Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins | Author Interview | Book Tour

I’m so excited to be a part of the book tour for Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins that is hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours. I was really excited to also be able to interview the author for this book!

INTERVIEW

Welcome Karina! Thank you for allowing me to interview you! Can you start off by introducing yourself?

Of course! I’m Karina Evans, a middle grade author from California and Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins! is my debut book!

How would you describe Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins in one sentence?

Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins! is a buddy comedy romp about growing bodies and changing friendships.

Can you introduce us to the main character(s) of Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins?

Tahlia is a spunky 7^th grade graduate who is navigating both social and physical maturity with her best friend Lily.

Do you know from the beginning how your books will end or do you let your characters decide their journey?

For this book, I had a basic idea of how I wanted the book to end, but I did not create a full outline before I started writing. These days, I am much more of a plotter and will write out my story structure beat by beat before diving into the actual manuscript.

Do you have a favorite scene, moment, or quote from the book?

My favorite scene is the car ride home from the pool party with Tahlia and her dad! To me, that scene is the heart of the story.

What is something readers will find in Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins that they may not realize based on the synopsis?

While the story does center around a first period and the physical indicators of puberty, the book is also about the emotional maturity changes we all go through during those middle school years. 

What’s something you hope readers will take away from Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins?

Hmmm… hard question! I hope that readers of all genders and identities will still be able to relate to the intense storm of emotions and new experiences that come with puberty.

What are three books you would recommend if someone enjoyed Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins?

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim, Go With the Flow by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Synopsis:

Debut author Karina Evans gives modern-day readers their own version of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret with a fun romp about friendship, puberty, and growing up.

Twelve-year-old Tahlia Wilkins is ready to kick off the perfect summer at the popular kid’s pool party. But when the Red Goddess of Panties, aka her first period, arrives 24 hours before the pool party, it messes up all her plans. To make matters worse, her mom is out of town, and there’s no way she’s going to ask her dad for help! Tahlia always feared that growing up would be tough, but this is just not fair.

In order to save herself from total embarrassment, it will take all of Tahlia and her best friend Lily’s scheming to keep her reputation—and her favorite jeans—from being ruined. Sneak off to the grocery store only to have the clerk price check your “goods” over the loudspeaker? Check. Trick your mature teenage neighbor into letting you use her bathroom to ‘rehome’ some tampons? Check. Take a dip into a fountain to ‘borrow’ some quarters for a bathroom period product dispenser? Check, check, check! 

With the hilarious and heartwarming tone of Dork Diaries and the critically-acclaimed movie Eighth Grade, Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins! is a coming-of-age middle-grade novel about growing up, in all of its awkward glory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR