faq

Here are the most frequently asked questions so far.
(Updated whenever a question is asked with adequate frequency to be considered “frequently asked.”)

Why did you end the series with Perfect Fifths? What’s next?

My next novel, BUMPED, goes on sale April 26th, 2011. Sign up for my mailing list , friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter for more details as they develop.

As for why I ended the series, it just felt like the right time–both for Jessica and for me. I wanted to give Jessica, Marcus and all the other characters a sense of closure (ugh, that word makes me cringe…but there it is). And the readers too, of course. I mean, there’s only so many cliffhangers a fan can take. I always said I only wanted to write about Jessica if I had something interesting to say about her world. After writing about Jessica for almost ten years, I’m eager to write about other characters, other worlds…which is what I’m doing now!

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Why aren’t you doing an event in my hometown? We love you here!

I would love to visit bookstores all over the country. Alas, such decisions are not up to me. If you want me to appear at a store near you, here’s what you can do: 1. Talk to the Community Relations Manager (or whoever is in charge of scheduling author events). Tell the CRM that you love my books, that many of your friends love my books, and that a huge crowd would turn out if I showed up. Perhaps organize a group of fellow Jessica Darling fans to do this with you. The more interest in my books, the more likely the CRM will want me at the store.2. Tell him/her to contact me directly via megan@meganmccafferty.com. 3. Hope for the best.

Colleges audiences are my favorite. Events at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Wellesley College, UCLA and The College of New Jersey (among others) are highlights of my career. If you’re in college, please recommend me to your Campus Activities Board (or whatever it’s called at your school). I’m doing a tour of colleges (Syracuse University, University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University and Temple University) in Spring 2010 to celebrate the paperback launch of Perfect Fifths. If you’re interested–and can cover my travel expenses–read the college endorsements on my Events page, then contact me.

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Are there any plans to make your books into movies?

My books have been optioned for film…but that’s about all I can say right now!

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Is Jessica Darling you? Did you know a (sigh!) Marcus Flutie?

No. And (sorry…) no.

There isn’t one event in any of my novels that happened to me in the same way it’s depicted in the books. That said, all of my books are somehow inspired by real life. Like Jessica, my best friend moved away, my crushes were often unrequited and my parents had no clue where I was coming from. I had major angst in choosing a college, and often found myself feeling panicked and unprepared once I got there. When I graduated, I got a low-paying job in publishing and shared an apartment with colorful roommates. But my books aren’t memoirs. The liberating thing about fiction is that you can start off by telling the truth, then start making stuff up like crazy whenever you feel like it. That’s exactly what I did. The truth is, I wish I had been more like Jessica when I was younger. She is way more ballsy than I ever was. Quite often, Jessica pursues the opposite option that I chose or would have chosen back in the day.

And while I hate to destroy your dreams, I must confess that Marcus (like every character I’ve created) is not a real person. He is a combination of several guys I’ve known throughout my life, none of whom ever lived up to my expectations. Or my imagination. Marcus Flutie simply wouldn’t exist without a huge dose of my imagination. In fact, I’d say that Marcus Flutie is the fantasy I hoped the real life guys would turn out to be–but didn’t. So in a way, I’m living through Jessica, just like you are.

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Is Pineville based on a real town?

Pineville is based on Bayville, where I grew up, and a fictionalized combination of other Jersey Shore towns including Pine Beach, Beachwood and Toms River. Seaside Heights is real and was made more infamous than ever by MTV’s JERSEY SHORE. (Trivia: I worked at the arcade–Lucky Leo’s–that was right next to the Shore Store, only back then it was called Sand Tropez.)

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What were you like in high school?

Read (retro)blog and find out for yourself!

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When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

For as long as I can remember. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Rodney Mohr gave me a notebook, on which she had written I LOVE TO WRITE in magic-marker bubble-letters. I don’t know whether those words were prophetic or merely observant, but I filled it cover-to-cover. That same year, Mrs. Mohr let me sing the only solo in our first-grade pageant, a lovely little ditty with the lengthy title, “Hello, Everybody! Yes Indeed, My Darling.” (Which, incidentally, did not influence my heroine’s last name.) Everyone in the audience was impressed by my voice. Thus, writer or singer were the only two jobs I’ve ever considered–neither of which could be considered practical career paths. My parents must have been more than a little worried when I announced that writing was my “fallback” career.

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What inspired you to write about high school?

I guess I wanted to write the type of book I love to read. I thought back to how I, like many teens before me, was blown away by The Catcher in the Rye when I read it in seventh grade, and how it still blew me away each time I revisited it. I realized that I devoured novels written from a first-person female POV, hoping that I’d finally find Holden Caulfield’s female counterpart: a teenage protagonist that is highly-observant, hilarious and wise-beyond her years, yet still has a lot to learn about life. I craved a contemporary coming-of age story that transcended the teen-angst genre and appealed to readers of all ages. Though I found many well-written and entertaining books, none came close to reflecting my high school reality. Ultimately, I decided to stop whining and start writing.

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What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Start writing and don’t stop. Poetry, short stories, school newspaper articles–whatever interests you. The only way to find your unique voice is to practice, practice, practice. Just don’t be too critical of yourself because all writers go through phases when they’re convinced that every word they choose sucks unlike anything has ever sucked before. Those crappy (or not-so-crappy) ramblings will someday be proof of just how far you’ve come, so resist the urge to burn the evidence. You never know, today’s babble could be tomorrow’s book! I scribbled one mortifying thought after another in my high school journals (as you can see for yourself in the (retro)blog archives) I had no idea that some of those rants would end up serving as the inspiration for my first novel.

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Can you help me get published?

Unfortunately, no. These days, you can’t just submit your manuscript to a publishing company yourself. You need an agent to do it for you. A literary agent is the person who handles all the author’s business–pitching the book to publishers, negotiating contracts, and so on–and usually takes a 15 percent cut for his or her efforts. Publishers will only read submissions sent by legitimate agents. So…how do you get an agent? That’s tough. A coworker introduced me to my first agent. (And no, I can’t introduce you to her.) I suggest that you concentrate on writing the best damn 30 or so pages of your novel that you are capable of writing. Then, check out The Writers Market, an annually-updated reference book that lists agencies, what genres of writing they represent, and how to properly pitch yourself to them. It also lists tons of publications, writing contests and other info that is invaluable for a writer breaking into the business.

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Can you give me feedback on this poem/essay/short story?

I wish I could offer constructive criticism to everyone who wants it. But there aren’t enough hours in the day. Sorry!

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How old were you when you wrote the entries in your (retro)blog?

The earliest entries (1983-84) are from fifth grade. I wrote the last entries (1999) right before I quit my job to work on sloppy firsts. (I was born in 1973, so you can do the math.)

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