The Character of Names with Michelle Gagnon

Today is the start of Michelle Gagnon's blog tour and she's kicking things off here on MPB!

GC: If you woke up on a table with an IV in your arm and no idea how you got there, what would you do?

MG: I’m prone to freaking out, so the first few minutes would definitely be spent having a good old fashioned panic attack. After I finished hyperventilating, I’d like to think that I’d have the presence of mind to remove the IV and get the heck out of there, but doubt that I would have been as self-possessed about it as my heroine, Noa.

GC: Do you find that you're very alike to your main character, Noa, or do your personalities differ?

MG: Very different. For one thing, I’m embarrassingly inept with computers. I kept a running list next to my laptop of all the little things I need the Genius Bar to help me with on my monthly visits; I’m pretty sure they draw straws to see who will get stuck with me the minute I walk through the Apple Store door. I’m also a lot more trusting of people than Noa—too trusting, to the point of being gullible at times.

GC: How did you sign with your agent? 

MG: It was very roundabout, but I submitted the first three chapters of my manuscript to an agency scout at a mystery writer’s conference, and she passed them along to Stephanie. Our timing was off—she was about to go on maternity leave, so I ended up with a different agent for my first series. But in the end, fate intervened when that agent went into partial retirement and Stephanie came back to work! I’m so fortunate to have her in my corner, she’s an amazing agent.

GC: What was it like to get the call and know Don't Turn Around was going to be published?

MG: I was absolutely thrilled! I turned in the first few chapters right before the holidays, so I spent Christmas and New Years gnawing my fingernails to the quick while waiting to hear if the project was a go or not.

GC: What's next for you? 

MG: Book 2 of the PERSEF0NE trilogy, for starters! Harper will release that in late August of next year. I also have a dystopian YA thriller called STRANGELETS coming out with the new SoHo Teen imprint in the spring of 2013.

Don't Turn Around! Keep going on the tour!

8/22       The Mod Podge Bookshelf— Character of Names 

8/23       Book Twirps— Movie Dream Cast

8/24       A Good Addiction— Author Interview

8/27       Reading Lark— Author Interview 

8/28       Confessions of a Bookaholic— Guest Post

8/29       Bookalicious— Author Interview 

8/30       Once Upon a Twilight— Author Interview 

8/31       Making the Grade— Character This or That

9/3         A Life Bound By Books— Author Interview 

9/4         The Irish Banana— Author Interview