Trick or Treat with Laura Lavoie + Treat Inside!

Hi, readers, writers, and jack-o’-lantern lovers of all sorts! We’re thrilled to welcome back the extremely talented and prolific spooky book writer, Laura Lavoie!

Laura’s latest book, Beware the Jacks, tells the story of twelve-year-old Dahlia Reid, whose life is undergoing some big changes. However, she has always been able to count on her town’s annual Harvest Festival as one constant tradition. That changes when a mysterious new family’s pumpkin patch unleashes a frightening curse that causes the pumpkins to come to life. Eek!

Want to know more about Laura and her new book? PLUS, want to know what treat she’s offering today? Read on… if you dare! 🎃🎃

Q: Hi Laura - thanks for joining SeasonsOfKidLit.com! We’re thrilled to feature you and hear all about you and your boo-tacular book, Beware the Jacks! We're absolutely dying to hear what inspired your story. Can you share more about its path to publication?

A: Thanks so much for having me! Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I’m excited to be here.

For my publishing journey, I started out writing picture books. My first two titles, Vampire Vacation and Monster Baker, leaned into spooky vibes perfect for this season. I was fortunate that my agent sold Vampire Vacation shortly after I signed with him, but I’d been writing picture books for about four years before that. It took three years from closing the deal before the book came out, so my journey to becoming a published author was seven years in total.  

I grew up devouring R.L. Stine and later, Stephen King, so I really wanted to try my hand at writing scary books for an older audience. My first spooky middle grade novel, The Thirteen Doors of Black House, was published in 2025. 

Beware the Jacks is my second middle grade novel. I’d had the idea to write a walking jack-o’-lantern story for a while. In my novels, I like to have unique, memorable settings that almost feel like another character, so I set this story in a town inspired by Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls, except the town is obsessed with spooky season. 

Q: What will readers enjoy most about your book? Why is it a perfect fit for the fall/Halloween season?

A: Beware the Jacks is a perfect fit for fall because it takes place during the autumn equinox.The whole town of Wilcott Head goes bonkers for spooky season with elaborate decorations and a parade, and the jack-o’-lanterns the townspeople carve come to life and stalk the town. So, it’s really perfect for Halloween, too.

I hope readers enjoy the spooky aspects of the story, but also the themes of belonging. Dahlia’s family has changed after her parents divorce and her mom’s remarriage, and now she isn’t sure how she fits into her family. Her new-to-town friend Penelope is trying to fit in, too, despite local people not giving her family a warm welcome. Both girls are being bullied by the same boy at school. So, in addition to the creepy-crawlies, there are a lot of relatable themes for middle schoolers. 

"This novel is lots of shivery fun, comparable to R.L. Stine’s books. . . . A rollicking, spooky tale perfect for young Halloween fans." --School Library Journal

Q: What was most challenging about transitioning from writing picture books to writing MG? What should our readers (who are also writers) keep in mind when tackling this?

A: Honestly, the time required to write a middle grade novel was the hardest part. Writing a picture book takes a lot of time, too, but since they’re so short, I can read the story in its entirety multiple times even if I only have thirty minutes to sit down at my desk. 

With a middle grade novel, I needed longer blocks of time for writing, and that was tough with a full-time day job and two busy kids. If my editor wanted me to change a line, for example, I could do that and think it was perfect, then realize I had a similar line in the very next chapter. I had to be able to sit down and read big chunks of the story in one sitting, and that meant needing to carve out longer blocks of time at my computer. 

Q: What other books of yours can we check out ASAP or keep our eyes peeled for?

A: If you like Beware the Jacks, definitely check out The Thirteen Doors of Black House, a haunted house story set on the Maine Coast. 

And in 2028, keep your eyes peeled for my first middle grade graphic novel, Sweet Spells. It’s about a young witch whose family runs a magical bakery, but she’s the only one who doesn’t have her powers yet. She’s super bummed that she can’t wave her wand to bake cookies and cupcakes… and she might just have to do something about that. Kate Pellerin is the illustrator and her work is completely magical! 

That sounds like so much fun! We can’t wait to check it out.

Q: If your main character dressed up for Halloween as something other than what they are in your book, what would they choose, and why?

A: My main character, Dahlia, is a twelve-year-old girl who loves to read. Her favorite books are scary stories and fairytales. I think she’d probably choose something like Frankenstein’s monster or Maleficent. 

Q: What is your favorite Halloween candy and something you’d love to see in your goodie bag and what candy would you immediately swap (or toss)? 

A: I love a good Tootsie Pop, preferably cherry or grape. I would immediately toss or swap a Mounds or Almond Joy. Probably Smarties, too. 

Q: Would you like to leave a Trick or a Treat for our readers?

A: A Treat: A reader’s choice of a signed copy of any of my books (U.S. only for postage purposes) or a 30-minute AMA video call.

WOAH -- What a Fang-tabulous treat! FANGS again for stopping by - it was our pleausre hosting you and your book!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter Laura's giveaway, 1) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by, and 2) share her post on social media. Let us know which treat you're most intersted in! Pumpkin-themed GIFs are welcomed, too!

Please note: Laura's giveaway will be shipped within the U.S. only.

*Special Reminder: Those who like, leave a comment on, and share all posts will be entered into a drawing and be eligible to win:

• One (1) of five (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes, perfect for quick MS feedback, provided by Editor Lynne Marie and Author Heather Macht and/or

• Books from Heather's Treat Bag (see below)!

Winners will be drawn and announced on 10/18. Head back to the blog then for the official announcement!

About Laura Lavoie:

Laura Lavoie writes books for kids of all ages. Some of her books are silly, some are spooky, and many are a little bit of both. Her picture books include Vampire Vacation, Monster Baker, and Duck, Duck, Taco Truck, and her middle grade novels are The Thirteen Doors of Black House and Beware the Jacks. When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, cooking and baking, and spending time outside, specifically kayaking and hiking. Laura resides in northern New York with her husband and daughters, plus a goofy golden retriever and three spooky cats.

For more about Laura, visit her at the below links:

Website: https://lauralavoieauthor.com

Instagram & Threads: @llavoieauthor

Amazon: Laura Lavoie: books, biography, latest update

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