by S.E. Reed

Kate, thanks for taking the time to meet with me today for an interview about your upcoming Middle Grades novel, Fiona and the Forgotten Piano. Can you tell us a little about your book?

Of course! Eleven-year-old Fiona Duet hears music in the trees outside her home. She isn’t allowed in the woods to find the source of the music. After a distinct note interrupts her piano lesson, the woods seem to come alive. Suddenly, shadows flit through the trees and a lost frog emerges, asking Fiona for help. She’ll have to decide whether to follow the rules or enter the woods where undiscovered worlds await.

Wow, it sounds amazing! How did you come up with the idea?

The idea actually came from a writing prompt. I chose three words at random and wrote a story to combine the three of them. After writing a few paragraphs, I knew the story had potential to become a full length book. The random words were Tree, Piano and Blue. Blue became the color of the lost frog’s legs!

What was your writing experience like with this book?

I wrote this book while many places were closed due to the pandemic (and before I had a baby), so I had a bit more time on my hands. I wrote after work most days and on weekends. It took me a few months to write Fiona’s story. Now, I have to be more purposeful about making time to write. Luckily, I’ve stretched my writing muscles so I can write a bit faster these days. I no longer have to google things like “how to interrupt a character mid-sentence.”

What other projects have you been working on lately?

I’m writing a magical hotel fantasy. I tried making the main character 13 or 16 years old, but she really wants to be 14, so the story could fall into the upper middle grade or lower YA category. I’m also drafting a sequel to Fiona and the Forgotten Piano that I’m super excited about!

Do you have any tips for writers looking to get published?

If you believe in your story, keep going. If you don’t believe in your story, find people who do. I started querying in the Fall of 2021 and didn’t sign with Wild Ink until two years later. The story, and the query, changed quite a bit throughout that time. I learned from rejections and from my wonderful critique partners what was working and what wasn’t. By the time I sent my query to Wild Ink, my story was in much better shape.

Is there anything else you want to share with us today? Could be about your author journey, or something else.

If you can’t wait for Fiona and the Forgotten Piano, I have a short story published in the Clio’s Curious Dash through Time anthology. It’s full of first crushes and 90’s nostalgia. I also have a School Spirits meets Sixth Sense story in the upcoming Prom Perfect Anthology!

Where can people find you online? 

You can find me on most platforms as @k8demaiowrites, I also have a website at https://katedemaio.wixsite.com/website.

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