So I work very hard to show Sophie's struggles, both internal and external, and I let her make mistakes-because Project Moonlark or not, elf or not, she'll still always be a girl caught between two worlds, trying to figure out where she fits. And I realized right away that I was writing the kind of character who could far too easily come across as 'too perfect' or 'too powerful' if I wasn't careful. I know her hopes and dreams and fears and insecurities and strengths and weaknesses. But, at the same time, she does feel very real to me. ‍Ha, this is the kind of question that always makes me sound like I think Sophie's actually real-and I promise, I do realize she's a character that I created.

What qualities in Sophie do you think allow readers of so many different backgrounds and personalities to find her so relatable? As much as readers will debate Team Keefe versus Team Fitz (or Team Dex!), ultimately they are definitely Team Sophie. And the harder they fight, the more the lines blur between friend and enemy.

Every memory forces them to question everything-especially one another. She and her friends are part of something much bigger than they imagined-and their roles have already been chosen for them.Every clue drags them deeper into the conspiracy. Even the smallest secret comes with terrifying new responsibilities.And Sophie's not the only one with blank spots in her past, or mysteries surrounding her family. But after a lifetime of lies, sometimes the truth is the most dangerous discovery. She answered a few of our burning questions about the latest in the Keeper series, Legacy. She’s the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the award-winning middle grade series, Keeper of the Lost Cities, as well as the Sky Fall series for young adults. She’s studied art, screenwriting, and film production, but realized her real passion was writing stories for children. Shannon Messenger graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts where she learned-among other things-that she liked watching movies much better than making them.

Shannon messenger