Hi! Today we have Meaghan Rauscher, author of DROPLETS. She has released her debut novel, and the second book RIPPLES in the DROPLETS series is coming soon.. So get to know about her here...
Introduce yourself.
My name is Meaghan Rauscher. I am a 23 year old first time author of DROPLETS. I grew up in Augusta, Georgia as one of seven kids and realized from a young age that I had a very vivid imagination. As a kid I loved to make up all kinds of stories and that same imagination kept me entertained while I swam year around on a club team. For 12 years I endured the hard work of the sport of swimming through which I gained the determination to accomplish my goals and a love for the water, both of which would play into my first novel. Recently I graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s in English and I am coming to the end of a college program with the Walt Disney Company.
What were you like at school.
From first to twelfth grade I was homeschooled and therefore spent a lot of time with my siblings. As an outlet, swimming was my social network and provided me with a place to be silly and outspoken. However, it also harnessed my passion for striving to be the best that I can be at anything I set my mind to.
What are your ambitions for your writing career.
Of course, I would love to see DROPLETS take off and develop into something known nation or worldwide. It would be an amazing thing to make Lissie (my heroine) a household name. In the future I want to write as many novels as I can. I currently have upwards of fifteen different ideas of novels that I would like to put down on paper. To be able to write for the rest of my life, and to have an audience that is desperately waiting for the next installment would be a dream come true.
So how many books have you written.
I have completed two novels. The first is DROPLETS and the other is the second installment of the series titled, RIPPLES. While DROPLETS is available for purchase universally on Amazon, RIPPLES is still in the editing process. I am hoping to have it completed and self-published soon.
Let's talk about DROPLETS. Give an insight into your main character.
My latest, and debut book, is DROPLETS. The main character is seventeen year old Lissie Darrow who lives in the fictional town of Coveside, Maine. The story begins with Lissie on a fishing boat with her father and older brothers, when during a storm she is swept away into the sea only to be saved by a merman. Her life is then changed forever when the merman decides to transform her into a mermaid.
What does Lissie do that makes her special.
Lissie is a strong female heroine, who is able to take on the challenge of becoming something new. There are many novels that have heroines who are born with a different gift and come into their own as they age. I wanted to explore something different and decided to place my heroine in a situation where she would be forced into a new world not of her own power, but of others. It is her reactions to these changes that show her true strength.While she finds friends and becomes romantically involved with a character, I wanted my heroine to be able to stand on her own strength while also showing vulnerability in her need for acceptance and the love she shares with the hero.
What is the book about.
DROPLETS is about Lissie Darrow and how her life changes when a merman transforms her into a mermaid. These mythical creatures of the deep are able to walk on land and have bloody battles with retractable blades. When Lissie finds refuge on a secluded island, she meets the mysterious Patrick and comes to the realization that her fate is tied with his as a merfolk war threatens to tear them apart forever.
What genre do you write and why.
As of right now, the things I write can be listed under young adult fiction. I enjoy writing in this genre because it is one of my favorite genres to read. There is something magical about taking the everyday world and placing a twist on it that changes your perspective. While young adult fiction is my main focus for the time being, I would like to begin writing stories based on my childhood. For me, writing short stories of things that happened in my childhood is something that I have found to be both refreshing and helpful in developing my skills as an author.
How much research do you do.
Because my book is based on fiction creatures, I did very little research. I wanted the merfolk that I created to be entirely my own. There is a uniqueness that can be interpreted when using mythical creatures as a focal point of a novel. I found that I did not have to be true to old stories of mermaids or mermen, because I was creating my own breed of merfolk. However, I did do a little research for location and setting details. But as for the creatures that are in my books, I relied on using only my imagination to create their uniqueness.
Why do you write.
Simply put, I love it. For me, writing is a way of escaping the world. Much in the way a person steps back from the pressures of everyday living through reading a book, writing provides a private place that I can jump into and create whatever I want. To be able to give someone a glimpse of the world that I have created in my head is why I want others to read my works. I have fallen head over heels in love with plenty of books. It is that feeling of not being able to think about anything else, or getting shivers down your spine when an intense part captures your attention and imagination, or the desperation and loss when a character you love is hurting. All of those are reasons for why I write. By creating my own works I am able to harness the images in my mind and transform them onto the page for others to enjoy.
Do you write full time or part time.
I write part time. Someday I would love for writing to be my only job, but for the time being it something that comes in between other daily responsibilities.
Do you write every day, 5 days a week, or as when.
Currently, I am writing whenever I have the chance. I used to write every day and that is something I would like to get back to. Unfortunately, my schedule does not permit it for the time being, but I will soon have the time to get at least a few pages done each day.
Do you write on paper or computer.
I write on a computer because I find it easier to come back and change mistakes. However, before beginning any work I have to sit down and write out the events or images that I want to place in a scene. By writing particular aspects down by hand I am better able to picture the scene and give it a better reality on the page.
What is the hardest thing about writing.
The editing. Deciding what should stay, what should go and whether or not other scenes need to be added have always been the hardest for me.
What is the easiest thing about writing.
Putting the scene down on paper. For me, writing is simply watching a movie unfold in my head. All I have to do is figure out a way to clearly describe what is taking place so that my readers can understand what I see.
Do you ever get writer's block.
Every now and then this has happened. Usually this occurs when I need to add in a scene in order to make the plot flow from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’. I have a difficult time in writing anything if I do not see it clearly in my mind. When I get writer’s block, I usually step away from writing and listen to movie scores. Instrumental music always helps my imagination flow; in particular there are a few songs that have inspired entire scenes in DROPLETS that changed the plot line. So whenever I find myself lost and stuck, I put on some music and let my imagination begin to stir again.
As DROPLETS is part of a series tell us a little about it.
DROPLETS is the first novel in a three book series. All three books will surround Lissie and the challenges she faces during the merfolk war between the Lathmorians and the Hyven. Her challenges will be further complicated as she develops a close attachment to Patrick, that leads to a major change in the second installment RIPPLES. Although RIPPLES is in the editing stages, it should be out soon and the third will not be far behind.
How much do you read and who are your favorite authors.
Reading is the reason I got into writing, therefore I read as much as I can. My favorite authors are Francine Rivers, J.K. Rowling, and Diana Gabaldon.
What book are you reading at the moment.
Currently i am almost finished with the second installment of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber.
Do you leave the book for a month and then come back to it to edit.
Upon finishing a novel, I do leave it alone for a while. After a month or so, I print it out and then begin to edit it with a pen in hand. I find it easier to edit when reading off a page rather than a computer screen.
Do you think cover plays an important role in buying process.
Yes. When I created my cover I wanted it to be something that would capture someone’s attention. Personally, I do not like covers that have faces on them. When I read, I like to be given the freedom of creating the leading character’s face on my own. For that reason, I made the DROPLETS cover simple and yet bright in order to catch attention.
Advice for other authors on how to market their books.
While I am still learning the process as I go, something to keep in mind is to look at fan fiction blogs and use different types of media. I for one am not the best when it comes to using social media to connect, but I am learning. Another thing that I found important when creating my cover, and for marketing, was to make a cover that would be visible as a thumbnail. Most books are sold online nowadays, or as ebooks. I made sure to pay attention to the details of my book’s cover and how it would look as a thumbnail when being sold on Amazon.
What do you do to get book reviews.
At first, people I knew were the ones who were posting reviews of my book. Currently, I am working on getting more reviews by contacting bloggers and sending them free copies of my novel. Through the use of Twitter and Facebook I have come into contact with some willing reviewers, but it is still a learning process.
Do you have a trailer or do you intend to make one for your own book.
At the moment I do not have a book trailer, however it is something that I have thought about creating.
Do you format your own books.
I do format my own books, although I have had help and opinions from many different sources to give me their opinion on how things appear.
Your favorite motivational phrase.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” –Wayne Gretzky
Your favorite book and why.
This is a really tough question, but I believe I have to say my favorite book is A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. The tangibility of her characters and the immediate connection I make to them is something that will last a life time. I remember reading this book and forgetting everything around me. The only thing I can compare it to is the intense desperation in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (which of course brings the series into second place, by a hairsbreadth).
Favorite film and why.
I am a film junkie and love all different types of genres. But if I have to pick one, I would say Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice would be it. If there is any movie that I will sit down and watch any time it is on, this would be it.
Famous person you would like to meet.
Hands down, J. K. Rowling. I would love to meet with her and talk to her about her process of creating characters and plots. The Harry Potter series is one of my favorites and the well-developed plot line is something that inspires me. I have so many questions to ask her about how she began her journey as a writer and how she goes about creating a magical realm that is so tangible it could be reality.
Advice for aspiring writers.
Write what you love and nothing else. Don’t try to write something similar to what is on the market because you think it will “sell”. Create something that is uniquely your own and present it to the world. If someone does not like it, that is their opinion. But never stoop to writing something that you do not feel passionately about simply because you think it will be accepted. Instead, stay true to what makes your fingers type faster on the keyboard and your mind leap in imagination.
Find out more about her:
Facebook
Twitter: @DropletsSeries
Instagram: @dropletsseries
Goodreads
Pinterest
Amazon author page
Thank you Meaghan for taking out time for the interview. Good luck for your career. A small note.. Guys I got interviewed by Gryfyn's Book Blog. Check it out here.
http://gryfynsbookblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/featuring-haniya-qamar-reviewer-for.html?m=1
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