Q&A with children's author Melissa Garside!

Earlier this year, I interviewed Melissa Garside about her debut book LEXIE MOON AND THE WORD BURGLING BUNGLE - and now Melissa returns to tell us all about her second book:
LEXIE MOON & THE SPACE DAY DISASTER
published August 2025 by Riveted Press. 

You can visit Melissa online here! 

Thank you for stopping by, Melissa! 

​1. What can you tell us about Lexie Moon and the Space Day Disaster? What was the experience like of writing this book, since it is a sequel? Did that make it easier or challenging, since you know the characters already?  
Lexie Moon & The Space Day Disaster is the second standalone book in the Lexie Moon junior fiction series, aimed mainly at the 7-10 year old age group. In this book, Lexie, a young inventor, has been persuaded to invent a device for daytime stargazing for her school’s Space Day. Unfortunately, the notorious gadget thief, Gizmo Lightfinger, returns to cause mayhem again. Lexie and her sidekick/grandad have to find a way to stop him before the world is plunged into darkness forever.
 
I had a lot of fun writing this book and enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time with Lexie and the other returning characters. It was easy to step back into her world, partly because I enjoy being there and partly because this book was written while I was still working on Book #1, Lexie Moon & The Word Burgling Bungle.
 
Some of the challenges of writing a series include ensuring that the voices and characteristics of the returning characters remain the same and that references to other recurring features of the world, such as inventions, are consistent. Spreadsheets help me keep track of everything. I also frequently reread parts of Book #1 to ensure that my language and tone remain in keeping with it. 
 
2. How was the publication experience different for Lexie Moon and the Space Day Disaster this time around, compared to the first book in the Lexie Moon series?  
Lexie Moon & The Word Burgling Bungle was my debut book, so everything in the process was completely new. It was good this time to know a little more about what to expect, including the long periods of waiting followed by high-paced cycles of intense activity.
 
I really enjoyed working with my editor at Riveted Press, Rowena Beresford, for Book #1, and so I was looking forward to doing that again. That has been a very rewarding learning experience both times and has really made me appreciate the level of skill that editors need to have.
 
3. What was it like when you first saw Lauren's terrific artwork bringing your story to life? Do you have a favourite illustration from either of the books?  
I have been completely blown away by Lauren’s illustrations, which look as though she has downloaded a picture from my head, put it on paper and made it even better than I had imagined.
Take for example The Stellascope invention on the cover of Lexie Moon & The Space Day Disaster. In my illustration notes, I said that it looks a bit like a cross between a ship’s binnacle and a telescope with some levers and dials. Lauren drew it exactly the way I had imagined!
In terms of my favourite illustrations, I couldn’t go past the two dogs at the end of The Word Burgling Bungle, but I love all the images of inventions and also the crowd scenes in The Space Day Disaster.

4. What is in the pipeline? Can you share anything you are working on next? Will there be a third book about Lexie?  
Nothing is official at this stage, but I have fingers crossed for book three, so I guess I can say that I’m working on that at the moment.
I also have a portal adventure story that I’m reworking, as well as a concept for a historical fiction that may take ten years to research and write.
At the moment, I’m also developing presentations for some upcoming school visits. My very first as an author! I’m very much looking forward to those.

5. Anything else you would like to add, at all? 
I’m very grateful to have two books in a series out in the world. It has been my dream to be a published author for a very long time, and even two years ago, I couldn’t have imagined it actually happening. I’m very thankful to everyone who has supported me on the way, including Rowena, my critique group and other people who have given me feedback on my writing, my friends, the amazing kids who have read my book, and of course, reviewers, like you, Brenton, who help to spread the word. Thanks again for this opportunity.