Judy Goldschmidt and I go way, way back, starting with a certain series about a girl born without the fear gene. Judy was the packager on the Fearless series when I was series editor, and later, when I started writing, she was my editor on the series. When I made the move from S&S to Penguin, I dragged her with me. We do occasionally still work together, but mostly, these days, we procrastinate together over email. As it should be.

Anyhoo, let's hear from Judy, shall we?

Do you have any horror stories (or sweeping success stories) about participating in student government back when you were in school?

I'm totally dating myself, but here goes. When I was in sixth grade I ran for School Secretary which was the highest office a sixth grader could hold. When it came time to come up with slogans for my posters I turned to my one area of expertise-television-for inspiration. Charlie's Angels (the tv show upon which the movies were based) was huge that year (but even if it wasn't I probably still would have loved it for all the great hair) so I cut out a picture of the three angels, Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly, taped it to a piece of poster board (this was before computers) and wrote out the slogan "Be an angel and vote for Judy." There was another show called Good Times with a character named J.J. who was known for punctuating all his his lines with the word "Dyn-O-Mite" and its attendant hand gestures and head roll. I put his picture on another poster with the slogan "On election day be in the right, vote for the kid that's Dyn-O-Mite." Eew...
But the most cringe worthy move of all was my campaign speech. Gilda Radner, one of the greatest Saturday Night Live cast members of all time, used to spoof the news woman Barbara Walters (currently of television's "The View") with a character named Babba Wawwa. I'm not sure exactly what I was thinking here, but I decided to borrow that idea for my speech. I'm not exactly sure what the thinking was here--I guess I didn't want to steal that character outright, so instead I brilliantly disguised my character by calling her "Barbara Balters." Really fooled 'em with that one! I got into character by putting on a pair of glasses. Even though Barbara didn't wear glasses! The glasses were prescription and since I was 20/20, they blurred my vision and I had trouble reading my speech! Against all odds, I still managed to win that election. The "school government" had one meeting where I was assigned to do exactly nothing, and I never heard from them again.

What's the most unexpected cause you ever found yourself lobbying behind?

This isn't an unexpected cause, but I did knock on doors in Ohio for Obama. The unexpected part is that I actually got off my butt and hopped on a plane for a cause. I don't usually have that much get up and go, but I don't think I've ever felt so invested in a candidate.


Judy Goldschmidt is the author of The Secret Blog of Raisin Rodriguez, Raisin Rodriguez and the Big Time Smooch, and Will the Real Raisin Rodriguez Please Stand Up. Like Raisin, she wants to be popular. Unlike Raisin, she doesn't have an oversized poodle who sabotages her efforts by pooping out an undigested bra in front of one of the popular girls and scaring her away.

I would also like to add that although she is not a proper Charlie's Angel, she does have great hair.
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