Newsletter Exclusive Interview with Squidge

By Oakley Treekin

Squidge is an eight inch tall male sprite.

Where did you first meet Princess Annie and Prince Liam?
I was working in the Moonflower Glade when they came looking for the fairy, Moonbeam. She wasn't there, of course, because she was hardly ever there, so I had to deal with the trespassers all by myself. Annie's sister, Gwendolyn, was with them and she said some really rude things to me. She said that I was adorable! No self-respecting sprite should have to put up with being insulted like that!

You've been accused of ruining the wedding they had originally planned. Why would you do that?
They deserved it, that's why! Moonbeam met her future husband because of Annie and Liam. They had messed up Cinderella's meeting with Prince Ainsley. Moonbeam was mad, of course. Who wouldn't be? She cast a spell on Annie to make her fall in love with the next man who walked in. The spell bounced off Annie and hit Moonbeam, so when Selbert Dunlop walked in, the fairy fell in love with him. After that, everything was Selbert this and Selbert that. They were super gushy-mushy together and it drove me crazy! I couldn't stand being around them, so I went to Treecrest to pay Annie and Liam back for messing with my life. I didn't really ruin their wedding though. The fairies did that.

Were you sorry for what you did to Annie and Liam's wedding?
Not even a teensy, tiny bit. At least, not at first. They deserved it, like I said. Of course, after the fairies found out that I hadn't sent out their invitations, I might have been a little sorry – only because the fairies were so mad at me and said it was my fault that they'd done bad things to the castle when they thought they hadn't been invited. Believe me, you don't ever want all the fairies in a kingdom mad at you the way they were mad at me!

Why did you want to give up your job with the fairy, Moonbeam, and go to work for Annie and Liam?
Like I said, I couldn't stand being around Moonbeam and Selbert. I thought they might get over their mushiness, but they still haven't. She loves him just as much as the day they met, which means she must have cast a really powerful spell at Annie. After the whole thing with Annie and Liam's wedding, the fairies made my life miserable. When they finished tormenting me with work they made me do, they sent me to help Annie and Liam with their coronation, saying that it was community service. That's when I found out how much the prince and princess really needed me.

When you offered to help Annie and Liam plan their coronation, why did they trust you enough to let you help?
Because I told them that the fairies said they'd turn me into a gnat if I didn't actually help. Plus I said I was sorry a hundred billion, gajillion times and begged them to forgive me. I promised to be as good as gold, too. They both fell for it, I mean, they both understood and forgave me.

Available now in Hardcover

Coming in Paperback March 2019

Amazon

Barne & Noble

Indie Bound

"More Than A Princess" is getting Rave Reviews

More than a Princess.
By E. D. Baker
Nov. 2018. 240p. Bloomsbury, $17.99 (9781681197685). Gr. 3–6

Gr 3-6–Aislin is a princess, descending from both her princess mother’s pedrasi people and her prince father’s fairy folk. Aislin’s physical features and magic powers come from both sides, but she only discovers the extent of her talents when she is removed from her kingdom by humans with a hidden agenda. Along the way, she discovers that she is the only one who can prevent a war using her unusual brand of self-confidence and help from her plucky sidekicks. Aislin gets criticized for her facial features and body shape. For example, human prince Rory declares her “skin as tanned as a goat girl’s and [a body] as plump as the cook’s daughter.” The ladies-in-waiting insist she sing for them when they find out she has a beautiful voice, yet tell her to stand behind a curtain so they don’t have to look at her. Never having experienced such biting judgment before, Aislin eventually discovers her words and her voice as a source of strength. The spirited minor characters accompanying her (Twinket, a mischievous living doll; Poppy, a full-fledged fairy; and the truth-telling Tomas) add layers of unpredictability and excitement. VERDICT Surreptitious self-esteem building in a lively package for younger middle grade readers who enjoy light magical adventure tales.– written for the School Library Journal by Jane Miller, Nashville Public Library

"Aislin is unfailingly brave and resourceful . . . Baker’s world building is perfectly attuned to young sensibilities as she presents a realm of physical beauty, interspecies harmony, and mixed-race familial love for readers to visit and for Aislin to call home." - BCCB

"Aislin’s journey to self-acceptance is rewarding, and readers will easily draw parallels between Aislin’s world and their own." - Publishers Weekly

“Whenever Aislin heads outdoors, the author's gift for synthesizing nature and magic comes into play. A quirky, imaginative tale. . .” ―Kirkus Reviews

More Than A Princess is Available Now!

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Indie Bound

I now have my very own YouTube channel "Author E.D. Baker Writes". In each episode I answer questions about my books as well as questions from fans. If you have a question you would like answered in one of my upcoming Episodes please email it to

edbakerbooks.assistant@gmail.com

with the subject of "A question for you".