Today we welcome Flavia Labre currently residing in Malaysia. Flavia is a first-time middle grade author. As you will read, she shares my love of Ancient Egypt.
First, a bit about Flavia:
Flavia Labre was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She's graduated in Languages and Literature and has a master's degree in Brazilian folk tales. Flavia left Rio de Janeiro many years ago and since then, has lived in many other countries around the globe with her Italian husband, two incredible kids, two lazy cats and dozens of beautiful freshwater fish. “The Eighth Chamber” is her first middle grade book published in 2019.
Why did you pick to write books for MG readers?
There were many books that I read in my childhood that I never forgot and helped shape the person I'm today. Middle grade readers are a challenging group to write for, but they are also very honest and it's incredibly satisfying when they show how much they loved a book. It's a responsibility and a pleasure to be able to impact the way the kids see the world through the stories I write.
When you are not writing, what do you like to do?
I'm an avid reader, so when I'm not writing most of the time I'm reading. Another hobby that I recently fell in love with is gardening. Usually, when I'm stuck on a difficult chapter, I take a break to take care of my plants and I've found it has been really helpful to get new ideas and solutions for plot problems.
Tell us about The Eighth Chamber and how the story came to be.
The Eighth Chamber is my first middle grade book and inspiration came from different places. When I was a child I loved to read adventure books, like The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.
My goal was to write a book that I'd love to read, full of adventure, a hint of mystery and brave characters. The idea to have elements of ancient Egypt history came from the years I lived as an expat in Egypt and how amazed I was when I visited all the ancient sites and fell in love with this incredible civilization.
The first character I've created was Oscar. I love cats and I had clearly in my mind this brave black cat very close to his beloved human. He follows Amy everywhere and, in a way, is the superhero of the story.
Here's a peek at The Eighth Chamber:
Time is running fast and even not believing in him, he’s the only hope she has. With her inseparable cat, Oscar, Amy joins Nick on a search deep into the forests of Mau Island, where the police have found a single evidence: her mother’s shoe.
Thrown together by chance, Amy and Nick will have to join forces to face the dangers and obstacles in their way on a thrilling journey with unexpected surprises.
What they discover will change everything. But they will soon find out they are not alone in this search.
Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I've written two children illustration books in Portuguese when I still lived in Brasil. Both books are about birds and focus on ecology and the preservation of species.
What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?
I'm on the final stages of the first draft of other adventure featuring the same trio of “The Eighth Chamber”, Amy, Nick, and the cat Oscar. I'm also plotting a mystery novel for YA readers and, as usual, brainstorming other ideas. There are still lots of stories waiting to be told. :)
What advice do you have for other authors?
Read a lot in your genre. Also, keep writing and finish your first draft. Even on the days that you will feel discouraged, just take a deep breath and don't give up.
Where can readers find you and your books?
Readers can find me on these social media sites to keep updated on next releases, giveaways and weekly news from the books world.
My debut book The Eighth Chamber is available on
Amazon
Online bookstores
