CINDER is one of the books included in this year’s Scholastic catalogs and book fairs, so on Tuesday I got to be interviewed for a video that will go out to schools in order to highlight some books for the students during the fairs. Every season, three or four authors are selected per age group to be featured on this video, so I’m really psyched that they chose me to be one of them!

The interview took place on Tuesday. Scholastic sent out a three-person team of camera, lighting, and sound professionals to set up shop and conduct the interview at my house.

On Monday, my fabulous Mom came over to help me get my house all in order. So naturally, they wanted to do the filming in my husband’s garage/shop, as it’s reminiscent of Cinder’s workshop. It turned out to be a great location though, and my husband was really excited to see so many of his old car parts make it into the shot!

The crew spent about two hours setting up the background and props, checking the lighting, and putting blankets around to deaden the echoes.

Then they put me on a stool amid all the tools and car parts and asked me questions about the book and I answered them. The hardest part for me is trying to act natural when you’re under spotlights and staring at a camera in your freezing cold garage, oy. But the director said I did a good job, so I hope it turns out well when it’s all edited!

Although we were shooting for close to half an hour, they’ll be editing all that footage down to just two minutes or so—just enough to let students know what the book is about and hopefully entice some of them to pick it up. I’m told they’ll also be interspersing the footage of me talking with shots of Chinatown and Cinderella-related stuff to help set the mood.

The video should be available on the Scholastic web site when it’s done, and I’ll be sure to repost it here as well. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!