Thursday's Interview Myrna Nour 5

.Myra and I both write for NCP. Though I don't know her in person, I do know her from the writing game.
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?

I under the umbrella of Paranormal romance. Under that, I write a wide range of areas, including vampires, werewolves, fairies, mermaids, a genie, shapeshifters, futuristics, and time travel.



2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?

I started with Love's Captive, a futuristic romance. It chose me because I dreamed the story during the night. It was like a video playing through my mind for hours. I saw planet Volarn, met many of the characters, saw some of the plotline, and even "overheard" some of the discussions between characters. It was amazing. I have dreamed other stories since then, but nothing as vivid.



3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?

I have already started on a genre I love to read - horror. I am a big fan of The Walking Dead, and yes, the story is a zombie horror with no romance at all!! I'm having a blast writing it.

The funny thing is, until a few years ago I was terrified of zombies in movies. But then my daughter, Chris, dragged me to Resident Evil and I was hooked. It has become a family tradition that the whole family goes to see the Resident Evil movies.

Chris kept saying I should write a zombie book. I said, no because it would scare me too much, since I figure out plotlines in my sleep a lot. Plus, I figured just about all the angles have been covered on these stories. And if I couldn't come up with an original idea, why do it? Bam! A few days later I came up with a really cool idea and the heroine is so lick ass it doesn't scare me to write it.



4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?

Lately, horror, especially zombie fiction.



5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,

I jotted a few poems through the early years after HS, but I really didn't become interested in writing until I dreamed Love's Captive in 1977. After that I started writing short stories and have had quite a few published in small magazines. I read these to my kids and Simon (hubby), and of course told them about Volarn. They kept urging me to write Love's Captive until I finally did in 1996. It got published in 2001 by New Concepts Publishing.

After that, things just continued to roll along, with getting more books published with NCP, and others with Ellora's Cave.

6. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Eric is my favorite hero in Heart of the Dragon. He is a soldier, a Green Beret, of course handsome, with a sensitive side, and a wonderful sense of humor. Along with Eric, there is his love interest, the spoiled warrior princess Kasha and their "child" Puff the dragon.

I also love Serena and Rhamus because they are not only strong, wonderful characters, but the main ones that started this writing journey for me.


7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?

In my NCP books there is a family of villains on Volarn, starting with Xarath who kidnapped Queen Serena. Then his brother Joulo took over after he was killed. There is a 3rd brother but he is only mentioned in passing in the first two books and will appear later in the series.

In Pirate's Wench there was a villainous pirate captain who tried to rape the heroine, but the hero rescues her.

I don't know how I created the villains, just like I don't know where I get some of the wildly imaginative ideas I have. From my vivid imagination I guess.

8. What are you working on now?

Finishing up "Wanted: Handsome Alien Abductor", the 4th book in the River of Dreams series, slated to be published by NCP in the summer.

9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?

Pirate's Wench. Again, don't know where the idea came from. It was the 3rd book in the River of Dreams series. Maybe my love of Captain Jack had something to do with it.:)

10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.

This excerpt is from Pirate's Wench. Sarah wishes to meet a real pirate and spend some fun-filled days in adventures on the high seas. The River Goddess grants her wish and she is transported to the past.

I decided to put this excerpt when Sarah wonders what kind of pirate the Goddess has given her. It is humorous. But the captain is not a drunk, just celebrating his victory in capturing a rich merchant ship.


A loud bang awoke her, and Sarah sat up with a gasp.

“Damn, it’s dark in here.”

Her heart calmed from its rapid beat. It was only the Captain, cursing in the dark room.

She’d slept for hours. Sarah listened as he stumbled around, and then the candle on his desk

flared. When he turned, she sat up.

“What’s this, an angel come to visit?” He picked up the candleholder and swayed toward

her.

The smell of rum preceded him. Oh no, he was drunk. It was hard to predict what

people would act like while inebriated. Violence was not something she wanted to contend with,

and some people were mean drunks.

“I’m Sarah, don’t you remember?” she snapped.

He lurched forward, struck the bed’s wood side, and fell to his knees. The string of

curses that erupted surprised her, even though she’d heard her share growing up with brothers.

He righted his body, and swung the candleholder toward her. The heat of the candle flicked near

her face and she said, “shit.”

“An angel cursing?”

By the faint light she could see the shocked look on his face. Her mouth quirked but she

held in her laughter.

“Sarah,” she stated slowly, as if speaking to an idiot.

“Oh, lass,” he hiccupped.

The candle veered toward her again, barely missing her chin.

“That thing is a lethal weapon.” She pushed his hand away.

“Ah.”

The light dipped down as he placed it on the floor, and then his upper body came back

up. He was swaying.

“Give us a kiss lass.”

He had a silly grin plastered across his face, and his rum breath hit her full on. In disgust

she shoved him backward, hard. He toppled over like a stone, hitting the floor with a thud and a

loud groan.

Jeez, did I kill him? Getting off the bed carefully so she wouldn’t trip over him, Sarah

leaned over, but it was difficult to see. Picking up the candleholder, she held it over his face. He

looked dead.

A drop of candle wax hit his cheek and he mumbled, swiping at it once. She shook her

head. He was simply passed-out drunk.