Q&A with Mia Sheridan *CLOSED*

[LeAnn]

Woohoo! It's time for another awesome NABC Q&A! Over the next two weeks, we have the AMAZING Mia Sheridan hanging out with us! Mia is the author of Leo, Leo's Chance, Stinger, Archer's Voice, Finding Eden, Becoming Calder, Kyland, Grayson's Vow, and her newest release, Midnight Lily!

Leave your questions for Mia below. :)

[Suzanne]

Hi Mia! I was wondering where you get your inspiration from? It's hard for me, a young aspiring YA contemporary novelist, to find inspiration around me. How do you do it?

[Katie]

Love all of your books!! How did Midnight Lily come to mind? It was such a great story!! :)

[Kelly]

Hi Mia! Love love love your books! I have read them all! So if you had to pick a favorite book out of all the ones you wrote what would it be and why? And what is your favorite book you have every read?

[Louise]

What are some of your all time favourite books?

[Brenna]

Mia, is there a certain book that you've written that holds the most special place in your heart? Is there anything that looking back, you wish you had done differently in any of your books?

[Bookphenomena (Micky)]

Hi Mia
I've noticed that your books have differing styles of writing. For example, Graysons Vow had a fun vibe with witty dialogue. Do you enjoy serious, like Archer or lighter writing? Thanks!

[Makayla]

What had made you want to be an author?

[Crystal]

Hi Mia,

Who is the author that you loved as a child?

[Katie]

What does your writing playlist look like when you're working?

[Betül]

Hi Mia! I am a huge fan of your books, and each of them have rocked my world ;)

Which book was the hardest and which book was the easiest to write, and why?

[Annie's reading corner]

Hi Mia. Of all of the characters you've written, what are your favorites? And why?

[Geleen]

Hi Mia! What book to movie story adaptation do you think nailed it perfectly? Any genre would do.

[Pearl]

Hi, Mia! I love your way of writing! Apart from writing books, what other things interest you? :)

[Kelly]

What actor can you picture playing Archer in the movie?

[Tanja]

How did you decide to write books inspired by the signs of the zodiac? Who are some of your favorite authors and genres to read?

[Cindy]

Mia, if you're given the chance, who among your heroes you'd like to mow your lawn?

[JewelsyGoolsy]

Who would your character inspirations for the MC's in Midnight Lilly be?

[Michelle]

Which character was the hardest for you to write and why?
Thanks

[TheBookishInquisitive]

Hi Mia! My question is what are some book pet peeves that you have?

[lucie]

Do you have some ritual or something you are doing before you start writting a new book?

[Angie]

Hi Mia..you are one of my most favorite authors. Archer's voice and Kyland are among my all time favorite books ever. I wanted to know what inspired you to write archer's voice?both archer and bree's characters are so inspiring!

[Heather]

Hi Mia! Some of the names you've chosen for your series are so unusual. Could you tell us why you chose some of them and which is your favourite? Thanks!

[Eesh]

Was the idea behind Acadia inspired by some real life cult story you've read? I've never read something like that and it was very interesting.

[Parody]

Hi Mia, I have loved all of your books so far, thankyou for giving us such great stories. My question is; Each of your books are so different, where do you find your ideas and inspiration?

[Tina]

Hi Mia! I love all your books! Simply fabulous! Have any of your characters or story lines been based off real people?

[Claudia]

Ciao Mia! I have to say I love your books. You are one of my favorite author. Thanks for answering our question. I would like to know, if you could spend a whole day with only one character from one of your books, who would you choose and why?
Greeting from Italy :)

[Mia]

Suzanne wrote: "Hi Mia! I was wondering where you get your inspiration from? It's hard for me, a young aspiring YA contemporary novelist, to find inspiration around me. How do you do it?"

Hi Suzanne! :) Oh gosh, I really find it wherever I can! :) Sometimes it's song lyrics, or a story someone tells me about their grandparents, or even a location! It's anything and everything, but I usually start with one kernel that interests me for whatever reason, and start daydreaming from there. <3

[Mia]

Katie wrote: "Love all of your books!! How did Midnight Lily come to mind? It was such a great story!! :)"

Thank you so much, Katie! The idea for ML actually started one night when I was sitting in my car at a gas station waiting as my husband pumped gas. I saw this couple standing next to the convenience store and they were obviously homeless, talking to themselves, each other, and several people around them who were not there. It was very sad, but at the same time, I kept wondering, "What does the world look like for them?" and my mind started spinning from there . . .

[Mia]

Kelly wrote: "Hi Mia! Love love love your books! I have read them all! So if you had to pick a favorite book out of all the ones you wrote what would it be and why? And what is your favorite book you have every ..."

Hi Kelly! Hmm . . . well, I always say my favorite book is the one I'm currently writing as I'm closest to that one. ;) So my favorite right now is Ramsay! :D As far as my favorite book of someone else's, gosh, I don't even think I could pick just one. Hmm . . . but if I must, I will go with Wuthering Heights. <3

[Mia]

Louise wrote: "What are some of your all time favourite books?"

Hi there! <3 Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, The Thorn Birds, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn . . . I could probably list books until the end of time that have touched my life in some way or another. <3

[Mia]

Brenna wrote: "Mia, is there a certain book that you've written that holds the most special place in your heart? Is there anything that looking back, you wish you had done differently in any of your books?"

I think they all hold a special place in my heart for different reasons. For instance, I'm very protective of Archer, and I admire Calder, etc. They truly are like my kids - I love them all equally, but differently. As far as doing anything different, it's always easy to say, yes, I'd change a story based on this feedback or that feedback, but each story I've written has come from my heart, and has spoken of the place I was in as I was writing it. So to say I would edit them based on outside disapproval feels like a disservice to my own growth. I can use that info. in my choices going forward, but no, I wouldn't go back and change anything. <3

[Mia]

Micky wrote: "Hi Mia
I've noticed that your books have differing styles of writing. For example, Graysons Vow had a fun vibe with witty dialogue. Do you enjoy serious, like Archer or lighter writing? Thanks!"

Hi Micky! Thanks! I do try to explore different sides of myself in my stories. :) I have to say, honestly, that I have trouble being funny! :D What I mean is, I always question whether I'm funny to anyone except myself - it's an insecurity. So, I do like to attempt to stretch myself and get better at the things I feel are weaknesses, but I'm most comfortable writing a more serious toned book. :D

[Mia]

Makayla wrote: "What had made you want to be an author?"

I'm still trying to figure that out! Ha! No, um, I think I've always been a dreamer. I really love the process of weaving a story together, of considering human characteristics and motivations and what certain people would do when faced with certain situations. <3 It's fun for me.

[Mia]

Crystal wrote: "Hi Mia,

Who is the author that you loved as a child?"

I LOVED VC Andrews when I was a pre teen. :D I gobbled up her books like candy!

[Mia]

Katie wrote: "What does your writing playlist look like when you're working?"

I actually have playlists for each of my books on Spotify and listen to them constantly while writing! :)

[Mia]

Betul wrote: "Hi Mia! I am a huge fan of your books, and each of them have rocked my world ;)

Which book was the hardest and which book was the easiest to write, and why?"

Hi there!! <3 Thank you so much! Um, I think the most difficult book to write was Becoming Calder because it was the first time I really stepped out of my comfort zone and did some really dark things to my characters. The easiest was probably . . . hmm, have any been easy? Let me see . . . I guess Stinger because I let myself have fun with it and both characters talked a lot and seemed to flow really easily.

[Mia]

Stephanie wrote: "Hi Mia. Of all of the characters you've written, what are your favorites? And why?"

I always say that my favorite characters are the ones I'm currently writing because I'm closest to them and know them the best. ;) So Brogan and Lydia. :D

[Mia]

Geleen wrote: "Hi Mia! What book to movie story adaptation do you think nailed it perfectly? Any genre would do."

The Shawshank Redemption!!!

[Mia]

Pearl wrote: "Hi, Mia! I love your way of writing! Apart from writing books, what other things interest you? :)"

HI Pearl! Thank you! I really love anything creative. I love buying furniture on Craigslist and redoing it and making it something special. I love movies, too and watch as many as possible. Oh, and wine. I'm a big fan of wine. :D

[Mia]

Kelly wrote: "What actor can you picture playing Archer in the movie?"

I don't know! Someone recently mentioned Robby Amell and I looked him up and he seems like a good choice! :D I'm trying to stay open minded, because I don't want to rule anyone out just because I have some set look in my head, you know? :)

[Sweet Spot Sisterhood]

Hello Mia

Nyle Dimarco is not only a gorgeous model, but views deafness as an advantage in modeling because he is accustomed to conveying messages without speaking. This, as an actor, gives him an edge for speaking through expressiveness. He also holds the belief that deaf roles should be played by deaf actors. Would you ever consider him to be auditioned for the part of Archer Hale, in Archer's Voice? I know Archer is not deaf, but he doe utilize sign language and nonverbal communication. I think this would be a fabulous match!
(Nyle is also a spokesperson for LEAD-K (Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids)
Becky Grover
Sweet Spot Sisterhood blog

[Nicole]

Do you listen to music when you write?
If you do, do you have a playlist for your books?

[Angelina]

Hi Mia! I love all your books! <3

If you are not writing what you usually do? Do you watch TV shows? what is your favorite shows? :)

[J.]

Hi!
If you could be any book character for a day, who would you choose and why? :)

[Mia]

Tanja wrote: "How did you decide to write books inspired by the signs of the zodiac? Who are some of your favorite authors and genres to read?"

Hi Tanja! When I was writing Leo, I came upon this fun little article on the Yahoo home page that talked about "Your sex sign" or something like that and I really just thought it would be fun to apply the qualities and attributes of a particular star sign to the main character in a novel and work around that. Since then it's changed a little - sometimes I'm more inspired by the legend of the sign or some smaller aspect, but that's where it began! :) As far as my fave genre, it will probably always be romance. <3 :)

[Mia]

Cindy wrote: "Mia, if you're given the chance, who among your heroes you'd like to mow your lawn?"

Hi Cindy! :D Ha. Um . . . can they all work on my yard simultaneously? I'm imagining it now!! Mmm . . . ;) Okay, if I have to pick just one . . . Carson! I think he'd make it fun. ;)

[Mia]

JewelsyGoolsy wrote: "Who would your character inspirations for the MC's in Midnight Lilly be?"

I usually don't choose really well known actors as my muses because I always attribute personalities to those people based on who they've already played! :) But since I don't know how to post pics of models on GR's (above my skill level :D ) I will say Victoria Justice for Lily and Chace Crawford for my hero. ;)

[Mia]

Michelle wrote: "Which character was the hardest for you to write and why?
Thanks"

The hardest character . . . probably my characters from Midnight Lily because they were very . . . complicated. Saying more is a spoiler :D but yes, getting into their heads was a challenge to say the least!

[Mia]

Julika7 wrote: "Hi Mia! My question is what are some book pet peeves that you have?"

My biggest pet peeve is when characters display inconsistent behavior solely in order to drive the plot. That makes me crazy and has me yelling, "But . . . but, he wouldn't do that! It makes no SENSE!" Another pet peeve is when an entire misunderstanding could be cleared up if the characters simply had a three minute conversation, but instead the misunderstanding goes on for 10 chapters. Nooooooo!!!! ;)