What's Fresh with Amanda Ashby's Mixed Up Magic series!!

After Sophie accidentally gets herself turned into a djinn, she starts to think that it might not be so bad after all. (Of course, that's after she gets the whole orange skin problem sorted out.) Who wouldn't enjoy having the power to grant wishes! But when Sophie develops RWD (Random Wish Disorder) and can't STOP granting wishes, things get more than a little mixed-up!

Hello Amanda, thanks so much for visiting YA Fresh! Please share with our readers at YA Fresh what your new Middle Grade series is about.

Amanda: Sophie’s Mixed-Up Magic is about an eleven-year old girl called Sophie Campbell, who accidently manages to get turned into a djinn (genie) the day before she starts sixth grade. She then has to control her new djinn magic and make sure that her troublesome djinn guide Malik doesn’t cause too many problems, all while hiding it from her mom, who is going through a very hard time.

Book One: Wishful Thinking: After Sophie accidentally gets herself turned into a djinn, she starts to think that it might not be so bad after all. (Of course, that's after she gets the whole orange skin problem sorted out.) Who wouldn't enjoy having the power to grant wishes! But when Sophie develops RWD (Random Wish Disorder) and can't STOP granting wishes, things get more than a little mixed-up!

Book Two: Under a Spell: As Sophie gets used to her magic, her relationship with the adorable Jonathan Tait is blossoming. There's only one problem: Jonathan's twin sister, Melissa. She's a total mean girl who seems intent on making Sophie's life miserable. On top of that, Melissa somehow seems to sense that Sophie has powers--and manages to bind Sophie to her in a totally self-serving way. Can Sophie figure out a way out of this--without ruining her chances with Jonathan?

Book Three: Out of Sight: With her powers under control and things with Jonathan on track, Sophie can now focus on learning the whole truth about her dad (not to mention trying to figure out how she can save him and bring him back to their family). Fortunately, she's got Malik, her djinn-guide, to help her as she navigates carpet-flying, learns how to make herself invisible, and braces herself for what promises to be a very exciting adventure. But if it brings her dad back, it will all be worth it!

How did you come up with the idea for this awesome series?

Amanda: I grew up watching shows like Bewitched , I Dream of Jeannie and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir so I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of someone having a secret life that they can’t share with the rest of the world. However, I can’t remember quite why I decided to make Sophie a djinn. It was one of those things that just evolved, but I did know very early on that it would happen the day before she started sixth grade, because I'm evil and cruel and I really wanted to see how she would juggle it all!!!!

When you need that extra push to keep writing, what motivates you to do so?

Amanda: Books. Whenever I read an amazing book it always inspires me to try and do a better job with my own writing! Okay, and yes, I occasionally resort to chocolate as well…

Thanks so much for sharing, Amanda! What can readers expect from you next?

Amanda: The third Sophie book will be out in October and next summer I have a new YA book out called Demonosity, which I’m very excited about. It has alchemist magic, demon knights and it really explores the fine line between good and bad! It is also filled to the brim with lovely boys. I have four of them and I kind of adore them all!!!!!

Amanda Ashby was born in Australia and after spending the last sixteen years dividing her time between England and New Zealand, she’s finally moved back and now lives on the Sunshine Coast. When she’s not moving country, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to eat chocolate, watch television and sit around doing not much, but let’s just keep that amongst ourselves, shall we?)

She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. Her debut book, You Had Me at Halo was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award, and her first young adult book Zombie Queen of Newbury High was listed by the New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen Age 2010. Her latest release, Fairy Bad Day, has been selected by Voya as one of their Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2012 and is a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award finalist for the Australia/NZ region. Visit her website: www.amandaashby.com.