Elise Stokes lives in
Washington State, with her husband and four children. She was an elementary
school teacher before becoming a full-time mom. With a daughter in middle
school and two in high school, Elise’s understanding of the challenges facing
girls in that age range inspired her to create a series that will motivate
girls to value individualism, courage, integrity, and intelligence. The stories
in Cassidy Jones Adventures are fun and relatable, and a bit edgy without
taking the reader uncomfortably out of bounds. Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula and Cassidy Jones and Vulcan's Gift are
the first two books in the series.
Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula:
Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones wakes up the
morning after a minor accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist
to discover that her body has undergone some bizarre physical changes. Her
senses, strength, and speed have been radically enhanced.
After exploring her newfound abilities, Cassidy learns that the geneticist, Professor Serena Phillips, is missing and that foul play is suspected. Terrified that her physical changes and Professor Phillips' disappearance are somehow connected, Cassidy decides to keep her strange transformation a secret. That is, until she meets the professor's brilliant and mysterious fifteen-year-old son, Emery. An unlikely duo, they set out to find Emery's mother, who is key in explaining Cassidy's newly acquired superpowers.
Their lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous, action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain willing to do anything - including murder — to reach his own ambitious goals.
After exploring her newfound abilities, Cassidy learns that the geneticist, Professor Serena Phillips, is missing and that foul play is suspected. Terrified that her physical changes and Professor Phillips' disappearance are somehow connected, Cassidy decides to keep her strange transformation a secret. That is, until she meets the professor's brilliant and mysterious fifteen-year-old son, Emery. An unlikely duo, they set out to find Emery's mother, who is key in explaining Cassidy's newly acquired superpowers.
Their lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous, action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain willing to do anything - including murder — to reach his own ambitious goals.
Cassidy
Jones and Vulcan’s Gift:
Two months after being infected with a strange
retrovirus, Cassidy Jones continues to live a double life while she struggles
to master her newly gained superpowers. High school has become the only normal
thing left in her life—except for tall, dark, and handsome Emery Phillips, who
shadows her every move, making sure she doesn’t reveal her secret. Then an
overnight sleepover at Catamount Mountain Zoo takes a menacing turn, putting
everything at risk.
Who’s your favorite character
in Cassidy Jones Adventures?
That’s like asking
which of my kids is my favorite (None, for the record). Cassidy and I are a lot
alike. This wasn’t intentional, though. It just sort of happened. So I do like
her, which is good. I have a soft spot for the boys, Emery Phillips and Jared
Wells. Readers haven’t had a chance to get to know Jared yet, but they will in
the third book. Hopefully they’ll be as conflicted over him and Emery as
Cassidy and I are.J Jason Crenshaw, Cassidy’s 25-year-old bum
neighbor who decided he never wanted to grow up, is a character I really love.
Jason is horrid and my work in progress. I have big plans for him.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m writing Book 3,
Cassidy Jones and the Seventh Attendant.
It’s been a blast breathing life into characters I’ve been thinking about for the
last two years.
What one word
describes how you feel when you write?
Calm
Who designed your
covers?
Kelly Carter with Mad
Spider Studio. It was a good day when I came across her online. Needless to
say, Kelly is very talented.
What’s an early childhood memory?
What’s an early childhood memory?
My earliest memory is age 2 in Fort
Knox, Kentucky, prior to my dad’s deployment to Vietnam. I remember walking
into our home that had seemed like a mansion to find it completely empty and my
mom becoming very upset about this. I interpreted her anger to be with “the
army” for taking all of our stuff. In actuality her frustration was with the
movers for not leaving requested items behind. She, my sister (@deevinehammer
on Twitter), and I were moving back to California while my dad served in
Vietnam. That night we slept on cots in our “big” empty living room, where I
fumed about our predicament and at the army that had even cleaned me out of all
my dresses. My closet was the first place I headed when we discovered we’d been
robbed. Empty and was I livid!
Do you ever write in your PJs?
Do you ever write in your PJs?
If it were up to
me, I would live in my PJs. As it is,
I live in workout clothes and sometimes even fix my hair. But, yes, when I
don’t have to drive anyone to school at a God-awful hour, I’m writing in my PJs.
So do you like to
cook?
I can cook, but I hate to, which
likely accounts for all my cooking disasters. My attempts are half-hearted, at
best. What skill I did have went downhill when I began writing. Luckily, my
husband has some cooking chops. I accepted the fact long ago that it won’t be
my stellar meals our kids will have fond memories of, but they will remember my
cookies. I’m a kick-ass baker, but baking isn’t anything like cooking.
What’s your
favorite quote?
I have so many! I
usually quote Winston Churchill (I’m
positive if I had ever met the man I would have fallen madly in love). However,
this time I’ll share a quote that sums up an attitude I strive to have:
"I have not
failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
–Thomas Edison
–Thomas Edison
List 3 books you’ve just recently read and would recommend?
Black Beast and LOST by R.S.
Guthrie, The Bones Of The Earth by
Scott Bury, Red Mojo Mama by Kathy
Lynn Hall, and Enemy In Blue by Derek
Blass. Currently I’m reading a great sci-fi for middle grade, Noah Of Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by D.
Robert Pease. I know. That’s more than three.
If your book was made into a TV series or Movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters?
If your book was made into a TV series or Movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters?
This question produced
a fun conversation with my kids. I picture Cassidy with Dakota Fanning
cuteness, so we thought her little sister Elle Fanning with hair dyed red like “Amy
Pond’s from Doctor Who” would make the perfect Cassidy. When I thought up my
villain Arthur King Junior, I imagined him resembling Stanley Tucci before he
took on a look of his own, but Tucci would still work as King. We decided a
dark haired Chloe Grace Moretz would be a great Miriam Cohen, Cassidy’s
vivacious friend. Emery and Jared stumped us. One of my daughters suggested
Taylor Lautner for Emery. My eight-year-old son’s response: “The werewolf?! If
Emery takes off his shirt, no way am
I watching Cassidy Jones: The Movie!”
Where can I purchase the books:
Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula-
Cassidy Jones and the Vulcan's Gift-
Where can I purchase the books:
Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula-
Cassidy Jones and the Vulcan's Gift-
Great stuff! Kudos to your son Elise for not wanting to see Mr. Lautner in all his shirtless glory ; )
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alan, and, yes, he was adamant about it. A shirtless Emery would ruin the movie, and, you know, Taylor Lautner is compelled to take his off, so it just wouldn't work. It was a fun conversation with my kids. I'm really glad Michael asked the question. :)
DeleteYou have great taste in literature, Elise!
ReplyDeleteAs for actors, I have to side with your son for not wanting Taylor Lautner. Emery should be played by someone who looks more intellectual. I suggest Justin Chatwin (another Canadian) for the role.
Stanley Tucci would work, though. How about Keifer Sutherland as Mr. Jones, the TV anchor? He's got the voice.
Scott, you are so right and I love Keifer Sutherland, like I love Winston Churchill (What was I thinking?:)). Anyway, thanks for checking out the interview and for the nice compliment about my taste in literature. Agreed, it's excellent.:) About Taylor Lautner, definitely not Emery. We'll check out Justin Chatwin. Something tells me my girls will enjoy that.
DeleteMichael, thank you so much! This was a very fun interview to do.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific interview! Like the questions, loved the answers. Thank you so much for mention, Elise. That's wonderful compliment coming from a writer like you. I was offline all weekend, so I missed it until now.
ReplyDeleteWhen is the next book coming out? Please i cant wait! i check every day to see if it is out!
ReplyDeleteA friend suggested your first book and after reading that, I had no choice but to continue onto the second. It really was horrible to put a teaser for the third book (in the back of the second) and not even have it out yet! :D Super excited for your next book, can hardly wait! Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula is one of my favourite books of all time! XD
ReplyDelete