Author Chat with Michele Bacon, Plus Giveaway!

Today we’re excited to chat with Michele Bacon, 

author of Life Before! Below 

you’ll find our interview, more about Michele and 

her book, plus a giveaway!

 

 

YABC:  What surprised you most while writing your latest book?

Michele Bacon: I was stunned by how much I changed during the process. I wrote the first draft (as a retrospective adult novel with a female protagonist) years ago. When I lived in New Zealand in 2013/14, I decided the plot was more suited to a YA audience. I liked that manuscript when it sold, but between selling it and my final pass, I had changed so much as a writer that I rewrote a lot of it. Where I expected to correct syntax and punctuation, I instead rewrote whole swathes of the story. I can only hope I keep strengthening my writing and plot over my next several novels.

YABC:  If you could live in any fantasy world, which one would it be?

MB: Jo Rowling’s magical world, no contest. I don’t write fan fiction, but in those minutes or hours between lying down and falling asleep, I invent complete, complex stories about living in that world. I would be rubbish at Quidditch, but would love flying. I imagine that my kitchen prowess would translate well to potions. Like many fans, I’ve plotted elaborate ruses to save Snape’s life. (I respect tragic heroes, but I also want a better life for him.) Please excuse the jabber; I’m far too excited about becoming a British witch. Do you have a quasi­TARDIS that transports authors to fictional worlds? If so, I’m all in.

YABC:  Do you have a mantra that gets you through the drafting phase?

MB: “Butt in the chair, Wi­Fi off.” I can’t do it any other way.

YABC:  What is your favorite hobby when you’re not writing?

MB: I love downhill skiing. In the absence of snow, or when I’m fresh off the slopes, I turn to

board games and contract bridge.

YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?

MB: Xander’s father, Gary, was my greatest challenge; I really wanted to understand him. The plot shifted several times, and I kept tweaking his personality and motivation. In the end, we got it right, but it was a painful journey.

YABC: Do you enjoy writing to music? If so, do you have a go-­to playlist?

MB: I write in silence, or as silent as my house can be. If I play music while writing, I inevitably wind up performing or starting a dance party, neither of which are productive. On the rare day when I’m keen to fill my writing time with music, I listen to solo cello albums.

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

MB: Many organizations are close to my heart, but the overarching theme among them is reducing inequality—in civil rights, in access to education, and in global access to food and health.

YABC:  What’s a book that you’ve read recently that you would recommend to your readers?

MB: To YA readers, I recommend Katie Kennedy’s delicious prose. Her clever and sweet debut, Learning to Swear in America, releases July 5th. For readers seeking an adult novel, I recommend Chris Bohjalian’s Before You Know Kindness, which stood up to a recent re­read.

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

MB: Revising is infinitely easier than drafting! I am full of excitement when I first plot a novel, and full of hope when revising, but the first draft that lies between the two is 90­percent dread and teeth pulling.

YABC:  What would you say is your superpower?

MB: Great question! I haven’t considered this before. My husband is impressed that I bake without a timer. My daughters might cite my ability to snuggle away their woes. They’re all right, but I think my superpower is empathy. In fact, I’m sure my superpower is empathy. Empathy can change the whole world, if only we find it within ourselves.

 

Meet Life Before!