Interview with Author and TWR Alum Megan White
Author Megan White
Book Title: The Anatomy of Songs
Book release date: July 2023
Genre: Dark Fantasy (Adult)
Publisher: New Dawn Publishing
Favorite Authors: Jay Kristoff, Pierce Brown, Neal Shusterman, Maggie Stiefvater, Ava Reid, Katherine Ardern
Presale link:: https://newdawnpublishing.com.au/authors/megan-white/
Author Website: https://meganwhiteauthor.com/
Instagram handle: @meganwhiteauthor
In a few sentences, tell us about your book!
Bestowed the Songs of both Life and Death, Kasira is a healer by day and assassin by night, now hunting her greatest target yet. Veridian is the Crown Prince and fears his life is about to end. An enemy nation slowly infiltrates his kingdom, if only Veridian can survive long enough to broker peace. But is the contract or the Kingdom more important to a girl torn between two gods? The Anatomy of Songs is enemies to lovers, explores sacrifice, sisters, hurting and healing.
What inspired the idea for this book?
Working as a physiotherapist, I am fascinated by how robust and fragile the human body is and the way objective facts about anatomy and physiology could be used to both hurt and heal. I found my main character in that idea.
Did you have this idea before you started TWR, during, or after you completed the course? How did TWR help you on your writing journey?
I had written the first draft of my manuscript prior to TWR. The course helped me step back from the story, pull it apart and restructure it in a way that not only told the story I needed to tell but made it able to be engaged with by an audience. TWR helped me to understand story structure better, what works and why it works.
Is this your first finished manuscript?
This is my 4th finished manuscript. I wrote three before completing TWR and am working on another now.
What was the most challenging aspect of the writing journey for you?
The drafting is always challenging for me. I love the dreaming that happens beforehand, but I’m very daunted by trying to transcribe that onto a blank page. I’m also a pretty slow writer with a short attention span so timed writing sprints have been a life saver!
What has the publishing process been like for you so far? What was the most surprising aspect?
I have had an incredible experience of the publishing process. My editors at New Dawn have been so supportive and kind with their feedback through every round of edits. The most surprising thing about the process would have to be the leadup and days after the book release. The marketing, hype, seeing your book on shelves and meeting readers- its surreal and I didn’t expect to feel so vulnerable!
Have you faced any rejection on your writing journey, or points where you felt you wanted to give up? How did you push through those moments?
So much rejection! And while you can logically tell yourself its not personal, it still really hurts. I queried agents and received bucketloads of rejections before giving up, packing the story away and deciding to move to the opposite side of the world. Pushing onward for me looked like a fresh start with a new story in mind. Then a friend put me in contact with the publisher she had just signed with and I struggled for quite a while to fall back in love with my story.
How long have you known you wanted to be an author? What inspired you to take TWR?
I have wanted to be an author since I was sixteen years old, reading stories like Eragon and Rangers Apprentice. Then gradating university I realised I loved the theory of what I had studied but wanted to spend my time telling stories. The manuscript that TWR shaped was the first one that made the dream of being an author feel tangible. I adored Tomi’s writing style so the moment I saw the course, I was in!
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Just keep writing! If for no one else, your characters deserve to know how their story ends.