KID REPORTERS’ NOTEBOOK
Summer With a Twist
Julian Targete June 11th, 2015
Citra Tenore is the author of Summer with a Twist. Yes, there is a twist in the book's plot—but also in its publication. The author is only 12 years old!
Citra is a sixth grader from Andover, Massachusetts. I recently spoke with her about her new book, which begins with a dilemma that many kids might relate to: The main character, Chloe, learns that her family's vacation plans will prevent her from attending a One Direction concert with friends.
I asked Citra if there was ever a time when she didn’t like writing. “When I get writer's block," she said. "At that point, I’m forced to write because it’s where you work on your writing techniques.”
ANOTHER BOOK ON THE WAY
Citra cites J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter series, as her biggest inspiration. "I love that series so much," she says.
Summer with a Twist is "realistic fiction," Citra adds, because the book has ties to actual events, but several scenes are made up. For the novel, Citra also changed the names of her friends. Her brother suggested his own pseudonym!
Citra self-published Summer With a Twist with help from her father, John Tenore. The process was "challenging, but it was worth it," Citra says. When father and daughter tried to find a literary agent, they were turned away. No one believed that a middle schooler could write a book that would make a difference.
That didn’t stop Citra. She is already working on her next novel. I can’t wait to read it!