Today it’s my pleasure to interview fellow Enchanted
Inkpot member, Mary G. Thompson, about her latest novel, EVIL FAIRIES LOVE HAIR!
Here’s a brief description:
What if you could get your fondest wish? You could
be gorgeous, brilliant, a star athlete, or a great singer, or you could put a
hex on your worst enemy. And all you have to do is raise a flock of
two-inch-tall fairies. Easy, right?
Wrong.
Ali
learns this the hard way when her flock starter fairies get to work. Raising
them means feeding them, and what they eat is hair. Lots and lots of human
hair.
Where
to get the hair is Ali’s first challenge. What about the beauty salon? Easy,
right? . . .
Before
long, Ali’s friends, classmates, teachers, sister, and parents are entangled
with the evil fairies, who have their own grandiose and sinister agenda. It’s
up to Ali to overcome these magical troublemakers and set things right.
Hi Mary! First, let me tell you how much I loved
EVIL FAIRIES LOVE HAIR! What a unique spin on fairy lore. We have seen many types of fairies in
children’s literature, but none like this one! The fairies were deliciously
evil, yucky and hysterical – and I don’t think I’ve ever used those words to
describe the same thing before! Where did you come up with the idea of these
sneaky, hair loving fairies praying on the deepest hopes and wishes of
children?
Like most of my ideas, the fairies sort of popped
into existence out of nowhere. I was on the subway one night and the title
“Evil Fairies Love Hair” popped into my mind. I wrote the opening scene in my
notebook on the way home. The idea of growing fairies by feeding them hair
seemed perfectly natural to me, and who wouldn’t do it for their fondest wish?
I’d probably do it for nothing.
I would too! And I love the title by the way!
I was immediately captivated by the richly painted
fairy world, with all of its rules – including a contract and a rule book! How did you create this fairy society? What was your world building process like?
Well, being evil, the fairies had to have a scheming
leader, in this case, the pompous and self-aggrandizing Bunniumpton, who likes
to be called “Grand Miss Coiffure.” But I liked the idea that even though the
fairies have magic, they don’t really control anything about the magical world.
They are subject to rules just as much as the kids are, and the rules of the
magical world are mysterious and nonsensical to us mortals. I wanted to create
a world in which nobody can ever truly get the upper hand. If you think you
have things under control, you will be humorously knocked off your pedestal. The
adults have no idea what the kids are doing, the kids have no idea what the
fairies are really doing, and the fairies are doing magic they don’t fully
understand. So my world building was all about ensuring that everyone had just
enough information so that all the right things could go wrong. The whole world
is saying, “don’t take yourselves too seriously.”
I loved Ali, the protagonist, and I’m sure readers
will easily relate to her and her insecurities. Who hasn’t lived in a shadow of
a star sibling or friend? And Michael
was such a great contrast to her. All of the characters were so well
developed. Which character in the novel
do you relate to the most? And which one
was the hardest to write?
It would be hard to deny that Ali is sort of based
on me. Everyone who knows me exclaims that the cover looks exactly like me!
Unlike Ali, I never had a problem with my grades, but my fondest wish would be
to be smarter. You can never be smart enough, in my opinion. I wouldn’t say any
of the characters were hard to write. Maybe the perfect little girl who
torments Bunny. I hated her too!
In this book nothing as it seems. The good kids aren’t really as good as you
think, and the bad kids aren’t really as bad as you (and the adults!) think,
and the adults that are supposed to be keeping an eye on the kids are clueless.
There are so many twists and turns, and yet it is such a funny story. I laughed out loud many times while reading
this! Was it hard to keep track of it
all and weave the fantasy, humor and exciting plot together?
I wouldn’t really say it was hard. Humor, if it
works, just sort of happens in the flow of things. Most of the adults’ cluelessness
and the plot twists came from what seemed funny to me and what made me
laugh.
I loved watching Ali learn that she had to rely on
herself and her own cleverness to foil the evil fairy plot. To me, the real
magic occurs when she believes in herself.
This is far from a preachy book, but is there something in particular
you would like readers to take away from the novel?
The truth is, I just want people to laugh. Yeah,
believe in yourself, don’t believe magical creatures, be true to your friends …
but mostly, laugh!
Well, I certainly laughed while reading the book,
and I’m sure everyone else will, too! As the story progressed, the kids in the
book re-evaluated what a wish is worth, what the price is, and if they really
wanted their wish to come true. The book
explores the idea of careful what you wish for – you just might get it. If those evil fairies gave you one wish, what
would it be?
If I had to stick to the fairies’ list of options,
I’d wish to be smarter. Like Ali says in the book, don’t go wasting your wish
on a hex! If you’re smart, you can find a way to get all your other wishes.
Very good advice! What are you working on now? (if
you feel comfortable sharing that)
I have many irons in the fire. Watch this space!
We will! Thanks so much, Mary!
