Swoontini Interview – Jodi Meadows (INCARNATE)

Welcome Back!! Today we’re super excited to have Jodi Meadows, author of INCARNATE here! You’ll want to pick this one up guys, TRUST US. Also, Swoony Boy post on Sam (all the swoons) coming soon.

Lo & C: HELLO JODI MEADOWS! We are so excited to have you here at Swoontini because, girlfriend, you know how to bring the swoons. (omg, SAM. *DIES)
Thanks so much for having me! <3 <3

Lo & C: We loved your post, What Ferrets Taught Me About Being a Writer.  Any other Ferret-inspired advice you’d like to pass along?
This one is actually from a blog reader (who has ferrets): get excited.

Ferrets really know how to do excitement. They jump around, fluff out their tails, and make this low dook dook sound that is absolutely ridiculous. What thrills them? Plastic bags. Treats. Jingly balls. They get excited over everything, which leaves them being pretty happy critters.

Lo & C: What kinds of scenes are easiest for you to write? Which are the hardest?
If I’m in the right mood for an emotional unveiling or argument scene — those are definitely the easiest. I love it when they have feelings!

The hardest . . . probably action scenes. The choreography and making sure things are clear and interesting always stresses me.

Lo & C: That’s true for us too! Tell us a little bit about teenage Jodi. What books would she devour today? What boy characters would have had her fanning herself, and what girl characters would have her jumping up and down cheering?
Teenage Jodi would have loved all the books available today. Teenage Jodi read a lot from the adult section since YA hadn’t quiiiiite taken off yet.

Teenage Jodi and Grown Up Jodi actually have a lot in common, reading wise. She’d probably enjoy the same books I do now, love swooning over the same boys, and high-fiving the same girl characters.

It’s getting really weird talking about my past self in third person. (Lo & C: You can find Jodi’s  books-i-love-beyond-reason shelf on goodreads)

Lo & C: We each bring our own unique voice and experiences to what we write. What teen experiences influence your writing in YA?
I was in dance and band when I was a teen (I played flute). I was good at both things, but I always wanted to be better. The best, even. That drive to be better — and the frustration with being new or just good at something — carries over into my main characters, too, particularly Ana. Her struggles with music come from a very real place.

Lo & C: Here’s a question we get asked a lot by our friends, but we’ve never thought to ask someone stopping by the site. We are all grown women (well, mostly), and yet we’re writing about the lives, experiences, and emotions of teenagers. What specifically attracted you to the YA genre?
I was actually told (a billion times) I write YA. When I turned twenty, I decided I was a Grown Up. Therefore, I wrote Grown Up fantasy. (It’s okay if you’re smirking right now.) But friends and crit partners told me all the time that my stories, style, and characters were YA. I tried even harder to get away from that until one day —

One day I picked up a YA book (now that the YA shelves in bookstores were overflowing with amazing books) and read the commas out of it. I’d actually been frustrated with reading before. I wasn’t finding enough that was what I wanted to read. YA books renewed my love and excitement for reading and made me realize that, oh wow, I do write YA.

So, it wasn’t so much my being attracted to YA as much as being shoved into it by a lot of wise friends who knew me better than I knew myself. But I’m so glad I found my bookhome. *hugs all of YA*

HUGS YOU BACK!

Quick Fires:
Favorite TV show as a kid: I dunno. Maybe the 1990’s Batman cartoons?
Try not to fall over here, ma’am. Drogo or Jon Snow? Who?
What whaaaat? Okay, Gwyneth Paltrow is (a) awesome (b) ridiculous: Off my radar.
Why would she ever be on your radar? Word up, girl. *high fives* You are currently reading: SHADOWCRY by Jenna Burtenshaw.
Your favorite holiday: The day after Easter.
Favorite thing you’ve ever knitted: Ana and Sam, of course! (And the dragon.)
HERE IS A KITTEN FOR YOU! What do you name him? Trouble. Because Kippy is not into sharing the kitty fame in my house.
Buttered popcorn Jelly Belly’s are awesome or vomit-inducing? Gag. I don’t like jelly chewy things.

 YAY! Fun interviews! Give Jodi some day-after-day-after-birthday love, will you? We’re sending out a copy of INCARNATE. And if you’ve won a book giveaway lately and haven’t contacted us, get on that Swoonies!

Happy Swooning!