Friday Joanie MacNeil is visiting and talking about Genres #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Genres

1. Do you write a single genre or do your fingers flow over the keys creating tales in many forms?

Oh, I wish my fingers would flow over the keyboard.  Contemporary romance is my genre, from sweet to sexy stories about new love and second chances, with a secret or two thrown in.

Does your reading choices reflect your writing choices?

No. While I read and write contemporary romance, my reading choices also include crime fiction, Icelandic Noir and historical romances. 

Are there genres you wouldn’t attempt?

Sci-fi, paranormal, crime and historical fiction.

 2. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

Either hero or heroine can be difficult to write, to get to know. Once I dig deeper, and they begin to develop, the writing of them becomes a little easier. So no, I don’t have a favorite.

I don’t usually write villains.  My first attempt at writing a villain received excellent feedback which surprised me.  I didn’t think had it in me to write such a nasty person.  As I revise the manuscript I’ll probably develop that character more. And may write more villains.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

Heroes come to me in various ways. Via pictures, imagination, a situation, either before the plot, and sometimes following a story idea. I must choose the right hero to fit my story. Some characters appear simultaneously with story ideas. Pinterest is a useful source for images and scenery. Visuals assist in opening up the character, picturing, almost hearing, them speak. Previously I’ve used magazines for inspiration for my characters to provide a little more insight. Amazing what a photo can reveal.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

Much the same as for the heroes. A visual allows me to tailor a character to how I want that character to be. And add more substance to that character.

Your favorite book?

I have a soft spot for the very first romance novel I read. The historical romance, My Gallant Enemy by Rexanne Becnel, swept me away into another world. The story gave me the escapism I craved at the time.

5. Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

My hero and heroine, I hope come across as respectful to each other, that they at least care for  each other before the relationship develops further.

The villain I mentioned previously isn’t the hero or heroine. I’ve given him traits so that the reader can understand him better, though they won’t like him, and don’t need to. He definitely wants to harm the heroine.

Perhaps that’s why I liked writing him so much….he’s the complete opposite of my usual more balanced characters.

A characters in my novella, Mandraki Magic, is also a villain. My heroine can’t decide whether she’ll give him a second chance, or not.

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My contemporary novel, A Traditional Affair, will be published in the near future. There’s no real villain in the story, which focuses on the two main characters who are from very different backgrounds. The heroine is Australian, and the hero a Scottish Laird.

7. What are you working on now?

I’m finalizing a short story, Dream a Little Dream, and my novel, A Traditional Affair, forpublication.

8. How can people find you?

www.joaniemacneil.com

https://www.facebook.com/romanceauthorjoaniemacneil/

https://www.instagram.com/joanie_macneil_romance_author/

https://www.pinterest.com.au/joaniemacneil/romance-author-joanie-macneil/

https://twitter.com/JoanieMacneil

https://bookswelove.net/macneil-joanie/

 9. Who are your favorite authors?

Historical: Elizabeth Chadwick and Barbara Erskine

Crime Fiction: Joan Hall Hovey

Icelandic Noir:  Ragnar Jónasson

Friday Hannah Rowan is Visiting and Talking About Who She Was Before #MFRWAuthor #Paranormal romance

1. What were you before you became an author? Did this influence your choices as a writer?

I had so many jobs growing up, from shoveling snow and washing cars as a kid, to my first job as a clerk in a hospital in high school, to my first “real” job in recreation at a state mental hospital. I worked while attending school to get a degree in psychology at a real mish-mosh of jobs, alternating full and part time jobs with full or part time classes.  I got my master’s degree in psychology around the same time my daughter was born and looked for something I could do that would allow me to be with her most of the time.  I became a certified hypnotherapist, but a crying baby wasn’t conducive to helping people relax when I had a home office. A job as a reporter more or less fell into my lap, and I could do most of my work on my own schedule.  Since it was a weekly paper I only had to be sure to turn in my stories by Friday morning every week.  Some of the stories I covered for the newspaper gave me ideas for fiction.

2. Are you genre specific or general? I don’t mean major genres but subdivisions or romance, mystery or paranormal.

I write contemporary romance.  I write paranormal romance and romantic comedy.  I really didn’t intend to write comedy, but just as when I wrote a humor column for my newspaper, people read my efforts to be serious and think I’m joking. I used to write true confession stories as well.  I’ve completed a women’s fiction novel that has yet to be published.

3. What is your latest release?

After a long hiatus I’m pleased to be included in Last Chance Beach” Summer’s End, a romance box set put together by 14 authors from the Romance Gems, a group that grew out of former Kensington Precious Gems authors who remained in touch after the line closed several years ago.

4. What are you working on now?

I have my rights back to a previously published Precious Gem novel they called Man Wanted, but which I always called Just a Gigolo.  It’s set in a fictional town called Rose City, New Jersey, and I have two more Rose City books for a series I call Rose City Chronicles.  I’m working on learning how to format e-books, getting covers, etc., so I can self-publish the series. Next I intend to revive a previously published paranormal romance set in the fictional town of Black River, New Jersey, and the accompanying two paranormal romances will make up the paranormal Black River series.  I’m plotting a three book romantic comedy series with the heroine from my story, Can’t Buy Me Love, from the Last Chance Beach box set, as a secondary character.

5. Does your reading choices influence your choice of a writing career?

I’ve always been an avid reader and I read a wide variety of books. I love contemporary romance of all kinds, sweet to steamy, paranormal, heart-rending, comedy, whatever. I also love romantic suspense and just plain suspense, thrillers and mysteries.  I read historicals by certain authors who I know will write a satisfying story, even though historicals aren’t my favorite. And though I love reading suspense my brain just doesn’t work in a way that would let me write it.

6. Where can we find you?

Right now I’m between websites and working on a new one, which will be HannahRowan.com. In the meantime you can find me blogging on the 9^th of every month on the Romance Gems blog. I’m on Facebook.  Or my Amazon Author Page.

Friday Ashlyn Mathews is Visiting and Talking about Who She Was Before #MFRWAuthor #Writer Nurse

What Were You Before

Day 1

1.       What were you before you became an author? Did this influence your choices as a writer?

Before I became an author, I dabbled in a lot of different jobs before getting into a career I love. I worked for the Department of Ecology picking up trash along the highways. That was my first job, a summer job. I also was a telemarketer for a insurance company, a lawn service company, and a funeral home. One of my more interesting jobs was that of a bank teller. When it comes to money, people can be very grouchy. All of my jobs prepared me for what I am currently, a registered nurse. I’ve been a nurse for twenty-two years. My main specialty was emergency room nursing. After I had my twin boys, the hubby and I realized we needed a better work-life balance. Working evenings and nights, every other weekend, and twelve hour shifts was tough. So, I transitioned to a position that isn’t focused on patient care but I am still able to use my “clinical brain.” Now, I help physicians with their documentation. I am currently the department lead.

All of the above didn’t influence my choice to become a writer. I became a writer because I wanted to write stories I wanted to read. I didn’t think I would be publishing them or become a romance author, but I enjoy the creative side of bringing a story to life on paper (word doc) as well as the administrative tasks such as looking over images for covers, formatting my eBook and print books and uploading them to the various vendor sites. Needing to also use my “clinical brain” in my day job, I don’t think writing will be a full time pursuit for me. Also, I have four boys to help put through college 😊.

2.       Are you genre specific or general? I don’t mean major genres but subdivisions or romance, mystery or paranormal.

I started off writing paranormal romance but realize I love writing contemporary romance. My love of contemporary romance then led to the more specific new adult, college romance, especially sports romance. And that in turn has led to my latest book release, a “mature” high school romance. I like writing about younger protagonists. There is so much to explore in regards to first love, insecurities, the uncertainty of the timing of falling in love, family dynamics, going off to college, etc.

3.       What is your latest release?

My latest book release is Beautiful Defiance. It’s a bully high school romance with an emphasis on romance rather than the bullying.

4.       What are you working on now?

I am currently working on a sports college romance that focuses on second chances and what happens when meeting your ex again, they are drastically different than when you first fell in love with them?

5.       Does your reading choices influence your choice of a writing career?

It does. In the beginning, I wrote paranormal romance because that’s what I was primarily reading. Now, I tend to read the genres and subgenres I write in. Readers have a certain expectation for each subgenre and I want to meet my readers’ expectations while also giving them something new. So, give them what they want but put a twist to it.

6. Where can we find you? You can find me at these places. Also, if a reader subscribes to my newsletter, they get my book, Scars to Your Beautiful, FREE.

 Website:  https://www.ashlynmathews.com/

Twitter:                https://twitter.com/ashlynmathews

Instagram:          https://www.instagram.com/ashlynmathewsauthor/

Facebook:                           https://www.facebook.com/ashlynmathewsauthor/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gxdjsj

Friday Reed Stirling is visiting and talking about Genres #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Genres #Mysteries #Intanglements

Genres?

Up to this point I have for the most part written literary fiction that hangs together sufficiently enough to be termed mystery or mythological mystery. Experimentation in other forms is just a keystroke or two away, but I would probably not attempt to write sci-fi, horror, or Gothic romance. Paranormal, yes. 

Reading choices > writing choices

I read widely, and have done so for decades.

Lawrence Durrell’s The Alexandria Quartet provided the impetus for Shades Of Persephone, my first novel, 2019. John Fowles’ The Magus gave me the Greek setting.

James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man inspired more than one scene in Lighting The Lamp, 2020, as did the philosophical musing of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Marcel Proust plays a part here also, as do Richard Dawkins, Emily Dickinson, and Albert Camus.

E.A. Poe’s The Raven, the musings of Charles Baudelaire, and the poems of Émile Nelligan are working thematically into Séjour Saint-Louis, a third novel slated to be published in early 2021.

The muse visits me most often when I read the novels of John Banville.

Heroes, heroines, villains, and how they come about

My heroes tend to be protagonist-narrators in pursuit of truth as they understand it or as plot and theme define it. Providing them with creditable personality, background, and motivation is not only challenging but also rewarding when things fall plausibly into place. Heroines present similar challenges; they often assume the role of muse, a muse with both feet on the ground, who exhibits carnal cravings along with the ability to inspire. I favour villains that arise from within the main characters and shadow their every move.

Simple observation of real people in real life exchanges (a young couple in a hospital waiting room, a tête-à-tête in a bar or restaurant, someone behind the wheel of a luxury automobile noticed at an intersection) helps in the general conceptualization of protagonists. Action (plot) reveals character, true; but frequently a situation I find myself on the periphery of demands specific human involvement, which implies decisions and consequences. A particular scene will give birth to characters whose voices demand to be heard, that man wearing a Panama hat or that tiny woman wearing bright red shoes. Imagination informs them with a personal history, with particular traits, with relevant choices, verisimilitude being the objective of the exercise no matter the setting. The character I want the reader “to love” may not be lovable at all. As long as he or she is interesting, has a voice worth listening to, and is capable of reflecting authentic human instincts, naughty or nice.

An idea or stated point of view might need a counterpoint, an opposing view, the right interpretation, the verifiable truth, or just plain obstruction — these factors will give rise to certain characters, main or supporting. Thus, antagonists come into being and help move the action along from crisis to crisis. Antagonist can be well-meaning in their contrariness or destructiveness. They can have malicious intent in their apparent goodness. A plausible personal history goes a long way towards giving them standing. Humanize them through voice, mannerism, idiosyncrasy, tic, flaw, aspiration, success, failure, halitosis, and size of shoe. A stamp collection might indicate how downtime is enjoyed. A black hat might just be in vogue at the time of the story, and not symbolic of a really bad dude with a .45 in his hip pocket. Eschew the stereotypical. A scar might be emblematic of love or a badge of honour. A penchant for odd-ball humour can lighten what appears to be nothing but dark. The antagonist can be a force-field of repudiation or disdain. A troublesome memory.

I lean towards mystery in my writing, with romantic entanglement an integral part of plot development. Greek mythology and literary allusion can contribute to the creation of prominent characters, the monstrous and the mundane equally. Further, reading other fiction can also be a great source for ideas on heroes and heroines.

Latest release

Lighting the Lamp, a fictional memoir. Terry Burke is the hero, although he would be loath to call himself heroic. Villainous, maybe. He is irascible but sincere, attempting in his retirement to come to grips with what his life has been. A quixotic Everyman, he is inspired to set out on an odyssey across the decades in pursuit of equilibrium and peace of mind. What he seeks in addition to understanding is truthful voice and the purest possible point of view. There are several heroines in this work; the most insistent is mythical Medea. The villain of the piece is the antagonist forces that militate against Terry’s achieving self-fulfillment.

Working on now

I am working on the final draft of a third novel titled Séjour Saint-Louis, where the troubles in a contemporary family mirror those of the tragic Canadian poet Émile Nelligan.

Favourite book

At present, John Banville’s The Sea. [So many great books, so little time.]

Favourite authors —

Contemporary: John Banville, Ian McEwan, and Richard Dawkins

Twentieth century: James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemmingway, Lawrence Durrell, John Fowles; recently enjoyed, Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending.

Default: Shakespeare

People can find me at

www.reedstirlingwrites.com

reedstirling@gmail.com

https://bwlpublishing.ca

Amazon Author central: https://authorcentral.amazon.comgp/home

Friday - Janet Lane Walters is visiting and talking about her latest release #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Tangled Dreams #Romance

1. Tell me about your latest release? Genre?

     My latest release is Tangled Dreams the sixth book in the Moon Child series. This time the heroine is a Cancer and the hero a Virgo. Their relationship is tangled by secrets and a sick child.

2. Where did the idea arise?

     I really enjoy exploring Astrology and years ago, I began the series, writing the books as the ideas gelled. Since Virgo was the next hero on the block, I spend a great deal of time planning and recalling all the Virgos I've met in my life. The Cancer part was easy since I'm one in spades.

3. How much research was involved? Did you stay on point or be distracted by wanting to look at just one more thing?

     The research was rather extensive, especially regarding childhood leukemia and also memories of the days when I was a nurse with cases of this type. I managed to hone in on what I needed to know and hopefully fed it into the story without lecturing.

4. How long did you take to write the book?

     This book, a short one took almost six months to write. The death of myhusbandof fifty plus eyars and this Covid 19 stuff kept me back. But I persisted

5. Now a bit about you. How long have you been writing? What is your Sun Sign?

     I've been writing for ages but published for 50 one or two I'm a Cancer with six planets in that sign.

6. Do you write in a number of genres of stick to one?

     I kind of hop around genres sticking mainly to some form of romance but I've written non-fiction and poetry as well. I have some mysteries as well as fantasies, paranormal, contemporary and a bit of historical thrown in. I don't write action thrillers or horror. I'll read and enjoy the former and won't touch the latter.

7. Where on the internet can you be found?

     

 My Places

https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

Buy Mark

http://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

Friday Reed Stirling Visiting Talking about Who He Was Before #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #English Literature #Professor

1.      Before retiring and taking up writing fiction as a past time, I taught English Literature. Several talented students of mine have gone on to become successful writers.

Did teaching influence my choices as a writer? Absolutely.

When you introduce young minds to the great works of great artists, (e.g., Hamlet, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Portrait of the Artist As A young Man, Gulliver’s Travels, The Handmaid’s Tale), you are constantly challenging yourself to get it right, to understand not only who, what, and when, but also how, and to elucidate on these considerations as discussion ensues. In your own writing, you want to emulate, difficult though it is to do so, but you have to try.

2.      Genres: I lean towards mystery, with romantic entanglement an integral part of the action. Greek mythology and literary allusion underpin plot development. Irony is pervasive. 

3.      Latest release: Shades Of Persephone is my first full-length novel, published with BWL in September 2019, although seventeen excerpts from this work have appeared previously in a variety of publications, in both hard copy and online.

4.      At present I am doing a final revision of Lighting The Lamp, a full-length novel due to be published in 2020 by BWL. Sixteen selections from this work have been published independently, the latest being “Glorious Disorder” in Humanist Perspective (Fall 2019).

Concurrently, I am working on a first draft of a work tentatively titled Séjour Saint-Louis, where the troubles in a contemporary family mirror those of the tragic poet Émile Nelligan.

5.      Does my reading influence my writing? Absolutely.

Lawrence Durrell’s The Alexandrian Quartet provided the impetus for Shades Of Persephone. John Fowles’ The Magus gave me the Greek setting.

Joyce’s Portrait inspired more than one scene in Lighting The Lamp, as did the philosophical musing of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Marcel Proust plays a part here as well.

The poems of Émile Nelligan are working thematically into Séjour Saint-Louis.

The muse visits me when I read the novels of John Banville and Ian McEwan.

6.      Find me at the following:

reedstirling@gmail.com

My website: reedstirlingwrites.com

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