Welcome Krista McGee
Today we have a wonderful Writer to feature.
She has written Dystopian works which include the
Anomaly Series 
& Chick Lit which includes First Date
She has written 6 books in a total of 3 years!! That is incredible.
So, without further ado….
1. The Titles for your Dystopian Series almost has a Divergent feel to them. Each book titled with one word and linked together grammatically. I find that fascinating and unique. Was that your idea and how did you come up with the titles originally?
I wish I could say it was my idea, but I am actually quite terrible at titling books. My title for the first book was “Dystopian #1”. Awesome, right?? Thankfully, the marketing team at HarperCollins Christian is amazing, and they came up with the titles for my books.
2. Your books are set in the future after a nuclear war. How hard, or easy was it to maintain the relevancy in a futuristic world yet keeping it realistic to the readers?
I tried to focus on making the protagonist, Thalli, “real” — her biggest struggle is that she feels like she doesn’t fit in with those around her. This is a struggle most teens (and adults) can identify with. My goal, then, was to make her a character readers could connect with so that her world – futuristic and strange – becomes secondary to her personal struggle.
3. So far you have written books for Dystopia, Chick-Lit Romance, etc. Which is your favourite genre to write for and can we expect to see more of that in the future for your writing?
I loved writing all six books, but I would have to say chick-lit is my favorite. While I am currently on hiatus, when I return, it will likely be a return to chick-lit.
4. If you were Thalli, would you have reacted initially the same way when she found out her pod roommate was an anomaly and then taken away? How would you have survived given your own characteristics?
I am very similar to Thalli – growing up, I always felt “different”. Had I seen a podmate taken away, I would have probably worked to suppress anomalies within myself the way Thalli did — I don’t like getting in trouble! Like Thalli, I love music and would likely have found an outlet in that art form the way Thalli did.
5. I love the idea for the antagonist part of The Ten. Was this a correlation to the book of Revelation in the Bible, and the events leading to the end times? Also, how important is it to you to incorporate hidden aspects into your story line from the bible or events of the bible?
Even though this series, unlike my first series, is not a modernization of biblical stories, I strive to be as biblical as possible. The antagonist, then, behaves the way someone ruled by the Evil One would behave: with selfishness, pride, and hatred. I want readers to see Truth in my story. I want them to see people ruled by the Holy Spirit and those who are not.
6. Speaking of incorporating hidden aspects to a book, after reading the first few chapters of Anomaly, I noticed it made me think of the gas chambers during the german war and the Nazi regime over the Jews. Did this have any thought or play in your books intentionally?
Interesting insight! I hadn’t consciously thought of that, but I have always been hungry to read books and watch films about the second world war because my maternal grandfather, whom I adored, fought in that war. So it is quite possible that some of the devices The Ten employed were ideas I borrowed from the atrocities of the Nazi regime.
7. I use a time line to keep my story from veering off–which for me, is done extremely easily 😀 When trying to stick to the plot, do you use visuals or a time line as well?
I know many writers love visual aids: pictures of their characters and settings, Post-it notes on their computers with dates and times, etc. But I am SO not visual! I write out a summary, and I talk about my plot with editors and friends, but I rarely have anything visual. My brain just doesn’t work that way.
8. I have 5 children under the age of 9 years old and can often feel the challenge of keeping myself engaged in the story or distracted from it entirely. How old were your children when you began your writing career and how has this helped/affected your writing life?
Wow, five kids under nine!! That is awesome. My kids were 6, 9, and 11 when I first started writing (they are 11, 14, and 16 now). And the only reason I could write then was because my husband – also a teacher – stayed home with them the mornings I went to the Library to write. I have tried to always make sure my family comes first. They are of far more value than any book contract or Best Seller list. My oldest daughter was 13 when I wrote ANOMALY, so she was an excellent resource. I even wrote the main character to look like her — right down to the dimples!
9. The book is written in first person and present tense. Was that a hard decision to make in regards to the Series?
It was hard to write in first person because my other books were third person limited. But my editor encouraged me to make that point of view switch because the book was set in the future — back to the need for the readers to connect with the protagonist. I used present tense to, hopefully, make the action feel more immediate.
10. Do you plan on sticking to the YA genre, or do you feel God is leading you in another direction for your future projects?
I’m not sure. I know, for now, I need to rest from writing. While I love it, cranking out six books in three years was exhausting. I need to focus on my family and my day job (teaching HS English). I have a couple ideas rattling around, though (of course!). One is YA, the other is adult contemporary. We’ll see which one I get to first!
11. What is the one thing you want readers to take away from your books now and also in the future as you continue to write and do a work for Him?
My desire as a writer is the same as my desire as a teacher – I want my readers (and students) to know how much God loves them. I want them to know He offers them eternal life in heaven and abundant life on earth, that His plans for them are so much better than any plans we can make for ourselves.
12. What do you have in the works that your readers can expect in the future?
Nothing right now, though I do keep up with my website – posting 1-2 times a week – kristamcgeebooks.com When I have a new book coming out, I’ll post it there.
That is so great to hear, I hope you connect with Krista and check out her updates to see what is coming in the future for this talented writer. Until then, you can check out some of her work below!
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Author Aurora Belle 