Interview with Megan Crewe and Contest!

Today I'd like to welcome author Megan Crewe, who stopped by to talk about her recently released debut novel, Give Up The Ghost.


In Give Up The Ghost, Cass’ mission is to expose her fellow students’ bad conduct with the help of her ghostly friends, who are able to dig up all sorts of dirt - such as lying, cheating, stealing and spreading rumors. When you were in junior high or high school, did you ever do anything to misbehave or have something done to you that still makes you cringe to think about?

I didn’t do anything as bad as the things Cass calls people on, but there is one thing I’m not very proud of. I was in choir in junior high, and there was another girl who I talked with sometimes that I started to realize was considered pretty uncool by the more popular kids. So I stopped talking to her and ignored her when I saw her. Not my most shining moment!

Unlike many YA novels where the protagonist has a supernatural talent, Cass not only accepts that she can see and talk to ghosts, but she actually welcomes them into her life. What gave you the inspiration to write a novel where the main character didn’t run away or try to hide from her powers?

I think I was mostly inspired by the fact that I hadn’t seen it done very often! I figured there had to be some benefits to being friendly with ghosts—what might they be? What would my main character do when she discovered them? A lot of the story came about just from answering those questions.

What type of research did you do in preparation for Give Up The Ghost? Also, being that this is a novel about ghosts, have you or your family members ever had any otherworldly encounters with them? If so, did you draw upon those in writing your novel?

I did some research on girl bullying—the book ODD GIRL OUT was a great help in understanding what had happened to Cass and how it had affected her. The ghost stuff I just made up! I’ve never seen a ghost, and as far as I know no one else in my family has, either.

What was your favorite aspect about writing Give Up The Ghost and conversely, what was the most difficult part of the process? Would you go back and do anything differently if you had the chance?

My favorite thing to write was Cass and Tim’s developing friendship—it was so fun to write their conversations and see Cass struggle between wanting to stay protected and wanting to open up. The most difficult part was keeping Cass sympathetic. She has a pretty sarcastic, defensive sort of voice, and I had to balance that with showing her vulnerabilities so the reader could see why she is the way she is and that there was more to her.

I’m not sure there’s anything I would do differently. I think it’s ended up working out well in the end, and if I changed something I’d be afraid it’d change something else for the worse! (That’s my philosophy about just about everything in my life.)

Do you remember writing the first words of Give Up The Ghost and are they still in the novel today? Is there a certain line, scene or passage from the book that is a particular favorite of yours as well?

The original first line was, “Right before she died, my sister and I had a pretty crap relationship.” That line (slightly modified—“crap” became “defective”) is now a few pages into the first chapter.

My single favorite line is probably, “I have friends, I wanted to tell her. You just wouldn’t believe they exist.” I’m also very fond of the passage where Cass goes down to the playground by the beach, listens to the waves, and thinks about her sister’s death.

If you were to attach a musical score to Give Up The Ghost, what type of music do you picture playing during prominent scenes? Was there any music you listened to that helped inspire you with character development or mood setting?

I listened to a lot of Lisa Germano and Dresden Dolls while I was brainstorming the book, and I think that’s the sort of music Cass would like, so it would probably fit. “Trouble” by Lisa Germano captures Cass’s emotions almost perfectly.

Being a debut novelist, can you share with us the moments that have been both the most exciting and also the most frightening in the publication process so far?

Exciting moments: Finding out the book was going to be published in the first place! Seeing the page proofs laid out the way the actual book would look, seeing the cover for the first time, getting the ARCs, getting to see and hold the finished hardcover. Meeting with booksellers and librarians who are enthusiastic about sharing the novel with readers. Hearing from readers who’ve enjoyed it.

Frightening: Waiting for the deal to be confirmed (and worrying it might not work out after all), waiting for each editorial letter (and worrying about whether my editor was happy with my revisions), waiting to see the cover (and worrying I might not like it), waiting to hear readers’ thoughts on the book (and worrying they might not like it). Mostly, waiting.

If there was one thing in particular you hope readers will take away from this novel and apply to their own lives, what would that be?

That ultimately it’s better to risk getting hurt and to try to connect with people than to let your fears make you close yourself off.

Will Give Up The Ghost be a stand-alone novel or the first in a series? Can you tell us about future projects we can look forward to?

Right now Give Up the Ghost is a stand alone, but you never know! I have other YA novels in the works, both paranormal and fantasy. You will likely see more ghosts. I can say no more!

Megan is offering one lucky winner a chance to win a final, hardcover copy of

GIVE UP THE GHOST!

All you have to do is comment on this post with your email address!

NOTE: THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.