Megan’s Comments (group member since Mar 08, 2011)

Megan’s comments from the Q&A With Megan McCafferty group.

Jessica was always Jessica. Her voice came before everything else. Voice is tough to fake, that's for sure. I do a lot of eavesdropping. I think about the way people talk and behave in real life. But most of all, I think of all my characters as real people. I've always felt that it's kind of like method acting, where you try to get inside a character's head to think like she thinks. I realized that Jessica had become her own person when I made her say and do things that I would NEVER do or say, sometimes to the point that I was CRINGING while writing.

Thank you so much. I love hearing from readers who grew up NOWHERE NEAR suburban New Jersey and yet can still relate so well to Jessica. I was a lot like Jessica Darling in high school--ambitious, angsty, a devoted journal-writer. I referred back to my journals to capture how I felt at 16 years old, but there isn't anything that happens in the books that happened to me in the same exact way. The same holds true for all the other characters. I might have started with someone in mind, but then they all became their own people who wouldn't exist without my imagination. In other words, I began with the truth and then lied my butt off--because that's the beauty of fiction.

And I have no problem admitting that Jessica Darling is smarter than I am.

Amberjade wrote: "I saw you asked how Jessica would react in Bumped's future. I can just see her rolling her eyes at everyone and making witty retorts left and right."

I think you're right!

Lisarenee wrote: "I'm so bummed this Q&A isn't happening at a later date. Our group just voted Bumped to be one of our books of the month for May. I look forward to reading it. :)"

I'm a Goodreads author, so I'll still be around on here. If I see that you've posted questions, I'll be happy to answer them after this is over.

Make sure you check out the Readers Group Guide because it's great for sparking discussions. (AFTER you read it...SPOILERS!)

Faith wrote: "Miss McCafferty,

I received my copy of Bumped yesterday and was just able to finish it. Amazing! I loved the slang terms. I loved the characters. The voice you have as an author is unreal. Ve..."

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed reading the slang as much as I enjoyed making it up.

As for the inspiration, everything in BUMPED is rooted in real life. The idea was sparked by the infamous Gloucester High School pregnancy pact, when the world was appalled and fascinated by the idea that a group of girls would try to synchronize their pregnancies. Then Jamie Lyn Spears and Bristol Palin battled it out for the dubious distinction of America's Most Famous Teen Mom, and JUNO was released to widespread critical and commercial acclaim. Suddenly the media couldn't stop having these very polarized debates about teen pregnancy. I noticed that extreme thinking on both sides crowded out more moderate approaches to the problem. I knew then that I wanted to satirize those extremes, which inspired the questions at the heart of the novel: What if teenagers were encouraged to have sex and get pregnant? Under what conditions would that be universally acceptable? I knew it would have to be something apocalyptic, so I invented the Human Progressive Sterility Virus. The irony is, teen pregnancy was the NORM throughout human history. Teens were expected to have babies. Which brings up another theme of the novel, the idea that cultural norms are fluid, not fixed.

WHEW. I've GOT to come up with a more succinct answer to that question.

Amberjade wrote: "Does Bumped #2 have a title yet? Did you use any specific person to help create Zen? If so, can I marry him? Ha. Did you read Uglies (series) before writing this? I noticed some similar future spe..."

Oh...And there is a working title for the sequel...but we're keeping that to ourselves until a little bit further along in the process. Don't worry, I'll be sure to spread the word when the time is right!

Amberjade wrote: "Does Bumped #2 have a title yet? Did you use any specific person to help create Zen? If so, can I marry him? Ha. Did you read Uglies (series) before writing this? I noticed some similar future spe..."

Ha! I was wondering if anyone would catch the sly Britney Spears reference! And I love Zen too! When writing his character, I thought conversations I've had with my husband and younger brother about how much life sucks for freshman boys who haven't hit puberty yet. Girls want NOTHING to do with them, even if they're sweet and funny and smart. My husband and brother both grew up and into total catches...but they suffered for a few years first.

I have read UGLIES, though I didn't refer to it in any specific way, it did give me courage to have fun making up the slang and technological advances.

As for what happens next...I'm revising the sequel right now. So hopefully you won't have to wait too long to find out what happens next!

Justine wrote: "I havent read the book quite yet but look forward to it, I was just wondering if you were inspired or should I say more interested in this growing teenage mothers phenomenon with shows on MTV like ..."

I started thinking about this book three years ago, well before 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom. But it's like the futuristic future of BUMPED has only gotten more eerily similar to reality since then.

Shannon wrote: "I interned at the Princeton Public Library in Summer 2009. One day you came and and told the YA Librarian all about this book that you were writing (Bumped) I've been waiting almost 2 years to fin..."
Yes, this baby has been gestating for a LOOOONG time. You've given me another reason to love the Princeton Public Library!

Shannon wrote: "I just wanted to share how much I LOVED this series. I only found it in fall 2008 (i was 28) yet still connected with Jessica. I was with my ex for almost 7 years, broke up that summer and found my..."

Thank you Shannon! I love hearing from readers of all ages who relate to Jessica Darling.

Faith wrote: "Ms. McCafferty,

I first began reading the Jessica Darling Series in 2001, when Sloppy Firsts came out. I continued to enjoy the series as each book was published. Immediately before Perfect Fift..."

Thank you, Faith! I love hearing from readers who followed Jessica from the very start!

Faith wrote: "Ms. McCafferty,

I was wondering if you are working on any new projects? If so, might you provide us with a hint about their subject matter. Also, have you ever considered writing a poetry collec..."

Right now I'm revising the sequel to BUMPED, which I hope will go on sale no later than a year from now. After that, I'll start doing some research for a tiny germ of an idea...but it's way too early for me to talk about it yet. I hope whatever comes next, there will be readers interested in it!
Thank you for thinking I could be a poet, but I don't have any plans to publish a poetry collection.

Annie wrote: "Hi Megan!

I loved Bumped! When I closed the galley I was so sad because I didn't want it to end. Are you finished with book two? And when do the publishers expect to release it? :D"

I'm so happy to hear that BUMPED left you wanting more! I'm revising the sequel RIGHT NOW. (Well, not right at this moment...you get the idea.) I hope you won't have to wait any longer than a year to read it. I'll definitely keep you and other interested readers posted.

Thank you! I always hoped that my books would appeal to those still in high school as well as those who graduated long ago. As for a TV series, there's nothing in the works right now. There's been interest to turn SLOPPY FIRSTS into a movie, but so far Hollywood just hasn't come through.

Amanda wrote: "I would like to know how your writing process was like when you created Marcus Flutie? Did you write everyday?"

For Marcus Flutie, I thought a lot about all the boys who captivated and infuriated me in high school. The boys who made it worth showing up at school. Fortunately, I had very detailed journals from my high school years to draw upon for source material!

Juwi wrote: "Greetings Ms McCafferty or Megan if you prefer...i was wondering how you came up with the poem and the whole 'you yes you' thing in the AWESOME Jessica Darling series. =)"

It's really hard to answer questions about where specific ideas come from. When I write, I'm totally in the moment, in the characters' minds. Both the poem and YOU.YES.YOU. reflected exactly what I thought Marcus Flutie had to say to Jessica Darling at that point in the story.

kb wrote: "Hi Megan! Which is better: to write something you know about or to let your imagination take over? If it should be both, how would you say could that be balanced?"

Both. You should always write what you know...which means you need to KNOW your imaginative world inside and out. That's why I did a year's worth of resarch before I even started to write BUMPED.

Ellie wrote: "Hello Megan! I'm specifically wondering about how you plan the course of your novels. How soon in the writing process do you know how your books are going to end? Do you let the characters take ove..."

I always need to know how the story begins and ends. And I usually have a loose outline for everything that happens in between, but nothing too specific. I like there to be a certain amount of spontaneity because that's how the most fun and creative stuff happens.

Katya wrote: "Hi, Megan! I just want to say I loved the Jessica Darling books, especially the way she plays around with words and makes things sound so hilarious. How do you do that? Do you write ideas down and ..."

All my writing just flows as I'm in the moment. I honestly don't how I come up with most of the stuff I've written! It just...happens.

Sidsel wrote: "How early on (and how thoroughly) did you plot the books before they were written? I believe you had a two books deal initially, but for instance, when did you know that the last book would take pl..."

I never planned on writing a five book series that spanned ten years...though I'm happy it turned out that way! As I was wrapping up both CHARMED THIRDS and FOURTH COMINGS, I kept trying to cram in more details about the characters, more story. I realized that I hadn't finished with them yet, that I wanted to follow them all onto the next life stage. As for PERFECT FIFTHS, I'm not sure when I decided to set it an an airport, but that, and the decision to write in third person, came simultaneously in one of those difficult-to-describe moments of sudden inspiration.