Tell us about your books
I write stories of adventure, friendship, and fun that transport kids to amazing places across the world. The Tales of a Travel Girl series follows 10-year-old Maylie Montes on an inspirational trip across Europe filled with the shenanigans of her zany family and the mishaps of her overactive imagination. The series is for ages 8-12 (grades 3-5) and fans of the Middle School series by James Patterson, The Tapper Twins series by Geoff Rodkey, and the Melanie Martin series by Carol Weston. The first book in the series is MAYLIE AND THE MAZE, which released in October 2020, followed by book two, MAYLIE’S LUCK OF THE IRISH, which is set in Ireland, and the third book, MAYLIE OF THE HIGHLANDS, is set in Scotland.
Which books did you enjoy growing up?
My favorite book as a child was definitely “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster. It’s a quirky and imaginative read with equally quirky and imaginative illustrations. I always longed for a little car and tollbooth that I could drive through and off on an amazingly strange adventure. I also loved “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” by Richard and Florence Atwater, the Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin and so many others.
What inspired you to write your book series?
The idea for the Tales of a Travel Girl series started several years ago with the idea of a young American girl who travels around the world. Right away, I knew the first book would be set in England because the book had to feature a maze I visited there at Leeds Castle. Throughout this series, I want kids to have a chance to travel the world through fiction and learn along the way. I’ve tapped into my own first-hand experiences from traveling to over a dozen countries and filtered them through Maylie’s eyes. I also wanted to write a book that could by enjoyed by kids and grown-ups a like, especially as a fun bedtime read!
Where is your favorite place to read?
My favorite place to read is either in my cozy bed or on the couch. I just want to be comfortable when I read.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I absolutely love history, which in turn fuels my love for researching genealogy. That’s one pastime I enjoy when I have time. I also really love to travel the world especially the United Kingdom. I’m always dreaming of where I’d like to travel to next whether in person or in fiction. I also enjoy acting and singing.
What did you learn when you were writing your first book?
The research for the first Maylie book consisted of scouring the Leeds Castle website for any interesting nuggets of information I could find. I also spent a lot of time on London tourist attractions’ official websites. But, overall, in my research I learned a lot about mazes! I absolutely fell in love with the hedge maze at Leeds Castle when I visited there, but I didn’t know much about them and grottos too. It’s interesting! I think the funniest tidbit I came across about the Leeds Castle maze was that its creator even got lost in it! How funny is that! Ha. I’m sure he was embarrassed. The most interesting aspect was the design of the maze and its grotto. When viewed from its center, it forms a queen’s crown, which is fitting because several queens stayed at the castle. A grotto is a small cave that can form naturally along a coastline. In this case, a grotto is a man-made cave-like structure that has been popular as pieces of interests in gardens for hundreds of years. For more information, visit www.leeds-castle.com
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Ever since I could hold a pencil or pen, I’ve always been a writer. It started with scribbles that were in no way words on paper, but I’d point to them and read what it said aloud. I would make up stories and create little books out of them. The first time though I really considered becoming an author was when an actual author came to my school when I was nine. I thought, “Hey! She’s a real author, and I can be one someday too!”
What is a writing tip for aspiring authors?
Don’t give up. Even if that first paragraph, page, or draft is awful. Even if you get rejections. Even if you don’t final in that contest. Keep going! Keep putting words on the page. Keep reading new releases in your genre. Keep learning more about the writing craft. You can do it!
You can find M.L. Tarpley online: