking up over that. The other day there was this kid in my class that farted so loud that the whole class could hear it and everyone kept laughing and laughing and laughing. It was super funny, so I really think you should have farting in your book with Brixton and Jackie!

My mom said I won’t be old enough to drive until I’m way old, like sixteen! So you will have to write your kids book soon so that I can read one of your books with Littlebug. I still think your older kids story sounds fun and super scary! Maybe mom will let me read it sooner…maybe, like when I’m fourteen maybe.

Thank you super super super a lot Agent P! Your interview was the very best!

Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes by Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Shannon Delany, Max Scialdone, Karen Mahoney, Lisa Mantchev, Georgia McBride, C. Lee McKenzie, Gretchen McNeil, Francisco X. Stork, K.M. Walton, Suzanne Young, Michelle Zink, Leigh Fallon, Angie Frazier, Jessie Harrell, Nancy Holder, Heidi R. Kling, Suzanne Lazear, Pam van Hylckama Vlieg and Leah Cypess

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.

Find Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes at the following spots:
Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Barnes & Noble Nook | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, Month9Books, I have one copy of Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes to giveaway to one There’s A Book reader! Thank you! Be sure to follow along the other stops on the Two and Twenty Dark Tales tour for more great reviews, interviews and giveaways.
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Thank you so much to the publisher, Month9Books, for providing a copy of this book for review via NetGalley and for coordinating this interview! Connect with them on their Blog, Twitter and on Facebook!
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