Book Tour Q&A: Three Meant to Be by MN Bennet
- Fiction Fans
- Jul 16, 2023
- 5 min read
Today we're taking part in the book tour organized by Escapist Book Company for Three Meant to Be by MN Bennet! Continue reading for the book blurb and a Q&A with the author.
About the book
Telepathic high school teacher Dorian prepares teen witches for professional casting because going in unprepared is what killed one of his partners. But new state mandates on magical proficiency make it nearly impossible, and Dorian worries he can’t give his students the education they really need. Seeking a distraction from work, Dorian kisses his still-living on-again off-again clairvoyant boyfriend, Milo. Instead of a distraction, Dorian glimpses Milo’s vague vision involving the murder of Caleb—one of Dorian’s new students.
Already devastated by the loss of his partner, Dorian refuses to stand aside and let Caleb die. He searches for clues by delving into Caleb’s mind. Rooting through Caleb’s memories alongside teaching classes leads Dorian to two more students: Caleb’s ex-best friend turned rival and the prodigy with connections to dangerous warlocks. However, each step further into his students’ minds forces Dorian to confront his deteriorating relationship with Milo.
After discovering a link involving illegal casting, Dorian resolves to work with Milo to prevent the impending vision. To succeed, Dorian will have to explore the potential of a future with Milo and find closure on their third partner, whose loss looms between them. But meddling with fate to save Caleb inadvertently draws the warlocks near, putting all his students in danger. Dorian will have to risk his life and gamble his second chance with Milo to keep his students alive.
On to the interview...!
Thank you so much for joining us for this Q&A! We’ll start off with one of our standard podcast opening questions–tell us something great that’s happened recently.
I’m filled with exciting secrets and updates. A big win recently was I received my first round of edits for the second installment of The Branches of Past and Future Series. My editor had some really great things to say which pretty much lit up my heart for the whole week. I can’t wait to get this book in the best possible shape and share it with readers.
What are you currently reading or what’s up next on your TBR? What made you pick up this book?
The next book on my TBR list is The Binding of Bloom Mountain by Siggy Chambers. I’m a big fan of horror so naturally this seemed right up my alley. However, I’ve never read something described as “cozy horror” which only makes me THAT MUCH MORE INTERESTED. I can’t wait to dive in.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to start writing?
Funny story. Well, maybe just funny to me. I got my start with writing by trying to recreate an interactive VHS boardgame that came with The Gargoyles movie. I was six, loved it, but we lost the game in a move. So… I went to work building a new board out of construction paper. It was basically a really rough Candyland that was like three stories high. I had so much fun writing the “story responses” and card choices that I sort of followed that thread and continued writing fanfiction when I was younger until eventually I ventured out and started writing my own original characters.
How do you spend your free time when you’re not reading or writing? Do you have any hobbies or interests that you can talk to us about?
Video games are a great way to decompress. I especially enjoy RPGs because I’m all about getting to know characters, exploration, and making new choices. I’m not the best at fighting so you’ll often find me playing on easy because life is already enough of a challenge. I want to have fun.
What is one book you want to shout about to the world? What about it makes you love it so much?
A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery. It’s got such a fantastic magic system. The worldbuilding is incredible, the characters are so fun, there’s a sweet romance. If you’re looking for a great queer YA book, this is one you should definitely check out.
What are your favorite types of stories? Of characters?
All things grumpy and sunshine. If there’s a grump in a story, I’m probably going to pick it up. As for types of stories I read, I usually gravitate toward fantasy and paranormal (which romantic elements). I’m open to other genres too, but I like magic, monsters, and a little mayhem.
How much do you plan when you write? What’s your writing process like?
I joke about my process as being “chaotic plotting” but that’s a pretty fair assessment. I tend to go into a story with a general idea of what I want to do. I’ll plot out parts at a time, usually by act or chapters, but then the chaos kicks in. As I learn more about the characters, world, and motivations, I tend to adjust my outlines. Or I’ll create entirely new ones, stitch them together–basically it’s wild and usually only I can comprehend it.
They say to never judge a book by its cover, but a cover is still a marketing tool that helps sell books. Can you tell us about the idea behind the cover of your book?
Three Meant To Be has a character-based cover. There are so many cool covers out there, but tend to prefer covers with a person (or being) on them. I wanted Dorian on the cover but I also wanted to include nods to the three other characters in this story. The raging water, flying books, and grayish color scheme all highlight the minds of three students, along as giving a little insight on the storm of minds Dorian tends to deal with on a daily basis.
Can you tell us a little bit about your characters? What are your favorite kinds of characters to write?
Like I’ve said before, and will say a million times over, I LOVE grumpy and sunshine characters. They are some of my favorites to write. Honestly, I love all character types. Timid, goofy, snarky, nerdy, bold, cocky, and everything in between. My favorite thing to do when creating characters is finding a character’s voice, what makes them unique, what they want big or small, and bringing them to life. When writing, creating character interactions is by far my favorite thing to do.
What would you like readers to take away from this book?
Grief takes as long as it takes. It’s okay if you’re not okay. As someone who struggles with my mental health, I try to remind myself of this regularly.
Do you have a favorite quote from your book that you can share with us? What about this quote in particular makes it your favorite?
“Who wants to touch my cock?” This remains my favorite line in the book. It’s not what you think but it’s completely inappropriate and gives me the biggest laugh every time I reread that scene. The whole exchange is glorious (but I’ll stop there so I don’t spoil anything).
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for us! Do you have any parting thoughts or comments you’d like to leave for our readers?
Thank you so much for having me, and I’m grateful to have had the experience. I hope you all enjoyed what I had to share and will consider checking out my upcoming fantasy. If you like big ensembles, this might be something you’d wanna consider.
And finally, where can you be found on the internet if our readers want to hear more from you?
I’m most active on Instagram these days (though not much) and I still have a Twitter (guess I’ll go down with that ship). You can always reach me via email. Feel free to stop by my website. I have a monthly newsletter where I share updates, artwork, random thoughts, and other silly things.
IG: @mnbennetauthor
Twitter: @Quirk_Zombie
Website: mnbennet.com
