IF I Tell- Maureen McGowan

Maureen McGowan is the author of the YA novels, Cinderella: Ninja Warrior and Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. Maureen’s always been making up stories, but sidetracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to see the light and channel her energy into writing novels. After pummeling her sensible side into submission, she quit her career in finance and hasn't looked back.


Aside from books and writing, she's passionate about art, dance, films, fine handcrafted objects and shoes. Maureen takes her shoes to a lot of movies in Toronto, Canada.

So what about secrets? Are you good at keeping secrets? Why or why not?


Maureen: Oh, I so wish I could unequivocally answer yes. I'm very good at keeping other people's secrets. Secrets where I know the person who shared the information would be devastated if I anyone else knew. But I'm not so good at keeping my own secrets. People know way too much about me.

Ha ha, I think that's awesome. I love people who tell all about themselves!! Do you easily forgive friends for their mistakes? What is something you could never forgive a friend for?

Maureen: I think I do... I can't think of any specific things (other than major crimes against people I love) that I couldn't forgive a true friend for. I suppose if a friend purposefully said something negative about me in public (online) that would be hard to forgive. But I can't really imagine any of my true friends doing that.


Let’s just go ahead and stereotype you for a moment, okay! What kind of a teen were you, as in what “group” did you associate with?
Maureen: Oh, this is a tough one for me. I hung with a bunch of groups in high school. If I have to pick one, I'll go with "brain" or "brownnoser?" I got really good grades and didn't get into much trouble. But I also was on a lot of athletic teams (jock) and was in the Musical and choir (nerd).


Jock/nerd/brownnoser. Describe your fave teen outfit.

Maureen: This will date me. I was totally into the Annie Hall look. Except more often with skirts/kilts instead of the pleated slacks she wore. (I'm too short to pull of pants like that.) Imagine me in a man's shirt, skinny tie, skirt, cable tights, loafers. Sometimes a vest over top. Occasionally a cool man's hat. That was probably my favorite teen outfit.


I think it still sounds cool. Have you seen the hats they're wearing these days. Man hats. If you could go back to high school knowing now what you didn’t know then, what is one thing you would change? What do you wish you could have told your teen self?

Maureen: I wish I could have told my teen self to have more confidence, especially around boys. I remember this one time when I was in grade 9 or 10 and in the halls after hours in my gymnastics uniform. One of the older, really popular boys smiled at me -- really smiled at me. I think I sneered back, thinking he was making fun of me in some way. Now I look at photos of me back then and totally know why he was smiling. I wish I could have realized it then. LOL.

Yeah I hear you. Listen up teen girls. You are HOT. Work it!