As usual, I met author April Lurie in a very odd way. It started at the dentist.

This dentist office must have some magical qualities about it, for I have met four people through it already (none of them medical malpractice lawyers, thankfully). I was about fourteen when this happened, and was sitting with my head back, facing the ceiling- as calm as someone who wanted to be a radio DJ can be whilst another digs about in his mouth near his vocal chords with sharp metal objects. Silence weighed upon the dreary room, so the dentist struck up a conversation with me.

“So what are you doing these days besides that DJ stuff?” asked the dentist.

“Wathinth ath boowkth,” I attempted. She nodded.

“I know someone who wrote a book,” said she, and I shan’t bore you with the rest. Needless to say, I left with my dentist’s business card: on the back of which was written seven digits commonly used to telephonicly communicate with other humans.

However, being new to writing, I never could get myself to call. Here I had the phone number of someone who had already made it, and yet I was too fearful to use it. When I was 13, I had no trouble calling the head editor at Scholastic (and being thrown to the lions) but I just couldn’t call April. And so that card sat for five whole years in my drawer.

Five years later, I stumbled upon a blog of a writer named April Lurie, and I immediately recognized the name. Of course I had to email her the whole story. And I still have my dentist’s business card with April’s phone number. But I think she prefers her cell.

Though we narrowly missed meeting at a book festival, we have been in touch, and she has a new book coming out called The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine. I have read excerpts of her writing and I was truly surprised. There is something behind it that has a genuine voice, like that soul that is always hard to transfer onto the page. Writers like that are very rare these days, so I am eagerly looking forward to Dylan Fontaine, since her last book had a solid, bright, unavoidably pink cover I just couldn’t pull off the shelf. But I did sneak a peek at Amazon.com.

Thankfully, April agreed to do an interview for my site. I wonder if the dentist knows?

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1. Thanks April so much for coming on. Can you give us a little background story on you and how you became a published author?

Well, let’s see … I grew up in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn - a neighborhood populated by the Italian Mafia. Strangely, it was one of the safest places in Brooklyn because, well, no one was going to mess with those guys! I went to college in Manhattan, and worked as a Neonatal ICU nurse for many years. During this time, I got married and had four kids. As my kids grew older and began reading middle-grade and YA novels, I followed suit and fell in love with children’s lit all over again. That’s when I decided to write a novel for teens.

2. Was is always a dream for you to be an author or did it just happen that way by accident?

It was never a dream of mine to become an author. Even when I was writing DANCING IN THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN, I decided early on that the story was a gift for my parents. If it became published, well, even better! But I wouldn’t say it happened by accident either. I’m extremely pig-headed and persistent, so I gave it my all and tried my best not to get discouraged by rejections. The publishing field is tough and highly competitive, and you must have thick skin to survive.

3. How did you feel on the morning of the publication date for your first book?

Hmm … it’s weird. Publication day is pretty anti-climactic. I think most authors will tell you that. Nothing magical happens. The most exciting time for me was months before when I received my first advance review copy, or ARC. There’s something about holding the book in your hands (kind of like holding your first child) that is incredibly awesome and rewarding.

4. What was it like at your very first book signing?

My first book signing was really fun! My mom flew in from New York. She baked Norwegian pastries and dressed in her full Norwegian gown. She was a fabulous hostess. The guests loved her more than me! My friends and family were very supportive. It’s a great memory.

5. Tell us a little about The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine and also how it is different from the other books you have written.

Thanks for asking! I’m very excited about this book. Basically, it’s about Dylan, a fifteen-year-old boy, who is struggling because his mom left for another man, his dad works 24/7, his older brother Randy is getting into drugs, and Angie, the girl he loves, only wants to be a friend. When he stars in Angie’s movie (set in Greenwich Village, NY), he finds his latent powers.

This book is quite different from my other two novels. It still has quite a bit of humor, but it’s much darker and edgier.

6. Where did the inspiration for the book come from?

Actually, the story is loosely based on the darkest period of my life - when my fifteen-year-old son got into drugs and ran away from home. I never thought I would want to relive this time, but when my son began to get his life back on track (he’s doing great now, by the way!) I thought it might be good therapy for me to tackle it. So I did. Head on. Surprisingly, I had a blast writing the story, and I believe it’s my funniest book to date.

7. Is there a story behind the main character’s name?

Not really. I love Bob Dylan, so that probably had something to do with it. I like the way Fontaine sounds.

8. Were there any obstacles you faced when writing in the voice of a fifteen year old boy when previously all your protagonists were girls?

Great question! I found it so refreshing and freeing to write from a male point of view. Strange, I know. My husband helped a lot, though. He’s my first reader, so if something sounded too girly or feminine he’d point it out. The book I’m writing now is also from a male POV. It seems to work for me.

9. What advice can you give to writers who want to be published?

READ, READ, READ. WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. I’m not joking. These are the two main ingredients for success.

10. If you weren’t a writer, what would your second choice be?

A food critic. I love to eat. Thanks Kaleb!