Author Confidential With Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Author Miranda Beverly-Whittemore. Photo Credit: Kai Beverly-Whittemore.
Mystery, suspense and drama are just some of the things you’ll encounter on the cliff-hanging pages of the dark and edgy summer must-read Bittersweet. Telling the tale of college-bound Mabel Dagmar, the novel is a maze of intoxicating lies and choices that lead the protagonist and reader down a path of hidden desires, revealing just how much a person can be willing to sacrifice and overlook to live out one’s dreams. Much like her character in the New York Times bestseller, author Miranda Beverly-Whittemore has been searching for her place in the world for much of her life. Luckily, she has finally found some semblance of it — though not in a defined location, but rather in the solace of her writing and family. Self-described as a mother and adventure-seeker, with a penchant for inhabiting stories, the dynamic and friendly Whittemore recently partook in our new series, where she divulged what she would never write about, what she might be sporting this Halloween, and when she breathes fire.
What book(s) are you reading at present? Carrie Fisher’s Postcards from the Edge — research for my next novel, June.
What would you never write about? Torture.
Bittersweet is 400 pages of: Gothic fun
Your books are about soul-searching and finding one’s place. Have you finally found yours? Yes, my family.
What similarities do you share with Mabel? Nosiness, stubbornness, and nerdiness.
Name your top three favorite films: E.T.; Stories We Tell; Empire of the Sun.
Place to live: Vermont, New York or Senegal? All three (damn that time/space continuum). And add Portland, Oregon to the list!
If you were stranded on an island and could only have one book with you, what would it be? One of the books my mother has written — because it would be wonderful to read; let me be inside the mind of someone I love; and give me hope.
You’ve always liked dressing up, taking on a different character. What will you be rocking this Halloween? That’s at my five-year-old’s discretion. Right now, it’s looking like I’ll be a character in the Geronimo Stilton universe.
Describe yourself in three words: Stubborn, thoughtful, and sleepy.
What format do you prefer: E-books or hardcover? Hardcover — can’t beat holding the real thing in your hands!
Name your poison: Pinot Noir.
What’s your favorite ice-cream flavor to eat during the summer? Maple Walnut.
First thought that went through your mind when Bittersweet made the New York Times Bestseller list: ‘What does it mean?’
Mabel deals with an array of family secrets in the novel. Care to let readers in on a secret of yours? It’s best not to talk to me for at least 15 minutes after I wake up — I breathe fire.
What trait do you value most in yourself? My stick-to-it-ness (a nice way of saying I’m incredibly stubborn). It’s gotten me through natural childbirth and writing five novels!
What is your favorite quote or saying?“In the end, everything will be good. If it isn’t good, it isn’t the end.”
What do you want your tombstone to say? She loved and was loved.
If you could have any accent from anywhere in the world, which would you choose? My own — it’s collected from all the places I’ve lived.
Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before? Japan.
What’s next in the story of your life? Write the book June by June!
“Bittersweet” is now available for purchase in bookstores nationwide as well as via online retailers. You can sample the first chapter here.
