An Interview with Bettina Restrepo

Q: What do you hear from your readers? 

A: I receive most of my questions via my webpage and Facebook.  Some readers want to know what happened to Nora from Illegal, some are doing a class assignment and ask for an interview.  A few readers asked me to do their homework (which, by the way, I refer them to my website to find their answers.)

Q: What is one thing you would like your readers to know about you?

A: Actually, I, the author, would like to disappear as they read the book.  I want readers to think about the characters, the setting.  I want the voice of the book to whisper in their mind and carry them away to another place.

It’s like Jennifer Aniston from the 90’s sitcom Friends. Whenever I see her in a new movie, I think… there is Rachel playing the ad executive, girl who can’t commit, or naughty dentist. I never get lost in her character or the movie.

I’m a boisterous personality with a naughty streak of bad language and black humor – but my books aren’t that way.  They tend to be quiet and thoughtful. The author is just a name on a book. I’m the person who is a mom, wife, dog walking, bawdy, yet anxious and self-conscience human trying to make her way in the world.

You’ll see tiny hints of me within each character, but it’s never all me.

Q: In high school, where did you fall? (Prom Queen/King, Gamer Geek, Brainy/Book Nerd, Jock, Shy/Quiet Scholar, Skate Rat, Stoner, Class Clown, etc.)

I was ‘jack of all trades’ leaning toward the band nerds/drama and speech crowd with a touch of honors classes.

I desperately wanted to fit in, yet did things to set myself apart. I dressed just on the cusp of Molly Ringwald meets the Breakfast Club (on a Kmart Budget), barely made B’s in my honors classes while being the most outspoken person in the room about the books we were reading and why grammar was stupid.

I worked too many hours at the local McDonald’s because I was desperate for independence. I found trouble, but hid it from people outside the group. In a way, I was innocuous. Fitting in just enough to be invisible yet not suffocated, yet standing out enough to find my own voice and cultivate my own life path.

Q: Do you have a pet (pets)?  Tell us about it (them) and how they help/hinder your writing.

I have always loved animals. Winston, my Springer Spaniel, sits next to me all day (except when snoring from the bedroom). Insists on a twice-daily walk, and is an excellent Kleenex on days that I get frustrated and cry. He’s naughty and wonderful.

Q: How often do you dream about the writing you are working on?

Always.  I believe in writing slow and taking naps. The subconscious mind is where all of my writing begins.

Thank you for your time Bettina! We look forward to seeing you at the festival.

For more about Bettina Restrepo, visit her website.

Introducing 2013 MCBF Author, Bettina Restrepo

How does Bettina say her last name?  Rest (as in take a nap) Repo (like if you take too many naps, they will take away your car).  It doesn’t hurt her feelings if you say it wrong – because she’s just not that picky.

Bettina received her Bachelor of Science in speech communication from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993. She flunked economics her freshman year and decided a business degree wasn’t a good idea.  She found literature and writing were her best fit.  For fun, she played cymbals in the band.

She spent many years in the corporate world being an Internal Auditor and wearing pantyhose (not fun).  She is married, lives near Dallas under the disguise of “Mommy”.

Happy 200 Giveaway Winner!

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An Interview with Lisa McMann

Q: Patty Campbell talks about the germ for a piece of writing being like the sand in the oyster. What is your grain of sand? Do you begin with character or setting or something else?

A: I almost always begin with an idea for a plot, and I whittle away at the idea until I can put it into a few short phrases: For WAKE: Girl gets sucked into other people's dreams, can't tell anyone because they'd think she's a freak, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control. For CRASH: Girl sees a recurring vision of a truck hitting a building and exploding, then nine body bags in the snow. She feels compelled to stop the crash from happening; even more so when she realizes inside one of the body bags is the boy she's not allowed to love. Once I know this much, figuring out the characters is next.

Q: Why do you write for Young Adults or Children or Adults?

My stories are for everyone who enjoys them, and they are about young adults and children because those humans are the most interesting to me. They are in a state of constant change physically and emotionally, learning to think on their own, making decisions about major issues that could change their lives dramatically.

Q: In high school, where did you fall? (Prom Queen/King, Gamer Geek, Brainy/Book Nerd, Jock, Shy/Quiet Scholar, Skate Rat, Stoner, Class Clown, etc.) 

A: I was in a constant state of awkwardness and embarrassment. I don't think I fit into any of those categories. I was somewhat invisible, I guess. Or at least I felt like I was--except when I did something awkward or embarrassing, that is. Then everybody saw it.

Q: Do you have a pet (pets)? Tell us about it (them) and how they help/hinder your writing.

A: Currently we have two indoor cats, one of which likes to hinder my writing by sitting on my keyboard. We tend to feed stray feral cats as well, so I count them as pets if they stay around long enough to be named. We had a precious, lovely dog for a time--Jessie died two years ago and I'm still not over it. But her death sort of enabled me to channel grief into my characters in The Unwanteds series in what I hope is a sincere way.

Q: Who is your favorite character you have written or read about?

A: This is a tough question, but one I've been asked before so I've thought about it a bit. In my own writing there are always a couple of characters in each book or series that I adore, and they are usually minor characters who make me laugh. Mr. Appleblossom in THE UNWANTEDS series, for instance, or Captain in the WAKE trilogy. I'm still writing the VISIONS SERIES but from the start I've adored main character Jules' brother and sister and the dynamics they bring to the family.

Thank you so much for your time Lisa! We look forward to seeing you at the festival!

To learn more about Lisa McMann, visit her website.

Introducing 2013 MCBF Author, Lisa McMann

© Vania Stoyanova, VLCPhoto

Lisa McMann is the New York Times bestselling author of the paranormal WAKE trilogy and VISIONS series, the dystopian fantasy THE UNWANTEDS series, and other books for teens and tweens. She lives with her husband Matt, two kids, and two cats in Mesa, Arizona.

An Interview with Mari Mancusi

Q: Of which book are you the most proud? And why?

A: I’m particularly proud of my novel Gamer Girl, which was released back in 2008. The book deals with bullying and is actually a fictionalized account of something similar I went through when I was in Junior High and started at a new school. I wanted to share what happened to me—but also give my heroine a happily ever after—to show that it can happen, despite how hopeless things might seem at the time.

After the book was published I received countless emails and messages from girls and even boys talking about their own experiences being bullied. They told me that my main character, Maddy, inspired them to stand up for themselves and get their own happy ending. That, of course, made my day—to know the book I wrote made a difference in their lives.

Q: Patty Campbell talks about the germ for a piece of writing being like the sand in the oyster.  What is your grain of sand?  Do you begin with character or setting or something else?

A: I’m a concept person. I like to think in elevator pitches and movie trailers. Once I come up with a concept (for example, my newest book was pitched as “Terminator with dragons!”) then I create the story and characters to live in it. Sometimes the story and characters change as I’m writing them and I never know exactly how things are going to turn out. But it’s that initial “What if?” that gets my creative juices flowing!

Q: What do you hear from your readers?

A: As I mentioned above, sometimes my books inspire them. But sometimes they just make them laugh. Or maybe make them swoon. And that’s okay, too! Not all books should be life changing. Some should just be entertaining and a great way to spend the afternoon. I get a lot of readers saying they get in trouble at school—for reading my books during class. That makes me laugh. I used to get in trouble for the opposite—for writing stories during boring lectures!

Q: Why do you write for Young Adults or Children or Adults?

I’ve written for both adults and young adults, but these days I much prefer to write for teens. Unlike adults, who will often just pick up a book, read it, then put it aside, teens want to live in the world their favorite author has created. No, not just live—but actually become a part of it and help build it. I have readers who not only draw pictures and make videos based on my books, but also create fan fiction or role play my characters on Facebook. In a sense, that makes them part of the universe. And that’s just really cool. They’re enthusiastic and smart and passionate about what they read—and that’s so rewarding for an author.

Q: Who is your favorite character you have written or read about?

A: I have a lot of fun writing Rayne McDonald, the bad twin in my Blood Coven Vampires series. It’s just fun to write a character who always speaks her mind—even if it gets her in trouble. In real life we can’t always do that—say exactly what we’re thinking with no filter. But Rayne doesn’t care what people think about her. She just blurts it all out. So much fun to write!

Q: What is one thing you would like your readers to know about you?

That I love them as much as they love my books! Okay, maybe that sounds creepy, lol. But I just appreciate so much their willingness to delve into a world and characters I’ve created. It thrills me to no end to get their emails and Facebook messages and blog posts. I don’t think I could do this job—which is often solitary and a bit lonely—without knowing that they’re out there, chomping at the bit for the next book!

Q: In high school, where did you fall? (Prom Queen/King, Gamer Geek, Brainy/Book Nerd, Jock, Shy/Quiet Scholar, Skate Rat, Stoner, Class Clown, etc.)

A: Goth girl and drama geek. I dressed all in black and listened to New Wave and goth bands and went clubbing at the local goth club every weekend. I dated skateboarders and guys with piercings and shaved heads. I was also very active in my high school drama department and won Best Director my senior year. One thing I realized in school—once you no longer cared what people thought about you, then you became much more interesting to them.

Q: Do you have a pet (pets)?  Tell us about it (them) and how they help/hinder your writing.

A: I have a Border Collie mix named Mesquite. She motivates me to go jogging each day – which helps with brainstorming whatever I’m working on at the moment. I consider her my only co-worker. Not so great when it comes to the company Christmas party, but at least she never takes a sick day!

Q: What is the hardest part of waiting for a book from the end of your writing to when it is released?

A: Not spilling the secrets! Especially since all the Blood Coven books end on cliffhangers. I get antsy, wanting to tell readers what happens next!

Q: How often do you dream about the writing you are working on?

A: Hardly ever. I think it’s stored in a different part of my brain. I’m definitely no Stephanie Meyer – getting my ideas in my sleep. I wish I were that lucky!

Thank you so much for your time, Mari. We look forward to seeing you at the festival!

For more about Mari Mancusi, check out her website.

Introducing 2013 MCBF Author, Mari Mancusi

Mari Mancusi used to wish she could become a vampire back in high school. But she ended up in another blood sucking profession --journalism -- instead. Today she works as a freelance TV producer and author of books for teens and adults. When not writing about creatures of the night, Mari enjoys traveling, cooking, goth clubbing, watching cheesy horror movies, and her favorite guilty pleasure--videogames. A graduate of Boston University and a two time Emmy Award winner, she lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Jacob, daughter Avalon, and their dog Mesquite.