We chat with author Tracy Badua about Freddie vs. The Family Curse, which is a thrilling and hilarious middle grade adventure where a young Filipino-American boy must team up with his ancestor to break the curse that’s haunted their family for generations . . . or be trapped in an amulet forever.
Hi, Tracy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m Tracy Badua, and I write middle grade and young adult novels. My debut novel, a middle grade contemporary fantasy, Freddie vs. the Family Curse, from Clarion Books, is out now! I also work as an attorney (a role for which I write things that are far less fun), and I’ve been working hard to get my whole family – my husband, our toddler, and our Maltese, Sandy—into the book promo game. Lucky for me, Sandy has more Instagram followers than I do and is always camera ready.
How has the start of 2022 been for you?
It’s been a whirlwind! The release of FREDDIE VS. THE FAMILY CURSE has been surreal, with so much to do yet simultaneously feeling like I’m not doing enough (for example, I’ve been dipping my toes into TikTok, which is totally new for me!). I’m so excited to have my book out in the world, but whew, book publishing – and everything that comes with it— is a hard business.
Then on the personal front, I took on a more intensive role at work and now we’re expecting our second child later this year, as if 2022 wasn’t busy enough. Someone remind me of this stress-inducing workload any time I think of doing anything more, like getting another dog or even washing the dishes.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I was always that kid who stapled together printer paper and wrote stories! They were mainly about my stuffed animals doing boring things like getting haircuts, but I do remember one riveting but poorly illustrated tale of a dance competition. It’s a good thing I didn’t have to draw my own cover art for Freddie because then no one would ever pick up this book.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
I know I had The Poky Little Puppy, a Little Golden Book, by Janette Sebring Lowrey on my childhood bookshelf!
I’ve wanted to be an author since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I dove into reading more recently published immersive young adult works like the Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir that the spark to become an author myself reignited.
And one book I can’t stop thinking about is Prince of Nowhere, by Rochelle Hassan, which came out the same day as Freddie! I got a chance to read an early copy, and it’s full of mystery and fantastic twists.
Your debut novel, Freddie vs. The Family Curse, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Thrilling, hilarious middle grade adventure!
What can readers expect?
They can expect plenty of peeks into the kind of Filipino American household I grew up with, along with some laughs and maybe some cringing at the horribly embarrassing incidents I put Freddie through.
Where did the inspiration for Freddie vs. The Family Curse come from?
In 2017, when Filipino World War II veterans were finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service, I wrote down the idea of a World-War-II-era item needing to be returned to its owner. My father’s father was a survivor of the Bataan Death March, of which we get a glimpse in the book, and once I thought about combining supernatural elements with historic events like this, the bones of Freddie really came together.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
Even though the spark for Freddie came in 2017, it wasn’t until a couple years later that I really sat down to write it. By then, I was pregnant at the time, and I somehow got it into my head that I should have a draft done before I gave birth. “I could revise during all that lovely free time I’ll have on maternity leave!” my naïve, new-mom self said (hello to the fellow parents who are wiping away tears of laughter right now at how utterly wrong I was). To reach that initial drafting goal, I wrote evenings, free moments on weekends, and during long commutes on the train, and I did manage to get a very rough draft down before the baby’s due date.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The tiniest bit of a spoiler, but Freddie has a scene where he has trying to impress some other kids with more physically involved stunt. However, in his intense practice up to that moment, he’d neglected to reconsider what he had for lunch: a deep-fried bean burrito. This kind of silly humor is why writing middle grade can be so fun.
Is there anything you hope your readers take away from Freddie vs. The Family Curse?
I hope young readers who’ve had bad days and stumbles just like Freddie find their own way to be brave and forge on. I know life isn’t so simple that attitude changes can magically fix everything, but in Freddie’s case, it helps spur him into action. And if readers are lucky enough to not have a family curse, I hope they can at least share a few laughs at his funnier misfortunes (there are a couple underwear incidents in this book).
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Six years ago, I started writing with the goal of traditional publication, my first works were picture books. As my writing journey progressed and my focus moved to middle grade, I began to dig into the story that would become Freddie vs. the Family Curse, and I connected with my current agent, Natalie Lakosil, whom I knew through my long-time critique partner and friend Alechia Dow. Natalie saw promise in this story about a cursed Filipino American boy, and we did some more work together polishing the manuscript. Freddie was acquired by Amy Cloud at Clarion Books, and I’m excited to finally see it out in the world!
What’s next for you?
In January 2023, my debut young adult novel, This is Not a Personal Statement, comes out from Quill Tree books. This book follows a teen who leaves home for the college of her dreams…that she wasn’t actually accepted to, breaking into dorm rooms, dodging security, crashing classes, and figuring out how to actually get in next semester before she’s caught.
I’ve also been hard at work on my second middle grade book. It’s also a contemporary fantasy, like Freddie, and it involves celebrity chefs, Filipino folk magic, and a family-owned food truck!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Emily Lloyd Jones’ Unseen Magic and Kalyn Josephson’s Ravenfall are great middle grade reads with magic and family, and I’m excited for the Filipino folklore inspired Marikit and the Ocean of Stars by Caris Avendaño Cruz.
