Megan Crewe Interview

I'm hosting Megan Crewe, author of Give Up the Ghost, on her Traveling to Teens tour. Here is her interview!

Did you always want to be a writer?

I didn't always think of it as something I wanted to do as a career--that started when I was around ten or so--but I was always writing and telling stories. Even before I knew how to print, I'd dictate stories to my mom for her to write down and then illustrate them.

What was the most difficult part about writing Give Up the Ghost?

Finding a balance between keeping Cass true to the character I imagined, and keeping her sympathetic. Her motivations made sense to me, but I had to find ways to get them across to the reader and show her hidden vulnerabilities without sacrificing her sharp, sarcastic voice.

What is something that helped in you actually finish writing your story?

My in-person writers group. They read the first few chapters of the original incarnation of GIVE UP THE GHOST, which stalled about a third of the way in. I set it aside for several months, but their comments (and questions about when I was going to come back to it) encouraged me to keep trying to tell Cass's story.

Did you also want to write for young adults, or did you just get lucky it turned out that way? ;)

When I wrote my first (now trunked) novels, I was in my teens myself, so it made sense to me that my characters would also be teenagers. I always figured that would change as I got older. But in my twenties, I've found that I still really enjoy writing about and for young adults. It's such a conflicted and exciting time in a person's life, and I think kids and teens love books in a way most adults don't any more.

Can you describe your road to getting agent and publication?

It was actually pretty straight-forward--and I'm proof that a writer doesn't need special connections to get published (I had never met or talked to my agent or my editor before). I queried a number of agents who represented books like GHOST, send out partials and fulls, and Kristin Nelson offered representation. The book went out to several editors and we had some interest from a few places. I ended up doing a revision for an editor at Holt, who then made an offer, which we accepted. After which of course there were contracts and more revisions and copyedits and fun stuff like that. :)

What was your reaction when you first heard you got an agent/publisher?

After my agent called to offer representation, I was literally bouncing around my apartment for about ten minutes, squeeing and babbling excitedly to my husband. Then I calmed down enough to stop bouncing, and called up my parents to let them know, too.

With my publisher, it was a little different because it was more drawn out. We knew they were probably going to make an offer a couple days before it actually came, and then the details were negotiated over a few weeks. So my excitement was more spread out, but there was still a lot of squeeing and babbling and probably some bouncing in there, too.

How has the blogging community and fellow authors helped you in your journey?

The online community has been amazing! I made a lot of writer friends at various stages in their own journeys through online forums and LiveJournal, many of whom gave me great advice and beta-read my stories over the years. After getting my book deal, I joined two wonderful groups, the 2009 Debutantes and the Class of 2K9. Both have provided tons of emotional support during the roller coaster that is the writing life, as well as tips and experiences that have guided me along the way. And I'm incredibly grateful to all the book bloggers (like yourself!) who've taken an interest in GHOST and get the word out about it.

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Thanks so much, Megan! You're awesome.

And here's a description of Give Up the Ghost, straight from indiebound:

Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts to breathers--and they know all the dirt on everybody. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of all the poseurs in school. Burt when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme lies in the balance.

Links: Megan's website/blog/twitter/the Give Up the Ghost trailer

Henry Holt/Hardcover/$16.99/Amazon/B&N/Borders/Indiebound