Chatting With... Meradeth Houston

Stopping by today is Meradeth Houston author of the YA Paranormal book Colors Like Memories.

Tell us about your book.

Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident–sort of.

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this ‘breath of life,’ she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It’s a job Julia enjoyed, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life–an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren’t enough, she’s now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia is not exactly the best role model for. If she can’t figure out a way to help her, Julia will lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get inspiration from so many things! I love people watching (maybe a little too much and that always gives me little quirks to use with my characters. I also love listening to music. A lot of the stories I’ve written have had their roots in a song. Colors Like Memories came out of nowhere while listening to Linkin Park’s Shadow of a Day. Everyday life is full of all kinds of fun things that inspire me!

What kind of books do you read? Are they similar to the books you write?

I read a *lot* of YA. I love a good paranormal, especially with some romance thrown in too. So, yes, I’d have to say I read a lot of books just like what I write. I helps me keep up with what’s out there on the market, and it’s fun!

Do you have a ‘day job’? What is it?

I’m a molecular anthropologist (translation: I sequence dead people’s DNA . It’s a lot of fun. I also am a professor at a university, where I love to get students thinking about anthropology (physical anthropology for those who are curious). It doesn’t leave me a lot of free time, but I really enjoy it!

How do you feel about romances being so common in YA (and to a lesser degree MG) books?

I think I kind of gave this away in another answer, but I rather enjoy them. Sometimes I get a little weirded out by how “advanced” the romances can get when the characters are only 16, but for the most part I know I loved wishing I had a boyfriend as a teen, so reading about it is fun for me. Of course, ask me that again if I ever have a teenage daughter and I might change my answer…

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on a companion book to Colors Like Memories, along with a YA light sci-fi that I hope to finish sometime this decade.

Thanks for hanging out with us today Meradeth!

Check out Meradeth’s books on Amazon.

Author Bio

I’ve never been a big fan of talking about myself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about me:
-I’m a California girl. This generally means I talk too fast and use “like” a lot.
-I’ve been writing since I was 11 years old. It’s my hobby, my passion, and I’m so happy to get to share my work!
-My other passion is teaching. There’s nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!
-If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because I’m terrified of heights.

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