Author Interview: Megan Crewe

I'm thrilled to welcome Megan Crewe today as she talks about her debut novel Give Up the Ghost. Megan Crewe lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and two cats (and does on occasion say "eh"). She tutors children and teens with special needs, and spends most of her free time reading everything she can get her hands on. Give Up the Ghost was released today.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I always wanted to write--I've been making up stories and writing them down for as long as I can remember. I didn't start thinking of it as something I might do as a career until I was around 10 years old. I had a teacher who encouraged me, and I started sharing my stories with classmates and seeing that they enjoyed them, too, and that made me think maybe I could be a "real" writer. :)

What inspired you to write Give Up the Ghost?
An image popped into my head of a girl talking to her sister, just an everyday conversation, except her sister was a ghost. I loved the idea of writing about a character who had embraced her odd ability, and figuring out how she'd gotten to this point in her life.

How did you research for Give Up the Ghost?
GHOST didn't actually require much in the way of research--I'd already read quite a bit about ghosts, and I drew on my own school experiences and those I'd heard about from friends. I did find the book ODD GIRL OUT by Rachel Simmons quite helpful in developing Cass's backstory (it's about social bullying among teen girls).

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Thankfully, I've never been bullied or known someone who was bullied close to the extent that Cass was. Nor have I ever seen a ghost. Some of the settings are based on places in my life, though--parts of the school echo my high school, and the lake area is very similar to the beaches on Lake Ontario in my city.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in writing your book?
I learned that sometimes a book needs to be written in first person! That might sound silly, but the books I'd written before GHOST (now trunked) were all in third person, so I assumed GHOST would be, too. But right from the start Cass insisted on telling the story herself. That ended up being a welcome surprise, because her voice is one of my favorite things about the book.

What can we expect from you in the future/Are there any other projects you’re working on?
I'm always working on other projects, all YA at the moment, some paranormal, some fantasy. :) And I hope to be able to share news about them soon, but at the moment I cannot.

Is there anything you would like to share with the readers?
If you're interested in finding out more about behind the scenes stuff like the book soundtrack, or giving the first chapter a read for free, stop by the GIVE UP THE GHOST section of my website. ( www.megancrewe.com/gutg ) I also welcome e-mails from readers, so don't be shy if you've got something you'd like to say!


Thanks Megan!

For more information about Megan Crewe and Give Up the Ghost, please visit her website here.