Seven things I'd like my readers to know about me by Meghan Masterson

1.) I don’t have a stomach. It was removed because I had gastric cancer. Now everyone always asks me how I eat, and the answer is mostly the same, but less at a time and more frequently. Fun fact, most digestion happens in the small intestine and my food just goes straight there now.

2.) I can drink coffee at any time of day and still sleep. My legendary caffeine tolerance has nothing to do with my lack of a stomach though. I’m just glad that tolerance stayed with me after surgery.

3.) I’ve never been to Paris. I studied lots of French history while researching The Queen’s Dressmaker though, and I’d love to visit someday. I’m especially looking forward to seeing Versailles, and imagining my characters walking the hallways. My next book, coming out in August, also takes place in Paris, so clearly I have a fascination.

4.) I love archery. I went to an archery range once on a whim, and fell in love with the sport. Now I have my own vintage recurve bow and practice target shooting whenever I can. It took some practice to be able to string the bow, too!

5.) I grew up on a farm. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I love animals and have some random farm skills related to them, like being able to drive a team of horses and milk a cow. I will admit, though, that I am not very good at milking a cow.

6.) I wanted to be a vet. Well, and also a writer. But I knew being an author isn’t the most stable career, so I thought I’d take care of animals, too. It turns out I struggled too much with the math requirements (writer brain!) for vet school. Instead, I have a much more suitable office job that I enjoy.

7.) I don’t have pierced ears. I never thought this was particularly odd, but based on the number of times I’ve had comments or received earrings as Christmas presents, I guess it’s unexpected.