Exclusive Interview with Anna Staniszewski, author of The Dirt Diary book series!

Where is your favorite place to write?

Even though I have a workspace set up in our guest bedroom, I usually write at the dining room table instead. That way my dog has room to nap nearby, and I can easily pop into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee or tea.

How old were you when you first started writing stories?

When I was in second grade, I started writing poems, and that quickly turned into writing stories as well. The stories were usually very similar to the books I was reading at the time, and often included magic and fairy tale elements.

What was your first book?

The first book I published was actually the fourth novel I wrote. It came out in 2011 and was called My Very UnFairy Tale Life, and it later became a series.

What is your favorite genre to write?

I write for a lot of different ages and audiences, but I think what ties all my books together is that they're funny or magical or both. I love setting books in a world that feels almost real but adding exaggerated or magical elements to it. Plus, a lot of my books are at least partly inspired by fairy tales.

What is your favorite genre to read?

Similar to my writing preferences, I love reading books that mix reality and fantasy together. I also love books with a touch of mystery or romance, and ones that make me giggle.

What has been your favorite book to write so far?

The most challenging book--but also my favorite--would have to be The Wonder of Wildflowers. I wove in memories from my own experiences as a young immigrant into the story, and I also got to build a whole magical world. Figuring out how to blend the real-life elements with fantasy was tricky, but it wound up being a very satisfying puzzle in the end.

Do you have any places to go or things to do when you need ideas?

Being out in nature usually gets my brain going. I also love exploring new places and visiting museums--art and exploration really help to feed my imagination.

What are your other hobbies?

Besides reading A LOT, I enjoy hanging out with my family, going for walks with my dog, sampling delicious desserts, and watching K-dramas.

Have you ever written any adult books?

I have yet to publish a book for adults, but I have been working on writing one recently. Fingers crossed it makes it onto bookshelves one day!

If so, do you like writing adult books or kids books better?

I think my natural storytelling voice and my story ideas both work better for children's books, and I read a lot of children's literature, so it just feels more comfortable for me. But the adult book I've been working on has given me more space to dig into the characters' histories and to layer more plot lines into the story, which has been a nice change of pace.

Do you have any pets?

I have a very sweet and silly Siberian Husky named Rose who we suspect might actually be two cats in a dog costume.

Do you plan on writing any more books?

Yes! My imagination is always churning away, so I usually have at least two books going at once. Not all of them get published, but I enjoy the process of creating them anyway. And I always learn something new from every story I write.

If so, how many?

As many as possible!

Visit her website at https://www.annastan.com/ .

Look out for new content!

Kat