Get Lost with Marilee Brothers & Baby Gone Bye

Baby + Doorstep = Magic Baby Daddy 

Get Lost in a Story Readers, I’m particularly excited about today’s guest because as a lover of Young Adult, sprinkled with paranormal elements, Marilee Brother’s protagonist is a single teen and a dad!  That’s something new and different, and I couldn’t wait to ask her about it.  Please welcome Marilee Brothers!

About Baby Gone Bye:

High school senior Gabe Delgado is trying to trade his bad-boy ways for clean living. He remembers nothing about the night a mysterious girl loved him and left him at a party, except . . . there was a kind of magic around her that had nothing to do with his hangover the next day. Now he finds that "magic" in a basket on his doorstep, cooing at him like a happy little bird.

A note from the baby’s mother begins, “Gabe, you probably already know our baby is, well, different. If not, you'll find out soon enough. Bad people want her. That's why I left her with you. Don't try to find me. Please, take care of our baby girl and love her. Okay?”

Suddenly party-boy Gabe has to man up to protect his daughter. Not so easy when her talents include vanishing into thin air. It's up to Gabe and his girl-pal Abby--who has some extraordinary secrets of her own--to find out what's up with something called the Scientific Academy of Merit, what the goons want with Birdie, and whether other kids like Birdie can be saved, too.

Are you as intrigued as I am?  Wait no more.  Let's get to know Marilee Brothers.

DONNELL:  Hi, Marilee, welcome to Get Lost in a Story.  When I heard the elements of Baby Gone Bye, I couldn’t wait to ask you about it.  First, it’s a YA, and it sounds like it includes not only magic but some elements of suspense.  Please tell the readers how you came up with the idea, and will it be a single title or the beginning of a series.

MARILEE: Hi, Donnell. First of all, thanks for hosting me on your blog. Baby Gone Bye is a stand-alone book and considered a crossover. Slightly edgier than my previous YA books which means there’s a tiny bit of R rated material – LOL! After all, babies have to be conceived … right? I’ve always wanted to write a book with a male protagonist and thought it would be fun to have Gabe, who lives with his father and three brothers, suddenly have to care for a baby girl.

DONNELL:  Gabe sounds like a standup guy.  Is he reluctant at first to take care of his daughter?  And I take it it’s not a reunion/romance as his girl pal Abby plays a major role?  Without spoiling the plot for our readers, could you elaborate?

MARILEE:  At first, Gabe is more than reluctant. The note from the baby’s mother says, “Keep her until the diapers run out,” and he can hardly wait until that happens. But then, there’s another note that changes his mind. Also, as his father points out, “She’s a Delgado. She belongs with us.” The baby’s mother remains a mystery until Gabe undergoes hypnosis to fill in the blanks.

DONNELL:  What do you find the most fun thing about writing?  What is the most difficult?

 MARILEE:  The fun part for me is coming up with the concept and actually following through to the end until I see it in print. Very rewarding. But, oh, the journey from point A to point B is full of pitfalls and detours. I never end up where I’ve planned to go, but that’s what makes it interesting. I guess you could say I’m a seat of the pants kind of writer.

DONNELL:  Is Young Adult your primary genre?  What genres have your written?

MARILEE: I’ve written two adult books. Castle Ladyslipper was my first. It’s a medieval romance set in the 12^th Century during the reign of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam is romantic suspense and features a young teacher searching for a missing student. For this book, I drew upon my experiences as a teacher and school counselor for behavior-disordered teens.

DONNELL:  You put magic in your book.  What is the most magical thing that’s ever happened to you?

MARILEE: Other than meeting my wonderful husband in college, I’d have to say the circumstances around my signing with Bell Bridge Books. I’d entered the first chapter of Moonstone in a contest, completely unaware that Debra Dixon was one of the judges. Months later, when Belle Books decided to add another imprint (Bell Bridge) they needed a YA book. Debra remembered my book from the contest and hunted me down. The book was languishing in my computer. She said, “Finish it fast and send it in.” I did and it led to a six-book contract. How’s that for magic?

DONNELL:  Pretty magical!  Do you have themes in your stories?  What do you want readers to take away from Baby Gone Bye?

MARILEE:  Yes, I try to have themes. At the beginning of Baby Gone Bye, Gabe Delgado is a typical self-centered teenage boy who doesn’t look beyond tomorrow. Once the baby lands on his doorstep, his life is changed forever. He finds out what it means to be responsible for another human being and who his real friends are. He discovers the true meaning of family. In other words, he has to grow up … fast.

MARILEE'S QUESTION FOR READERS:   Do you have any advice for 18-year-old Gabe who is suddenly the father of a baby girl?"

DONNELL:  Thank you for being with us today to talk about your new release.  Can't wait to read this one!  GLIAS readers, Marilee will be doing a book giveaway today -- book or digital US residents, For International readers, digital only.

Where to find Marilee:

http://www.marileebrothers.com/

https://www.facebook.com/marilee.author

Twitter:  @marileeB