Today I welcome Meradeth Houston, author of the upcoming young adult paranormal book, COLORS LIKE MEMORIES (MuseItUp Publishing May 2012). * Cover coming! Be sure to comment to be eligible to win a copy!
About the Book:
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.
New school arrival Edison knows too much about her past. Now after revealing herself to her assignment, she'll have to trust that past, and learn to trust Edison, and herself to help her friend heal and face the true color of her memories.
Interview with Meradeth Houston:
How did you start writing?
Reading a lot is what really got me started. I remember thinking that I really enjoyed a particular book and didn’t want it to end. The concept that if I wanted to see something different occur in a story I could write it myself just kind of came to me when I was a kid, and that led me down the path to being a writer.
What inspires you to write? What inspired this book?
Music is what really gets the writing juices flowing for me. My book, Colors Like Memories, really came from listening to “Shadow of the Day” by Linkin Park (yeah, I know it’s an old song, but it was very recent when I wrote the first draft!).
When I'm not writing, I ...
...spend most of my time in the lab, and I also run when I can. I guess, in many ways, writing is my hobby (though using the word ‘hobby’ doesn’t really encompass the word well). Anyhow, I’m an anthropologist, and I work with the DNA of ancient peoples, which is pretty cool . I’ve always wanted to study people, so that fits in pretty well with both writing and anthropology!
How does writing influences your life - and how does your life influence your writing?
Writing is a big part of my life, mainly because it keeps my imagination under control—or maybe just gives it a focus. I’m always reading and studying the world around me for a new story idea, or some fun line of dialogue to fit into my stories.
What element do you try to use in your work?
I think a lot of my stories are about understanding why certain things (both good and bad—mostly bad because those make for more interesting stories) happen to people. I don’t always start out with this concept, but it works its way into almost everything I write.
About the author:Born and raised in California, Houston left for college and moved back eight miles from her hometown. While finishing her doctorate, she works as a lab researcher and instructor at my university. A great job, she says, because "it allows for a lot of day-dreaming."
Contest: Leave a comment (with an email or link to contact you) to be eligible to win a copy of Colors Like Memories when it's released. Winners will be announced on Meradeth's blog at the end of the month.
** Next: YA Ebook Tour Post 3: Marva Dasef, "Bad Spelling"
Hi Meradeth,
ReplyDeleteI found myself chuckling at one point in your interview. You say you write to keep your imagination under control...can we ever REALLY keep that muse under control? Mine jumped in as I was trying to read a book last night and wouldn't stop until I was 5 pages into a NEW WIP. I just want to get the three I have started finished! lol. These muses...what are we going to do with them. Thanks for sharing!
C.K. Volnek
Great interview! I love her day job :)
ReplyDeleteHi Meradeth, your book sounds exciting and I'm wondering if it's a little scary. It's interesting that you were inspired by music.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris, for your interview.
Thanks everyone for stopping by. The character and and the book's concept sure have me wondering what's next, too....
ReplyDeleteFirst, thank you for taking the time to do this interview.
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to your comment that when you enjoyed a book you never wanted it to end. I felt that way as a young child, still do as an adult. It may seem odd, but sometimes when I'm doing something other than reading (or writing) I feel like I'm "missing" something - like something is going to happen when I'm not there to see it.
Thanks again for sharing with us. Your book sounds wonderful. My daughter is getting her first e-reader. I may just preload your book on it before I give it to her!
~Michelle
Concilium, July 2012
www.michelle-pickett.com/blog
Fascinating concept for your book. I'm anxious to read it and see how you dealt with it.
ReplyDelete