JP Brome's Interview & The Misadventures of Zyria: The World's Smallest Superhero

Greetings All,

Welcome JP Brome, the author of The Misadventures of Zyria: The World's Smallest Superhero to our From Our Bookshelf blog.

Here is a little bit about JP:

JP Brome is a singer, songwriter and author who was born in Carthage, Mississippi and later moved to New York. Music has been her life since she was a child and she is a talented musician, but her main channel is writing and performing.

Now JP has written her first full length book, The Misadventures of Zyria, The World's Smallest Superhero. She hopes that it will motivate others to dream as big as she has and to believe that anything is possible, no matter who you are.

Let's begin with our first question:

What was your favorite book when you were 8 years old?

I was reading the Nancy Drew Mystery series.

What book didn’t you connect to as a kid and found the connection as an adult?

Flowers in the Attic Series

What is your favorite genre to read (Fiction/ Realistic Fiction/ Nonfiction)?

I love Fiction!

Who are your favorite Children’s Authors?

Emma Shevah, Author of Dara Palmer’s Major Drama

Which children’s book would you like to read that you have not read yet?

El Mago de Oz (The Wizard of Oz) by L. Frank Baum because I want to learn how to read better in Spanish!

What age did you write your first creative writing piece? What was it?

I have been writing creatively since I was about nine years old but one piece that I remember writing when I was around fifteen was a poem about the potential loss of hope.

What is your favorite genre to write (Poetry/Short Stories/Plays, etc)?

That’s a tough one. I love to write them all! If I have to choose one, I enjoy writing plays.

What was the most challenging creative writing piece that you thought you couldn’t write?

This book! There is so much that goes into writing a book. Your book becomes your baby and you want to protect and nurture it. So, it becomes difficult to present “your baby” to the world for all eyes to see.

Do you keep a writing journal?

Yes, my writing journal is filled with songs mostly that I write. When it comes to stories, they start in my head and they stay there.

In what genre would you like to write that you haven’t written yet?

I would love to write a mystery. Thoughts have been stirring already in my mind to write a great mystery!

What is one thing you learned on your reading and writing journey that you use in your daily life?

I have learned that we all have gifts and abilities to do great things in this life. One important thing is that you have to believe that you can do whatever you put your mind to do. Nothing can stop you but you!

What inspired you to write this book?

I have always loved to create by writing poems, songs, plays, etc., so writing a book was a nature progression for me. I also was a 4th grade teacher for Chicago Public School for one year and I found that my students were dealing with the same issues that I dealt with when I was in elementary school, especially when it related to bullying.

How much research did you do for background information?

To be honest, I did little research but I did focus on specific issues like bullying and the long-term effects of bullying. I also researched anti-bullying programs around the world.

What are the Themes in The Misadventures of Zyria?

The themes in The Misadventures of Zyria is as follows:

-Kids as well as adults can work together to end bullying

-Kids need to be taught and learn that change is the only constant in life and that they should try to prepare for it because it will come

-Kids need to be taught and learn that this life will bring disappointment. The question becomes how are you going to handle the disappointment.

What age range is The Misadventures of Zyria intended for?

The Misadventures of Zyria is intended for 7 to 12 years old. My hope is that parents would read the book to younger children and that the older children could read it for themselves.

Thank you, JP

To learn more about JP Brome. You can go to her website: https://www.jpbrome.com/