Author Interview – Meradeth Houston
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And now…
Today I present Meradeth Houston, author of YA books and one of my favorite genres.
My interview with Meradeth:
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What is the title or working title of your current book?
- The book that I currently have out is COLORS LIKE MEMORIES, and book #2 in the Sary books will be THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE, and is due out next April.
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Please provide us with a brief synopsis of your book.
- For Colors:
Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.
Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this ‘breath of life’ she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It’s a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren’t enough, she’s now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia’s not exactly the best role model for. If she can’t figure out a way to help her, Julia’s going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.
Available from MuseItUp Publishing.
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What genre does your current book fall under?
- Older YA Paranormal. For Chemistry, that’s more in the New Adult category as the characters are in college.
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Do you always write for the same genre?
- I do tend to stick to this age group, mainly because that’s my favorite genre to read!
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Who or what motivates or inspires you to write?
- Lots of different things, but mostly other awesome books, and I listen to a lot of music—that’s always a source of inspiration for me. Good stories in general, whether they be in a movie, book, or in real life always motivate me.
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Tell us about your writing background.
- I’ve been writing stories for ages, though it wasn’t until college that I thought that maybe someday I’d like to do something with it. My last year of college I took an awesome writing class as part of my English minor, and that started me seriously thinking about getting published. Of course, it was a few more years after that that I decided to start querying. That was pretty stressful, but finally paid off J.
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How long does it typically take you to write a first draft?
- Depends on the draft! Some practically write themselves in a few months, others are like pulling teeth. The last book I wrote took about four or so months to get the first working draft together, but the one before that took closer to six.
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Do you employ an editor to assist you in your writing process?
- Thank heavens for awesome editors! My publishing house has some awesome ones, and they’re such a big help.
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Are you self-published or represented by an agency?
- I am published through a small house—MuseItUp Publishing. I don’t have an agent (yet!).
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Do you have future projects we can look forward to?
- Book #2, The Chemistry of Fate is due out in April—I hope people like that one! Book #3 is currently being whipped into shape, but I’m not sure when it will be ready.
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Do you have any tips or advice to offer fellow writers?
- There’s so many people who are probably better qualified to give advice, but the thing that I’ve found most helpful is to always be reading and writing. Honing those skills through both avenues is invaluable.
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Is there anything else you would like to share with your potential readers?
- I hope you get a chance to pick up Colors Like Memories and that you enjoy it J.
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Tell us how we can connect with you in the world of social.
- I’m all over the web! Here are a few places you can find me:
- www.MeradethHouston.com
- meradethhouston.blogspot.com
- #/#!/MeradethHouston
- www.goodreads.com/book/show/13030422-colors-like-memories
- http://www.shelfari.com/books/28925571/Colors-Like-Memories
- #/ColorsLikeMemories
- http://pinterest.com/merbear95695/
- http://youtu.be/HFRNJ-Yn7So (teaser trailer)
- http://youtu.be/7lUpK68bYFI (book trailer)
- http://www.amazon.com/Colors-Like-Memories-ebook/dp/B0083ODXSG
- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/colors-like-memories-meradeth-houston/1112133529?ean=2940044687257
- I’m all over the web! Here are a few places you can find me:
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Filed in: Author Interviews
Thanks so much for hosting me!
My pleasure!
YA books can certainly be addictive since I love stories that deal with discovering self-identity. Thanks for introducing yet another author to potential readers, Cheryl. Good luck in your writing endeavors, Meradeth.
Thanks, Jeri!
In your description of the book, you mention she died before the first breath of life. So in the story has she grown up as a ghost? This is an interesting view (or maybe I am inferring more than I should be).
Good question! It's a bit more complicated–Julia is a Sary, which is kind of like a guardian angel. This is how she has a body and can look like anyone else. Hopefully that makes things a little clearer 🙂
This was fun. I agree with Jeri, these types of books can be quite addictive. I'll be checking hers out. Sigh… so many books and so little time. 🙂
I hope you do get a chance to check it out! I know my TBR pile is far too long–there are too many good books!
That was a great interview, the book really sounds interesting and I wish you much success on your book.
Jenn
Love the titles of your current two books Meradeth; "Colours like Memories" and "The Chemistry of Fate".
There's more to life than meets the eye, but for some reason we are not supposed to know all the secrets. Have for instance noticed that people who try to make money out of extraordinary paranormal gifts always suffer and have a bad life. It is as if they have broken a universal law.
The book sounds terribly sad. I hope there is a lesson learned here.
The book sounds interesting – and Ms. Houston has the right idea with all those social networks. Great interview!