John David Anderson: “Wishes” + Granted Blog Tour Contest

Today, I am so delighted to be sharing a truly magical guest post from author John David Anderson, as part of the blog tour for his latest middle grade book, Granted — about a fairy who helps grant wishes. Below, you can learn more about the book and enter to win a signed copy. But first, please enjoy this delightful guest post from David about some of the wishes in his life.

In celebration of my newest novel, Granted, Sara asked if I’d write about some wishes I’ve made. I can’t remember them all, of course. I’ve dropped my fair share of coins in wells and blown out forty-two cakes’ worth of candles, but here are a few that stand out.

Christmas wish that came true: The Yellow Castle. I was a Lego junky at a young age, and at six I asked for the now legendary yellow castle. Working drawbridge? Check. Horses that your guys’ butts would stick to? Check. Swords that you could pretend would chop the heads off of evil knights so that you could mount them gruesomely on top of the ramparts? Oh yeah. It was my Red Ryder BB gun. And building it is still one of my fondest memories from childhood.

Wish I made nearly every day for, like, five years: Jedi mind powers. This will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. As a wee lad, I used to spend two or three minutes of every day trying to move stuff around with my mind. I would stick out my hand and everything. I still do from time to time, though, to be honest, telekinesis would be a waste for me now. I’d just use it to get a Diet Coke from the fridge without having to get off the couch.

Perpetual, desperate childhood wish: That I would find someone nice to sit next to on the school bus. That one didn’t always (or often) come true.

Two wishes made at age sixteen that prove fairy magic must exist: That the smart, pretty Indian girl I’d made friends with would go out with me if I asked her and that I would grow up and be a published author someday.

Literary wish I knew would never come true: Oprah Book Club. Some things you know are impossible for all sorts of reasons. That’s why you wish for them. And then you practice your interview with Oprah during your commute to the job you took so you can feed yourself while trying to get your second book published. Also, maybe she’d invite me to the show on “You Get a Car” day. If you’re going to wish, go all out.

The first wish my son ever made (cheating, I know, as these are supposed to be my wishes, but I like this story): I gave him a penny and told him to throw it into the fountain at the mall and make a wish. He was three. I asked him what he wished for (also against the rules, I know). His response: A penny.

My wish for all the kids I meet during school visits: That they find time to read and share stories in class. That their school library collections grow rather than shrink. And that they always have a dedicated librarian in house to help put a good book in their hands.

My wish for my own children: That they help build a more accepting, empathetic, and peaceful world for their kids. And that they understand how proud of them I am already.

My wish for you, dear reader: That you enjoy my book (if you read it—or that you enjoy whatever story you dive into next), and that the fairies decide to pick your wish too someday.

Thanks, Sara, for being part of the tour!

From the author of beloved novels Ms. Bixby’s Last Day and Posted comes a hilarious, heartfelt, and unforgettable novel about a fairy-in-training.

Everyone who wishes upon a star, or a candle, or a penny thrown into a fountain knows that you’re not allowed to tell anyone what you’ve wished for. But even so, there is someone out there who hears it.

In a magical land called the Haven lives a young fairy named Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets. Ophela is no ordinary fairy—she is a Granter: one of the select fairies whose job it is to venture out into the world and grant the wishes of unsuspecting humans every day.

It’s the work of the Granters that generates the magic that allows the fairies to do what they do, and to keep the Haven hidden and safe. But with worldwide magic levels at an all-time low, this is not as easy as it sounds. On a typical day, only a small fraction of the millions of potential wishes gets granted.

Today, however, is anything but typical. Because today, Ophelia is going to get her very first wish-granting assignment.

And she’s about to discover that figuring out how to truly give someone what they want takes much more than a handful of fairy dust.

John David Anderson is the author of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, Posted, Sidekicked, Minion, and The Dungeoneers. A dedicated root beer connoisseur and chocolate fiend, he lives with his wife, two kids, and perpetually whiny cat in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can visit him online here.

Thanks to our friends at Walden Pond Press, we are giving away one signed copy of Granted to a lucky winner.

To enter, tell us in the comments below something you wished for as a child — and whether or not it ever came true! Then fill out the Rafflecopter form here to complete your entry and earn more chances to win.

Contest is open to the U.S./Canada only and runs through midnight (PT) on Saturday, March 17th.

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