Crystal Cestari, author of THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC, on the intimidating blank screen

by Jocelyn Rish

It is always a magical experience to talk to an author about their debut novel, and today Crystal Cestari shares details about THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC.

Crystal, what was your inspiration for writing THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC?

My favorite show of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and one thing I always appreciated was how Buffy was handling such a powerful responsibility while the world around her had no idea. My narrator, Amber, does not save lives, but she shares that struggle in that her matchmaking ability is not something she can control or turn off; she’s fighting her own good fight everyday in the name of love. Stories with a hint of magic have always pulled me in, and I’ll never turn away a good romance, so this book is a mashup of two favorite genres.

Was there an AHA! moment along your road to publication where something suddenly sank in and you felt you had the key to writing a novel? What was it?

I’ve been writing since I was very young, and have dreamt of being an author for just as long, but this story lit me up like no other. I wouldn’t say writing it was easy by any means, but the words did come together at an unprecedented pace, and I felt so connected to my narrator and her journey. Something in me said I needed to try and share this story with the world, and I’ve never had that feeling before.

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?

It’s not the most efficient method in the world, but I write all my first drafts longhand. Something about connecting pen to paper works better for me than staring at an intimidating blank screen. Plus, I can draw little doodles in the margins and leave notes for future drafts. Where I write can vary, but I usually don’t listen to music, since I have a tendency to get distracted and start singing along.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

Don’t be too hard on yourself during any step of the process! Nothing comes out perfect the first time, so just take it easy and enjoy the journey.

What do you hope readers will take away from THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC?

I hope readers will laugh, have fun, and celebrate the people they love after reading this story!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Best Kind of Magic
by Crystal Cestari
Hardcover
Disney-Hyperion
Released 5/16/2017

Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family Wicca gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific magical talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber’s pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone’s soul mate.

Amber works at her mother’s magic shop–Windy City Magic–in downtown Chicago, and she’s confident she’s seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one–her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor’s son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father’s missing girlfriend, she’s distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can’t see her own match, she can see his–and it’s not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn’t her match?

Purchase The Best Kind of Magic at Amazon
Purchase The Best Kind of Magic at IndieBound
View The Best Kind of Magic on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“With rainbows in my hair and stories in my head, I am a writer drawn to magic in the everyday world.” -Crystal Cestari

Crystal Cestari lives just outside Chicago with her daughter. Her likes include ice cream and bulldogs, and dislikes span from broccoli to wet sneakers on linoleum (the worst). She always carries around a notebook to scribble down ideas. Writing longhand works best for Crystal (even though it’s the slowest method ever) because looking at a blank piece of paper is somehow less intimidating than a blank screen. Plus, there are so many pretty notebooks and pens to doodle with! Crystal has wanted to be an author since the fifth grade, and with her debut novel, THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC published, we are glad she stayed on track!

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Have you had a chance to read THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC yet? Have you been inspired by your favorite TV shows? Do you sometimes feel intimidated by the daunting blank screen? What has helped you get past the screen? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy reading,

Emily, Jocelyn, Anisaa, Sam, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, and Lori Ann

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: May 20, 2017

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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