Expect to be surprised in the best possible ways.You’ve written several historical fiction books, what tips do you have for other writers working on historical fiction? And a compassionate heart for those with memory issues. What do you hope young readers will take away from the story?Ĭuriosity.

My quest became to find a story worthy of it. I knew in an instant that I wanted to have a similar celebration in a book someday.

The answer? Their First Annual UFO Fly In Day to welcome space aliens. One question asked why the Cincinnati Post reported on an event they held in the 1970s. A quiz in their newsletter caught my attention. At a writing retreat in Palacios, Texas, in 2011, I wandered into the area’s Historical Association. I love this question because the spark was serendipitous. She’s acting suspiciously, pulling disappearing acts, and worst of all, can’t seem to answer any questions about where she was or what she was doing.īut much like UFOs, extraterrestrial visitations, and sending people to space, the impossible has been known to happen.Ĭonstellations of thanks for inviting me to Cynsations today, Gayleen! The only problem is that there is a lot of evidence against her, and Mimi herself isn’t helping things. MJ is desperate to show the town that this Crook is not a thief. But right before the kick-off party, a meteorite goes missing-and MJ’s beloved grandmother Mimi, who is the vice president of the Totter Unidentified Flying Object Organization, is the prime suspect. The whole town is gearing up for the First Annual Come on Down Day-in just one week, they are hoping to host any and all space aliens who would like to visit Earth. It’s 1964, the Space Race is well underway, and eleven-year-old Magnolia Jean Crook and the other residents of Totter, Texas, are over the moon about UFOs. And soon it will be out in the world: Far Out! (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, April 18, 2023).

With so many of my favorite elements, I knew immediately I’d love to read this book. At a writing retreat six or seven years ago, Anne told us she was working on an intergenerational story set in the 1960s, with a small Texas town planning a UFO welcome festival. When I was brand-new to Austin, my fellow Vermont College alumnx welcomed me to the local kidlit community, especially Anne Bustard.

Far Out! by Anne Bustard