Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Merrie Destefano | Author Chat + Giveaway




Novelist and magazine editor, Merrie Destefano writes dark stories with a thread of hope. Her novels include Valiant, Lost Girls, Shade, Fathom, Afterlife, andFeast,and her work has been published by Entangled Teen and HarperCollins. Her next YA Science Fiction novel, Valiant, releases on December 4, 2018.






Let's get real...



What is the strangest food combo that you actually enjoy?It's probably not really that strange, but I adore popcorn with melted cheddar cheese and hot sauce. Yum! It's really hard to eat while I'm writing, but I try anyway. LOL.

Two truths and a lie...
1. I've had a gun pulled on me three times.
2. For some reason, I can't stand cooked fish, but I love sushi.
3. I ran away from home when I was fifteen and came back when I was sixteen.

Any weird habits you have when writing or plotting?
I don't like to plot, so instead I'll freewrite the first 50 pages or so, to see if I can connect with the characters and find the conflict in the story. If I can get the first 50 pages to work, then I know the book is worth writing. If I can't, then I usually don't finish it. I do a very rough plot point outline, but that's about it. If I over-plot a story, then I don't want to write it!

What’s one of your favorite books?
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. That book is magnificent.

Do you have a nickname? Care to share?
Mer. (Sounds like Mare.) My sister used to call me that and I'd call her Kath (short for Kathy.) I've always liked shortening names, probably because of that. So whenever we name a new dog or cat, I have to like the short version too. So, for example, our cat is Hezekiah, but I call him Hez.

Favorite dessert?
No, thank you. I mean, I WANT every dessert on the planet and how unfair is it that people keep inventing new, awesome treats that I've never had? But I don't eat sugar anymore. Also, I've been really careful about not overeating the past several months. I used to binge when I got stressed and it had turned into an unhealthy lifestyle. Now I just get stressed. Haha.

What's one chore you hate doing?
I really hate all chores, but seriously, it's whatever chore I'm supposed to do right NOW. So, if I'm supposed to be answering emails, I'd rather do the dishes. If I'm supposed to do the dishes, I'd rather do laundry. If I'm supposed to do laundry, then I'd rather plan meals and go grocery shopping.

Which of your characters do you secretly have a crush on?
Justin from Valiant. Sorry, not sorry. LOL. Also, Dylan from Lost Girls. Both were based on boys I had crushes on when I was a teenager.

Author Instagram: @merriedestefano

G I V E A W A Y
Merrie is graciously giving away a print copy of Valiant to one lucky winner in the U.S. To enter, use the Rafflecopter below! 






ALSO! 


If you pre-order Valiant now, you'll get the free novella Taken!
Order here!









[The false answer is 2. Fish is actually my favorite food, but I will never eat sushi. I'm a wimp!]
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