Author Interview: Máire Roche and Little Monsters Giveaway

Happy Monday, Everyone! Today, I’m excited to have Máire Roche here to share about her MG Little Monsters. It’s a supernatural retelling of Little Women, which I loved as a kid, and I’m looking forward to reading it. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads: 

In this modern supernatural middle grade retelling of the beloved classic Little Women, the March sisters have a monstrous secret Meg will do anything to protect—especially with another beast lurking in the woods threatening to expose them.

Meg March and her three sisters are monsters. No, really. Meg has teeth that are a little too sharp. Jo gets furry under the full moon. Beth goes night flying on wings that are impossible to hide under her sweaters. And Amy? Well, don’t let her near a body of water or she’ll start sprouting her mermaid’s tail.

Meg is sure their foster mom, Marmee, wouldn’t like any of this if she knew. And Jo’s best friend Laurie, the nice boy next door, would run screaming. To make matters worse, Meg’s small town outside of Salem is on edge. A vicious beast has been spotted in the forest, and Farmer Bhaer believes it’s responsible for his missing chickens. Meg is sure to be blamed if anyone realizes she’s a monster in disguise. And the closer it gets to Halloween, the surer the town is that something evil is hiding in the forest.

Meg doesn’t always remember what she gets up to at night, and sometimes, she wakes alone in a mossy part of the forest and has to find her way back. With John Brooke determined to find out just what Meg is hiding and locals working to uncover the monsters in their midst, Meg must find the culprit herself—or risk losing the little home she’s found with her sisters. 

Hi Máire! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer. 

This one is always so tricky to answer, because I’ve always just been a writer! I write books for all ages, across genres, and I’ve been doing that since I was too small to remember. My first book, written at the age of six, featured a main character named Mary, who lived on an unspecified mountain, rode horses, and occasionally lassoed bandits. While I did not grow up to lasso bandits, I did keep writing magical stories (and I even learned how to write without self-inserting as the main character). 

2. Where did you get the idea for Litter Monsters? 

Little Monsters came to me when I was craving a cozy but eerie middle grade, one autumn a few years ago. It got me thinking about how much fun scary stories were to read as a kid, and also about the stories I read as a kid (like Little Women)! Meg was always my favorite, and I wondered what it would be like to do a modern, middle grade retelling featuring Meg’s struggles as an eldest daughter. From there, Little Monsters was born. 

3. I loved Meg as a kid too. What was your plotting process for Little Monsters? How long did it take you to write and revise it before sending it to your agent? 

This is the book I wrote in four days. Yes, four. I wrote about 10-15k each day and finished over a long weekend. It’s a long story about why I decided to write it so quickly, and I did of course revise before it went out to editors, but it was an exercise in fast drafting for me. I did plot the book pretty loosely before I began, but I had overall structural ideas about what happened in the story that I leaned on. 

4. Four days! I’m so jealous. What made you decide to add a supernatural element to your retelling of Little Women? And how did you decide how each of the four sisters would transform into supernatural creatures? 

I wanted each of the four sisters to have a magical, monstrous power that reflected a little of their original personality from the source text. Meg cares a lot about appearances in the source text (for good reason—she has to secure a marriage with someone who has some money). What if she couldn’t control an aspect of her appearance? Jo’s hair is a major plot point in Little Women; what if it sprouted uncontrollably? Beth is shy and wants to avoid attention, so what would happen if she’s literally able to fly? Amy, on the other hand, loves attention, but why not throw a wrench into that—if she’s at the beach and salt water touches her, she transforms into a monstrous, gigantic mer-creature.

 
4. Reviewers have said that you did a good job making Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy distinct characters. Share a bit of what makes each unique.

I think each sister has their own unique voice, personality, and goals, just like in the original work. I come from a family with lots of siblings, too, and it was special to write a story about multiple siblings growing up together. I think that each sister’s unique goals set them apart. They also result in some conflict between the girls, and added worries for Meg, who believes it’s her job to hold everybody together!
 
5. Your agent is Claire Friedman. How did she become your agent?
 
She represents a dear friend of mine, and when my former agent left the industry, my friend recommended that I query Claire! She read all of my work so quickly, had a great vision for multiple different projects, and was eager to work on projects in many different genres. She’s been a fantastic agent! I got really lucky.
 
6. That’s a great agent story. You’re the published author of two YA and three adult novels, with another being published in 2027. How have you been able to sell so many books across different age groups when many authors struggle to sell any books after their debut?
I had a backlist before I was agented, of many books that were fully written but that I hadn’t queried. I write fairly fast, and I had a goal of selling in multiple age categories so that I could one day write fulltime. To me, the most achievable way to do that was having multiple projects under contract and multiple income streams. As to why I’ve been able to make this work, while other authors struggle to sell books, I can’t take credit for that—luck, timing, and privilege all play just as much of a role as hard work.
 
7. I read on your website that you’re a former teacher. How did you decide to write full-time? What tips do you have for other authors thinking of quitting their day job?
 
It was my long-term goal from the beginning, so I worked until I had enough contracted projects to last me for a little while, and then set to work selling more so I could sustain it. I won’t lie; it hasn’t always been a simple or easy road. I don’t have the stability of having a safety net, or another steady source of income. But I’ve learned to balance deadlines, contracts, and various projects, and it’s been so, so worth it. For writers who want to quit their day jobs, my advice is to plan, plan, plan. Set a goal one or two or three years out, and work toward it. Make your best case scenario plans, and your worst case scenario plans, and keep writing, in as many spaces as you have ideas.
 
8. What made you decide to use the name Máire Roche for Little Monsters and your adult Bromantasy and upcoming untitled adult romantasy books when your other books are published using Mary E. Roach? Do you think you’ll have trouble reaching fans who know you as Mary Roach?
 
I use the Irish spelling of my name for fantasy, and the anglicized spelling of my name on my thrillers. Since my web presence is just one combined presence, readers generally haven’t struggled with it! It’s nice to have a little divide between the two brands, though, and I’m glad I chose to use different spellings of my name.
 
9. How are you planning to promote Little Monsters? Is your marketing plan different from that of your other books?
 
Middle grade is different than older categories in that it’s less rooted in social media (which I personally love). Since I’m a former teacher, I’m planning to throw my effort into school visits, bookstore signings, and other kid-focused events.
 
10. What are you working on now?
 
I’m working on my next adult fantasy, which will release in 2027, as well as a super secret, super fun middle grade project that I hope to talk about soon!
 
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Máire. You can find Máire at www.maryeroach.com and www.instagram.com/maryeroachauthor. 

Giveaway Details

Marie’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of Little Monsters for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by August 29th. If I do not have your email (I can no longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or Bluesky or follow Emma on her social media sites, mention this in the comments, and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is International.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog. 

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

 
Wednesday, August 19th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Jackie Garcia-Morales and a query critique giveaway
 
Monday, August 25th, I have a guest post by Paige Classey and a giveaway of her MG Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer
 
Monday, August 31st, I’m participating in the Glam and Glitz Giveaway Hop
 
Wednesday, September 2nd, I have an interview with Dinesh Thiru and a giveaway of his YA My Killer Family Reunion
 
Monday, September 7th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Syrone Harvey and a query critique giveaway
 
Monday, September 14th, I have an interview with M.K. England and a giveaway of her MG Riley Dare: Slightly Witchy Sleuth
 
Wednesday, September 16^th, I’m participating in the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop
 
I hope to see you on Wednesday!