Merged was the winner in the BEST FIRST BOOK/Fiction category of the 2020 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with authors Jim & Stephanie Kroepfl.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Merged was published in September 2019.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Depending on your point of view, I’m either famous or infamous.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
When someone dies, all their accumulated knowledge dies with them. It’s even more tragic when that person is trying to cure cancer or find the answer to renewable energy. What if you could transfer the consciousness of these dying geniuses and input it into the minds of sixteen-year-olds with the same proclivity so they can continue their vital work? What could go wrong?
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Three death-related incidences occurred within days of each other. First, an older friend was in hospice, and just before he died he shared amazing stories about his life that none of us knew. Then there was a news story about Brittany Lauren Maynard, a younger woman with terminal brain cancer who decided to intentionally end her life “when the time seemed right.” Finally, friends had to put down their old dog, and it was fascinating how their lives changed afterwards. It got us thinking about all the things that would change if people—in good health—had more time. This led to the concept of merged consciousness, which provides those who are making world-changing differences another lifetime to continue their work.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Merged has two protagonists using alternating chapters. Orfyn is a sixteen-year-old street artist who dreams of seeing his paintings in galleries and museums. He is loosely based on Banksy, the anonymous international street artist, although Orfyn’s purpose is about transforming the grungy walls of NYC into something beautiful. Lake is a chemistry prodigy who wants to cure Alzheimer’s, hopefully in time to save her beloved grandmother. Her character is similar to Amy Farrah Fowler in “The Big Bang Theory.”
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Merged is about the importance of following one’s dreams. The story shows the satisfaction one receives when you’re on the right path, but it also explores the sacrifices that have to be made to get there—in a fun way. The book will hopefully make the reader question what they’re willing to do in order to make their own dreams come true.
When did you first decide to become an author?
We both love reading, and dreamed of becoming authors since we were kids. But actually making the time and effort to become an author is entirely different. We were both in careers in which we were successful, but not fulfilled. It often takes yearning for something more before you’re willing to change the course of your life. About ten years ago we devoted ourselves to learning the craft of writing by attending conferences, taking college courses, and reading every book on writing we could find. Then, we sacrificed “down” time in evenings and weekends to hunker down and write. We’ve never regretted it.
Is this the first you’ve written?
Merged is our first published novel, but not the first we’ve written. While attending writers conference, we’ve learned that most authors have written three or four manuscripts before getting published. We’re no different. We view the time spent writing those manuscripts as our ten thousand hours required to become proficient, which is a Malcolm Gladwell concept. Luckily, our agent is encouraging us to rework one of those manuscripts so we can re-submit to publishers.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
When we first started on this journey, like most we dreamed of instant fame and fortune. But after we couldn’t get an agent for our first manuscript, the reality set in. That’s the point when you question why you’re doing this, and if the sacrifices are worth it. We then took a short break from writing, but found that something meaningful was missing from our lives. Writing gives us purpose and an endless challenge. During this pandemic period, we’ve been never bored because we’re working on our next book. We do hope that one day we can be full-time writers, and live for periods of time in other countries while we write our novels.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
John Green’s Fault in Our Stars. He perfectly blends teen angst and tragic situations with humor. The characters feel like real people you want to befriend, and the dialogue is insightful and witty. We’ve both read it numerous times, and analyzed what makes it so great.