Welcome to the 2024 ARIA Author Showcase and Giveaway Event! 

  

  

How to enter – Comment on the daily showcases to enter the daily giveaway. Comments close four days after the initial Showcase post. GRAND PRIZE drawn on Dec 5th (1 -$250, 1 -$100, or a 1 -$50 Amazon gift card. One grand prize pp) – For every showcase you post on, you automatically gain one entry to the grand prize. 30 Authors = 30 entries.    

On to the Showcase! 

 

What name do you like to write under? Brielle Lilygarten

Where do you call home? Rhode Island

What genre(s) do you write? Children's books - fiction

What genre(s) were you drawn to when you were younger? Was there a reason that genre(s) appealed to you the most? 

Fiction, I liked the idea of being able to make up any kind of story and get wrapped up in another "world”.

What were some of your favorite books growing up? Why?  

The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High series. I felt like these books were very relatable to what I was going through at the time.

What are some of your favorite books today?

Anything by Elin Hilderbrand or Emily Giffin, fiction, "beach reads," historical fiction (The Book Thief still remains one of my absolute favorite!), Remarkably Bright Creatures

What inspired you to become a writer? 

I have always loved reading and writing. I used to pretend to write books when I was younger and it carried through to my adulthood. Once I had children of my own and shared my love of reading with them, I became inspired to start writing again and create books that they would grow to love.

 

The Big Move

Anya is feeling very nervous and worried about moving into a new house, while the rest of her family is very excited. She doesn't want to leave behind her house or her friends. Will she make new friends? Will she like her new house and her new school? As Anya arrives at her new house, she realizes things might not be as bad as they seem, and this new beginning might be her most exciting journey yet!

Tell us a little about how “The Big Move” came to be. Did it start with an image, a voice, a concept, a dilemma or something else? 

My first books that I wrote were my Fishy, Fishy books which I absolutely love and adore. When it came time to write my third book,  I was trying to decide if I should write my third Fishy, Fishy book next or if I should try something different. I also practice real estate and someone had approached me about writing a book pertaining to all of the big emotions that come with moving. I thought this was a great idea, especially since I am in contact with so many families looking to move to a new house, new towns/cities, sometimes even other states. I was hesitant to break from my theme of Fishy, Fishy, but I felt as though this was an important topic to cover. It ended up being a success as it has helped many families talk through those emotions with their children. It has also proven to be a great client gift among other realtors working with families with young children.

Which scene, character or plotline changed the most from first draft to published book? 

The plotline changed about ten times before I actually wrote the story as it is today. I wanted to make sure I was capturing all of the emotions young children would be feeling, but I also didn't want it to be a depressing book making it seem like moving into a new home was terrible. It took me a while to decide how to have the story unfold, but I think the way it is I was able to capture the roller coaster of emotions but also show how to overcome challenges and anxieties.

Which character was the most challenging to create. Why?  

The friends of Anya (the main character). I wanted to make sure I captured the friendships Anya had created in the book and it was a challenge to to show how the friendships were evolving and changing, yet they were still able to remain friends.

What do you like best about being a writer? 

I love being able to create these new stories and characters for my readers. I also love being able to spread my love of literacy and share the importance of reading at a young age.

If you could collaborate with any author past or present, who would it be? What would the title of the book be? (If possible) - Give us a one sentence blurb.  

Elin Hilderbrand and the title of the book would be The Queen of Nantucket. - There has always been one queen of Nantucket but this summer, Janie has been faced with some challenges. Will she continue her reign?

 

You can follow Brielle Lilygarten here - 

Website - www.brililybooks.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brililybooks 

Instagram - www.instagram.com/brililybooks 

Brielle Lilygarten is giving away a signed copy of The Big Move, along with some stickers and bookmark.

 

To enter, comment below →  Life's transitions can be challenging. For me, books have been a source of comfort. Is there a particular book you return to during tough times?

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