Jodi Meadows, author of BEFORE SHE IGNITES, on applying ice cream to the sting

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re delighted to have Jodi Meadows here to tell us more about her latest novel, BEFORE SHE IGNITES.

Jodi, how long did you work on BEFORE SHE IGNITES?

The creation date on the file is Fall of 2014, but BSI has been in my head a lot longer than that. I’ve always wanted to write a story about a girl who loves dragons, and it was probably in 2013 that I thought about writing a story with two people unjustly imprisoned, desperately trying to communicate with each other. Those two ideas crashed together (along with some bigger world-building ideas) in 2014, and at the beginning of 2015, I began working on the book in earnest.

What do you hope readers will take away from BEFORE SHE IGNITES?

My priority is always for readers to enjoy reading my books — for readers to get swept away by the world or romance or plot. And, in this case, dragons! But on a deeper level, I hope that people who need to see Mira overcoming her anxieties and insecurities begin to understand that they can do that too.

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or a coffee shop or the library, etc?

I tend to write at home, but I think it’s important to be able to write anywhere, especially as a published author with a travel schedule. Sometimes I listen to music; sometimes it’s distracting. Usually, I just play one song that always puts me in the right mind frame for the book and I’ll listen to that on loop.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

Read a lot. Write a lot. Learn to give (as well as receive!) constructive criticism. And mostly . . . don’t be discouraged. There is lots of rejection in writing, and yes, it can be really hard to take. But apply ice cream (or something!) to the sting, and try again, now armed with all the lessons you’ve learned in the meantime.

What are you working on now?

I’m always working on more things than I have time for. Currently, I have Fallen Isles 2 open for revisions, and Fallen Isles 3 for drafting, and another project that’s just for fun (for now).

ABOUT THE BOOK

Before She Ignites
by Jodi Meadows
Hardcover
Katherine Tegen Books
Released 9/12/2017

Before

Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland.

But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station.

After

Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect.

No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.

Purchase Before She Ignites at Amazon
Purchase Before She Ignites at IndieBound
View Before She Ignites on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy, the ORPHAN QUEEN Duology, and the FALLEN ISLES Trilogy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen), and a coauthor of MY LADY JANE (HarperTeen). Visit her at www.jodimeadows.com

—

Have you had a chance to read BEFORE SHE IGNITES yet?

Listening to one song on a loop, for an entire book, might just make me crazy. How long could you listen to one song before you never wanted to hear it again?

I love that Jodi said to give, as well as receive, criticism. Many of my critique partners have become my closest friends. What is the best thing you have learned from giving critiques?

Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Charlotte, Jocelyn, Anisaa, Erin, Martina, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Sep 16, 2017

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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← Previous: Sarah Porter, author of WHEN I CAST YOUR SHADOW, on scenes appearing out of the blue Next: Peter Brown Hoffmeister, author of TOO SHATTERED FOR MENDING, on writing terrible first drafts →

The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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