Unveiling Dragon Adventures with MG Author Nikki Mitchell
Nikki Mitchell shares insights into her latest award-nominated middle-grade novel, "Season of Dragons," and her journey as a writer. Known for crafting imaginative tales that captivate young readers, Nikki's work offers a blend of humor, adventure, and relatable characters. Here’s a glimpse into her world and what inspires her to write for middle-grade readers.
Could you share a little about yourself and your current middle grade novel?
I’m from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and live here with my husband, two kids, and tiny zoo (three cats, a rabbit, and a hound dog). Season of Dragons is my fourth middle-grade novel and the audiobook version was recently named a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Books Awards.
Blurb: Ichabod Surname never imagined he’d be spending a Friday afternoon cross-country skiing with a grandma dragon—but that’s exactly what happens when he finds a giant egg on the way to school.
For as long as he can remember, he has been at war with his siblings because he thinks outside the box. He stays invisible at home and school, but for the first time in his life, he may be the key to restoring the weather and happiness in the village of Hasir.
What inspired you to start writing middle grade fiction?
I took RL Stine’s masterclass and immediately knew that middle-grade fiction was where my heart was. When I was in middle school, I was picked on a lot and I learned through books like Ella Enchanted and Harry Potter that I could disappear into books. I wanted to recreate that safe space for kids now.
How do you approach crafting characters that resonate with middle grade readers?
It’s a whole thing, haha. I’m not much of a plotter, but when it comes to character bios, I am. I come up with a name, their species if they aren’t human, where they live, etc. Then I go on to their likes and dislikes (even their least favorite foods. Ichabod’s is tuna noodle casserole). Ichabod has ADHD as well, so I weave those character attributes in there as well.
It also helps that I have kids who read MG books, so they are very much my alpha readers.
Do you have a favorite middle grade book?
That’s such a hard question! Ella Enchanted, Octavia Bloom and the Missing Key, and the Percy Jackson books are some of them!
Can you describe your typical writing day?
I’m a pretty busy homeschooling mom, so it looks different every day. Normally on the days that the kids work on their creative writing or reading, I’ll sit down and work on my current work in progress. Otherwise I use the few hours I have between my husband going to work at 5 am to when the kids wake up around 8:30/9 am to get some uninterrupted writing in.
What do you hope young readers will take away from your books?
That their imaginations are one of the most important things to have. Middle-grade readers will believe just about anything you throw on those pages and that’s what makes the age group so much fun. I want them to have fun reading, to feel like they can go on epic adventures in life and that books are a safe place.
Can you share any tips or advice for aspiring middle grade authors?
Read your genre. It’s so important to be reading what you’ll be writing. Get out your imagination, dust it off, and have fun creating these worlds and characters.
How do you incorporate humor and adventure into your middle grade stories?
A lot of the humor in my middle-grade stories come from the main character’s sidekicks. It helps break up the tension a little bit and gives the funny best friend vibe. In Season of Dragons, a lot of the humor came from Gran (she’s a grandma dragon), and the Mist.
All four of my middle-grade books are portal adventures, so the main characters start out in the real world and then end up in some enchanted or fantasy land. It’s a pretty fun way for the readers and my characters to go on an adventure together.
What upcoming project can readers look forward to from you?
The second book in the Magic Shoebox series is in the works and will release next year. Instead of dragons this time, Ichabod takes on the high-seas with superstitious pirates!
Is there anything else you’d like to share that I haven’t covered in the interview?
I really appreciate you having me!
