Ask the Author: Meredith First
Answered Questions (4)
Meredith First
I'm working on the sophomore year installment of Gridley Girls, which focuses on Meg's friendship with Tonya Cena, whose 40-something present day is just as fun-filled and drama packed as her high school life. Anne Calzaretta, Jennifer Cone, Evil Sheila and Cindy Santini are all back. You can look forward to getting to know Jimmer (the Gridley Guy) more and never fear, Evil Sheila will be up to no good.
I just finished revising Gridley Girls for the paperback launch (August, 2015). There are 10 new chapters and new pictures since the ebook launch in 2012 as well as a more in depth look at the Gridley Girls in their 40-something present day lives, including a new wedding chapter based on the real-life wedding of AnneMarie Calzaretta.
Originally, Gridley Girls was based on our real lives but the AnneMarie wedding was fictional. In 2013, life imitated art and that wedding really happened and I was the officiant. That was too exciting not to incorporate into Gridley Girls. This revised paperback version, is everything I hoped Gridley Girls could be.
Now I gotta get back to it!
I just finished revising Gridley Girls for the paperback launch (August, 2015). There are 10 new chapters and new pictures since the ebook launch in 2012 as well as a more in depth look at the Gridley Girls in their 40-something present day lives, including a new wedding chapter based on the real-life wedding of AnneMarie Calzaretta.
Originally, Gridley Girls was based on our real lives but the AnneMarie wedding was fictional. In 2013, life imitated art and that wedding really happened and I was the officiant. That was too exciting not to incorporate into Gridley Girls. This revised paperback version, is everything I hoped Gridley Girls could be.
Now I gotta get back to it!
Meredith First
Not very well, I'm afraid. I have Chronic Lyme Disease and struggle with bouts of vertigo during relapse periods which makes writing a serious challenge. The accompanying brain fog makes original thought difficult. The best workaround that I've discovered is to, as my grandfather used to say, "make hay while the sun shines." When my brain is working, I use it to the max. When it's not, that's my brain-imposed hiatus. It's not good for deadlines but I do my best. As I said in my previous answer, prayer and music are the two magic bullets for any writing challenges I encounter.
Meredith First
Prayer. Since my writing mainly comes to me at odd times like dreams or driving carpool, I have to work to make structure out of it. It's a challenge just to remember the flashes that come to me at odd times. That usually means sitting in front of my computer as often as possible, clearing my mind, and praying for guidance. It works every time. When writing the flashback stories, I play music from that era. Usually the music that I write about in each book inspires memories that inspire the stories.
God + Music = Gridley Girls
God + Music = Gridley Girls
Meredith First
I've been dreaming about writing books about my group of childhood friends since eighth grade when we published 30-page short stories in Mr. Erickson's English class. That was when I first realized that our group of friends was different than others. We had lost one of our best friends just after fourth grade and it bonded us closer in a way that is difficult to define.
One day, shortly after my 40th birthday, I started having dreams of my friend who had been dead for 30 years. The odyssey that is Gridley Girls began there, in my dreams. Literally.
One day, shortly after my 40th birthday, I started having dreams of my friend who had been dead for 30 years. The odyssey that is Gridley Girls began there, in my dreams. Literally.
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