Below is my interview with middle grade author Laura Segal Stegman. Stegman has spent years writing her first book, and the efforts have paid off based on the numerous positive reviews she has received as a result. Learn more about the message, Easter eggs, and process of writing her book, Summer of L.U.C.K., and check out the links to buy below!
About the Author and Book
Author name: Laura Segal Stegman
Author links:
Book Title: Summer of L.U.C.K.
Genres: middle grade (contemporary fantasy)
Book summary
Summer of L.U.C.K. is about three kids longing to believe in themselves. Stuttering Darby is never perfect enough for her mother; Justin’s been silent since his dad died; Naz is struggling to learn English. But when they stumble on a magical carnival near their summer camp, the ghost who haunts it might just have the power to help them find their voices.
Book excerpt
Darby’s feet crunched on the pebble-filled path. The farther she went, the more overgrown the curving path became. As if it hasn’t been used in a long time. She slowed to gulp some water from her canteen.
The scent of wintergreen berries, bluebells, and wild sassafras from the bushes restored her resolve to continue. She walked a bit faster up a steep incline.
At the hilltop, one sign pointing left read CAMP INCH VIA WHITE FALLS HIGHWAY: 1/4 MILE EAST. Another pointed right, cautioning PRIVATE PROPERTY! Her pulse quickened. She followed it past bushes and trees.
Below her, an orange football-field-sized building, dressed up with castle-like turrets at each corner, rose several stories high. Darby smiled with glee. I found it! Massive green letters spelling out “L.U.C.K.” were painted on its side, glowing brighter than ever. A surrounding fieldstone wall led eastward toward camp.
She hurried down to a spot beside the immense wall where ten golden horseshoes sat lodged in concrete. Like last year, she placed her feet inside two of them. Her heart pounding, she waited anxiously for the faint rumbling she had heard – or possibly imagined.
The ground trembled ever so slightly beneath her.
She shivered with relief. Yes, I feel it!
The rumbling got louder. Darby ducked to avoid the small rocks and dust that fell from the stone wall looming above her head. Grating and creaking accompanied deep vibrations inside the fieldstone. A Darby-size section swung out on hinges, exposing a latch chain fastened to an old wooden door. She tried to remember to breathe. Or how to breathe. Overcoming the urge to back away, she yanked the chain, pushed the door open, and strained to see.
Review excerpts
“Laura Stegman conjures up a tale of friendship, set in the perfect summer camp (with a nod to the original Parent Trap film) that just happens to have a magical carnival next door. It’s a story about coming to terms with loss, change, and finding the confidence to face the difficult challenges of life. Stegman’s debut novel feels like an instant classic.” – Kitty Felde, author of Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza and Book Club for Kids podcast
“Middle grade readers… will relish this… compelling read. Highly recommended reading that stands out from the crowd.” – Midwest Book Review
“A magical middle-grade adventure about the power of self-acceptance… a fun-filled read sprinkled with whimsy, humor, and heart.” – Pine Reads Review
“I was instantly captivated and couldn’t put it down.” – Macaroni Kid
“I loved so much about this book, from the multiple points of views, from diverse characters with varying communication challenges to the whimsical and magical story set within the perfect summer camp setting. I can’t wait to share this story with my girls.” – Tara K. Ross, author, Fade to White
“Summer of L.U.C.K. is as much for adults as it is for tweens and young teens… the life lessons are so worthwhile.” – ItsNotAboutMe.TV e-zine
“Imaginative and emotionally true.” – Lynne Heffley, children’s media critic, writer, editor
“Summer of L.U.C.K.‘s successful blend of friendship, adventure, mystery, and fantasy are the qualities of a winning book for eight- to twelve-year-olds.” – Beth Miller, Los Angeles Unified School District Reading Specialist
“Fun and engaging.” – Teachers Who Read
“Laura Stegman captures the voice and heart of adolescence and the struggle to beat the odds and fit in. The bond of friendship that overcomes obstacles is a joy to read beginning to end.” – Michele Hennessy, kids entertainment producer and executive
Talking Shop
What do you want readers to take away from your books?
Summer of L.U.C.K. is about three kids finding their way to self-acceptance with the help of a ghost who haunts a magical carnival. In the course of the story, these characters learn to find their voices, which reflects my own life journey. I’m hoping Summer of L.U.C.K. will mean as much to readers today as my favorite middle grade books still mean to me. I believe kids should know that whatever they’re struggling with, other kids struggle too, and they are not alone.
Name a fact or detail about your story that readers will never know is there.
When I was a kid, I attended summer camp in Southern California’s San Bernardino mountains, from which I drew many good memories as I wrote Summer of L.U.C.K. In the story, Darby and her cabin mates take a day trip to a village with a doll museum and a candy shop where “the whole place smells like chocolate.” A sharp eye will notice that the village is named Barton Flats, same as the town in which my summer camp was located.
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
Summer of L.U.C.K.’s reviews have all been very positive, but my favorites are the ones from kids. Among the best compliments I’ve had is one from a young girl who said:
“I was instantly captivated and couldn’t put it down” (Macaroni Kid)
And another who said she could,
“…hear and see the characters vividly, as if it were a movie” (Macaroni Kid).
And on Meep Reads YouTube channel, the young reviewer called Leroy Usher (the ghost), “my favorite fictional character ever.”
I’m very grateful for such enthusiasm!
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
Summer of L.U.C.K. began with an idea in 2001, but the actual story developed over more than 18 years. First I wrote, then I revised, and then I rewrote the whole thing many times over, so pieces of the plot changed, scenes and characters were eliminated or added, POVs were adjusted, and the ending changed substantially.
I learned to write fiction during this process, including working with a development editor and connecting with other writers. I started querying publishers in 2019 and quickly got interest from INtense Publications, which offered me a three-book deal.
INtense published Summer of L.U.C.K. in September 2020. Despite my lengthy process for Book 1, I’m happy to say that my second book, Summer of L.U.C.K.‘s sequel, was completed in about 15 months. INtense Publications is set to publish the sequel, called Ready or Not, in fall 2021.
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of great writers?
Great question! At first, I considered the contemporary authors that I’ve been reading over the past few years, like Louise Penny, J.K. Rowling, and Tana French. But we’re talking Mt. Rushmore, so I’m going to go with Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Edith Wharton, and Charlotte Brontë. Can you tell I’m a fan of the classics???? David Copperfield, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Ethan Frome, and Jane Eyre are among my favorite books.
“What If” Scenarios
If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?
Jane Langton, the late author who wrote my favorite middle grade book, The Diamond in the Window, which inspired me to write Summer of L.U.C.K. The 11-year-old main character of The Diamond in the Window was the same age as I when I read it. She had freckles, like me, and, she hated her freckles. So did I. But this character learned to accept her freckles — and herself. It was one of the first times I recognized myself in a book. Jane Langton wrote a bunch of other books for middle graders, and she also wrote a wonderful series of adult mysteries. Check her out!
If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?
Okay, here is where the contemporary authors I mentioned in the Mt. Rushmore question fit perfectly. I’ll go with Tana French, Louise Penny, J.K. Rowling in her Robert Galbraith persona, and Liane Moriarty.
Even though their adult fiction/crime fiction genres are worlds apart from the middle grade stories I write, I would want to learn everything I could from them. They are all such masterful wordsmiths and storytellers.
A wealthy reader buys 100 copies of your book and tells you to hand them out to anyone you wish. Who do you give them to?
Dolly Parton, whose Imagination Library has donated more than 138 million free books to children around the world.
You’re given $10,000 to spend on marketing for your book. How do you spend it?
I would hire an expert in publicity and marketing for books, like Fauzia Burke and/or Megan Beatie. Although I’m a publicist myself and have generated press coverage and reviews for Summer of L.U.C.K. on my own, my expertise is in the arts, not books. I know my reach would be greater with a book publicity specialist. I saw Fauzia and Megan speak at an Authors Guild event last fall, and they really wowed me.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
- Count my blessings;
- Celebrate with my loved ones and fellow authors
- Keep writing.
What famous artist or photographer would you want to create or capture your book cover image?
My all-time favorite artist is Renoir, and I would love to see what his Summer of L.U.C.K. cover would look like. I’m imagining lots of pastels and softly drawn kids’ faces.
Just for Fun
One bucket list item you’ve completed and one that’s still on your list.
COMPLETED: With Summer of L.U.C.K. out in the world, being a published author is a dream come true. I’ve also just completed and turned in Summer of L.U.C.K.’s sequel, which is called Ready or Not and will be issued by INtense Publications in 2021.
STILL ON MY LIST: Writing and completing the Summer of L.U.C.K. middle grade trilogy’s third book. And maybe writing a novel in another genre.
Favorite place you’ve visited/place you want to visit.
The Hotel del Coronado, a gorgeous Victorian building set on the beach near San Diego, is one of my favorite places to visit. I’ve been going there since I was a kid and can’t wait to return after the pandemic.
Food you’d like to win a lifetime supply of.
I am a huge fan and consumer of Diet Dr. Pepper. A lifetime supply would be almost like winning the lottery!
Your favorite podcast.
I am just discovering many wonderful podcasts, but I particularly love the in-depth and fun author interviews by Tara K. Ross and Rebekah Black on their The Hope Prose Podcast. With an emphasis on craft, experience, and creative purpose, they spotlight the work of young adult and middle grade authors, including me.
Celebrity you’d want to be friends with.
I have read extensively about Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd U.S. President. His personal charm, his determination to overcome polio, and his courage in leading this country through World War II have always impressed me. I would have loved to have known him and been friends with him.
Pin it!
Summer of L.U.C.K sounds like a beautiful book. I love stories that help toward self-acceptance through extraordinary means. 🙂