Name: Megan Flint
Age: 31
Fiona: Where are you from?
Megan: I grew up in the swamps of Southern Ontario, but then was seduced by the mountains of British Columbia. I currently live Vancouver.
Fiona: A little about your self, for example, your education, family life, etcetera…
Megan: I am a first generation Canadian, with parents that herald from Scotland. I went Capilano College, Simon Fraser University, and the University of British Columbia, where I finally started writing in earnest.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?
Megan: I’m on the verge of finishing my first Erotic Romance series (Firecracker #1 through #5).
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Megan: I’ve been writing my whole life. I didn’t emerge from the womb literate, but I did start reading pretty early afterwards. I write because there is very little that satisfies me more (creatively) than following a story to its natural conclusion. That feeling of closure is immensely gratifying for me.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Megan: I was given a story idea without an ending and told to come up with one. It was one of those elementary school assignments. I treated it like a puzzle that my mind needed to solve. I loved the exercise so much that I wrote the whole story instead of merely providing an outline.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Megan: A kick in the ass! This is not far from the truth. I had written books before, but none of them have ever been published. Mostly I’m afraid to editorially let them go. Mimi Strong is a friend of mine who gave me that abovementioned ass-kicking (we live in the same neighborhood). She challenged me to write and self-publish a series, but quickly. So I did. She’s been extremely helpful and mentored me though the whole process.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?
Megan: No, nor a favorite genre. It has to be whatever suits the story, or whatever best solves the puzzle. Right now I’m enjoying the heck out of erotic romantic. Maybe I’ll try first person next.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Megan: I stopped thinking about it. Truly! I put the title out of mind and started writing. Then all of sudden… DING! Here’s your title. I guess you could say it was informed by the writing.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Megan: When it comes to your body, and pleasure, have no shame. Try whatever you want to do. If you don’t have a partner with whom you feel comfortable, then find another partner. Also, surrendering to your partners does not mean giving your ‘power’ away, especially if surrendering is what turns you on. 😀
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?
Megan: I can’t help but draw on my own experiences when writing about romance and sex. The material will inevitably draw from what you know. That said, the two male leads (Cy and Erik) are a commingling of my boyfriend.
Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Megan: The experiences of my lead character, Trixie Harridan, are loosely based on my own extracurricular activities. She likes to keep physically fit and so do I, which includes rock climbing, running obstacle course races, and enjoying a fulfilling sex life.
Fiona: What books have influenced your life most?
Megan: As a teenager, I read ‘The Clan of the Cave’ by Jean M. Auel, which still defines my personal kinks to this day. Later in life, ‘Killashandra’ by Anne McAffrey had a similar impact, but on my writing.
Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Megan: I greatly admire the works of Anne McAffrey, Diana Gabaldon, Gabriel Garcia Marquez., J.R.R. Tolkien, and Michael Ondaatje, but if I’m only allowed to choose one of them as a writing mentor, then Anne, hands down.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Megan: ‘The Last Light of the Sun’ by Guy Gavriel Kay. I recommend it.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Megan: Brandon Sanderson is new to me even though he’s been around for a while. I enjoy his standalone books more than his series.
Fiona: What are your current projects?
Megan: Finishing the Firecracker series is priority number one!
Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Megan: Oh that’s easy. Mimi Strong has been colossally supportive of my self-publishing endeavors. My boyfriend is a huge supporter as well, but it’s more like he’s the person to whom I write back home, whereas Mimi is there with me in the trenches.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Megan: Yes, but it is currently being supplemented with on-call work in the film industry (as a crew member). I do not act. 🙂
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Megan: No regrets. I might have worked in the film industry less and worked on the book more, but that’s about it.
Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Megan: My parents bought me my first ‘cahier’ for school. Canadians will get that right away. It’s French for ‘notebook’. It was so clean and empty, filled with possibilities for storytelling.
Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Megan: The fifth installment of the Firecracker series (which completes this arc) pits Trixie and Vanessa against each other in a boxing ring, with both Cy and Erik present for the aftermath. That’s all I’m saying for now. 😉
Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Megan: Yes, finding the time write while still divided between two professions is hard. I’d give up my work in the film industry in a second to write full time.
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Megan: Anne McAffrey. I love how her stories span across centuries and worlds. She also writes romance and strong female characters really well. I love her work.
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Megan: No, but I’m not opposed to it.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Megan: Pixie Juice Studio designed them, along with all of the promotional material.
http://www.behance.net/pixiejuicestudio
Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Megan: Editing, when the creating is done and the refinement begins. Still, I am obsessive about proofreading and will make at least three passes of the material before passing it along to anybody else.
Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Megan: The best thing a new self-published author can do for themselves is keep writing.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Ha! The best thing a new self-published author can do for themselves is keep writing. Déjà vu!
Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Megan: Thank you. Thank you for reading along, thank you for posting your reviews, and thank you for being patient with me when an installment took longer than one month to publish. You are all amazing and I am nothing without you.
Fiona: Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
Megan: I love to bake and cook. It’s all my boyfriend can do to stay fit in this household. I’ve recently started brewing ginger beer to complement the root beer he was already making.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Megan: So many, but more television than movies. Not many network shows, except Castle and Elementary. I love the chemistry between Nathan Fillion/Stana Katic and Jonny Lee Miller/Lucy Liu. I thought Breaking Bad was amazing right to the very end. I still enjoy Boardwalk Empire, Games of Thrones, House of Cards, Mad Men and I recently started watching Masters of Sex, which is now the show I most anticipate watching. Michael Sheen made me cry when he cried!
Fiona: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music?
Megan: I’m a chocolate snob (at least 70% cocoa or higher), the colour red reigns supreme, and I love instrumental music, but also anything to which I can shake my ass. 😛
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
Megan: Pole dancing. No joke. I still pole dance for fitness. My Lil’ Mynx pole is installed right behind me in the living room.
Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it?
Megan: Sure do. Thanks for asking Fiona!
https://www.facebook.com/meganflintauthor
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