Interview & Giveaway: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Welcome to Author Megan Crewe

Like many authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she has yet to make friends with a ghost, though she welcomes the opportunity. Her first novel, GIVE UP THE GHOST, was published by Henry Holt in 2009 and is now out in paperback. Her second novel, THE WAY WE FALL, will be released January, 24 2012 by Disney-Hyperion.

LINKS:
Website - megancrewe.com
Blog - megancrewe.com/blog
Twitter - twitter.com/megancrewe
Facebook - facebook.com/megan.crewe

INTERVIEW
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
You like thoughtful, slow-building but tense stories about society falling apart.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
The Way We Fall is the first in a trilogy, so there are two sequels on the way. I also have a couple of standalone projects (both YA, one fantasy, one horror) that I hope to be able to share more about before too long. My main goal is to keep writing the kinds of books I'd like to read--hopefully other people like to read them too! :)

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?
The theme song for The Way We Fall is "Crowd Surf Off A Cliff" by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton. I think it captures the mood, and some of the details of the story perfectly. I must have listened to it a hundred times while I was writing.

What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Persevere. Very few writers get published with their first book. As with any other skill, it takes practice before you can write well. So keep writing and learning all you can about writing, and remember that any rejections you get are not saying "You can't write" but "You're not quite there yet."

How did you know you should become an author?
Well, I've come to realize that I can't not write. My head is full of stories, and when none of them is quite ready to be written yet, I get irritable and rather unpleasant to be around. I'm happiest when I'm writing. And since I'm going to be writing anyway, it made sense to see if I could make a career of it. I don't think a story's quite complete until it has readers as well as an author.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
There are pieces of me in all of my characters. It'd be difficult for me to relate to them and understand their motivations if they didn't have at least one or two similarities. I'd have to say, though, that Kaelyn--the main character in The Way We Fall--is probably the most like me of all the characters I've written so far, or at least like me when I was that age.

How do you react to a bad review?
I read them and consider what the reviewer took issue with. If I can see their point, I'll make mental notes for future writing. I've developed a pretty thick skin over the years, and I recognize readers are going to have all sorts of responses, so I don't take personal offense to criticism. The only thing I really mind is seeing incorrect assumptions or information presented, but that's unavoidable too, so in those cases I may complain about it to my husband or a friend to blow off some steam, and then I move on.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
People seem to be surprised when I tell them I like revising. But it's true! Writing a first draft is actually the hardest part of the process for me, because I can tell I'm not writing the story as well as I'd like, but I know I won't be able to write it properly until I have the whole thing down and can see the big picture. So I'm always looking forward to getting to that second draft when I can start fixing everything, without the stress of wondering whether I'll reach "The End" at all.

You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
If I didn't have to worry about taxes or the like, I'm start looking for my dream house right away.

Print or Ebook?
For books I love, I like to have the print version. It's more concrete and permanent-feeling. But I'm reading more and more ebooks these days, because they're so easy to carry around (I read them on my iPad, which I take with me everywhere anyway), I can buy them instantly, and I can bring several with me without them taking up extra room.

PC or Mac?
Mac all the way! I grew up in a Mac household, so they're what I'm used to, and I like their stability and ease of use.

Beach or Pool?
Beach. I'll take natural water over chlorinated any day. (Though a pool will do if there's no other option--I love to swim.)

Favorite quote from a movie?
For a long time I had this quote from Adaptation in my blog profile: "You are what you love, not what loves you." I think those are excellent words to live by--to define ourselves by what's meaningful and important to us, not by how good at it we are, or what other people's opinions of us are. If you can do that, I suspect you're a much happier person.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

Giveaway Details
1 Hardcover copy of The Way We Fall
Open Internationally
Ends 2/1/12


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Also by Megan Crewe: