Interview: FT Bradley, author of Double Vision! (MG)

I am so ridiculously excited to have FT Bradley on my little blog, guys! I just read her Middle Grade spy adventure Double Vision, and it is FANTASTIC! My review went up earlier today, you should read it here. I'm so excited to discuss publishing and spies with her!

Double Vision (Double Vision #1) by FT Bradley

Harper Children's, 244 Pages

US Release Date: October 16, 2012

One's a Secret Agent, One's Not.

Twelve-year-old Linc is a trouble-maker with a dilemma. His antics on a recent school field trip went way overboard, landing his already poor family with a serious lawsuit. So when two secret agents show up at his house, Linc is eager to take them up on their offer to make the lawsuit disappear. They just need one tiny favor.

Turns out Linc looks exactly like one of their top kid agents—an agent who's vanished during a vitally important mission. But no debriefing can prepare Linc for how dangerous the mission really is. It's too bad he isn't a black belt, a math genius, or a distance runner like his agent double. He'll need all those skills and more if he hopes to make it out of this mission alive. . . .
---------------summary provided by author

Five word book pitch: Go!

Dude, the pressure! Okay: Troublemaker kid becomes secret agent.

What made you write Middle Grade Fiction?

Actually, it wasn’t my idea, believe it or not. I’d been writing and pitching YA to agents for years, got close a few times but no luck. It wasn’t until my current agent (Stephen Barbara with Foundry) suggested I try middle-grade that I did. And I wish I’d done it sooner—MG is such fun…

Tell us about your publishing story – how did it happen?

Well, after my agent and I worked on a middle-grade concept, we put a proposal together for what’s now the Double Vision series. I wrote about 75 pages of manuscript, but roughly half of that never made it into the book…. :)

Harper Children’s bought it, and then I worked with my editor to refine the plot, the series direction, etc. But Linc stayed the same throughout the process. He’s a stubborn dude.

Why spies?

I always wanted to be a spy… Seriously, I love thrillers, that whole chase-with-a-puzzle type story. So I channeled all that into Linc’s adventures. It’s fun.

What made you choose Paris as the location for Linc’s mission?

I tried to imagine what city I would want to visit if I was a 12 year-old kid reading the book. And Paris was the first place I thought of. It’s such a mysterious and fascinating city…

Is Linc based off anyone you know in real life? Is he a little bit of you?

I was a goody two-shoes when I was a kid, pretty much. I would do all my homework, got good grades, did what I was told.

Linc is the opposite of all those qualities. If there’s a red button you’re not supposed to push, he’ll do it. And that’s what’s so fun: I get to make up for all the trouble I didn’t get into as a kid. You know, fictionally.

How much fun was it to think of all the cool gadgets Henry makes Linc?!

The gadgets are the best—and I love writing Henry chapters :) He’s a cool guy. I wish I could have some of these gadgets…. [Ashley's note: Henry was my favourite!]

What’s your favourite one? One you wish you had in real life?

Hmmm… The Tickstick is pretty fun—I could blow stuff up. Who doesn’t want that?

What kind of research did you have to do for this book? I really loved learning about all the different types of codes/ciphers there are!

That was a lot of fun. And a lot of my research didn’t even make it into the book—there are so many stories of codes being used throughout history, it’s amazing… I read a lot of books, geeky girl that I am. 

Were you a troublemaker like Linc growing up? The beginning chicken scene is pretty awesome…

Good girl, all the way :) I get to live vicariously through Linc’s troublemaking. He does all the stuff I didn’t have the guts for.

What’s one thing that surprised you about the publishing journey?

How amazingly good editors are at their jobs! My editors can spot plot problems, details I overlooked, like no one else. When I started this journey, I didn’t expect the editing process to be this involved. It’s very rewarding to see how much your writing improves with these editors’ help.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become an author?

Keep learning. Writing really is a craft: you never stop improving your skills. So have a positive attitude about everything, and never think you’re done learning.

For your blog tour, you had Linc go to different independent bookstores around the country – are indie stores special to you? Tell us about your favourite one!

Indie bookstores add that personal touch to book buying—I can’t say enough good things about them. Many of the stores I featured I’ve yet to visit—I can’t wait to, though. I’ve been to Seattle Mystery Bookshop years ago, and that’s a store I really love. The staff is so energetic! Makes me wish I lived around the corner.

Double Vision is the first in a 3-book series – are you working on anything beside’s Linc’s adventures?

Right now, Linc’s adventures take up most of my time—the schedule is pretty tight. But who knows what’s in the future? I’ll keep you posted… :)

What’s your favourite part of being an author?

I get to be a 12 year-old troublemaker when I sit down to write—how cool is that?

Flash Answer Section!

Le Tour Eiffel or L’Arc de Triomphe? L’Arc de Triomphe—the history is too cool.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee. Nuf said.

Ability to freeze time or ability to fly? Freeze time! That would be awesome…

Pen or pencil? Pen—why be wishy-washy? No erasing allowed.

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate, with fudge sauce please.

Croissants or pie? Croissants, with chocolate spread. Yum…

Last three items purchased? Envelopes to mail, a lasagna dish to cook, and wine. Boring list, I know. 

Last three websites visited? Facebook, Twitter, and a Yahoo news story on spies.

Last three books read? The Bookseller by Mark Pryor, Cash Out by Greg Bardsley, and Drama by Raina Telgemeier. My nightstand is eclectic…

Did I not tell you she's awesome?! Give me a croissant with chocolate spread and a fantastic book with a troublemaking 12-year-old undercover spy any day. I love how it seems like she's got a great set of professionals around her, from attentive editors to an agent who can advise her and understand that her writing would suit well for MG. Please leave a comment telling FT how awesome she is, and definitely check out Double Vision! Also, stop by the website for the book - it's packed with great spy things and codes!

Double Vision is available now!

(and PERFECT for a Holiday gift, if I do say so myself!)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

F. T. Bradley is originally from the Netherlands and still likes to travel whenever she gets a chance. Her husband's Air Force career has F. T. and their two daughters moving all around the world, but for the moment the family lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Double Vision is the first book in her new middle-grade series about Linc Baker and Ben Green.

Find out more at www.doublevisionbooks.com, and follow F.T. on Twitter @FTBradleyAuthor.

Review: Double Vision by FT Bradley (MG)

Double Vision (Double Vision #1) by FT Bradley
Harper Children's, 244 Pages
US Release Date: October 16, 2012
Format: finished copy
Source: author for review - thanks Fleur!

One's a Secret Agent, One's Not.

Twelve-year-old Linc is a trouble-maker with a dilemma. His antics on a recent school field trip went way overboard, landing his already poor family with a serious lawsuit. So when two secret agents show up at his house, Linc is eager to take them up on their offer to make the lawsuit disappear. They just need one tiny favor.

Turns out Linc looks exactly like one of their top kid agents—an agent who's vanished during a vitally important mission. But no debriefing can prepare Linc for how dangerous the mission really is. It's too bad he isn't a black belt, a math genius, or a distance runner like his agent double. He'll need all those skills and more if he hopes to make it out of this mission alive. . . .
---------------summary from author

Notable Quote

I'd been trying so hard to be Benjamin Green, only to feel like an utter loser. But I never stopped to think that maybe I had some skills he didn't have. Maybe not knowing the rules of the junior agent handbook was actually a good thing.

When I saw this book pitched as Alex Rider meets the The Da Vinci Code, I knew I had to take it up! I've never actually read the Alex Rider series (though I hear great things!) but I love the idea of adventure in Paris with the Mona Lisa. And meeting Lincoln Baker, he definitely had his fun around the city trying to solve this case! Plus, when I started reading the first few preview pages, the very first lines made me laugh - it was funny AND it referenced Percy Jackson! I knew it would be a winner right there.

And I was right! You guys, this is a fantastically fun adventure novel (with SPIES!) that takes us through the streets of Paris with a sarcastically real boy named Lincoln Baker and a strong, intriguing girl named Francoise as they search for an evil Mona Lisa painting that can hypnotize and control any person who stares at it. The concept is so much fun and refreshingly simple - it feels like often nowadays we try to complicate storylines with tons of various ideas, but this was was straightforward and creative. I loved it.

Lincoln is such a great Middle Grade character. He's a true boy with a streak for trouble and a penchant for mischief, but he's also a young man learning to make tough choices and be kind to others. The entire reason he takes on this mission offered to him was to help out his family. That speaks a ton about his character and how noble he is. As the novel goes through, we really get a feel for who he is; he's so much fun and has this fantastic deadpan-like outlook on what happens. I like that he gets things wrong sometimes, but he also thinks and acts. He's very real, and I know a lot of young readers will love him and relate to him. I even wrote a note how I love all the times Lincoln actually says (is that the right verb when it's writing? Hmmm...) "I'll skip past all the boring parts, but what you need to know..." because it gives such a clear Voice to him.

As a story, Double Vision really delivers! It's a great mystery adventure, filled with some great twists and fun spy elements. My personal favourites were the fun gadgets that Linc got to use (particularly one that can cause a small, distracting explosion) as well as the codes. I can't be the only one who used to make up secret codes with my friends so we could write undercover notes to each other! Usually they weren't as brilliant as we thought, or were so unendingly complicated that we couldn't crack each other's notes -- but the point is, they were so fun to make and a real part of my childhood. FT Bradley has several differing types of codes and cyphers that are incredibly interesting and completely real! I had a ton of fun learning about them, and they were worked so effortlessly into the plot that I barely realized I was learning in the first place!

This is definitely a Middle Grade novel, meaning the characters act young and have young thoughts -- as an older reader, there were a few things I wanted to happen a bit faster or better, but all I had to do was remind myself that it was meant for younger children. I'm already debating if I'm going to give my copy to my 11-year-old cousin, my uncle's middle school classroom, or a friend's 9-year-old daughter - I know all of them would absolutely devour it!

My only "complaint" (which isn't even one really) is that sometimes the plot seemed too simple, and that things were awfully convenient. But that also might be because I read Young Adult, where it's expected to have an innate complexity. There are really no issues with this book at all, all the small things I had about it were because I was the reader.

Probably my favourite element on this story is how much it emphasizes family. As mentioned, Lincoln goes on this mission in the first place to help out his family and protect them; Francoise gets involved because her father was taken and she must guard her family's legacy and the Da Vinci collection gifted to them. There's real love and strength in these relationships, and it would be fantastic for any middle grader to see that on a page.

Double Vision was a book entirely worth reading, and I can't wait to see the next mission Lincoln gets sent on. I had so much fun romping around Paris with him and trying to solve what was going on. If you dig any of Rick Riordan's novels, or just want a fun undercover spy adventure with a skateboarding, hilarious kid, pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

(Also? This would be the PERFECT Christmas gift for your middle grader!)

4.5 stars / 5

**Stay tuned for a fantastic interview with the author! It'll be up in a few hours :)