Bee Book Buzz: PIECES OF US by Margie Gelbwasser

The buzz is all about Margie Gelbwasser and her new young adult novel PIECES OF US, which is now available at your favorite bookstore. Margie's first book, INCONVENIENT was a great page-turner and I'm sure this new story will be the same. Check out the Bee Book Buzz with Margie, a fellow KidLit Author, and visit her website to see a list of her upcoming events.

If you were a bee, which would you be and why?

Queen, drone, or worker?

Confession time: I had no idea what the responsibility of each bee was so I had to look it up. I'm definitely a worker bee because she has the most responsibility. I feel I always have to take care of everything.

Same question for your main character in PIECES OF US? Queen, drone, or worker?
That's a tough one. I have four characters, and I don't know which title best suits each one if any. In the sense of all of them feeling they have a variety of responsibilities, I'll say they're worker bees. But I can see how they would fit into each of the three categories, especially the drone. The drones are victims, and each of my characters has been victimized in some way.

Bees pollinate most of the fruits and vegetables we love to eat. When you were a kid, did you eat your vegetables?

I always ate my veggies. The only vegetable I hated then and still do is brussel sprouts. I have yet to find a recipe that makes this veggie edible.

What's your favorite fruit or vegetable?

I love all fruit. They're all so yummy! Favorite vegetable? I'd say the potato. There is so much you can do with it!

What's your main characters' favorite fruit or vegetable? 

All my characters go to lake houses in the summer. The houses are in the Catskills in Upstate New York, with the woods as a backdrop. Katie's and Julie's grandpa always goes berry picking, and then their grandma makes delicious jam and punch from the berries. She gives some of the berries, jam, and punch to Kyle and Alex's grandparents. So, I would say berries are the characters' favorite fruit.

Bees pollinate plants and flowers, too. What's your favorite flower? 

My full name in Russian is Margarita. My sister named me after her favorite flower, the daisy. Because of this, I've always been partial to the daisy. :-) However, my hubby recently bought me roses and the house smells so nice, so I like these too.

Beeswax is useful for so many products, including skincare items and candles. On your most recent birthday, were you able to blow out all of your candles on the first try? 

There was only one candle on the cake, so yes. :-)

Have you ever competed in a spelling bee?

I did! When I was in elementary school, we had them every week in class. I did pretty well. But in junior high school we had this qualifying exam for like the National Spelling Bee. Did not very well that time.

My causes are bees, trees, seas, and all things affecting our environment. What's important to you besides writing for children and or young adults? 

I'm trying to get more involved in charity work, like working in a soup kitchen or shelter.

Books and bees make life sweeter every day. If you had to choose: Honey or sugar? 
I love the different kinds of honey and the various textures it has, but I also LOVE sugar cubes. Don't really have them now, but they were a special treat as a kid.