Today we're excited to chat with Bethany Mangle author of

Prepped.

Read on for more about Bethany and her book, plus a giveaway!

Meet Bethany Mangle!

Bethany Mangle writes young adult contemporary fiction because she refuses to ever grow up. She graduated from Hood College and George Washington University with degrees that have nothing to do with writing. Although she currently lives in Mississippi, Bethany has called many different states home. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, baking questionable cakes, or spoiling her dog.

Bethany’s short fiction has appeared in a variety of publications, including Maudlin House and The Citron Review.

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Meet Prepped!

“For fans of Jeff Zentner and Katie Henry comes a thrilling and funny debut about a teen raised in a doomsday community who plots her escape with the boy from the bunker next door.

Always be ready for the worst day of your life.

This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood that prioritizes survivalist training over class trips or senior prom. They’re even arranging Becca’s marriage with Roy Kang, the only eligible boy in their community. Roy is a nice guy, but he’s so enthusiastic about prepping that Becca doesn’t have the heart to tell him she’s planning to leave as soon as she can earn a full ride to a college far, far away.

Then a devastating accident rocks Becca’s family and pushes the entire community, including Becca’s usually cynical little sister, deeper into the doomsday ideology. With her getaway plans thrown into jeopardy, the only person Becca can turn to is Roy, who reveals that he’s not nearly as clueless as he’s been pretending to be.

When Roy proposes they run away together, Becca will have to risk everything—including her heart—for a chance to hope for the best instead of planning for the worst.”

Amazon * B & N  * Indiebound

~ Author Chat ~

      YABC:  What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I was watching an emergency drill at work and I started wondering what it would be like to have a character who is forced to prepare for an apocalyptic event that never happens.

YABC:  Who is your favorite character in the book?

If I have to choose, it would be Roy. I had so much fun writing Roy and seeing the doomsday prepping world through his eyes.

      YABC:  Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel came first. My agent actually came up with the idea to call it PREPPED. I’m notoriously awful at making up titles.

      YABC:  Do you have a favorite writing snack?

Anyone close to me knows that I eat way too many animal crackers. Whenever I’m stumped and I need a break, I’ll go make some lemon tea and grab a handful of animal crackers on my way past the pantry.

YABC:  Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you've learned as a writer from then to now?

Honestly, I think the most important thing I’ve learned is how to handle rejection. It’s still hard to hear that someone doesn’t like my work, but it isn’t as devastating as it used to be. When I was first starting out, I didn’t have any confidence in myself as a writer, so it was a lot more difficult to bounce back from rejection.

    YABC:  Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate? 

The opening scene was the most difficult because I wanted to show Becca’s version of normal in an organic way. I wanted readers to be able to experience daily life in Becca’s doomsday prepping community without having to outright explain their beliefs or practices. The other part I found challenging was focusing on well-established relationships without having to go into each character’s background and history.

YABC:  Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?

I definitely enjoy drafting more than revising. To me, it’s the most creative part of writing. Since I don’t outline and tend to write without knowing what happens next, drafting is a very open-ended experience.

YABC:  Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

I’m a founding member of Disabled Creatives (DC) Universe, a mentorship program for disabled/neurodivergent writers and illustrators. We rarely see disabled/neurodivergent characters written by authors who identify as disabled/neurodivergent. It’s my sincere hope that we can change that and help uplift marginalized voices in publishing.

Prepped

By: Bethany Mangle

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderberry Books/Simon and Schuster

Release Date: February 23rd, 2021

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One winner will each receive a copy of Prepped (Bethany Mangle) ~ (US Only)

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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