Author Interview with Megan McSpadden

Author Megan McSpadden

Hello! I am back with another author interview, this one featuring Megan McSpadden. Megan is a Canadian author writing books set in Canada that are warm, filled with depth, and wonderful characters.

She has a new book coming out on April 1st, called The ABCs of You & Me, which is the third book in her Right Place, Right Time interconnected series. I have had the pleasure of reading the first two, and while I am partial to Teddy from Years in the Making, I can't wait to get to know Sophie and Foster.

With that, let's see what she has to say about writing, her books, and the ways her stories come to life.

What genre(s) do you typically write in?

Contemporary Romance

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I'm a Canadian, author, photographer, wife, animal lover, collector of hobbies, and ADHD hot mess.

How did you get into writing? Who or what inspired you to start?

I've always dabbled, but it wasn't until Marley and Bennett that I realized I could actually write a book. It was a YouTube video that inspired Bennett's character, and then I just sort of sat down and wrote until I had a first draft.

What is your writing process like? Are you a plotter? Pantsers? Plantser? Do you have a specific place you need to write or a particular routine?

What is plotting? I've tried to plot, but I tend to write in a stream-of-consciousness way, and plotting is basically the enemy. I get an idea, and then I just start. Names, settings, and scenarios just kind of spill out of me. I write best with no one else around because I tend to read back dialogue as if I'm acting out the scene, and that gets weird when there are other people.

What are your favorite and least favorite things about being an author?

My favorite thing would be getting to play in a fictional world and seeing people fall in love with it. Least favorite, marketing, and any of the business stuff.

Briefly tell us about your books.

An Unexpected Path is a forced proximity and caretaker romance featuring fiercely independent conflict photographer Marley and homebody dog rescuer Bennett. Lots of tension, dogs, found family, and banter.

Years in the Making is a second chance, forced proximity, small-town romance with Nellie, a people-pleasing librarian, and Teddy, a former arborist turned dog rescuer. It contains a dual timeline, found family, tension, banter, and a healthy dose of heartbreak, and healing.

The ABCs of You & Me is a best friend’s brother, fake dating romance with Sophie, a social worker and Foster, an educational assistant. Two people who are terrible at fake dating their way through the alphabet. Terrible at the fake part, excellent at the alphabet.

What inspires your stories?

Generally, things I witness in real life spark an idea, and then I just kind of run with it.

What can readers expect to find in your stories? Are there common themes or elements?

My editor says that I "put my characters through it," so that. All my characters need therapy. But hope and good people are at the center of everything I write. I also love found family and forced proximity so you'll find those in almost everything book.

If you had to choose, who is your favorite character(s) you've written? Why do they stand out to you?

Marley. She's me, but messier. I threw her into a dangerous, male-dominated profession and put her through absolute hell in order to find her way to a good place. She was the most intense to write, but I feel like she was also the most rewarding.

How do you see parts of yourself reflected in your stories?

My sense of humor and personal elements, from physical and mental health to grief, weave their way through a few storylines. A lot of opinions and beliefs also shine through.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of writing?

I LOVE dialogue; I could write an entire book that just uses dialogue. I hate a lot of the in-between dialogue stuff. It halts my flow even though it's absolutely necessary.

Have you written any particularly challenging scenes or plotlines? What was challenging about it, and how did you work through it?

All the Syria stuff in An Unexpected Path was quite challenging. Not from an actual writing standpoint but making it "palatable" for someone wanting a traditional romance. You don't often find a legitimate ground conflict in a romance book. But it was important to show Marley in that environment, and if people are uncomfortable with it, well...I address that in the book.

What can you tell us about any upcoming projects? Give us the juicy deets!

Well, The ABCs of You & Me is coming out on April 1, and I cannot wait to share Sophie & Foster with the world. They are both rays of sunshine, but it's the first book I've had a villain in. He is the worst. It's a slow burn, but I promise when the burn starts, it's worth it. Sophie & Foster are by far my spiciest couple... Nancy & Karl give them a run for their money, though. That's the final piece of the series; Nancy & Karl's book, Deck the Hores, will be a novella, an origin story for a couple of the most popular characters in the series. An elopement, messy family dynamics, horny newlywed stuff... the usual with a sprinkling of holiday cheer!

What advice would you give to new writers or people wanting to start writing?

You've heard it before, but that's because it's the most important - JUST START! Honestly, if you have an idea, just start writing. You can always rewrite, rework, etc. There are all these rules out there, ignore them and just start.

Lastly, what are 5 books you will always recommend (other than your own, of course ;))?

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams

The Jock by Tal Bauer

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

There you have it folks, all the wonderful details from Megan! I can also highly recommend An Ember in the Ashes, Somewhere in France, How to Fail at Flirting, and The Jock. Loved all of them and think you will too!

Thank you Megan for sharing insights into your stories, your writing, and you as an author.

Until next time,

Isla