Rockstar Tours: THE EQUINOX TEST (Liz Montague), Interview and Giveaway! ~US ONLY

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE EQUINOX TEST by Liz Montague Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE EQUINOX TEST

Author: Liz
Montague

Pub. Date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Scholastic
Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 240

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-EQUINOX-TEST 

 

Three friends discover magic and
mayhem around every corner of their school in this brand-new illustrated series
from New Yorker cartoonist and NAACP Image Award nominee Liz
Montague that’s perfect for fans of Witchlings and The
Wizards of Waverly Place.

Welcome to the Brooklyn School of
Magic, where seeds of enchantment are planted and magic sprouts in every
corner. And where each fall, fifth years must pass the Equinox Test if they
want to move up to Middle Magic.

Rose is worried. She’s never been the
best student. And if she doesn’t pass with flying colors, Principal Ivy says
she may have to transfer to a boring, non-magical school. Amethyst knows she’s
got the skills to ace the test. But to really impress her mom, she’s got her
eye on the school’s top prize. Lavender just wants to fit in. Even after a few
years in the States, he still feels homesick. All. The. Time. Passing the test
might just be his ticket back to the island.

But with best friend battles, a
cheating scandal, and trouble brewing in the magical community, the Equinox
Test may not even be the biggest challenge these Magic Bearers will face this
year…

 

 

Interview:

School for Unusual Magic: Equinox Test

Liz Montague

 

1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I wanted to write a story about a magic school that I could actually see myself in, one that felt really local, tangible, and relatable. Avatar the Last Airbender is one of my favorite shows of all time and I love how the world and characters feel so real while showing and discussing really complex topics. That show was a huge inspiration as far as what’s possible when creating for younger audiences.

Nature was also a massive inspiration! I geek out over nature all the time, I think it’s the coolest thing and I love that I was able to ground the entire magic system around it—especially since the story takes place in a city (which isn’t exactly the first place people think of when they picture nature).

 

2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

There’s no way I could choose between Rose, Lav, and Amethyst so I’m going to go with Kyle the Koi Fish for balance’s sake.

 

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel for sure, we actually changed the title a few times during the editing process. I knew the school in the story was going to be named the Brooklyn School of Magic, which I came up with back during my sophomore year of college, but we didn’t land on the title until we were nearly finished edits.

 

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

There’s a series of events that leads to Rose in the Principal’s offie getting a pep talk over strawberry jam that I absolutely love. We re-worked that chapter so many times and just knowing how many iterations we went through I’m so happy with where it ended up and how well it captures everything that I wanted it to.

 

Art wise, I’m also really proud of the small radish journey that’s happening in the background. I really wanted the art to be a starting point for the readers’ imagination so they could keep filling in the blanks of this magical world and I’m very proud of it!

 

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

Don’t be afraid to start over! If something isn’t working or a new idea or character comes that would require rewrites, just do it. Also: if while you’re writing and a question pops into your head make sure you answer it in the text because odds are readers will have that same question too.

 

6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?

I love the composition and the colors, we re-worked the cover a lot to get it exactly right. I love that it’s not super busy but still shows a lot of personality.

 

7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2024?

My friend Kristina Forest has a romance book called THE PARTNER PLOT coming out in 2024 that I’m very excited for!

 

8. What was your favorite book in 2023?

While it didn’t come out in 2023, I read the entire LORD OF THE RINGS series as well as the HOBBIT over the summer and I absolutely loved it. I’d never read them before and it’s so cool to see how Tolkien inspired so many other books and series. The HOBBIT was hilarious too, which I wasn’t expecting.

 

9. What’s up next for you?

The second book in the series, SCHOOL FOR UNSUAL MAGIC: THE WINTER FROST comes out November 12, so I’m very excited for that! I also have another middle grade graphic novel coming out in 2025.

 

10. Is there anything that you would like to add?

I’m Sagittarius sun, Sagittarius rising, and Virgo moon for anyone else who likes stars!

 

11. Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?

Amethyst’s revelations towards the end of the book I know how hard it is to realize that you don’t know everything the way you thought you did and I just really felt for her.

 

12. Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?

Lav! Originally, the book was only from Rose’s perspective and even Amethyst was just a side character. As I was writing and the characters emerged more, Lav, who was only supposed to be more of a background classmate, kept growing and growing in the narrative and I ended up going back to the beginning and re-writing all of it. So structurally Lav was difficult but I knew his character really well so it was a blast to write!

 

13. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?

Drafting! Drafting is like running downhill with the wind blowing in your hair—no rules, just fun. Revising is very tedious for me, I end up interrogating every word but it’s super gratifying once everything clicks.

 

14. What would you say is your superpower?

I can talk about hard things in a fun way 🙂

 

15. Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

I am a National Parks Service super stan! I love the National Parks. When I was in undergrad in Richmond, VA I’d go to Shenandoah all the time. I did a camping and hiking trip at Chaco Canyon that I loved, I backpacked part of the Appalachian Trail and stayed in Harper’s Ferry for a bit which was amazing—I could talk about the National Parks for days. I highly recommend looking up the one’s in your area and visiting them; the rangers are incredible and so knowledgable and most parks have great community activities too!

 

 

About Liz Montague:

 

Liz Montague
began as a cartoonist for The New Yorker in 2019. She is the
author-illustrator of the graphic novel Maybe an Artist, which was
nominated for an NAACP Image Award, the picture book Jackie Ormes Draws
the Future, and the middle grade series Magic for Beginners. Liz is
passionate about nature and emotional literacy. She lives in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, with her husband Pat.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

 

 

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE EQUINOX TEST, US Only.

Ends April 23rd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway