Hi, Megan! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I am a poet and a novelist, and I live in Colorado but spend a lot of time in Texas. I love to travel. Writing books for young people means I get to visit many schools around the country, and there is nothing I enjoy more than coming to new towns, meeting readers, and talking about books we love.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

Stories were part of the fabric of my family growing up. My parents were theater performers, so I spent a lot of time seeing stories acted out in front of me. And I loved to read. I always had a book going and I spent hours reading by flashlight under the covers at night. My best friend and I used to alternate reading chapters out loud to each other so we could read the same book at the same time.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew) by Carolyn Keene
• The one that made you want to become an author: She was Nice to Mice by Alexandra Elizabeth Sheedy
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

Your latest novel, The Secret to Belonging, is out September 15^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

longing, pain, courage, hope, home

What can readers expect?

The Secret to Belonging is about a girl who feels invisible in her own family. Her parents spend all their care and attention on her brother, who is addicted to drugs. Her dreams don’t matter to anyone but herself. Her only ticket out is a college fund left by her grandfather–until her parents use it to pay for her brother’s drug rehab. Just when her future seems about to collapse, she’s offered a lifeline: a scholarship to become an exchange student in a remote part of Norway. It’s an invitation to begin a new life in a new place with new people…a place where she might finally feel like she belongs. Told in spare verse, the novel is a coming-of-age story of longing, love, and the courage to create joy from the ashes of despair.

Where did the inspiration for The Secret to Belonging come from?

My friend, the author Olivia Chadha, and I were having breakfast a few years ago, and I mentioned that I had been an exchange student in Norway in high school. She leaned forward and said, “I want to read about that. Why aren’t you writing about that?” I went home and started writing, and the poems immediately started to flow.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

It was fun to go back through old photo albums and letters to mine my memories of having lived above the Arctic Circle as an exchange student. And I took full advantage of the opportunity to pick the brain of my best friend from college, who is Norwegian. We had long conversations in both English and Norwegian, and she was a huge help as I worked through the Norway sections of the story. We live in different states, so I loved having an excuse to talk and get together with her a lot.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Honestly, this was one of the smoothest and most satisfying writing experiences I’ve ever had. I encountered very few obstacles. My only goal was to stay solidly in the perspective of the main character and write her experience as fearlessly and honestly as possible. I wanted her to trust the reader enough—and to be brave enough—to tell the entire truth of her life. I wanted her to confide in the reader without fear of judgment or condemnation, and for her to always speak from a place of deep integrity. My singular focus was to maintain fidelity to her truth and courage, and as long as I did that, the story flowed.

What do you hope readers might take away from The Secret to Belonging?

If a reader finishes any of my books and can’t wait to start reading something new, then I’m happy. And if someone reads this book and is inspired to make a positive change in their life, especially if it involves traveling or expanding their horizons, that would be cool.

What’s next for you?

I’m very excited for the third book in the ALONE series, which comes out in February and is called AFAR. It’s another companion novel, like AWAY, and all three books can be read in any order, or each can stand alone. One of my middle grade beta readers summed up the series this way: “ALONE is an adventure, AWAY is a mystery, and AFAR is a thriller.” I think that’s pretty accurate, and I hope readers will love the new book when it comes out.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?

I just finished reading Joy McCullough’s new verse memoir, Suffer a Witch, and loved it. And I adored Chrystal D. Giles’s new middle grade novel, Listen to the Girls. I’m also excited for Kaitlyn San Miguel’s YA debut, Project Juni, a verse novel that comes out in March. And Kate Albus has a new middle grade novel releasing in February called, The Passage of Jamie Quill. I always love Kate’s books.

Will you be picking up The Secret To Belonging? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Megan E. Freeman, Author of ‘The Secret To Belonging’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.