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    www.crackingthecover.com

    Adrienne Kress takes readers on new adventures with Explorers series

    0
    By Jessica on May 31, 2017 ages 8 & up, MG interview, Middle Grade

    Adrienne Kress The ExplorersAdrienne Kress has been telling stories her entire life. Before she could write, her father would write them down for her. Now, the author of The Explorers: The Door in the Alley writes them down herself.

    “Telling stories just feels like it’s always been a part of who I am,” Adrienne told Cracking the Cover. “I suppose I love adventure and escaping into other worlds, I love humor and absurdity. It’s all very exciting, and I like to create all that for both myself and others.”

    Adrienne’s stories thus far have been for young people, though she says that’s not really who she’s writing for. Instead, she’s writing the kinds of books she loves.

    “These kinds of books allow for so much fun, whimsy and absurdity, and those are three of my favorite things,” Adrienne said. “That said, I absolutely adore kids, and feel very much like I am still 10 years old. I get on great with that age range and enjoy spending time with them. So it makes sense, too, that I should therefore want to write for them.”

    The Explorers The Door in the Alley Adrienne KressAdrienne’s latest novel, The Explorers: The Door in the Alley, is the first book in a planned middle-grade series. The story follows Sebastian, a boy who loves order. When Sebastian stumbles upon a mysterious society, his world gets turned upside down. It’s a mystery and adventure featuring missing people, a hidden box, a lost map and famous explorers.

    The Explorers series was born out of an idea Adrienne had about the concept of an explorers’ society. “There are actual places around the world that are similar, and I find them fascinating — the idea of these buildings where explorers come and hang out, share stories of their adventures, where items from their explorations are displayed as in museum. I love all that.

    “I wanted to create a fantastical version, a version that could never really exist in real life. Of course, in order to do that I needed more than just a setting, I needed characters and a plot. But the setting was very much the catalyst.”

    In addition to Sebastian, a young girl named Evie also takes center stage in The Door in the Alley. As much as Sebastian likes things to be well ordered, stable and predictable, Evie is the opposite. That push and pull provides humor and a good balance.

    One book that’s really always stayed with me is Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume. I always deeply related to the constant make-believe she engaged in. I reread that book a lot.” —Adrienne Kress

    “You could say they are the two parts of my personality, really,” Adrienne said. “I definitely have a lot of Sebastian when it comes to my general approach to life. I’m quite careful. I like routine and predictability. But I’m also an artist, and I also take big risks that way. I throw myself into things and just ‘go for it.’”

    The humor also comes from the tongue-in-cheek tone of Adrienne’s prose. “I enjoy humor. I think it has this remarkable ability to shine light on sometimes more complicated and even painful subjects while at the same time protecting you a bit as well from getting too stressed or too upset,” Adrienne said. “I also find the world an absurd place, so, in general, I find it difficult to take things too seriously for too long.”

    Adrienne is currently finishing up edits on the second book in The Explorers series. She’ll begin work on the third this summer.


    *Learn more about Adrienne Kress by reading the complete transcript of her interview with Cracking the cover.

    Adrienne Kress The Explorers

    Visit the other stops on The Explorers: Doorway in the Alley blog tour

    April 24: Live To Read
    April 25: Imagination Soup
    April 26: Mom and More
    April 27: Pandora’s Books
    April 28: Mommy Ramblings
    May 1: The Lovely Books
    May 2: Batch of Books
    May 3: Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
    May 4: To Read, or Not To Read
    May 5: Grandma’s Cookie Jar
    May 8: Good Reads with Ronna
    May 9: Geo Librarian
    May 10: Life By Candlelight
    May 11: Jumpin Beans
    May 12: Always in the Middle
    May 15: Librarians Quest
    May 16: The Book Wars
    May 17: Middle Grade Mafioso
    May 18: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
    May 19: Tween You & Me
    May 22: Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook
    May 23: Mundie Moms
    May 24: The Write Path
    May 25: Foodie Bibliophile
    May 26: Beach Bound Books
    May 29: Middle Grade Ninja
    May 30: Night Owl Reviews
    May 31: Cracking the Cover
    June 1: Jenni Enzor
    June 2: Literary Hoots
    June 5: From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors
    June 6: The Winged Pen
    June 7: Operation Awesome
    June 8: Leeanna.me
    June 9: Bloggin’ ’bout Books
    June 12: YA Books Central
    June 13: Ms. Yingling Reads
    June14: MGMinded blog
    June 15: Smack Dab in the Middle
    June16: Swoony Boys Podcast
    June 19: Book Foolery
    June 20: Unleashing Readers
    June 21: Kit Lit Reviews
    June 22: The O.W.L.
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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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