YA DEBUT OF THE MONTH: Interview + Giveaway: The Mephisto Covenant author Trinity Faegen!

HI! This is Roshini, and today we have author Trinity Faegan, whose book is this month’s YA Debut of the Month! The Mephisto Covenant is Trinity’s first YA book, AKA her debut into this amazing genre! Thank you for visiting, Trinity! Could you tell us a little about your novel?

I am so humbly honored that you chose The Mephisto Covenant as YA Debut of the Month! Thank you! As for the book, here’s a wee blurb:

A descendant of the daughter of Eve, born before Original Sin, Sasha falls in love with Jax, a son of the dark angel, Mephistopheles, then discovers she alone can save him from Hell, but only if she gives up mortality and her birthright of certain Heaven to join him and his brothers in a war to save mankind’s free will.

Where did you get the magnificent idea for your book?

Several years ago, someone very close to me was the victim of sexual assault. I thought a lot about evil – why does it exist? Are all humans capable of evil? A story formed, one that would be the ultimate good vs. evil tale, and while I was searching for the best way to tell it – should there be angels, or demons, or some other supernatural creatures – I dreamed of these guys who are neither angel nor demon, but a little of both. I’d love to think the dream was divine, but in truth, probably just my subconscious sorting things out. I will say, it blew me away, and when I woke up, it wasn’t long before I’d imagined the details of the mythology of the Mephisto.

Where do you usually write? 

I use a spare bedroom of my house as my office. I’ll show you a photo of my desk, which is messy with bulletin boards, covered with a thousand memories, but will spare you the bookshelves. They’re scary!

Was there a reason for the setting of the book? Have you been to Colorado before?

I’ve been in love with Colorado since I was a very small child. We went there on vacations, several times, and in high school, my family went camping and fishing in the San Juan mountains. In college, friends and I went skiing there. Now, as an adult, I love those mountains because they’re breathtaking, but also because they’re a part of my history. There’s magic in the San Juans! And Telluride is quaint, charming, and so lovely.

Will there be more to this novel or is it a stand-alone, because I’m craving more of the story!

This is the first of a series, but it is stand-alone. No cliffhanger! The second book, which will be out in Fall 2012, will feature a different Mephisto brother and another Anabo. As for a third, it’s not contracted yet, but I remain hopeful this one will sell well enough that Egmont will want to publish more. In publishing, you never know!

Could give us a book recommendation?

Have you read Simone Elkeles’s Perfect Chemistry series? The third, Chain Reaction, was just released. I’m dying to get caught up so I can take a day off and read it! They’re definitely romances, but they also speak to some very big issues. I’m also a huge fan of Heather Brewer’s Vlad Tod books, starting with Eighth Grade Bites.  I also have to put in a word for the Class of 2K11 books. I’ve read all of them, and they’re all wonderful in their own, unique, amazing way. For a list, with blurbs, check out the website.

Give us an inanimate object that describes you. How?

A coffee cup. For one thing, I’m a total coffee addict, but metaphorically, sometimes I’m hot, sometimes cold, sometimes fresh, sometimes day-old, sometimes filled to the brim with warmth and flavor, and other times drained to the bottom, and all that’s left are grounds.

If you could go into a book world, where would you go?

If I didn’t have to stay forever, because I do love creature comforts like toilets and running water and penicillin, I’d go into the world of Jane Austen – Regency England. Those were interesting times, not only for society, but inventions and discoveries.

Could you give aspiring writers a pep talk…kidding…but, really, what should writers who want to get published do? What kind of attitude should they have?

Oh, my – I’m the Queen of Pep Talks! Celebrate every success, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Enjoy the process, because if it’s sucking the soul out of you, why do it?

I was moderately successful as an adult fiction author, then hit a dry spell. I amicably parted ways with my agent and began searching for a new one. I queried over 100 agents. In between, I revised and rewrote Mephisto, each time taking into account the feedback I’d received. I’d been in correspondence with Meredith Bernstein, someone I admired, respected and liked very much. She called after I sent her yet another revised version and said, “You know this still isn’t there, don’t you?” Okay, yeah, I did know it. I was just SO anxious to get this book out there to publishers, worried the premise would be sold by someone else and I’d hear the dreaded, “We just bought a similar book.” So I hadn’t done what I knew in my heart I had to do. I expressed my fears to her and she said, “It doesn’t matter. This is your book, as only you can tell it. You know what it needs to be right, because you’re a good writer. Do what you have to do and when you know it’s right, send it to me again.”

I started over. I rewrote the entire book – same story, different dress. I was still querying other agents – never put all your eggs in one basket – and with the rewritten Mephisto, I had 3 offers of representation, plus one who said she’d take it if I’d cut out the sex scene. In the end, I chose Meredith, and she sold Mephisto in three weeks, at auction. The whole process, from the original idea, to sale, took four years. There were so many times I wanted to give up and start a new project, but I couldn’t. I love this project SO much, and now that it’s about to be released, there are no words to adequately express my joy. But it wouldn’t be happening if I’d let those agents who said no cause me to give up. Never, ever, ever give up. If you want it bad enough, if you work hard enough, you’ll meet your dreams.

Thank you sooo much for joining us, Trinity! I really enjoyed your book, and I know more people will love your book as much as me!

I’m so grateful for the warm welcome, and your lovely words – thank you!

AUTHOR BIO:

Trinity Faegen

Trinity Faegen wasn’t always a writer. She had an illustrious career as a Campus Cop in college, led many children astray as a camp counselor, and decorated Christmas trees for sweet, and notsosweet, little old ladies. She loves metal and rock, the Rocky mountains, chocolate cake and college football. She hates sappy stuff and hypocrites. Mostly, though, she loves to write.

Trinity lives in the outback of Texas with her husband and a mean cat. If you’d like to share camp stories, or ask Trinity why she’s ruining her hearing by listening to metal on headphones, write to her at:  trinity@trintiyfaegen.com

Purchase on Amazon.com |Barnes & Noble | IndieBound |Egmont USA | Borders

GIVEAWAY! (SIGNED hardcover of The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Rules:
Not international...sorry author/publisher sponsored.
ENDS: October 12th, 2011
13 Years or Older!!!
There are extra entries, many of them: add links when applicable!