Interview with Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate

Today we have a special guest, Jodi Meadows with us for an interview. Jodi is the author of Incarnate, the first book of the Newsoul series. I read this book back in January and loved it (you can see my review here). 

Tell us a little about yourself and the book(s) you've written...

I'm human. I wear knit hats and fingerless mittens. I've written many books, most which will not be published because they aren't nearly good enough, but they were great for practice. 

INCARNATE is in your bookstore right now. I think you should read it. ;)

What is your favourite thing about writing?

I love that I get to make up stories for a living. All that daydreaming I did in school was useful after all!

How much control did you have have over the cover design of your book? Do you like it? If you didn't design it yourself, how do you think it would have turned out if you did?

I had very little to do with the cover of INCARNATE. They asked for examples of covers I loved, so I sent them iconic covers, landscape covers. . . . I said the only thing I didn't want was a giant girl face cover. When I got an email talking about models and headshots, I was a little worried, but then I saw the comp and I about fell out of my chair with squee. When I saw the comp, I could not imagine a better cover for INCARNATE. It captured INCARNATE perfectly. (And was a good lesson to me to TRUST THE ART DEPARTMENT. They know what they're doing.)

How do you relax after a long day of writing?

I read books. I try to read half an hour to an hour every night before bed. I take yarn breaks while I'm writing. I spin, knit, and crochet -- not all at the same time, though.

Do you outline your stories before you begin writing? How do you determine where to start?

Sort of! I write a summary, like the flap copy or a query blurb, and a loose synopsis before I start the story, but that's it. I like to have a direction I know I want to head, but I also know I need to leave myself lots of room to explore, because while I'm writing, I'll inevitably get distracted by different things that pop up.

How many finished stories did you write before seeing your first book published? Do you think you'll ever go back to them and try again?

INCARNATE was my 17th finished manuscript. There are a couple I will definitely go back and rework until they're ready to be let out of the house, but most of them were simply good practice, and I've been using them for parts.

If you weren't writing what do you think you'd be doing?

I guess I'd be dead. Or undead. Or in a coma.

What was life like for you when YOU were a teen?

Busy! When I was in high school, I was in the dance team, band, and I had a part time job. That meant I had something going every day of the week. I loved it, though.

You are invited to a masquerade/halloween party. Who (or what) do you dress as?

OBVIOUSLY I dress as Ana from INCARNATE. I already have the wings and a butterfly mask, though they're not as cool as hers.

You are the king/queen of your own country. What is the name of your country?

Yarnlandia. It's a knitted and crocheted country. Some of it is probably felted. Or woven. Oh man, I love yarn.

What advice would you give your teen readers about life?

Live it. 

Thank you for sharing with us, Jodi. Here is some more information about Jodi and Incarnate:

 

 Summary for Incarnate:

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Find it on Goodreads.  Amazon,  Barnes & Nobles, and The Book Depository

 Author Bio:

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut.

*A Kippy is a cat.

Find Jodi on Goodreads, her official website, blog, Twitter (@jodimeadows), and Facebook