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An Interview with Melissa Mayhue

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An Interview with Melissa Mayhue

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome the wonderful Melissa Mayhue as our guest today.

Melissa just released Warrior Reborn, her newest book in her Warrior series.  We posted our review of Warrior Reborn yesterday. 

Let’s begin our interview with Melissa.

Hi Melissa. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book. We are big fans of your book, and it is a pleasure to have you here at The Reading Café.

TRC: Will you please tell us about yourself?

Melissa: This is always the hardest question I get! Truly, I am one of the most uninteresting people I know. Maybe that’s why I spend so much time in my own imaginary worlds!  I love writing – obviously! – and the research involved in the writing. In fact, I’m such a research nerd, I have to really be strict with myself not to get lost in that part of preparing for the stories. In addition to writing, I love to travel and hunt down my family genealogy [which feeds my joy for research]. I love spending time with my grandsons and, of course, reading has always been a passion. My favorite way to unwind is playing games on Facebook, which is why I maintain a personal page [for the games] and an Author Page where I can connect with the readers who don’t want to see all the game updates.  I live in Northern Colorado with my husband and two wonderful Boston Terriers who are so much like kids that my husband jokes if we’d bought them first, we might not have three sons! 🙂

TRC: When and how did you become interested in writing? Have you always liked to write?

Melissa: Because I’ve always been a reader, I think there has always been a part of me that wanted to be a writer. Especially when I’d read a book that didn’t end the way I wanted it to! I attempted my first book when I was around thirteen… and gave up after only a few pages because it was HARD!  But I’ve been inventing stories since I was really young and playing with my Barbie dolls!

TRC: How did you come up with the idea of Daughters of the Glen series? Was 30 Nights with a Highlander your first book?

Melissa: Thirty Nights was my first book. It had been percolating around in the back of my brain for years and when we went to Scotland on vacation, it just sort of forced its way out! I always loved reading fantasy and romance, so I knew whatever I wrote would have to include those elements. And it HAD to have my Happy Ever After! I loved time travel and historical and paranormal romances, so when I found myself sitting in a place called The Fairy Glen, well, it all just fell into place.

TRC: I love the time-traveling theme in DOTG. How did you come up with that idea?

Melissa: I had been reading a lot of time travel romance before I sat down to write that story. Flora Speer, Diana Gabaldon, Karen Marie Moning, Terri Brisbin and so, so many other wonderful authors shaped my love for the genre in the years before I began working on Thirty Nights. Time Travel just seemed the perfect fit for me to combine my love of historical and my love of fantasy.

TRC: Warrior Redemption was the first book in your new Warrior series. Why did you decide to spin this off from DOTG, rather then make it part of the same series?

Melissa: We were already eight books into the DOTG series and with Warrior’s Redemption we were adding a whole new dimension of magic into the stories. It seemed like a good thing to do. I didn’t want it to be an entirely NEW series [thus the “spin-off”] because there are still too many characters from the older books who are nagging to have their stories told! 🙂

TRC: On that same note, will we get to see our favorites again from Daughters of Glen? There are so many wonderful characters ( Dair, Sim, Dallyn) that still need their story told, not to mention the wonderful children, such as Rosie, to come in the future.

Melissa: As long as the readers keep buying the books, I’ll keep telling the stories of the characters who keep speaking to me!

TRC: Warrior Reborn, which was just recently released on October 30th, is the second book of the Warrior series. Can you tell us the premise of this story, and who are the heroine and hero?

Melissa: The hero in this story is a young man who was only mentioned in the DOTG series, Chase Noble. [Interestingly enough, I’ve gotten LOTS of emails from readers wanting to know more about him ever since he first showed up!]. Chase has basically spent his life on his own since his mother’s death, never giving up on believing in the promise his father [a full-blood Faerie] made to him. He’s spent the last decade searching, unsuccessfully, for the place he belongs. He just didn’t realize the place the Fae had chosen for him was seven hundred years in the past!

The heroine is Christiana MacDowylt, who readers met in Warrior’s Redemption. When she assured her brother that she’d already seen the man who would save her, it was Chase she was talking about. Her only problem is how to get him from his time to hers.

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble/ The Book Depository /

TRC: What are you working on now?

Melissa: I’m working on the third full book in the Warrior Series, which doesn’t really have a title yet. [I’m playing with Warrior Untamed, but I’m not sure it will stick]. It’s the story of two characters you’ll meet in Warrior Reborn, so I won’t go into a lot of detail right now. Don’t want to ruin any surprises!

TRC: What is your writing process? Do you have a favorite spot or time? Do you like to outline your stories or just go with the flow?

Melissa: I begin with a rough idea of who my characters are and what their major obstacles will be but, other than that, the stories come as they come. 🙂

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Melissa: I’d love to invite your readers to stop by my Website if they have time. www.MelissaMayhue.com. On there they’ll find family genealogy charts for the characters and information about my research and the stories/mythologies that inspired many bits and pieces of the books. They can also sign up for my newsletter which is where I conduct all contests when I have a new release.


LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: – Chicken Fried steak and French fries with white cream gravy [any wonder I have a weight problem???]

Favorite Dessert: – Chocolate Lava cake [ditto the above comment]

Favorite Author: – There are just too, too many whose work I love to even attempt to narrow this down! And it changes all the time, depending on whose book I just read!!  Though I will admit to having books by Mary Stewart, Douglas Adams, and Charlaine Harris on my Forever Keeper Shelf.

Favorite Movie: Varies depending on the mood I’m in. The American President and The 13th Warrior are two that are always on my Keeper List. [Unless it’s close to Christmas and then, bar none, it’s The Christmas Story].

Favorite TV Show: It’s a tie. The Newsroom [because the characters banter is quick and witty and you really have to pay attention] and Restaurant Impossible [because it usually makes me cry – in a good way].

Milk or Dark Chocolate: No hesitation here. Milk chocolate. Definitely milk chocolate

Favorite character (male & female) not written by you:
Female: Kate Schechter – in Douglas Adams’ Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul
Male: Thor – same book

Melissa: As a matter of fact, though this is supposed to be the lightening round, it was that book that ultimately made me decide to sit down and write my first book. I felt just one more chapter in that book and Adams could have given me the Happy Ever After I wanted. But, no matter how many times I read it [and I have read it MANY times] it never morphed into the romance is should have been. 🙂

TRC: Thank you, Melissa for answering our questions. We look forward to continuing to read your books, and to work with you in the future.

Melissa: Thank you so much for hosting me here today and allowing me to chat with your readers!!

If you would like to learn more about Melissa, you can find her at the following links:

Website: http://www.melissamayhue.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Melissa has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of their choice of one book from her backlist (Daughters of the Glen or Warrior’s Redemption)

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say Hi to Melissa

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. & Canada Only

5.  Contest runs from November 14th – November 17th

 

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An Interview with Crista McHugh

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An Interview with Crista McHugh

 

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Crista McHugh our guest today.

Crista is here today to discuss her new book, just recently released, as well as to tell us a little bit about herself.

Let’s meet Crista.

 

Hi Crista and welcome to The Reading Café.  We would like to start with some background information.

TRC: Please tell us something about yourself?

Crista: In real life, I’m a doctor and a mother of 2 small children (which may explain some of my insanity). I refer to writing as “therapy”. In the past, I’ve some odd jobs like being a morgue attendant and autopsy assistant. I’ve also been a contestant on Jeopardy

TRC: Have you always been interested in writing?

Crista: Always. I’m a Southerner, and we’re known for our tall tales. I wrote my first book while in high school (which will never see the light of day, thank heavens), and even when I had to step away from writing in med school and residency, I still couldn’t shake the stories from my mind.

TRC: Is there anything (in general) you find particularly challenging about writing?

Crista: Finding time to write. I’m a doctor with two small children (a 3yo daughter and 5mo son), so my time to write is usually on my one day off or when my sitter comes over on Saturday mornings. The next challenge would the middle of the story. I know how to open the book, and I know how I want it to end, but it’s all the little details and character growth in the middle I find challenging. I want a smooth journey from beginning to end, but I don’t want the reader to fall asleep.

TRC: What was your first book published?  Can you tell us your reaction to seeing your first book published?

Crista: That’s a tricky question since I was epublished with shorter works for several years before I sold my first “novel”. The first book I actually had in print was The Tears of Elios, which was the first book I finished once I really got serious about writing for publication. I admit, I petted the cover quite a bit. Regardless of the how the story was published, there’s always that small, heart-stopping thrill when I first see my name on the cover.


TRC: Can you please tell us the premise of your new novel, Tangled Web, which is the first book in your Diezian Empire series?

Crista: In a brief sentence, Stargate meets Ancient Rome (or, if you want, Game of Thrones meets Fifty Shades of Grey, but without the incest and improperly used kitchen utensils). The deadliest assassin in the empire finds herself caught in a tangled web of lust, lies, and politics and is faced with the dilemma of killing the man she loves or placing both their lives in danger.

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon /Barnes and Noble / Book Depository / Books a Million

TRC: You have the second book of your Soulbearer Trilogy series being released…”A Soul of Chaos”.  Can you please tell us the premise of this series, as well as A Soul of Chaos?

Crista: The Soulbearer Trilogy revolves around Arden (aka, “Trouble”), a witch who unintentionally finds herself as the Soulbearer for the disembodied god of chaos, Loku. The benefit? She can channel his power. The downside? She can’t get him out of her head, and he’s threatening to drive her insane. Each book in the series focuses on one of the three main characters. A Soul For Chaos is Dev’s book. He’s Arden’s protector, a man who never let anything compromise his duty… until he met her. Now, he’s torn between his vow to protect her and his growing feelings for her, and his life is utter chaos.

TRC: You write Paranormal and Fantasy.  Do you have a preference?

Crista: Fantasy, without a doubt. My fantasy will always have a touch of romance in it, but I’m allowed to have more fun with the world-building in fantasy. Mages and knight and elves are interesting to me than vampires, and I like the broader scope of the story I’m allowed to tell.

TRC: Your website lists a number of open projects.  Would you like to tell us about what we have to look forward to?

Crista: I had a bit of a challenge writing the sequel to Tangled Web, but I’m really proud of how it turned out. And I’m looking forward to wrapping up the Soulbearer Trilogy (which will be Kell’s book). After I finish that, I’ll start working on the sequel to The Tears of Elios, which so many of my readers have emailing me about. There will be some familiar characters from the first book, but the story will focus on Seron, a character who made a few brief appearances in Tears. I’m also toying around with a few non-fantasy ideas, including a spicy contemporary romance and half-finished historical romance.

TRC: Do you have a favorite female or male character from your books, if so why?

Crista: My favorite female characters to write have been Ranealya (from Tears), Oni (from The Alchemy of Desire) and Azurha. All three of these women have been intense, independent, and “outsiders”. I loved their strength and their journey to find true love. As for male characters, Gergor (from Tears) will always hold a special place in my heart because there are little things about him that remind me of my husband. Dev (from the Soulbearer Trilogy) has been another I’ve come to love because the way his character has been tested and the way he’s grown throughout it all.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information between each other and their family and spouses.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Crista: I’m blessed with a circle of writing friends (Dani Monsch, Anna Alexander, and Gwen Mitchell) that listen to my crazy ideas and let me know if going too far out in left field. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with some great editors who’ve helped me refine my ideas through the editing process.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Crista: A big thank you for having me over today. 🙂

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: pasta

Favorite Dessert: brownies

Favorite TV show: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Favorite Movie: Ever After

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark

Favorite Author: I plead the 5th (too many to name)

Favorite Literary Character (male & female) not your own: Hermione Granger

Thank you, Crista, for taking the time to answer our questions.  The Reading Café wishes you good luck with both Tangled Web & A Soul for Chaos.

If you want to know more about Crista, you can find her at the following links:

Website:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Crista has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of Tangled Web.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open to U.S. or Canada only

4.  Contest runs from November 10th – November 13th.

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Interview with Thea Harrison

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Interview with Thea Harrison


The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome the wonderful Thea Harrison as our guest today.

Thea just released Lord’s Fall, her newest book in her Elder Races series.  We posted our review of Lord’s Fall yesterday.   

Let’s begin our interview with Thea.

 

 

Hi Thea.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today.  We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

Thea: Hi, thank you for having me today!  I’m excited to be here with you.

TRC: Will you please tell us about yourself?

Thea: I am a complete nerd, always have been, and much less conservative than almost anyone else in my family.  Rather to their dismay, I might add!  I was a single parent for many years, and when my daughter went away to college, I decided to go back to school as well.  I ended up with a degree in Philanthropic Studies, and another one in Library Information Science, but ended up returning to writing full time instead of pursuing either professionally.

TRC: When and how did you become interested in writing?  Have you always liked to write?

Thea: I’ve always been interested, and when I was a teenager, I grew convinced that I could write romances like so many of the popular authors in the seventies.  I ended up writing my first romance when I was nineteen.  It was accepted by Harlequin Mills & Boon in the UK.  I was completely euphoric.

TRC: Many writers bounce ideas and information with a family member, a friend or another writer.  Who inspires you?  Do you have a muse?

Thea: I get inspiration from all different kinds of sources, but I have few people to bounce ideas and information around with.  My agent Amy is my primary sounding board, although I have developed a relationship with a few of my trusted beta readers where I believe they would welcome and enjoy having brainstorming sessions with me.  I hope to give that a try sometime soon!

TRC: On your Website it states that you wrote your first book at the age of 19, and have written 16 romance novels under the pen name of Amanda Carpenter. Then you stopped writing for a few years.  Why did you stop writing, and was it difficult to resume again years later?

Thea: Parenthood, other interests, and school took me away, and I did other things for several years until I wrote Dragon Bound in 2009 and returned to writing full time.  I dabbled a few times with some projects over those years but could never get anything off the ground.  However when I finally sat down to write Dragon Bound, the book flowed almost effortlessly.

TRC: When you started the Elder Races, with Dragon Bound, did you know at that point how far you wanted to go in this series?  How many books do you plan for this series?

Thea: When I wrote Dragon Bound, I had hoped maybe somebody might be interested in a sequel someday.  I had a very small vision at that point in time—and was incredulous and utterly thrilled to be offered a three book contract.  Now I’ve finished writing book six, which is Aryal’s story, and I’ve plotted ahead to book ten, so I’m ready and excited to see where I can take the series next.

TRC: Lord’s Fall was released this past Tuesday, November 6th. . Can you tell us a little about the premise of this story?

Thea: Essentially Lord’s Fall continues where Oracle’s Moon left off, not with the same characters, of course, but with the events in the Elder Races world.  Throughout the series, the pressures on Dragos and Pia, who are the original couple from Dragon Bound, continue to build.  Lord’s Fall returns to them to answer the many questions that have built up for readers, and also to address all those pressures that the Wyr demesne faces.

 LINKS TO ORDER
Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes and Noble

TRC: We also have read that you have a dark romantic fantasy series that you are planning to write.  Would you care to tell us a little about it?

Thea: The Game of Shadows stories, Rising Darkness and Fallen Light, aren’t quite a series per se but a duology.  The books have been bought by Berkley, and now I’m looking at doing revisions for Rising Darkness, which is scheduled for release in April 2013.

TRC: Will you continue with the Elder Races series, when you start your new series?

Thea: Absolutely!

TRC:  Yayyyyyyyyyy!  🙂

TRC: Who is your favorite male character in your books?

Thea: Oh, I love them all!  It’s no lie that my favorite male character is the one I’m currently writing about—whoever that might be.  I love getting into each male’s head to see what makes him tick.

TRC: Who is your favorite Female Character in your books?

Thea: I’m afraid the same answer applies for the females too!

TRC: What are you currently working on?

Thea: I am working on something super-duper secret.  Nobody but my agent Amy knows what it is.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Thea: Just another thank you for a great Q&A!  It’s been fun!

Thank you, Thea for answering our questions. Good luck with Lord’s Fall. We look forward to continuing to read your books, and to work with again you in the future.

If you want to learn more about Thea, you can visit her at the following sites:
Website: http://theaharrison.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Thea has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of their choice of one of the first four books in her Elder Races series (Dragon Bound, Storm’s Heart, Serpent’s Kiss or Oracle’s Moon)

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say Hi to Thea

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. & Canada Only

5.  Contest runs from November 9th – November 12th.

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An Interview with Sandy Williams

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An Interview with Sandy Williams

The Reading Cafe is happy to have Sandy Williams as our guest today. Before we meet Sandy, let’s find out more about her.

Sandy graduated from Texas A&M University with a double major in political science and history. She thought about attending law school. Fortunately, before handing over her life’s savings, she realized case studies weren’t nearly as interesting as novels and decided to get an MA in Library Science instead. She worked as a librarian until her husband whisked her off to London on an extended business trip. She’s now back home in Texas, writing full-time, raising twin boys, and squeezing in time to play geeky board and card games like Settlers of Catan, Dominion, and Runebound.

Let’s begin our Interview.
Hi Sandy.  Thank you for taking the time today, to answer some questions for your fans at The Reading Café.  We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about yourself? 

Sandy: Sure! I’m the author of The Shadow Reader, my first published book. I write urban fantasy with strong romantic subplots and have hopes to also write science fiction romance. I’m also a big fan of epic fantasies like the Lies of Locke Lamorra by Scott Lynch and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, so those books influence my writing as well.

I’ve been a reader all my life and still love to curl up with a good book. I don’t get to read as much as I would like to anymore because of deadlines and my twin boys, but it’s still my favorite way to unwind.

TRC: Did you always have an interest in writing?  When and how did you first start writing?

Sandy: Yes, I’ve played around with writing since elementary school, when I started (but never finished) writing and illustrating (I’m so NOT an artist!) my first book called The Adventures of Yoyo and Dodo in… Walt Disney World! I planned to write a series of books about those two calico cats and the trouble they got into.

I don’t think I finished a chapter of that book, but I kept writing off and on. It was a hobby throughout high school and college. I always wanted to publish a book, but I didn’t think of writing as a career option until after college. That’s when I became determined to actually finish a book. And that’s when I started researching how to get published. I learned so much while I was struggling to finish my first book, and I met some really fabulous aspiring authors, too. I’m grateful for the rejection letters I received because they gave me time to learn the craft of writing and to develop those friendships.

TRC: Your have quite a resume with doubling in Political Sciences and History, as well as your Masters in Library Science.  Have you been able to apply any of your acquired knowledge into your writing?

Sandy: I don’t think there’s anything specific that I’ve applied to my writing, but having a general love of history and politics has helped me develop some of the conflicts in my stories. I love to add in a political dimension to my books – not too much because that can quickly become cumbersome and boring.

TRC: How were you notified that The Shadow Reader was to be published?  What was your reaction when you saw your first published book?

Sandy: Oh, that was such a horrible day! It ended up being one of the best days of my life, of course, but I remember being so upset I almost didn’t answer my phone when my agent called.

A bunch of different things were piling up on me, and I was fighting with my stupid laptop which refused to burn a CD I needed to send to a doctor. I was close to tears before I answered my agent’s call, and when she told me we had an offer, all I could say was, “Really?” I must have said really a hundred times in five minutes. Afterwards, I called my husband. I started crying so hard when I tried to tell him I had an offer, so I ended up just saying, “I’m okay. I’m okay,” between tears because I didn’t want him to think somebody had died!

It didn’t seem real. Even a year later, when I saw my book sitting on a shelf at Barnes & Noble, I could hardly believe it. I’m not sure I even believe it now. I know this is cliché, but it’s totally a dream come true.

TRC: You consider your writing genre as Urban Fantasy.  How do you explain to someone-what is Urban Fantasy literature?

Sandy: My super short answer – the one I use most often because people’s eyes tend to glaze over with the long answer – is that urban fantasy books contain magic or magical beings that live and work in the real world. There are, of course, many subgenres of urban fantasy, but I think the short definition covers them all pretty well.

TRC: THE SHADOW READER, released in October 2011, is your first URBAN FANTASY book to be published.  Will you tell us something about the premise of the book?

Sandy: The Shadow Reader is about McKenzie, a fairly normal human who gets caught up in a fae civil war. I always stress the “fairly normal” part of the premise because, when I was writing the book, it was important to me to make McKenzie act and think like any twenty-six year old college student would. I hope that makes readers identify with her more.

I think McKenzie’s normalness makes her unique to the genre, though. Most women in urban fantasy are physically strong. They kick the bad guys’ butts up and down the street, cast powerful spells, or summon demons to do their dirty work. McKenzie gets her butt kicked more than she kicks butt, but that doesn’t stop her from fighting for her friends and for what she believes in. She’s strong mentally and emotionally.

She does have a special ability, though. Not only can she see the fae, but she can track them when they fissure – or teleport – from one place to another by reading their shadows. McKenzie is the best at what she does – the fae she tracks are almost always captured or killed – but she thinks her ability is overrated when compared to the magics of the fae.

TRC: Will you tell us about the premise of the Shadow Reader series?   How did you come up with the idea for this series, and how long did it take for you to write this book? 

Sandy: The book originated from one scene that had been stuck in my head for a few years: I saw a girl dangling over the side of a building. Her grip was slipping, and the only way she could save her life was to accept help from her enemy, who was grinning down at her.

I intended that scene to be part of a science fiction romance novel, where the heroine had the special ability to track spaceships when they disappeared into another galaxy. But I was on an urban fantasy reading kick, and I’d just finished writing a vampire book, so I decided, what the heck. Let’s see if this works as a UF.

I’m so glad I made it work! Once I started writing the first scene of The Shadow Reader, the rest of the book flowed.

Well, it sort of flowed. It took me a year to write it, and that’s not counting the revisions I did for my agent and later for my editor. I’ve been averaging a book a year for the last four years. I’m hoping to increase that rate to two books a year in 2013.

 

TRC: THE SHATTERED DARK will be the 2nd novel in this series to be released October 30, 2012.  Will you tell us something about the premise of this book, and what is in store for McKenzie Lewis?

Sandy: At the end of The Shadow Reader, McKenzie has hopes that the violence in the Realm will settle down and that she’ll be able to live a more normal, less chaotic life. But two weeks after the big fight at the Silver Palace, she learns that her best friend, a human who knows nothing about the fae or the Realm, has been abducted by her enemies. McKenzie has to get her back, and she has to find a way to end the new wave of violence that’s threatening the life of the fae
she loves.

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER
Amazon / The Book Depository /Barnes and Noble

TRC: How many books do you have planned for The Shadow Reader series?

Sandy: I’m a big fan of trilogies, so I have one more book planned in The Shadow Reader series. No title or details yet, but it should come out in the late fall of 2013.

TRC: With your first series being Urban Fantasy, have you considered writing another series, under a different genre?

Sandy: I’d love to write science fiction romance. To me, it’s like writing urban fantasy that’s set in space. And since my books always contain a romantic subplot, I can see me one day being published as paranormal romance as well.   

TRC: What are you working on today?

Sandy: I’m working on the third Shadow Reader novel. It’s due in November. I’ll probably take a writing break in December then work on copy edits. After that, it’s on to something new! 

TRC: Many authors have friends or family, that they bounce ideas and information back and forth.  Is your husband involved with your writing process? 

Sandy: My husband would probably rather not be involved in my writing process, but I occasionally give him a page or two to read to see if a scene did what I wanted it to do, and he always reads my books when I finish them.

I don’t really bounce ideas off of anyone unless you count my agent and editor. Their feedback is invaluable. They definitely make the finished books better than the first drafts!

TRC: Do you have a favorite author or book that has inspired you? 

Sandy: I’m a huge, huge fan of Linnea Sinclair. She writes science fiction romance that appeals to the urban fantasist in me. And I’ve also fallen in love with Joanna Bourne’s historical romances. Pretty much all of the books I rave about have a strong romance in them. It’s weird. Five, six years ago, nothing I read had romance in it, but once I started reading them, I couldn’t go back to the straight sci-fi or straight fantasy books. I always feel like they’re missing something.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Sandy: I’d just like to say thanks for having me! I really respect and appreciate bloggers and book reviewers – you all do so much for authors. And, as a reader, I love reading your
opinions and getting recommendations.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Freebirds Burritos!

Favorite Dessert: Soft chocolate chip cookies!

Favorite TV Show: Downton Abbey. Sooo good!

Favorite Movie: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Last Book You Read: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Tyrion Lannister. So clever and sarcastic!

Milk or Dark Chocolate: Milk chocolate. Yum!

Thank you Sandy, for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you the best of luck with The Shattered Dark.  Please keep us informed about your upcoming new releases, as we look forward to seeing you again.

 If you would like to learn more about Sandy, you can visit her at the following links.

Website: http://sandy-williams.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:
Sandy has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of The Shattered Dark.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open to U.S. Only

4.  Contest runs from October 30th – November 3rd.


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An Interview with Elise Marion

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An Interview with Elise Marion


The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Elise Marion as our guest today.

Elise is here to talk to us about her books, as well as telling us a bit about herself.

Let’s meet Elise.

Hi Elise.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC: Will you please tell us about yourself?

Elise: Thank you so much for having me today! I’m just a girl from a small town who loves books and the written word. I’m a young mother of 2 and Army wife who spends her time at home balancing the housework and mom work with writer work.

TRC: Have you always been interested in writing?

Elise: I think that it definitely began as a love for reading. I was that kid on the playground sitting in the sandbox with their nose in a book. After a while, the flair for storytelling came out and I’ve been writing since I was 12. Throughout high school I discovered romance…although I had to hide them from my disapproving parents…and penned a bunch of very cheesy stories back in those days. I’m still at it, although hopefully with a lot less ‘cheese’.

TRC: Is there anything (in general) you find particularly challenging about writing?

Elise: I think the difficult part, at least for me, is those moments when things just aren’t flowing. Call it writer’s block if you want, but there are just times when I have to walk away from the computer and take a personal day. There are days when everything that comes off of my keyboard is crap and I have to wipe a whole chapter clean and start over. The good thing about this, is that a writer can learn a lot in these moments. By going back and fixing our mistakes or reworking  bad scene, even when we’re emotionally attached to it, we can grow and become better. It also takes a lot to walk away from a project long enough to get some perspective if its needed. Critique partners are also a big help. Criticism is definitely needed. A writer just can’t stay inside their little bubble and revel in how great they think they are. At the end of the day it’s not about how great you think you are, but how great others think your work is. Trust me, the ego shows if not properly checked.

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you like to write at specific times, in a special place?

Elise: I don’t have the leisure of a writing process. With a houseful of kids, dogs, and a rowdy husband, I have to do what I can. My favorite time of day is naptime because both my kids are asleep and the house is quiet. I do a lot of late night writing too, but if I need to get work done, I have no problem with writing in the midst of the chaos. I have learned how to tune it out when necessary.

TRC: What was your first novel that you published, and can you please describe your reactions when you saw your first book published?

Elise: My first book was ‘The Third Son’, the Historical/Fantasy that started the series we’re discussing today. That book is my baby. I worked on that book for over a year, even picking it back up when a thumb drive wiped out the first half of the book after months of writing. That was a pretty crushing defeat, but I didn’t stop. I wrote that book and couldn’t wait to publish it. My mistake was in getting my hopes too high, I think. The big house publishers are out to make money, and are more interested in moving ‘units’ then getting behind unique stories. If they can’t find a ‘market’ or fit your book into a ‘genre’ then they aren’t going to take the chance that they could lose money on you. And in this economy, they are taking even fewer risks. I have a feeling that if I had made this book a regency and turned my Prince into a Duke, I could have got it sold. But I stuck with what I had created because I believed in it, even though it got me about a year’s worth of rejection letters from agents and publishers.

Fast forward to June 2011 when I received a Kindle at my baby shower. I downloaded so many independently published books that it got me curious about how one got into the business of publishing themselves. Needless to say, after researching and weeks of preparation I got that baby on Amazon. Let me tell you, it’s a heady feeling. That moment when I did an Amazon search for my name and that book popped up brought me to tears. It’s been a roller coaster ride ever since, with me writing full time at home and working to carve out a name for myself in this industry. I’ve never been happier.

TRC: The Lady Knight of Barony is a set of three novellas, which is part of the Kings of Cardenas series. We understand Gypsy Rose will be the next book in this series.  How many books do you plan in this series, and how did you come up with the idea for this series?

Elise: ‘The Third Son’ was written as a standalone. I had intended to move on to something else when it was finished, but then the secondary characters started to talk to me. They wanted their stories told! What followed was The Second Son, The Lady Knights of Barony, and now, hopefully by the end of this year, Gypsy Rose. I plan to go up to 6 books, telling the story of each major secondary character introduced in the first book.

It all started with a prince, the hero of The Third Son. In my mind I got this vision of a man who is unbelievably gorgeous, rich, and has everything, but in his heart, nothing. It isn’t until he meets a Gypsy girl that his life begins to mean something, and by that time a plot against the royal family threatens to wreck his life as he knows it. Around these two, I created a fictional kingdom with a decadent, European feel. This world came alive to me and I wasn’t ready to leave it. So I continued the story through the eyes of others and it became bigger than I ever thought it would. I never thought it would lead to a 6 book series.

TRC: Would you please tell us the premise behind The Lady Knights of Barony?

Elise: Anybody who has read ‘The Second Son’, book 2 in the series, was introduced to the lady’s regiment. The kingdom of Barony was at war, those loyal to the crown versus the rebels wanting to overthrow the government. For their part in winning that war, four women were knighted for their bravery—the very first females of the realm to hold the titles. Their land is at peace and they are settling into their lives, still together as a unit.

Trouble comes when a rash of kidnappings spreads out over the kingdom. When their captain is taken, the ladies are fighting for their lives, their sisterhood, and individually, for love. Each of these strong-willed women will learn that following your heart does not make you weak. Quite the opposite, as it takes great strength to truly love someone.

What I loved most about writing this book, is the multicultural characters. I did a lot of research on women warriors of the past and based the African and Japanese characters on the Dahomey Amazons and Japanese onna bugeisha (female equivalent of the samurai), respectively. The rich cultural flavor added into this book gripped me and I tried to pour as much as I learned into it as I could. I wanted people to know where these women came from, to see true feminine strength in them. It was definitely the most challenging, but also the most fun, aspect of writing this book.

TRC: You have written in many genres.. Historical,Paramormal, Contemporary and Erotic Romance.  Do you have a preference between them?  Which of these genres do you find most difficult to write?

Elise: Historical is definitely my first love. It is always my first genre of choice when buying books. There is just something that appeals to me about a world where women were ladies and men were gentlemen. The opulence of nobility and royalty is of particular interest to me, as you will find when you read the Kings of Cardenas series.

I do write a little bit of everything, as I am a person who is very eclectic and I love variety.

TRC: What are you currently working on?

Elise: I am working on the last book in my Paranormal series, ‘Angels Among Us’. That particular series is a trilogy of novels about love between angels and humans.

I am also working on ‘Gypsy Rose’, the next book in the Kings of Cardenas series.

I like to work on more than one project at a time to keep things interesting. I can typically write a novella at the same time as a novel if I alternate between the two. It all depends on my mood at the time.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with family and friends.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Elise: I am very fortunate to have a group of very talented authors as friends. There are three in particular that I work with a lot. We send each other our books and do critiques, we beta-read each other’s work, we gripe about bad reviews and laugh over the funny things we see online. It’s important to have these kinds of people around, I think. Every writer should have at least one confidant. We help each other to grow, keep each other at the top of our game. There is no competition there, even though we write in the same genres. It’s all love and support.

TRC: What books, authors or people in your life have influenced your writing?

Elise: I think I have been heavily influenced by the Historical greats: Johanna Lindsey, Virginia Henley, Julia Quinn, Julie Garwood, just to name a few. As far as books go, I don’t think they influence so much as they inspire.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Italian

Favorite Dessert: My aunt’s peach cobbler

Favorite Author: Julia Quinn

Favorite Novel: The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Favorite Movie: Chicago

Favorite TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy

Milk or Dark Chocolate: Dark, of course!

Thank you Elise, for answering our questions. The Reading Café wishes you the best of luck with The Lady Knights of Barony, as well as your upcoming books.

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An Interview with Maureen McGowan

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An Interview with Maureen McGowan

The Reading Cafe is happy to have the wonderful Maureen McGowan as our guest today. 

This Tuesday, Maureen is releasing Deviants, her first book in her new YA series, The Dust Chronicles. Our review of Deviants is the post below this Intervew.

Maureen is here today to discuss her new book, as well as to tell us a little bit about herself.

Let’s meet Maureen.

 

Hi  Maureen.  Welcome to The Reading Café. We appreciate you coming by to answer our questions. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC:   Please tell us something about yourself?

MAUREEN: I have a Masters of Accounting degree and my previous career moved me from my home in Canada to California and Philadelphia for a decade. I’m now settled in Toronto, where I love the vibrant arts scene, the ethnic diversity and attending the Toronto International Film Festival. (Toronto tourism should pay me for advertising!)

TRC: Have you always had an interest in writing?  When did you first start writing?

MAUREEN: I always enjoyed writing and painting and acting, and wanted to pursue something creative for as long as I can remember, but since I was a good student, my parents and teachers counseled me away from the Arts. For better or worse, I listened—and somehow ended up in accounting!—but I never stopped writing. I became more serious about my writing after taking a break from my previous career and signing up for some classes. I soon found a fabulous group of critique partners, (who’ve become close friends), and I haven’t looked back. Better late than never, right?

TRC: What is the name of the first novel you ever published?  Please tell us how you felt, when your first book was accepted by a publisher.

MAUREEN: The first novel I had published was CINDERELLA: NINJA WARRIOR. The news that it was going to be published came with an almost impossible deadline to finish it, so I didn’t have a lot of time to celebrate! But once it finally sunk in, I was thrilled. I got chills the first time I saw it in a book store!

TRC: What did you find to be the biggest challenge in writing your novels, not to mention publishing them.

MAUREEN: In writing, the biggest challenge for me is working through the times when I don’t think the story is working, the days when I lose confidence. In contrast, the days when the words are flowing and my fingers are flying are magical. I have to remember those on the bad days.

Publishing is a whole other story. It’s not for the faint of heart. 🙂 Let’s just say that the life of an author and the publishing process bear little resemblance to how they’re portrayed in movies. But doing interviews like this and meeting readers makes up for all the frustrations and disappointments that come with publishing.

TRC: You have written two series in different genres.  You have one that is a fairytale adventure romance, and the other is a post-apocalyptic thriller.  The fairytale is intended for middle school, and the new Dust Chronicles looks to be YA.  Which genre do you find most difficult to write and which genre are you the most comfortable writing?

MAUREEN: I absolutely love young adult fiction. I love the fast pacing, the tight storytelling and the wide-ranging types of stories being published these days for the YA market. I also love that YA books blur genre lines. For example, it’s very common to mix, say, sci-fi, suspense, romance and fantasy all in a single novel. That’s less possible in the adult world where publishers want to understand where to shelve your work before you even write it. For an author, it’s fabulous to let your imagination run free—and that’s possible in YA.

The recent batch of YA novels might be about teens, but they certainly aren’t written exclusively for teens. In fact, the majority of YA novels these days are being purchased by adults—for themselves.

I really wish more books like the ones out today had existed when I was younger—books that have big ideas and aren’t afraid explore dark subjects—books that have young protagonists, but aren’t juvenile. I enjoyed writing books for younger teens too, and have a few adult novels in my back pocket, but right now, my heart is in writing (and reading) YA. Two of my favorite books over the past year were Blood Red Road, by Moira Young and For Darkness Shows the Stars, by Diana Peterfreund.

TRC:  Deviants is the first book in your Dust Chronicles series.  Can you please tell us something about the premise of this book? 

MAUREEN: The Dust Chronicles series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where our planet has been ravaged by multiple asteroid strikes that triggered volcanoes and earthquakes and left the earth’s surface covered by a coarse dust that’s lethal to most humans and changes the DNA of others. The DNA mutation gives some people new abilities and turns others into monsters called Shredders.

In Deviants, Glory is a sixteen-year old girl who can kill with her eyes. She lives in a domed city whose authorities fear anyone with special “deviant” abilities. When discovered, Deviants are kicked outside the dome to be tortured by the Shredders. When the boy Glory’s always loved joins the secret police and betrays her, she must leave the only world she’s ever known to save her paraplegic younger brother, and herself. Plus, there’s a hot hunky guy and some kissing.

TRC: Can you tell us a little bit of your fairytale adventure series..Twisted Tales, which currently has two books out.  Cinderella: Ninja Warrior & Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. How did you come up with the idea of doing a different take on fairytales? Do you plan to continue this series?

MAUREEN: The publisher actually came to me with the idea of adventurous fairly tales with a choose your own adventure element—and they wanted me to start with Cinderella. Before writing the proposal that earned me the publishing contract, I wanted to test how much freedom I’d have in writing the stories. So, I asked the editor, “Can there be ninjas?”

I was joking—mostly—but when she answered yes, I immediately saw an image of ninjas dropping out of trees to surround Cinderella. Soon after, the title for Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer came to mind. I loved that title and so did the publisher—all I had to do was figure out how to tell a vampire story, adapted from a fairy tale in which the heroine is traditionally asleep! 🙂

Right now, there are no definite plans for more in that series, but I hope it continues. I’ve got several ideas up my sleeve, and kids often write me to suggest titles and ideas. Some of their suggestions are hilarious.

TRC: Do you plan to continue to write YA, or would you consider writing an adult series?

MAUREEN: I actually wrote adult books first, but none of those have found the right publisher—yet. The editor who offered me the chance to write the Twisted Tales books actually approached me, because she’d read my manuscript for a dark and sexy urban fantasy. The timing wasn’t right for that particular novel, but based on reading it, she knew I could do world-building and action.

TRC: What are you working on today?  Do you have any thoughts of a different series?

MAUREEN: Right now, I’m doing my final edits for Compliance, the second book in The Dust Chronicles series and also writing the third book that will tie up Glory’s story. Compliance, The Dust Chronicles #2, will be released in May 2013, and the third book, tentatively titled Glory will come out in either the fall of 2013 or early in 2014.

After that, I’m not sure, but I do have several new YA series ideas, including other stories set in The Dust Chronicles world, and an unrelated series I can’t talk about yet. I’ll keep you posted!

TRC: Please do.  🙂

TRC: Many authors and artists have spouses/partners who offer advice, ideas or
criticism.  Who is your muse when you are looking for ideas?

MAUREEN: I have a fabulous group of critique partners who are also very talented authors. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

TRC: Do you have a favorite place, or a favorite time (day or night) to write? 

MAUREEN: I am not a morning person. Never have been. Likely never will be. I like to write in coffee shops—I’m in one right now—and usually write in the afternoon and into the evening.

TRC: Is there anything you would like to add?

MAUREEN:  I’m so excited about this new series. While Deviants isn’t my official debut, it feels like my debut… It’s my first hardcover and my first novel that I conceived from start to finish. While it took me years to get to this place, I can hardly believe Deviants going to be out in the world soon!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: turkey dinner

Favorite Movie: just one??? Short Cuts, The Hunger Games, Clueless

Favorite TV Show: just one??? The Vampire Diaries, The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Homeland

Favorite Dessert : anything with lemon

Dark or Milk Chocolate: milk

Last Book that you read: The Hunt, by Andrew Fukada

Favorite Author: just one??? Robertson Davies, Moira Young, Carrie Ryan, Suzanne Collins

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Anne of Green Gables—or Zsadist from J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. How’s that for contrast? 🙂

Thank you Maureen for answering our questions.  We wish you good luck with your wonderful books now out and those soon to be released. We look forward to having you come back again.

MAUREEN: Thank you! This was really fun and I hope your readers enjoy Deviants.

If you would like to learn more about Maureen, you can find her at the following links:

Website: www.maureenmcgowan.com
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Maureen has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of Deviants.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say hi to Maureen.

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. or Canada only

5.  Contest runs from October 28th – October 31st.

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An Interview with Kristen Painter

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An Interview with Kristen Painter

The Reading Cafe is happy to have the wonderful Kristen Painter as our guest today.

Kristen has her newest release, Out for Blood, coming on Tuesday, October 30th.  Yesterday we posted an early review of her terrific continuation of Kristen’s House of Comarre series. 

Kristen is here to talk to us about her latest book, as well as telling us a bit about herself.

Let’s meet Kristen.

Hi Kristen.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book, and it is a pleasure to have you here at The Reading Café.

TRC: Would you please tell us about yourself?


Kristen: This is a tough question. What do I say? I love pretty things, but I’m not sentimental. I have four cats and two fish tanks that fascinate me endlessly. I get cranky when I’m hungry (my husband made me add this.:) I’m fiercely loyal to my friends. I can be silly or serious. Family is important to me. I tend to speak before thinking, although I’m working on that one. Graphic novels are one of my favorite escapes. And I have a shopping addiction. I think that gives you a good general picture. Hah!

TRC: When and how did you become interested in writing?  Have you always liked to write?

Kristen: I’ve written stories since I’ve been able to hold a pencil and (mostly) spell the words necessary to get my ideas onto paper. I don’t know if I ever consciously thought “I want to be a writer.” I just always felt like I was one. If you write, you’re a writer. For me, it’s that simple.

TRC: What was your first book published?  What was your reaction when you saw your first published book?

Kristen: My first published book was All Fired Up from Samhain Publishing in 2010. Seeing that first book was pretty thrilling, as I think it is for most authors. There’s definitely a sense of, “Wow, I did it.” I had another genuinely heart-stopping moment when I first saw the cover for Blood Rights. It’s an amazing cover (the whole series of covers has been amazing!) and I feel really blessed to have ended up with them.

TRC: How did you come up with the idea of House of Comarré?  Can you please tell us the premise of the House of Comarré Series?

Kristen: The idea of Chrysabelle came to me in college – this mysterious, gold inked woman in a white gown who was far more dangerous than anyone realized. The rest of the series grew up around her with the basic premise of what if vampires had blood geishas? That’s loosely what I built off of.

 

TRC: Please tell us a little about Out for Blood, which is being released October 30th.

Kristen: Out For Blood will take the characters to some dark places emotionally, but I promise it will all be resolved in Last Blood in a very satisfying way.

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER
Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes and Noble

 

 

TRC: We have read that Last Blood, coming in July 2013 is the last book of House of Comarre series.  Was this your intent to end the series after 5 books?

Kristen: I didn’t have any real idea of how many books it would take to tell this story, I just told it the way it came to me and that turned out to be five books and one novella. I’m happy with that. I never wanted to be an author who hung on to a series longer than necessary. It’s still hard to say goodbye to the characters though – they’ve been a part of my life for a while now.

TRC: You have written Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.  Which genre do you prefer, and is there any other genre you are interested in writing?

Kristen: I’ve also written steampunk, but I definitely love Urban Fantasy. You can do so much crazy stuff in this genre and it’s perfectly acceptable. I love that!

TRC: Many people seem to be confused as to what is Urban Fantasy.  Can you explain the difference between Urban Fantasy & Fantasy or Paranormal?

Kristen: To me, if the book ends with a happy ever after, it’s paranormal romance. If the romance is just an element of the book, it might be Urban Fantasy.

TRC: What are you working on now? Do you have a new series planned?

Kristen: I just finished up book five, Last Blood, so now I’m working on my next series idea. I actually have two, so I don’t know what I’ll end up writing next. I’m excited about both of them, though, so whatever it is, I’m ready to write!

TRC: Who is your muse?

Kristen: I don’t really believe in muses – not any more than I believe in writer’s block. I write because telling stories is my job. I can always write something, always figure out a way to make something work. That’s what authors do. And those days that the writing is hard, but I get it done anyway? Those are some of the most rewarding because it’s often those days that produce some really great stuff.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Kristen: I just want to say I love my readers, love hearing from them and am always willing to interact with them on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor.

Thank you, Kristen for answering our questions. We look forward to continuing to read your books, and to work with you again in the future. 

If you want to learn more about Kristen, you can find her at the following links:

Website: http://kristenpainter.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

Kristen has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of any book from her House of Comarre series.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say hi to Kristen.

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. & Canada only.

5.  Contest runs from October 26rd – October 29th.


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An Interview with Melissa West

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An Interview with Melissa West

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome Melissa West. Before we start the Interview, here is a short biography about Melissa.

Melissa lives in a tiny suburb of Atlanta, GA with her husband and daughter. She pretends to like yoga, actually likes shoes, and could not live without coffee. Her writing heroes include greats like Jane Austen and Madeleine L’Engle.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

GRAVITY is her first novel.

.

Hi Melissa.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC: Will you please tell us about yourself?

Melissa: Ah, this must be the most difficult question I’m asked as I’m not one to talk about myself. Perhaps it’s because I’m so boring! I could tell you all the basics–I’m married and will soon have two daughters (I’m expecting my 2nd now). I could tell you about my education, my work, etc. But instead, I’ll tell you the funny quirks that few know. When I was little, I was obsessed with horror movies. Loved them. Watched all of them hundreds of times. But that love turned me into a complete scaredy cat of an adult! I can’t sleep with closet doors open, and I check under my bed every night before crawling into it. And don’t even get me started on ghosts! 🙂

TRC: Congratulations on the upcoming arrival of your second daughter..🙂

TRC: Have you always been interested in writing?

Melissa: Interestingly enough, no. I went to college, received my masters, and began focusing on my career. I’m a very driven person, so I didn’t really have time to think about anything beyond advancing my career. It wasn’t until after I had my daughter that I decided to write a novel. It was actually my father’s idea, and of course, now I’m hooked.

TRC: Is there anything (in general) you find particularly challenging about writing?

Melissa: I think the entire process can be challenging, depending upon the type of writer you are. For me, I struggle with the second leg of the middle of my books. The beginning is easy, the end a breeze, and then I get to the middle and bam, I hit a wall. I have to force myself to write through the wall, and then typically I rewrite that section again and again during edits.

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you like to write at specific times, in a special place?

Melissa: I prefer to write alone in a quiet room. Where that room is doesn’t matter, though I enjoy writing in my bedroom glider. And I’m a night owl, so I typically write between 9 p.m. and midnight.

TRC: Gravity is your debut novel, can you please describe your reactions when you found out your book was going to be published?

Melissa: As childish as it may sound, I cried. I remember receiving the call at 1 a.m. and then jumping on my husband--who was already in bed--and screaming, “I’m going to be published!” I’ll never forget that day.

TRC: Gravity is part of a series- The Taking. How many books do you plan in this series?  How did you come up with the idea of The Taking?

Melissa: Yes, GRAVITY is the first of a three book series. As for the Taking itself, it came to me in a dream. I had been thinking a lot about my idea of an alien species that entered earth through the trees. I wanted there to be a reason they had to come to earth, and decided it needed to be to “host” to humans. When would they do this hosting? How would it work? I toyed with lots of ideas, and then one night, I had a dream of a boy hovering over a girl, both of them surrounded by light. I woke in the middle of the night and wrote it all down. I knew I had my idea, I had the Taking.


TRC: Would you please tell us the premise behind Gravity?

Melissa: GRAVITY is about a seventeen-year-old military legacy that learns the most popular boy in school is an alien spy, who needs her help to prevent a war between the two species.

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER
Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Book Depository

TRC: Gravity is YA, and Sci-Fi romance.  What drew you to YA and Sci-Fi?  Have you considered writing any other genre?

Melissa: I adore YA, both as a writer and a reader. There is something so pure about that time in our lives. I’m not sure why I first began writing YA, but I knew when I received my first full manuscript request that I had made the right decision. He said that I had a wonderful teen voice. At the time I wasn’t so sure, but since then, both my agent and my editor have commented on my voice, so I would say it was meant to be. As far as other genres, I definitely plan to write in other genres within YA. I’m not sure that I will ever write adult fiction. We shall see. 🙂

TRC: What are you currently working on?

Melissa: I’m revising a YA sci-fi thriller for my agent and then finishing up book 2 in The Taking series.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with family and friends.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Melissa: My father is my first reader. I always say he humors me, which I think is one of the best things a parent can do. He’s honest, but he never laughs, he never judges.

TRC: What books, authors or people in your life have influenced your writing?

Melissa: I adore Libba Bray and feel her writing has for sure influenced mine.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: This is so sad, but french fries. 🙂

Favorite Dessert: Tiramisu

Favorite Author: Jane Austen, Madeleine L’Engle, Libba Bray, among others.

Favorite Novel: Pride and Prejudice

Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz

Favorite TV Show: Top Chef

Last Movie that you saw: The Hunger Games

Thank you Melissa, for answering our questions. The Reading Café wishes you the best of luck with Gravity.  Keep us informed about your next book in your The Taking series, as well as any new books or series that you have planned.

If you want to learn more about Melissa, you can find her at the following links:

Website: http://www.melissawestauthor.com/
Blog: http://m-b-west.blogspot.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

 

Melissa has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win an e-arc (advanced read copy) of her new release, Gravity.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say hi to Melissa.

4.  Giveaway open Internationally.

5.  Contest runs from October 23rd – October 26th.


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