Readers Want To Know Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows

Today, the Im A Reader Not A Writer blog tour brings us the delightful Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows to talk about her Alexander Drake books. (I apologize this is in all caps. I've tried everything to fix it short of retyping the entire interview myself!)

Welcome Elizabeth! Thank you for joining us on Readers Want To Know! Can you please introduce yourself and your book?

Thank you for having me! I am a mom & keeper of chaos to three little ones… ages 7 and under. I also write childrens fantasy in my pockets of time. I started the Azra’s Pith Series when my son was born. It is full of the things I love ― an enchanting world with colorful creatures, magic, intrigue, and Alexander (the unassuming hero)… along with some dark sorcery and nasty flying creatures.  Books 1 and 2 are available now. Book 3, “The Butterfly Curse” is just about finished.

If you were stranded on a desert isle with a character from your book, which one would you choose and why?

Julien – his energy is peaceful; so if I happen to be freaking out and talking to volley balls or dancing like a lunatic around a fire he might have a chance of calming me down. He would make for great company because he loves to joke around. If all else fails he is an Empyrean wizard; he could simply morph into his owl form and fly us home.

You and your main character are throwing a dinner party. Would the party be BIG, medium or an intimate gathering, and who would be on the guest list and/or what would be on the menu?

Dinner (and eating in general) is a big deal in Azra’s Pith. So, of course a dinner party would have to be huge! There is no need be rude and leave out the hoppers, or the dirt pips, and certainly not anyone from Mundi’s Village… or any Empyrean Wizards. Things will get a little rowdy in the palace of Verhonia that night. After a hearty vegetable stew for dinner (yep… just vegetable stew), there would be diving contest in the courtyard fountain… those crazy hoppers. The Empyreans would be flying through the palace walls with dirt pips on their backs. Who is not invited? Dark sorcerers, banished empyrean wizards, and vicious flying murks. We don’t want the guests being eaten for dinner along with the stew.  

If you could live through one scene from your book, which would it be?

Oh wow, tough one. There are so many that I would love to be in. As a kid I was on a determined quest to find portals to magical lands after reading “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”. So, of course I would want to jump into the magical tree and through the passageway! Landing in Azra’s Pith with Ferdinand as my companion would be amazing. Alexander is a lucky kid, he just doesn’t realize it because he is too busy running from murks and dark magic.  

Did you cry while writing this book? How many times? Why?

Through Alexander’s journey he has a heavy heart and is trying to find out what happened to his mother.  His struggle to cope with a distant, secretive father and a mother he never knew was tough at times to write. At the end Alexander receives a gift; something that once belonged to his mother. Oh dear… I don’t want to give anything away! That said, I cried writing that scene like the silly, sappy fantasy geek I am.
   
Which is your favorite supporting character from your book and why?

Ferdinand, the fearless hopper has been my favorite to write. He’s uptight and temperamental. He knows everything (at least he thinks he does) He is brave to a fault and incredibly handsome (again… he would like to think so) for a frog. Oops! Don’t ever call him a frog unless you want an hour long lecture about the origin of hoppers. He is also one of the few remaining go-betweens in the realm. If you find a magical key lying around; then a talking frog pops out with long gangly limbs, a pudgy belly and a feisty disposition…expect a wild adventure.

Elizabeth, you’ve been such a fun guest and your books sound amazing! Thanks for joining us and we wish you tons of success with your books and your tour!

Alexander Drake's Extraordinary PursuitMeet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out. It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.



About Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows:

Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat.

Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.