Following find an interview with author Meggan Larson.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The name of my book is Adopted and it was published on November 6th 2021.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Right on schedule, Ali went into labor two days after Christmas.”
What’s the book about?
The book is about a high school girl (Olivia Jackson) who has always felt incomplete. Adopted as a baby, she just can’t shake the feeling that something, or someone, is missing from her life.
Determined to piece herself together, she embarks on a journey to find her birth mother. The closer she gets to the truth, the less she wants to know.
Will she finally be able to feel complete? Or will this be what tears her apart for good?
What inspired you to write the book?
This book is actually loosely based on my life. I learned a lot of very difficult lessons about myself and my habit of looking for belonging in others. I wanted to write a story from an adoptee’s perspective because so often stories are written from the adoptive parents perspective and I just really wanted to give a voice to the voiceless.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character?
I would say the most distinctive thing about Olivia is her ability to get back up again and again no matter how badly she’s fallen.
I would have to say she reminds me of me since she’s based on me!
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
I think that if someone wants to fall in love with a character, root for her, get heartbroken with her, and genuinely just sigh a happy wow-that-was-an-awesome-read at the end of the book then they should read it. It’s become one of my favourite books that I’ve read again and again because I genuinely love it.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Zendaya should definitely play Olivia. She’s just really cool and she’s got that whole loner but determined vibe down pat. I think she would be perfect for the role.
When did you first decide to be an author?
I’ve always wanted to be an author and I started writing this book way back in 2017.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
I finally published my first book in 2020 and then proceeded to publish several more within a year. This is my first novel and my fifth book altogether.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing, I’m actually coaching people on how to write well. I have several courses that walk people through the self publishing process, how to run book collaborations, and how to become an epic and impactful writer. I basically help someone tell their authentic story so that they can create the impact they desire to in the world.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
It really varies to be honest. I try to spend time writing every single week and recently I have freed up a lot of time and plan to finish this series and a few more books I’ve had outlined for a while.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part of being an indie is having complete control over your work. If I find a typo in my book I can immediately fix it, upload a new file, and it’s fixed from then on. I have complete creative control which is actually also the hardest part of being an indie. It’s hard not to overthink everything and indies (especially new ones) rarely have a large advertising budget so getting the word out about your book is a bit of an uphill battle.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I would definitely consider it IF the contract was fair, they had a track record of success – bonus for turning books into movies, and shared my vision for the story while planning to let me continue having creative control. I am definitely open to it but I want to make sure that I continue being in love with writing and never feel like it’s just a job. I always want it to remain a passion.
Is there something in particular that motivates you?
I am motivated mostly by creating a ripple effect of impact and change in the world. The reason I want to become really wealthy is to ensure that my family is taken care of and to help as many people as possible. I’ve gone through cancer and some other random life threatening things and it devastated us financially. I want to be able to help people the way I wish I could have been helped then.
Which writer living or dead do you most admire?
Oh man, that’s a really tough question. I think I would have to say Dee Henderson. She wrote one of my favourite series of all time (The O’Malley series) that I read in 2005 and it was her inspiration that eventually led to my writing my own novel.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Honestly I don’t have one I wish I could have written because I wrote my own and I legitimately love it. I believe everyone has an incredible story within them, they simply need to write it.