Introducing… Megan Wheeler
This week’s new author is Megan Wheeler.
A neurodivergent writer and artist, Megan lives in an old railway cottage with her cat, and three ghosts. Once a struggling young reader herself, Megan’s passion for writing stems from wanting to help keep kids – especially boys – enjoying reading through their teen years. She writes funny (and sometimes rather gross) illustrated novels for teens, packed with themes of friendship and self-acceptance. Alongside writing, Megan enjoys knitting, portraiture, and making brightly coloured marshmallows.
What is your writing routine?
I’m a lover of silence; I get distracted wonderfully easily, so I like to settle down into the quiet of my office. I’m also a daylight writer, and I love to be able to see trees and nature when I write. Armed with a hot blackcurrant and a view out of the window, I get stuck in.
Who is your favourite author and how have they inspired you?
My most formative years were spent reading Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson series. Other books came beforehand, but they’re the ones that took me from ‘reluctant reader’ to ‘book person.’ It was the humour and how relatable the characters were to 11-year-old me; they were the first books that made me really laugh out loud, and that’s what inspired me. I’d love to be that author for someone else – the author whose daft, funny books turned them into a reader.
What was the inspiration for your manuscript?
The story itself began life as Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging meets Warm Bodies; mixing funny teen humour with a protagonist who was inherently ‘other’ – a feeling I’d often had growing up Autistic. Over time, and through the course of the Bath Spa MA, the story became what it is today: a light-hearted murder mystery with a witty, neurodivergent zombie at its core.
Who is your favourite character in your book?
I’m honestly quite fond of many of my characters, but I can’t deny that my protagonist, Shiloh, is my favourite. His daft, overly-dramatic personality is incredibly fun to write.
What inspires you first: character or plot?
Always character. Once I’ve got to know a new character, I can put them into any situation. Plots might change along the way, but the characters have solid personalities to me; I get to know them like people.
Describe your perfect day.
It’s late in the year; leaves are brown and tiny beads of water cling to the air and to spiderwebs, making them look like jewelled pieces of art. It’s a free day with no time constraints – no little stresses of life’s routines. The coffee is hot and the log-burner is crackling away, while the cat purrs loudly from the sofa. It’s a free day, and possibilities are endless.