Meet Middle Grade Author Beth Overmyer

Today we welcome Middle Grade author Beth Overmyer to Carpinello's Writing Pages. Beth, an Ohio native, writes for middle graders and young adults. Her debut novel In A Pickle was published by MuseItUp Publishing, and she has had shorter fiction published in various e-zines

Why did you choose to write books for Middle Grade readers?

I really enjoyed Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and I related well to the voice and the characters. I have a younger sense of humor and fun. A sense of what a youthful audience would like is important. It’s also important to like it yourself

What types of books do you like to read?

I like anything from Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy to Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt, and a lot in between. Books that help you escape, help you find yourself, or simply entertain…all have merit and help you grow on some level, even if they show you what not to do.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

The cliché answer: I like reading, and chilling with my family and my cats. I also enjoy good music and dancing when no one is watching.

Tell us about In A Pickle and how the story came to be.

In A Pickle came about in a random sort of way. I’ve always liked time-travel, so I thought “Wouldn’t it be interesting to have a cat that time-travels?” Well, the cat didn’t make it to print, but his owner, Charlie, did. And once I had the character in my head, his adventure took off from there, and the story almost told itself.

Here's a peak at In A Pickle: 

Charlie Pickle can't stay put in the year 1920 due to an annoying habit of time-traveling. On a trip back to 1910, he meets a man with a secret. Murder makes the headlines that day, and Charlie's new friend knows who the guilty party is. Now, not only does Charlie have bullies and murderers to contend with, he's got some history to fix.


Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them. 

In A Pickle is my debut. I’ve had various short stories published in e-zines and anthologies, though, which ranged from comedic horror to speculative humor (A Fairytale Intervention, for example.)

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story? 

I’m working on a middle grade novel about junior high students who develop superpowers. There is something different and special about them, but that’s a surprise I don’t want to give away. I also have some young adult projects and one or two screenplays and stage plays on the backburner.

What advice do you have for other authors? 

Keep writing. Read. Read A LOT, in and out of your genre/age group. And be sure to edit your work, even if you think it’s all that and a bag of chips.

Where can readers find you and your books? 

They can purchase In A Pickle in e-book form through my publisher’s website http://museituppublishing.com as well as Amazon.com. It should also be available from Barnes and Noble’s website sometime in the near future.