"Eden's Wish" by Tara Crowl -- Book Review & Author Interview!

I'm thrilled to have one of my friends, Tara Crowl, here today to discuss her debut MG book, "Eden's Wish" (published by Disney Hyperion)!

Back-Cover-Blurb:

All twelve years of Eden's life have been spent in an antique oil lamp. She lives like a princess inside her tiny, luxurious home, but to Eden, the lamp is nothing but a prison. She hates being a genie. All she wants, more than anything, is freedom. 

When Eden finds a gateway to Earth inside the lamp, she takes her chance. In a moment, she's entered the world she loves. And this time, she won't be sent back after three wishes. 

Posing as the new kid at a California middle school, Eden revels in all of Earth's pleasures-but quickly learns that this world isn't as perfect as she always thought it was. Eden soon finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old conflict between powerful immortals. A ruthless organization run by a former genie will stop at nothing to acquire the lamp and its power-including hurting Tyler and Sasha, the mortal friends who have given Eden a home. To save her friends-and protect the magic of the lamp-Eden will have to decide once and for all where she belongs.

{View book on Amazon}

Book Review

I don't typically read MG books; however, as soon as I dove into the story of "Eden's Wish", the fun protagonist and lighthearted writing style had me eager to read more books in this genre. The premise of the story is what captured me from the beginning--and once I was swept into the journey, it was almost impossible to put it down! It reminded me of genie version of "A Little Mermaid" (which just so happens to be my favorite Disney movie).

Although this could be considered a fantasy book, it takes place in modern day. (Love stories that combine fantasy with reality!) The journey the protagonist takes and the questions she wrestles with are ones that most tweens will be able to identify with--such as the longing to be accepted and to find a place where you belong.

"Eden's Wish" would make the Christmas perfect gift for a tween, or anyone who enjoys reading a book that takes them on an imaginative and fast-paced adventure from beginning to end. I look forward to reading the sequel!


                         Author Interview

When did you first discover your passion for stories?

Early on, when I was a little girl. I was fortunate enough to have access to tons of books. My dad worked in book distribution, so he'd bring home boxes of them for me. I read them all--and if I really liked one, I'd read it over and over again. That was when I first started dreaming of writing my own books someday.

Later on, that passion for stories led me to study Cinematic Arts at USC, and then to work in Hollywood. But ultimately, the dream I'd had when I was young never went away. I realized I still wanted to write stories like the ones that had meant so much to me back then. 

Tell us about your book. What inspired you to write EDEN’S WISH?

EDEN'S WISH is about a 12-year-old genie who escapes her lamp because she wants to live on Earth like a regular girl. I came up with the idea a few years ago. The notion of a genie granting three wishes is pretty familiar to most people, and it's fun to imagine what you'd wish for. But I started to think about things from the genie's perspective. To me, being trapped inside an oil lamp sounds awful! You'd have no freedom, no fresh air, no chance to experience the world on your own terms. So I came up with the character of Eden, a rebellious genie who doesn't want the life she's been born into. I built the world of the lamp and its legacy around her, and the story grew from there.

When did you decide to pursue publication, and how long was the process?

I started writing EDEN'S WISH when I attended a Master's program in Creative Writing at Macquarie University in Sydney. After that year, I moved to New York and worked lots of miscellaneous jobs while continuing to write. I did catering jobs, tutored, temped in offices, and worked at a hotel pool for a summer. 

Once the book was finished, I started reaching out to agents. Eventually I signed with Kevan Lyon at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Then Kevan took the book out to publishers, and sold it to Disney-Hyperion. That was three years after I'd started writing.

What’s next in your career? Will you continue to write MG novels?

The next book in the EDEN series will be released in fall 2016, and I've got a couple other things in the works for after that. I love writing MG, but at some point I may try YA as well.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Embrace your own life and experiences. Pay attention to the things you see, hear, and feel, and practice putting them into words. No one else in the world has your perspective, so it's important to value and nurture that.

About the Author:

M. Tara Crowl grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She studied Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, then received an MA in Creative Writing at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. She lives in New York City. Visit her website: www.mtaracrowl.com.