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Magan Vernon
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Q&A with Magan Vernon - CLOSED
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When did you know that you wanted to devote your life to hunting for Magic Mike gifs and talking about boobs with me for hours on Twitter? Oh, and writing books. Because that's what this is really about...
How on earth did you manage to just publish the Only Exception whilst being pregnant and so near your due date? Seriously i think you must be superwoman :P
I have the book How To Date An Alien and just saw that it was a series when I went to see what books of yours I have before I posted.: ) I'm looking forward to reading these. I was wondering how you came up with the idea for the series?
Chelsea wrote: "When did you know that you wanted to devote your life to hunting for Magic Mike gifs and talking about boobs with me for hours on Twitter? Oh, and writing books. Because that's what this is really ..."My life IS devoted to Magic Mike gifs. Well, actually I started hunting for those as a promotional thing. I remembered that there was an American Flag scene in the movie and thought "Hmmm...lemme just entice readers with showing them how sexy American flags can be." The obsession started there. As far as writing, I'll try and shorten it.
My plan was to actually do non-profit work or something political after college. I graduated at one of the worst hiring times ever, so I was only working part-time and had all this spare time to do whatever. At the end of college I read all of the Twilight books and thought "These are good, but I want a book for the college-aged set." So I wrote My Paper Heart, researched, and the rest is history. Okay...well a lot more to it than that since I wrote it in 2009 and I wasn't published until 2011. But that's another question.
Faith wrote: "Hey Magan! Are those hot scenes we all love in your books difficult or easy to write? See you on Twitter :-)"Hello! Oh the hot scenes. My favorites. It was nice to actually be able to write them because I was writing YA for so long that I kind of threw a blanket over them. An agent once told me that a first kiss should be just as hot as a first time, so my YA did have some sexual tension, but once I started writing New Adult it was like the clouds opened, the harps played, and I felt freed.
Laura wrote: "How on earth did you manage to just publish the Only Exception whilst being pregnant and so near your due date? Seriously i think you must be superwoman :P"Ha. I'm no superwoman...or am I? I'm just saying, no one has ever seen me and superwoman in the same room.
I was supposed to be working on something else when I watched an episode of New Girl in October and had the idea for The Only Exception. It was a story that HAD to be written, but I didn't want to rush it. I knew the soonest I could get it would be in the Spring, so basically just did a lot of time management to get it out before my due date. I also work full-time and have a toddler, so basically I wrote and edited during my lunch hour or after bedtime. This may not happen again, so I HAD to get out before I came a mom of two.
Julie wrote: "I have the book How To Date An Alien and just saw that it was a series when I went to see what books of yours I have before I posted.: ) I'm looking forward to reading these. I was wondering how yo..."Yeah an alien fan! I had just shelved my Paper Heart, since no one wanted college aged contemporary books in 2010 and decided just to walk around Barnes & Noble and check out the YA section (this was when it was only about one shelf). I was with my cousin and we were staring at the millions of vampire books and complaining when I turned to her and said, "I haven't seen a good alien book in awhile. I should write one." I had at least 12 false starts, read a lot of YA, and watched a ton of Roswell before I came up with an idea of an Alien Operations Center in the desert, an internship, and an intergalactic battle.
Hi Magan,I've only read The Only Exception of your work so far (although I think I have My Paper Heart on my kindle) so my question is about that...
Was the politics important for you to have in the book or just there because it was important to the characters you created?
Hey Magan! I really liked the The Only Exception and I wondered if you have any more NA books like it in the works?
Sarah wrote: "Hi Magan,I've only read The Only Exception of your work so far (although I think I have My Paper Heart on my kindle) so my question is about that...
Was the politics important for you to have i..."
Hi Sarah,
Wow, really good question.
I guess I should start out saying that my degree is in politics. I originally wanted to work in the political field, but the job market really stunk so I went into insurance instead.
For awhile I had this idea in my head that I wanted to write something with a liberal girl and a conservative guy, but couldn't get the story right. At first it was just about the characters and how they butted heads with their views, but (I'm trying not to give spoilers here) there is a major topic of conversation in the book that the characters do butt heads over and it became something that I wanted to show the politics of and how it affects both sides.
I actually did more research for this book than any other book and you can actually google the certain bill and see that it is a very real bill. I think the politics was important and even more important was to show Monica's story and how it does affect so many young women and other ways they can get help.
Melissa wrote: "Hey Magan! I really liked the The Only Exception and I wondered if you have any more NA books like it in the works?"Hi Melissa!
I don't have another political one...yet... BUT I do have a companion novel that should be released this later summer/early fall that takes two characters from The Only Exception and shows their story. Monica and Trey will still be in and it will touch on some of the same subjects. The big theme will again be surviving. And I love the male character in this one because he was my FAVORITE to write in The Only Exception.
Magan wrote: "Julie wrote: "I have the book How To Date An Alien and just saw that it was a series when I went to see what books of yours I have before I posted.: ) I'm looking forward to reading these. I was wo..."Hi Magan, I have to say I am so envious of anyone who can just say one day, "I think I'll write this because I can". lol Well, I'm envious of anyone who can sit down and write an interesting story. I was not gifted with this ability in the least. However, I was gifted with the love of reading all of the great stories you guys produce. :) Thanks for taking the time answer everyone's questions. It was nice to get to know a little about you!
Julie wrote: "Magan wrote: "Julie wrote: "I have the book How To Date An Alien and just saw that it was a series when I went to see what books of yours I have before I posted.: ) I'm looking forward to reading t..."Thanks Julie. I try :)I think everyone has a story in them (and that could be a medical condition). I had a lot of failed attempts before I actually finished one. You should see the half-finished terrible ones that are just hanging ou on my computer. I thought I could write legal thrillers...yeah love reading them, can't write them.
Magan wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Hey Magan! I really liked the The Only Exception and I wondered if you have any more NA books like it in the works?"Hi Melissa!
I don't have another political one...yet... BUT I ..."
Will definitely keep an eye out then ;)
Here is Magan's (entertaining) introduction :)
Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.
Ask away :)