167 ratings | 20 reviews | avg rating:4.11

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Carol

225 books | 56 friends

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Mege Gardner

Goodreads Author

Born

Prince George's County, Maryland, USA

Website

http://blog.askyermom.com

Twitter

MegeGardner

Genre

Humor and Comedy, Historical Fiction

Member Since

September 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/askyermom

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Popular Answered Questions

Do you know when the sequel will come out? I can't wait.

Mege Gardner Hi Sally!! Thank you so much for asking!! The second book is in progress, but as you can imagine, it's a lengthy process. "Undertakers" was researched…moreHi Sally!! Thank you so much for asking!! The second book is in progress, but as you can imagine, it's a lengthy process. "Undertakers" was researched and written in one year, but the editing and rewriting took another year to complete. I expect the second book will go faster, and I hope to have it nearly complete next summer. I'm not sure if Goodreads still notifies readers of sequels, but hopefully they will let you know!!(less)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Mege Gardner The first germ of the idea came from reading a very touching remembrance written by a woman whose father had been a small town undertaker. He was a dr…moreThe first germ of the idea came from reading a very touching remembrance written by a woman whose father had been a small town undertaker. He was a dreamer and a doting dad, but he developed a reputation for being very cold and awkward at delivering bad news. He bought an old mansion with the intention to spruce it up for the family, but it never became their main home. Instead, the house was vandalized regularly and it’s undeserved reputation grew, just as his had.

My image of that misunderstood undertaker sparked with my memories of funeral home rivalries that were kept alive in my family’s history and after that, the ideas would not leave me alone.

As soon as I had written several chapters about Samuel, I realized that I didn't want him to be my main character, after all. I started all over with Helen firmly in the lead, and I'm very happy with that decision. I think she's a distinctly lovable hero.

If you enjoy the book, please let me know. If you’d rather complain about it, definitely let me know!!(less)

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Combine Editions
Mege Gardner’s books

Average rating: 4.26 · 38 ratings · 11 reviews · 4 distinct works

	Undertakers, Harlots and Other Odd Bodies: Inspired by True Events and Smothered in Blarney 4.31 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Eat Your Children: Tips and Quips from a Mom of Six 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Undertakers, Harlots, and Other Odd Bodies: Inspired by True Events and Smothered in Blarney 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Eat Your Children: Quips and Tricks from a Mom of Six 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

247 posts
Mege Gardner's Blog

Tunnel of Love

If you saw me hugging a strange man on the Route I95 shoulder, I can explain. It's either the next step in making peace with traffic problems or the next step in madness. Maybe there is no difference.

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Published on February 27, 2026 07:08

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Mege is Currently Reading

Mege Gardner is currently reading

Stoner

by John Williams

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Nov 12, 2024 05:30PM

Mege Gardner is currently reading

Then We Came to the End

by Joshua Ferris (Goodreads Author)

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Apr 22, 2019 08:49AM

Mege Gardner is currently reading

Peg Plunkett: Memoirs of a Whore

by Julie Peakman

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Feb 06, 2019 12:22PM

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Mege’s Recent Updates

Mege Gardner wrote a new blog post Tunnel of Love If you saw me hugging a strange man on the Route I95 shoulder, I can explain. It's either the next step in making peace with traffic problems or the n Read more of this blog post »
Feb 28, 2026 05:13AM · like
Mege Gardner finished reading Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself by Lisa Marchiano (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 17, 2024 07:27AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Motherhood by Lisa Marchiano. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Motherhood by Lisa Marchiano <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mege Gardner is currently reading Stoner by John Williams	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 12, 2024 05:30PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Stoner by John Williams. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Stoner by John Williams <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mege Gardner is currently reading Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself by Lisa Marchiano (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 12, 2024 05:29PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Motherhood by Lisa Marchiano. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Motherhood by Lisa Marchiano <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mege Gardner rated a book it was amazing Circe by Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Beautifully written, it gave me fantastic and frightening dreams.
Nov 12, 2024 05:24PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Circe by Madeline Miller. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Circe by Madeline Miller <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Mege Gardner has read Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 11, 2024 12:07AM · like

More of Mege's books…

Quotes by Mege Gardner (?)

“No amount of fun had killed her, but she had to approach pleasure with that grim certainty that it might.”
― Mege Gardner, Undertakers, Harlots and Other Odd Bodies: Inspired by True Events and Smothered in Blarney

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Mege’s Quotes

“If you want to see how far we have not come from the cave and the woods, from the lonely and dangerous days of the prarie or the plain, witness the reaction of a modern suburban family, nearly ready for bed, when the doorbell rings or the door is rattled. They will stop where they stand, or sit bolt upright in their beds, as if a streak of pure lightning has passed through the house. Eyes wide, voices fearful, they will whisper to each other, "There's someone at the door," in a way that might make you believe they have always feared and anticipated this moment - that they have spent their lives being stalked.”
― Alice McDermott