Guest Blog: Sybil Nelson

My Interview with Sybil Nelson

By Priscilla Sumner

Hey, I’m Priscilla from the Priscilla the Great book series. I got an English assignment that’s due in like 20 minutes so I thought I’d get your help. I’m supposed to interview with someone I admire. But since Wonder Woman isn’t exactly a real person, I decided to interview Sybil Nelson, the author who created me. Why don’t you read it and let me know what you think?

Priss: Hey Sybil. Thanks for helping me out today.

Sybil: No problem. Glad to be your back up plan. I wouldn’t want you failing English now would I?

Priss: That would be awful. I’d get grounded. Literally, grounded. Mom and dad would take the keys to the jet away. Once you can fly an invisible jet anywhere around the world, getting a driver’s license seems lame.

Sybil: I’ll take your word for it.

Priss: So tell me how you came up with the idea for Priscilla the Great starring me, Priscilla.

Sybil: Well, I really wanted to write a book that embodied “girl power.” I wanted to show that girls could be strong and funny and save the day. I wanted a spunky girl superhero. The original story was called The Adventures of PMS Girl and it was about a girl who got super powers when she got her first period.

Priss: Gross.

Sybil: Gross, but funny. You have to admit it’s a hilarious concept to be able to shoot fire out of your fingers once a month. It’s a girl’s dream come true. Anyway, I decided to change the concept to make the book more palatable to the masses and so now we have Priscilla the Great.

Priss: Okay, I don’t know what palatable means or what this has to do with mass, but moving on. Are any of the characters in the book based on you?

Sybil: Your best friend Tai is a little like me. When I was her age I was a super nerd, always studying, reading, or making science fair projects. Even now, I’m working on my PhD in Biostatistics. In fact, we may need to hurry this up. I have a final exam tomorrow.

Priss: Once again, I don’t know what Biostatistics is. I’ll have Tai explain it to me. Anyway, why don’t you give us a quick summary of the book for people who have no idea about it?

Sybil: Well, you live in a small town called River’s Bend with two secretive parents, a hunky older brother, and annoying maybe twin brothers.

Priss: Wait. Did you just call my brother hunky? Gross on so many levels.

Sybil: Anyway, one day after a particularly embarrassing conversation with a cute boy, you discover you can shoot fire out of your fingers. You and Tai investigate the phenomenon and find out that you’re not completely human. One of your parents was genetically engineered to be a super weapon and you inherited some gifts.

Priss: Good summary, Syb, but there is so much more to the story. I think people are really going to be surprised by how funny I am.

Sybil: Well, they can find out soon enough. Priscilla the Great book 1 will be available December 15th. Be sure to go to the website www.priscillathegreat.com to read excerpts, watch movie trailers, or vote on who plays the characters in the movie.

Priss: Wait. Movie? There’s gonna be a movie?

Sybil: Yep, movie rights have already been sold.

Priss: Well, who is playing me???!!!

Sybil: Go to the website and see who’s winning the poll. And everyone should sign up for the newsletter. Newsletter subscribers will get a discounted autographed version of the book, plus they’ll be entered to win a $25 iTunes gift card.

Priss: Well, thanks for taking the time to talk with me Sybil. This better get me an A.

Sophie