Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton, Authors of Shiny Broken Pieces | Speed Interview

    Bianca SchulzeBy Bianca Schulze4 Mins Read Author Interviews Best Kids Stories Books with Girl Characters Teens: Young Adults
    Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton Speed Interview
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Children’s Book Review | July 12, 2016

    Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton Speed Interview

    The Children’s Book Review: Which five words best describe Shiny Broken Pieces?

    Sona Charaipotra: Redemption, fulfillment, achievement, catharsis, closure.

    Dhonielle Clayton: Vengeance, Redemption, Second Chances, Dreams, Grit.

    If you had to take a vacation with one of the characters from Shiny Broken Pieces, who would it be? Why?

    Sona Charaipotra: Probably Gigi. She’s carefree and fun, whereas the others seem like a pain to travel with.

    Dhonielle Clayton: Bette. She would be down for anything.

    What has been the best reaction from a reader, so far?

    Sona Charaipotra: Best was a Korean-American reader who told me that June meant she finally saw herself on the page – not because of her personality, of course (because God help us!), but because of the cultural experiences reflected. I’ve rarely (if ever) seen myself on the page. So that meant a lot.

    Dhonielle Clayton: One teen made her own book trailer with her favorite quotes, and she danced in the video.

    What’s on your nightstand? Any books?

    Sona Charaipotra: Always a random stack. But I tend to also have my iPad plugged in, so I can read in the dark when the littles go to bed. Right now, I’m reading The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, And I Darken by Kiersten White, The Belles by Dhonielle (yep, be jealous!) and Hungry Heart, which is an upcoming memoir on writing and life by Jennifer Weiner.

    Dhonielle Clayton: Melatonin and books. I read multiple books at a time, so the pile consists of: Save Me A Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan, The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner, The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye, and Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee.

    For your writing energy: sugar or salt, tea or coffee?

    Sona Charaipotra: Always chai. Extra strong and extra sweet. And various snacks, usually cookies of some sort.

    Dhonielle Clayton: Salt. Popcorn. And tea.

    Writing tools: computer, pen and paper, or all of the above?

    Sona Charaipotra: My Macbook goes with me everywhere! I also have notebooks handy, but use them more for brainstorming or freewriting. I love to use Scrivener for outlining and rearranging, but tend to write in Word.

    Dhonielle Clayton: All of the above. But I always start with pen and paper.

    Can you tell us one more thing we may not know about Shiny Broken Pieces, your writing style, or yourself?

    Sona Charaipotra: I’m a master procrastinator. If I don’t have a built-in distraction, I’ll go looking for one. So I usually write on the sofa, with the TV on something as background: House Hunters, Food Network, or Days of Our Lives. 

    Dhonielle Clayton: I eat cupcakes upside down because I hate frosting.

    ***

    Shiny Broken Pieces- A Tiny Pretty Things NovelShiny Broken Pieces: A Tiny Pretty Things Novel

    Written by Sona Charaipotra  and Dhonielle Clayton

    Publisher’s Synopsis: Featuring a diverse cast of characters, plenty of gossip, lies, and scandal, Shiny Broken Piecescontinues with the soapy drama readers loved in Tiny Pretty Things.

    June, Bette, and Gigi are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose…and no one is playing nice. June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. But being the best could mean sacrificing the love of her life. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. It all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?

    Ages 14 and up | Publisher: HarperTeen | July 12, 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-0062342423

    Add this book to your collection: Shiny Broken Pieces: A Tiny Pretty Things Novel

    Available Here:

    Text, logoBuy on Amazon

    About Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton
    Sona Charaipotra credit Navdeep Singh Dhillon
    Sona Charaipotra

    Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton met while attending the New School’s acclaimed Writing for Children MFA program. Sona is a journalist who has written for the New York Times, People, Parade, Cosmopolitan, and other major media. Dhonielle is a librarian at a middle school in Harlem, and taught English at a cutthroat ballet academy. Together, the pair cofounded CAKE Literary, a boutique book packaging company with a decidedly diverse bent. Find them online at www.cakeliterary.com.

    Dhonielle Clayton credit Navdeep Singh Dhillon
    Dhonielle Clayton

    This interview with Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton, authors of Shiny Broken Pieces, was conducted by Bianca Schulze. Follow along with our content tagged with Diversity, Young Adult Fiction, Teens: Young Adults, and Speed Interview to discover more great books.

    What to Read Next:

    1. Ashley Poston, Author of Geekerella | Speed Interview
    2. Karen Fortunati, Author of The Weight of Zero | Speed Interview
    3. Whitney Gardner, Author of You’re Welcome, Universe | Speed Interview
    4. Kimberly McCreight, Author of ‘The Scattering’ | Speed Interview

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    A Tiny Pretty Things Novel Books with a Scandal Dhonielle Clayton Diversity Sona Charaipotra Speed Interview Young Adult Fiction
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleDiscover the Middle-Grade Mystery-Thriller Serafina Series by Robert Beatty
    Next Article My Mama Loves Me, by Shanalee Sharboneau | Book Spotlight
    Bianca Schulze
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • LinkedIn

    Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • Interview with M.H. Clark, Author of ‘We Needed a You’
    • Tiki Time: It’s My Turn | Awareness Tour
    • Drawing Cute Animals Shape by Shape: Learn to Draw Over 100 Adorable Animals Step by Step | Dedicated Review
    • Tiny Bird, by Sabrina Edralin | Dedicated Review
    • I Don’t Think So!, by K. Joyner | Book Review
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.