The Mirror of Doom by Bailey Baxter

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bailey Baxter will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

There’s a freedom in writing for kids. I can create quirky, fun characters and send them to other worlds. I can dream up horrible, scary creatures to stalk them in the dark woods. And I can place them in the most epic adventures.

In other words, I can let my imagination go wild – and it’s all okay!

But, there’s something else. I was a child once. (I know. Shocker.) I loved books that put average kids in situations where they had to learn to be brave. Those books spoke to something in me – my own desire to be brave. I’m hoping “The Mirror of Doom” encourages kids like the books of my childhood encouraged me.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside?

Let’s see… Tim would have a poster of the latest Star Wars movie inside the door. No doubt about that. Of course, his backpack would be crammed in there, along with a half-eaten sandwich (loosely wrapped in a napkin)… last week’s gym clothes he forgot to bring home to be washed… a gorilla mask (don’t ask)… a few stale Snickers candy bars… a half-empty bottle of Coke (it’s flat)… and his crumpled up English homework that he swore his grandmother’s dog ate.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

The Chronicles of Narnia books were my favorite. I loved the idea of finding a doorway to another world in an old wardrobe. Just look at the adventures the Pevensie kids had! They met creatures that didn’t exist in their own world. They faced dangers. They even fought in wars! Their lives went from ordinary – to extraordinary. I loved that. It was the perfect escape for me.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

Chocolate. Preferably dark. I actually have a stash hidden away in a cupboard. (Shhh! Don’t tell!)

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

When I was very young, I wanted to be a nurse. I’ve always liked to help people. But, I’ve turned into a rather squeamish adult who can’t stand the sight of blood, so I’m glad I didn’t pursue that career path!

I also toyed (seriously) with the idea of being a spy. It appealed to my desire for adventure and danger – and my impressive ability to keep secrets. I even applied to a job with the FBI once. I never heard back, though.

Being a foreign missionary was another career path I considered, and, in my 20s, I decided to give it a go. I spent two months in India on a mission trip. Unfortunately, I spent most of that time dealing with “India’s revenge.” Let’s just say that dream died fairly quickly.

But, honestly? Since I was about 12 years old, I’ve wanted to be an author. I love to write stories; it’s as simple as that. I never thought I could make a living as an author, because so few writers do. But I realized several years ago that the money doesn’t matter so much – not when there’s so much joy in the process.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?

I would say to my teen self just what I would say to any teenager reading this:

Be yourself.

You are uniquely created for a purpose. There is no one else like you in the world. Whether you have a special love for people… mad math skills… or can bake the most delicious brownies on the planet, you are born with everything you need to be the BEST you.

So, you don’t have to try to fit in. You don’t have to worry about what people think of you. And you don’t have to be afraid of failure. Because failing means you tried – and that makes you a winner in my book.

And, if you want to live a fulfilling life, figure out what your passion is – and go after it.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

Is there a superpower that lets you vanish and reappear somewhere else at will? If there is, I want that one. Then, I could easily pop in on my family in England – without spending hours in a cramped plane flying over the Atlantic Ocean. I could get to the mall without sitting in traffic. And I would never be late for anything again.

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less.

Tim Hunter is stuck in another world. An evil queen, enemy soldiers and a dragon want him dead. Does he have what it takes to survive?

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

Without a doubt, Gavril, the prince of Tryton. He’s resourceful and brave, so if it turns out the island is not so deserted, he could totally deal with any cannibal warriors that may appear. Plus, he’s used to living in medieval times, so he has skills. He can light a fire without a match, trap and skin a rabbit (for food), and knows poison ivy when he sees it. He probably even knows how to fish and build a shelter!

Favorite class in high school. Why?

My 7th grade English class with Mr. Torgeson. He is the teacher who “saw” me. Not only did he recognize I had the ability to write, but he offered to work with me to enter a writing contest. He was the only teacher in all my years of school to go above and beyond the normal classroom interaction to reach out to me. And I will never forget him.

What would you do if you got stuck in another world? 12-year-old Tim Hunter and his two older siblings panicked. Just a little. (Can you blame them?) Unfortunately, the only way they can return home is to steal a magic mirror from an evil queen. Yes, that’s right. Evil! To make matters even worse, enemy soldiers, horrible creatures called galrogs, and even a dragon will do anything to stop them. Do they have what it takes to make it home alive? There’s one way to find out. This fun, fantasy-adventure for middle-grade readers is available on Amazon.com.

Read an Excerpt:

Then a strange sound startled me out of my thoughts.

Was that thunder?

Kat stopped and looked around. “What was that noise?”

“Everyone, keep going,” Gavril said from behind me. “We need to get off this bridge now.”

“Why?” I asked. “What’s going on?”

“Just move, Tim!”

Before I had a chance to even take one step, something dark and huge flew over us and let out an ear-splitting roar that shook the entire bridge.

Kat screamed, and we all hit the deck, so to speak. As I clung to the trembling bridge, I could hear a shower of stones falling into the cavern below.

Okay, that definitely wasn’t thunder.

“What was that?” Ron yelled.

“Akar!” Beriman yelled back.

“What’s an Akar?” I asked.

There was another roar, and we all ducked our heads as the shadow swooped over us again. A stream of flames burst from its mouth, lighting up the entire cavern and answering my question.

Akar was a dragon.

About the Author:

Bailey Baxter is the pen name of a somewhat successful copywriter who writes online "junk mail” for health supplement companies. She's been writing stories since childhood. In fact, when she was 12, Bailey wrote and illustrated tiny books that she stapled together and passed to her friend during class. (She was never caught.)

Bailey grew up in Ellington, CT – a small town where cows outnumbered people 2 to 1. She currently lives in Asheville, NC with a mischievous Shih-tzu named Lucy. Fortunately, Asheville is weird - and proud of it - so it gives her plenty of inspiration and plot ideas for new books.

Her first book, The Mirror of Doom, was inspired by a certain pesky brother named "Jimmy" and the childhood desire to find a wardrobe to a place like Narnia.

BUY LINK – Amazon (Paperback Book): https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Doom-this-World-Adventures-Hunter/dp/0997882204/
BUY LINK – Amazon (Kindle): https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Doom-this-World-Adventures-Hunter-ebook/dp/B01JK9B02I/
Website: http://www.mirrorofdoom.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BaileyBaxterAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BaileyBaxter7

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