Hi, everyone! Today I'm happy to present an interview with Michelle I. Mason, the author of the upcoming YA book, Your Life Has Been Delayed, which releases August 24th!
The bold font are the questions I asked, the regular font are her answers, and the bold italic font are my comments about her answers.
Would you please describe your book, Your Life Has Been Delayed, in seven words?
Girl boards plane, lands 25 years later.
What was the inspiration for this book?
I’ve always been fascinated by time travel, from when I was a kid and watched all the Back to the Future movies. Then, a few years ago, I tagged along on my husband’s business trip to Australia. On our return flight, we left Sydney on Feb. 27 at 11:30 a.m. and arrived in L.A. on Feb. 27 at 5:35 a.m. I know it’s really just moving across time zones, but it felt like traveling back in time.
I think it sort of lingered in my mind, because a few months later I thought: what if you got on a plane, but when you landed it was many years later? And the rest of the story just came from that central question.
Random Question! What’s your favorite Romantic Comedy movie?
I think you mean “impossible” question! I love romantic comedies, and I’m never able to nail down a favorite. It totally depends on my mood. Today I’m going to say… While You Were Sleeping. Because it came out in 1995 and even though it isn’t specifically mentioned, there’s a nod to Sandra Bullock in Your Life Has Been Delayed. Also, I watch this movie every December, so it’s definitely very high on my list!
I LOVE that movie! :)
What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Don’t give up! If you truly want to be a published author, perseverance is key. I queried for seven years before connecting with my agent, and then things moved swiftly after that. Every writer I know has a different story, but publishing rarely offers a quick payoff. However, I firmly believe that anyone who keeps working at writing craft and making connections with other writers and industry professionals will eventually find the right fit for their work. So keep going!
Fantastic advice! :)
What are some books you’re looking forward to reading in 2021? And if you’ve already read some ‘21 books, would you like to mention them?
There are so many on my TBR list! BETTER THAN THE MOVIES by Lynn Painter is an absolutely fabulous YA rom-com, as is THE QUANTUM WEIRDNESS OF THE ALMOST-KISS by Amy Noelle Parks. I also adored the contemporary middle grade GLITTER GETS EVERYWHERE by Yvette Clark. A few others I can't wait to read are: HAPPILY EVER AFTERS by Elise Bryant, HOT BRITISH BOYFRIEND by Kristy Boyce, PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION by Tirzah Price, KISSES AND CROISSANTS by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau, TAKE BACK THE BLOCK by Chrystal D. Giles, WHERE IT ALL LANDS by Jennie Wexler… I could keep going. Basically just go check out www.the21ders.com for all the amazing books!
I'm looking forward to reading so many of these! :)
Thank you to Michelle I. Mason for participating in this event! :)
Author Bio: Michelle I. Mason is the author of Your Life Has Been Delayed, forthcoming from Bloomsbury in August 2021, as well as a second untitled young adult novel in 2022. Michelle spent ten years as a PR manager promoting everything from forklift rodeos to Hotel Olympics before deciding she’d rather focus on made-up stories. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, watching too much TV, cross-stitching, baking amazing brownies, or playing the violin. Michelle lives in St. Louis with her husband, two kids, a dog, and two cats.
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Thank you so much for hosting me, Jessica, and spreading the word about YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED!!
ReplyDeleteI love how the idea for this book came to you. Time travel also intrigues me and I share your favorite movie--I've watched it so many times too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the inspiration for your book. And you are so right that perseverance is the key if you want to become a successful writer.
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