Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Trisha Harley McCarthy, Age 56
Fiona: Where are you from?
Originally California. Currently reside in Oregon.
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I’m married with one rescue Chocolate Lab, Elle. I’m a Life Coach and Romance Author.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
Working on book 3 of a series entitled A Granite Bay Series.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing Bridget Jones’s Diary Fan Fiction. I received great reviews so I decided to write my first stand alone novel, Just As He Is in 2012.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
The publication of my first book.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
The movie Bridget Jones’s Diary and Colin Firth.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
There is a line in BJD where Mark Darcy tells Bridget “He likes her just the way she is,”
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
Romance is very competitive genre. My stories are unique in that most of them have a spiritual them woven into the story.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I used a lot of my own personal experiences in the book. One example, after a couple of years being split up from my senior high school boyfriend, I decided I still loved him. I called him to tell him however, his life ended tragically in a plane crash on all dates my birthday. So particularly traumatic and carthartic to write about.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
I travel in my mind. My personal ritual is everything had to be neat and orderly and I listen to loud music.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
I designed all covers with the exception of my first book. I attended design school.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Love conquers all.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
TL Swan and Serenity Woods. TL is Aussie and Serenity is a Kiwi. I am fascinated with their writing beautiful and inspirational to my own writing.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
My friends who have become my beta readers and who help me plot chapters.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
I am very focused to become a best seller author with USA Today, NYTimes and Amazon.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Not that I can think of. I can only improve upon my writing.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
I also learn something new. For example, to format my book.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Depends on which one. Just As He Is, of course would be Colin Firth.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Believe in yourself and be true to yourself.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
I hope they find my characters, storyline and plots heartfelt and real.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
I just finished Unloved, a love story by Kate Regnery
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
I believe it would be Charlottes Web.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Anything that is sentimental or sad. Great humor is a must for me. Make me laugh and you have a friend for life.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Jane Austen and Helen Fielding. Both literary giants in my book. I would love to see the insights as to how they view the world and then write about it with humor and love.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Offspring an Aussie series about an obstetrician. It’s a dramedy.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Foods would be Asian. Favoritecolor lavender. Music is Train, Maroon 5 and Nickelback.
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Life Coach and teach workshops.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
I’m reincarnating. Don’t touch my stuff!
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Ellie Douglas
Fiona: Where are you from?
Auckland New Zealand
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I’m a mother to four children. I live in New Zealand, I’m half Greek and half New Zealander. I love life and love being able to give a reader something they haven’t read before. I love to challenge myself and am always striving to be better. I’m a summer girl and a hater of winter. I love movies of all genre’s and of course I love to read. My family is everything to me. I’m also a huge The Walking Dead Fan! 🙂
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
My latest news is that I have two new book releases which I have just recently launched.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing a few years ago professional, prior that I started writing stories in my younger years but didn’t pursue my dream of writing, until later in life. Why did I start writing, because I love to tell stories.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I guess when I was first published back in 2016
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
My inspiration came from a need to have what was in my head out onto paper. My story had to be told. Or it felt like my brain would fry.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
I had trouble with a title of my first book, and half way after it was published I re titled it. The idea of the title was to relate to the book without it being too specific. So that was how I came up with the title.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
Yes I have a very specific writing style, I’m a descriptive writer. Not many people favour that kind of style, but it is what I do and what I love to do. I find that holding back on the descriptions is impossible for me as it is my style to be very graphic. And for me as a horror writer I employ that style greatly.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Very little, I might add a few little things in the books I write that are real and or based off something that has happened in my life, but overall 90% of what I write is pure fiction.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
No, I don’t need to travel for my writing.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
I designed my own covers as that is what I actually do for a living, I am a cover designer 🙂
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
No
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
I have so many favorite writers, and far too many to list them all.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Yes a really close friend of mine, Cameron Rowe
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Yes and no.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Just how to scare people more 🙂
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Peter Cosgrove the actor 🙂
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Stay strong, keep writing, and remember find a very good editor. I’m happy to recommend to you the best editor I know.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
I am currently reading ‘Shadow Of The Drill by RhaniD’Chae’ it is so far amazing.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Yes the first book I remember reading was a The Famous Five by Edid Blyton
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
A lot of things make me laugh, my kids, movies, t.v. shows, people in general and a lot of the same things make me cry too.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Interesting question. It has made me think and given my passion and love of so many people I’m just going to with the entire cast of The Walking Dead. Why? Because they are all awesome and awe-inspiring. But since you’ve asked for one person dead or alive. I’d like to have met Martin Luther King Jr. Why, because of what he did for the entire world. Promoting equality between all people and things.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, I love to draw and be creative, fishing, swimming and walking are all of my fondest hobbies.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Horror, comedy, action, adventure, mystery, mythical, sci-fi, drama and sometimes documentaries.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Favorite color, purple.
Favorite food, Sticky Ribs and or BBQ Chicken
Favorite music, everything, my music taste is so vast it literally covers everything. I love fast music with undertones of spookiness to it. And I love dance music which again covers a wide range. I’m also into current stuff and my daughter has introduced me to Kpop which I find really awesome.
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
If I had a future with no writing it would mean I was already dead lol but as this is a question of imagination I’ll go with it and say I would see myself living on a cruise ship for the rest of my life.
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Thank you for having me, Fiona!My name is Bart Hopkins and I’m just a guy in his early 40s, starting to feel his mortality.
Fiona: Where are you from?
I was born in Galveston, Texas, or as the locals say … I’m BOI. That’s Galveston code for “Born On the Island.”
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2017 after twenty-two awesome years. Education: MA in Education from Northwestern State University in Louisiana. Currently living in Austin, Texas, with my beautiful wife and three awesome kids.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
The latest haps is that Audible Hall of Fame narrator Luke Daniels just did the audiobook of my novel, The Bends, and it sounds great!
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I have been scribbling out stories since I was just a little guy, but things got serious in 2003 when a friend and I completed the first draft of our book, Fluke.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I met Harlan Coben in 2014 and he told me that the good writers always doubt themselves, every book, no matter how long they’ve been at it. I still doubt myself and I sometimes feel strange telling people, “I’m a writer.” All that aside, that day we finished the last chapter of Fluke and cracked open champagne … that was when I first felt completely like a writer.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Fluke is sort of a pop culture tribute to all the men in their 40s who were once awkward twenty-somethings just trying to figure out who they are in this world. It isn’t always pretty: it’s life.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
The lead character’s name is Adam Fluke. And, well, many of the things in his life are just that … a fluke.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
I like to call my style “perfection.” Ha haha, just kidding. I’ve been jumping around between literary fiction, horror, and the thriller genres. Trying to find myself, I guess, and also trying to satisfy some demons.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Every book I write contains snippets of reality, and some more than others, but the characters are always fictional.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
While I was in the Air Force we travelled over the place, and that has given me a lot of fodder for my writing, but I haven’t had to travel for any of my stories. Not yet.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Rene Folsom designed the cover for Dead Ends. I designed the covers for The Bends, Like, Fluke, Texas Jack, Total Eclipse, and Circus.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Texas Jack is about alcoholism, family, and whether forgiveness is really possible. Like is about the seeming world domination of social media. Fluke is about coming of age, with some darker undercurrents I can’t talk about without giving it away.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
I’ve got a lot of favorites. Of the more established authors there’s Stephen King, Blake Crouch, John Irving, Harlan Coben, and Ken Follett. Of the Indie variety I enjoy Jim Proctor, SL Dearing, and David Elliott. Each of these writers, in their own distinct ways, tell a wonderful story, and that’s what it’s all about.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Probably the most surprising support I’ve been given was from a few different supervisors I had in the Air Force. They encouraged me to chase the dream.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Do I see it? Let’s say that I can imagine it in vivid detail, but my income isn’t something that could support a family. Well, maybe a family of mice.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
The Bends is the most broadly appealing thing I’ve written, and I’m actually pretty happy with it, as is.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Although I’ve been to Big Bend a few times, I did a lot of additional research on the area for the novel. It’s a really beautiful place, both historically, and in the present day.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Maybe Chris Pine or Charlie Hunnam, although a young Clint Eastwood would have been perfection.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Write every day that you can, even if you think it’s garbage. Write, write some more, edit, and then keep writing.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Always: thank you!
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Persuader by Lee Child
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
The Voice of the Night by Dean Koonts writing as Brian Coffey. I read that and the shining, both when I was just seven or eight years old. Yes, arguably inappropriate for such a young boy, but totally worth the fire it ignited in me.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Laughter comes easily and I find humor all over the place. Too often I’m the last person laughing after everyone else has gone quiet.
Sad things can make me cry, but so can happy things. I’ll cry like a baby when my kids leave home … we’re a tight-knit group.
I think I’m really in tune with my emotions.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Nobody in politics … that stuff drives me nuts these days. I’ve always wanted to go back and catch a Beatles concert, right when they were getting huge.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Reading, movies, running, and family.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Okay, here’s my Top 10 in TV shows of all time:
#10 The Cosby Show, #9 Sons of Anarchy, #8 Three’s Company, #7 Family Ties, #6 Fresh Prince of Belair, #5 The Walking Dead, #4 Chuck, #3 Scrubs, #2 Longmire, and #1 … (drum roll) … Seinfeld.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Favorite Food – BBQ Brisket; Color – Green; and bands: U2, Foo Fighters, and The Beatles
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Enjoy my family.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
Yikes! Let’s not think about that for another decade or so.
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
It’s a pleasure, Fiona! My name is Barbara Avon. My last name is pronounced like the famous make-up brand. I’m old enough to remember the “View-Master” as my favourite toy!
Fiona: Where are you from?
I reside in Ontario, Canada but was born in Switzerland.
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I grew up as the middle child in an Italian household. “Pasta Sunday” is a tradition that my husband and I continue. I attended Brock University and I have always dreamed of writing a novel.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
Recently, I won FACES Magazine’s 2018 Award for Favourite Female Author. it was my third nomination and first win, as they like to say in Oscar land. I also just published the sequel to my first thriller, “Michael’s Choice”.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing poems as a teenager. In High School English class, after my teacher awarded me an A + on my short story and asked me read it in front of the class, I knew I found my calling. Why do I write? I don’t have a choice. I was born a writer!
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That day in English class. I first considered myself an author, however, when I penned and published my second novel.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
After a significant break-up, I had time on my hands. My first book revolves around a real-life tree in Niagara Falls where I was once engaged but that’s the only true-to-life tidbit in the novel.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
“My Love is Deep” is in answer to the Bee Gees famous question, “How Deep is Your Love” (also our heroine’s favourite song.)
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
I always write through the male protagonist’s perspective. As a woman whose audience is mainly other women, I think I know what we want and I create my male characters according to those wants. I don’t find anything challenging, so to speak. In fact, I like to write across different genres. Romance/Suspense, Romance/Time Travel, Thriller/Romance and my newest endeavor is my first horror!
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I touched upon this when answering a previous question. Now I’m considering all eight of my novels and the answer is still that one event, that I mention in my first book about being engaged at a tree in Niagara Falls. It’s the only true-to-life event in any of my novels.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
No, I do not. My imagination travels for me. I also research what I don’t know or am unsure of. I think research is very important!
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
I did!
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Regardless of the genre, I always include “love”. It is not an old-fashioned concept. It is the most remarkable magic. There is also a recurring theme of “paying it forward” in my novels and my trilogy revolves around the dangers of drinking and driving.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
Oh gosh. This is a tough one. There are no new authors that have grasped my interest simply because I don’t have the luxury of time to help me find them! However, as a young adult, I picked up every single one of Richard Paul Evans’ books. “The Outsiders” was my favourite book as as teen and Jack Finney’s time travel novels still sit on my bookshelf.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Outside of family? I’ll omit close friends, too, who are like family…and if I do that, then no one per se. However, everyone supports me now.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
I don’t see writing as a career as much as I see “author” as a title.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Yes and that answer may shock my readers because this is the first time I feel this way. i wouldn’t change the direction of the story itself, nor the outcome. Some scenes are perfect. Others, in the first third of the book, need tweaking. My husband calls me “paranoid” and my “own worst critic.” I tell him that when it feels right, I just know it and something doesn’t feel right. However, I’m not the type of author to “retract” the book, “fix it” and publish it a second time. That doesn’t seem right either. “It is what it is.”
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
That I can create creepy characters – it was a lot of fun!
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
My latest? Well, Michael in “Michael’s Choice” is a 6 foot tall, sexy Italian with a chiseled body, perfect face and long, silky black hair. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them!
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Do not follow the crowd. Be different. Be bold. Be fearless and just do it.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Other than thank you? I want new readers to know that all of my books are set between the 1980s and 1990s. There’s too much technology in our everyday lives, my books help you escape that.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
I’m not reading anything, unfortunately.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Oh gosh…Black Beauty? It was a picture book, that’s for sure.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
I laugh at things that are “cute”, “serene” and genuinely funny. I cry at the injustice in the world but I also cry at happy endings.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
My Father’s father. I have a feeling there’s a lot of “him in me”.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Is cooking a hobby? Food is another prominent theme throughout my novels.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Most recently, The Good Doctor, 9-1-1, and any retro movie such as “Terminator”, “Gone With the Wind”, “Towering Inferno”. I’m also a sucker for old movie stars such as Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman…And I can’t forget my cooking shows!
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Blue (Navy) is my favourite colour and so is Orange since it’s the “happiest colour” I enjoy all sorts of food and even exotic ones. I’ll try mostly anything. I have to stick to my 1970s and 1980s music and Sinatra, of course.
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Cry. A lot.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
“She did it her way.”
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Sarah Andreas I am 40 years old… But I tell everyone I am 24 again. Because that is how old I feel.
Fiona: Where are you from?
Strasburg, Ohio.
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.)
.I live on a 250+ acer farm with my husband, Dan, and son, Marcus. I am currently working on my Ph.D. in organizational leadership.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
I just published my 2nd book. Which was a super fun project.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I have wanted to write a book for years but no matter how hard I would try I could not get it written. So, when I was 39 I hired a coach to help me through the process and I wrote my first book through her program.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I never thought of myself as a writer. I am not sure why I really wanted to write a book. However, I know that when I am stuck and I need help I look for books that answer what I am struggling with. I have become a book junkie since starting my Ph.D. program. I also listen to a lot of books on Audible.com as well. I love all types of genres.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
I think it was I was going to turn 40 and I wanted to have a book before I turned 40. So I got busy and wrote it. It was a book to help emerging leaders understand that they may be what is holding them back from their next promotion.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
I knew the title of my book that just launched as soon as the idea to write it popped into my head. Women Who Ride: Rebel Souls, Golden Hearts and Iron Horses.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
I don’t think I have a particular style yet. My first book was written totally different from Women Who Ride. The Women Who Ride book is a Short Story Anthologies Book. It was so much fun to put together.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Since the book is a Short Story Anthologies Book it share true stories of women who ride motorcycles and their experiences.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
The stories I shared are all trips and experiences that I have had on my motorcycle.
Fiona: Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
I wanted to share stories that show how Women who ride have rebel souls, golden hearts and ride iron horse.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
Since I am a crazy reader I actually love to wait until an author has a whole series and binge read. If I am reading non-fiction I love reading leadership and human development.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Yes and No. I know that I am not done writing. In fact I have a call for submissions for my 2nd edition of women who ride. I do believe that my purpose in life is to teach, research, coach and write about leadership development. However, that may raise the question why did I write a book about women who ride? Well, the short answer is I needed something to do while I was waiting on my research proposal to get though my committee.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I did all the work except editing and proof reading myself. Next time I would like to have more help or more time. I turned it around in a very short timeframe and I am have gotten a couple of grey hairs. LOL
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
That it take longer than estimated every time. But it is a fun process that requires focus.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
No. I have no acting skills at all. But it would be a cool film talking to all the different women who made the book possible.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
If you want to write and publish you should. If you can get through the first one and you really feel the call then hire a coach to bully you into getting it done. I believe that if you feel like you should write then you have a message to share.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
That this book is a celebration of women who ride motorcycles. It is written from their hearts about their personal experaince with motorcycles. It is a pretty cool book.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Once I got my book in paperback I read it again because it was neat to have it in print. But I am currenyl reading about 20 books realted to leadership development, human and spiritual development and how adults learn. Right now on my desk is The season of a woman’s life by Daniel J. Levinson, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and Reinventing organizations by Frederic Laloux. Then on Audible I am listening to a science fiction book by Aleron Kong.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
My Grandma Kennedy had a bunch of Dr. Seuss books and I loved to read them.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
That is a great question. I don’t think I laugh enough. But my husband and son make me laugh the most. I think I cry more than I used to because there a lot of sad things that we get bombarded with anymore.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
I would love to spend a day with John Maxwell because he is a great thought leader in leadership and helping people grow. I really admire his work.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Yes. Riding motorcycle, quilting, playing with stained glass, reading, writing, taking classes to learn anything new and artsy.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
This is one thing that I do very little of. If I go watch a movie it is either an animated movie or Marvel.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Pasta, I love all colors, county
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
I would interview people for a YouTube video series.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
That I made a difference in people’s lives in some way.
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Cheryl: Cheryl Allen, 46
Fiona: Where are you from?
Cheryl: Northern California
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
Cheryl: Graduated high school and did some general education in college.
I have both my parents still in my life and have two older sisters.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
Cheryl: latest news is I am working on a spin off backstory type of book to my very 1stbook The Crosshairs of Love. It’s about the main characters brother Merrick in an MMA type romance.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Cheryl: Well I’ve never even been a reader most of my life, never had the time to just sit and read. I would always watch the movies. But 5 years ago after my divorce I was able to just slow down a bit in life and had heard about this infamous book being talked about ’50 Shades Of Grey’. So I read it and found that I loved reading! So I read a lot of books after that. Then one day I couldn’t find anything that appealed to me, so I gave it a try myself and people really liked it and things just sort of took off from there.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Cheryl: After I was actually published and sold my first book.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Cheryl: Writing something that I would want to read. And putting some of my own life experiences in my books, kind of like my own way of getting through things after my divorce.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Cheryl: I took what the book was about and just kept spinning titles until one sounded good to me and my support group.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
Cheryl: I write romantic suspense books and there are a lot of medical things I throw in that I always have to Google first so I don’t sound like I’m just making things up and pulling them from the air. I like to be as authentic as possible.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Cheryl: I would say just parts and pieces. I tend to put peoples personalities that I know (including my own) in my books.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
Cheryl: I wish I had the funds to do that, but no Google is my best friend.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Cheryl: Brandi Doane McCcan and Nightfall Cover Designs.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Cheryl: How strong women can be no matter what. Even if they are weak when they are introduced in my books, by the end with everything they go through they come out stronger. In one of my books coming out in the next week ‘Guarding Presley’ I take a rich snob who expects to be catered to at her every whim and turn her into better human period with all she goes through.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
Cheryl: LP Dover, Penelope Ward and VI Keeland are three of my favorites. Their writing styles are a lot like my own, I’m not a fan of a lot of inner dialogue, they have just the right amount. But lesser known ones that I like are; Charmaine Pauls, Geri Glenn, JL Drake, Scarlett Wolfe (who also goes by Ruby Rowe) and I’m reading a great book right now co-written by LP Lovell and Stevie J. Cole. I personally find unknowns to be better than the popular most times.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Cheryl: My friends!
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Cheryl: I want to, but making it big enough in this business to be my sole income is a lot like becoming a successful actress. There’s a lot of us out there trying right now.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Cheryl: No.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Cheryl: I always learn something new medically in my books from Google.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Cheryl: No, too much exposure to the public. People are too obsessed with the famous.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Cheryl: Trying to make it in this business is hard and not everyone is going to be a friend and help you out. But there are a few of us that don’t fear the competition and will help you with your questions. The more books out there to read the better, so don’t give up and believe in yourself!
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Cheryl: Go on Amazon or wherever it is you get your books from and take more chances on the unknowns I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Cheryl: Bad by LP Lovell and Stevie J. Cole
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Cheryl: No I don’t. It was in 7th grade and like I said I was never a sit down and read type of person until recently.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Cheryl: Happy endings and challenges in life. Both make me laugh and cry.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Cheryl: EL James, to thank her for being an inspiration for me to start my writing career.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Cheryl: Writing, reading and hiking.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Cheryl: ironically for someone who used to watch TV non-stop only 5 years ago I don’t watch many TV shows or movies now, I pref to read. But I mostly watch reruns of Seinfeld and Friends.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Cheryl: Food; Pizza. Color; Green. Music; All kinds. I discover a lot of music from the songs named in books. Yes I’m one of those people who stop reading and listen to them, then continue on. I figure (like I do in my books) the author is mentioning it for a reason so I want to hear it.
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Cheryl: A lot more reading!
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
Cheryl: She lived life to the fullest!
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name.
Margarita Felices
Fiona: Tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer?
I live in Cardiff. For all its modernisation, there are still remnants of old Victorian Cardiff. I love the castle in the centre of the city and the fact that you have the sea on one side and the mountains on the other side of Cardiff. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I’ve always loved to write. My teachers at school used to limit me to no more than ten pages. I wrote short stories for magazines, it paid my way through college.
Fiona: What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?
Primarily I chose to write Paranormal stories. They are fun and you can let your imagination run riot. But you can’t be limited to one genre so I branched out and wrote a few other short stories in different genres. My latest is called The Decoys and it is an erotic comedy.
Fiona: What have you had published to-date? Do you have a favourite of your books or characters?
My first novel Judgement of Souls3: Kiss at Dawn was published as an eBook by www.bookstogonow.com back in 2012 and is available on Amazon and Goodreads. I love Rachel, my main character – she’s strong and independent, but I do admit to having a soft spot for Daniel, the club owner. But I realised that her story was more intricate than I had put on paper so I decided to go back in time. Judgement of Souls 2: Call of the Righteous is a 300 year time period through mortal history introducing a deadly adversary commissioned by the Church to hunt down anything supernatural. Judgement of Souls 1: Origin goes back even further, to the times of the Crusades and the shady deals made by the Church with the vampire army.
After JOS3 was published, I wrote two short stories about a fake Psychic who gets a surprising visit one evening during one of her ‘séances’. And another about lost love. Story of my Heart proves that the Universe will always put you together with your true love, just when you thought it was lost.
I wrote a compilation of short stories for a Christmas offering.
I wrote Ordinary Wins, a sexy little story about a woman who meets a famous drummer from a rock band. It’s been received really well. It’s one of my favourites.
After that came The Trancers. Do you really know where people go when they’re in a coma? A creepy tale of being trapped. The Decoys is an erotic comedy about two Welsh girls and holiday and two handsome jewel thieves. I mean, what could go wrong?
Fiona: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?
Lots and lots, its part of being an author. Before I met Jenni at Bookstogonow, I sent the novel off to several agents in the UK and US. Rejection is all part of the profession, it’s tough each time you get a letter, but you have to put up with it because one day, you’ll get accepted. What isn’t easy is getting a rejection from a publisher who couldn’t be bothered to write you a letter back, just scribbled no thanks at the bottom of your letter! That’s harsh.
Fiona: Are your books available as eBooks? Were you involved in that process at all? Do you have any plan to write any eBook-only stories? And do you read eBooks?
Yes my novel is available, in ebook form and also in paperback. I’m happy with that, ebooks reach a lot more people and they are the way forward. I didn’t have much to do with the epublishing process, I left the whole process to BTGN, they knew what to do and I thought I just might mess it up. I did a lot of editing before we agreed with the finished product, I deleted almost ten thousand words with Judgement of Souls 3, but the story flows so much better and I couldn’t be happier. I do read eBooks but I try never to read while I am in the middle of writing a new novel. I just feel that you may subconsciously end up duplicating something that someone else has written and that would upset me. Plus it’s time wasting when I realise the mistake and have to frantically start rewriting.
Fiona: How much of the marketing do you do for your published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?
100%. Gone are the days when your publisher would do all of that for you. I promote on all social media outlets. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, magazines, blogs, websites, you name it, I’ve tried it. Yes it’s very hard and it’s extremely time consuming. If you’re not promoting then people don’t know your work, if you’re promoting then you’re not writing. It’s a vicious circle and you have to schedule yourself to do both.
Fiona: Do you write under a pseudonym? Do you think they make a difference to an author’s profile?
No, I write under my own name. It’s who I am. I think to each its own, if the writer wants to work under a different name then that’s fine, confusing at times, but up to them.
Fiona: If any of your books were made into films, who would you have as the leading actor/s?
Funny you should mention that. It has been optioned already but I wasn’t happy with the terms so the US Producers and I parted company. But I have excited news to come in the next few months.
I did used to have several actors that I could see fill the roles. But over the years the characters have changed and I no longer found that my actor choices suited my characters. I suppose it’s going to have to be someone new. Someone whose personality shines out and certainly one that can capture Max with just one glance. I guess it’ll be a surprise for all of us.
Fiona: Did you have any say in the title / covers of your book(s)? How important do you think they are?
Very important. I have a huge input into how it should look. BTGN has an excellent graphic artist who I work closely with. For Ordinary Wins I added tattoos for the drummer. For Trancers I found a picture that I loved, so I searched for the artist and asked if I could use it and she said yes. The Decoys I searched a gallery of images to find my girls. I love this creative part and it’s only the author that can see her character’s 100%, which is why it’s important to have full control over it all.
Fiona: What are you working on at the moment / next? Do you manage to write every day?
I’m writing the bullet points for book two of The Decoys. I’d like to write everyday but it’s not always possible, I have a full-time job so I try and fit writing in when I can. I carry a Dictaphone so that if I get ideas I can record them for later. And I have a notebook next to my bed for those sudden, middle of the night, ideas. I’m also at the start of writing another paranormal story called Rhiannon, a story about a Welsh witch.
Fiona: What is your opinion of writer’s block? Do you ever suffer from it?
We all do at some point. Sometimes you do get to a point when there’s too much in your head and nothing makes sense. I listen to music – that inspires me with some ideas. And if not, I leave everything alone for at least a week (or more if necessary) and then re-read what I’ve already written, it helps.
Fiona: Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?
I plot step by step. Each page has a sub-line of what is meant to go on that page and then I just write that section when I think about it. I have the beginning written in the next novel, then a few blank pages, then more writing etc etc. I even have what I’d like for the end!
Fiona: Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?
I form my characters on people I see almost everyday, but with a twist. The names, well I try not to make them too romantic and unbelievable, I like names that are old but still used today. But I have made up a few.
Fiona: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?
I edit constantly. It’s a real pain because I never think its good enough and I think the reason it takes me longer to finish the book. I should just write and let the editor do her job. But it’s part and parcel of being an author, to improve or to make the sentences flow easier.
Fiona: Do you have to do much research?
Absolutely yes. I like to use real places so I need to know exactly where they are. And as I write about supernatural beings, I like to get their history correct. In Book 2 there’s a chapter set in Malta. My best friend has just moved over there, so I went over and took a look around. I even joined a Facebook group that told me which streets were around in the 16th century so it now sounds very authentic.
For the Judgement of Souls series I even visited a synagogue in London and spoke to the Rabbi about their Hebrew bible. In it are passages about Lilith that I wanted to use. They were most helpful.
I have done research for every book, some of it extensive and some just experiences told to me by people I have spoken to.
Fiona: Some writers like quiet, others the noise of a coffee shop etc., do you listen to music or have noise around you when you write or do you need silence?
I write better at home and usually at night. I have the TV on or I listen to music, I need background noise. And it depends on what genre too. If I’m writing about Judgement of Souls then I have gothic/heavy metal music playing. For Ordinary Wins I listened to rock music. For the others more mainstream that gets you in the zones.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Don’t give up. If you have a story that is dying to be told, then work hard to tell it. But make sure you are doing your best work and you get an editor that can help you make the most of your manuscript.
Don’t give up even though you may get rejection letters. If everyone thought like that there’d be no books, no films. Keep writing, even if its dribble! Then read, re-read and edit. Try and write a little each day. One hundred words a day is seven hundred a week, twenty-eight hundred a month and one hundred words a day is so simple!
I grew up in an area of South Wales called Tiger Bay and that’s situated in Cardiff. Tiger Bay in its day was a very notorious area and was very poor. These days it is filled with luxury apartments, bars and restaurants and renamed Cardiff Bay, but to the locals who have always lived there, it’s Tiger Bay aka the Docks.
Where do you live now?
I still in Cardiff but moved away from the area I grew up in – around 5 miles away so not too far. I visit every week because my family still live in the same house, I may live in another area, but it’ll always be home.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I work for the BBC and have done so for over 20 years. I’ve worked on BBC news, music programmes, drama (Torchwood and Doctor Who), factual, arts and now I work for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales – we play the music that you hear on things like Doctor Who! I was the Production Secretary on Torchwood Series 1, had a brief stint on Doctor Who and worked on a few local Welsh dramas.
I have three little dogs that are spoilt rotten, I live just outside of town and love to get home and close the world out!
I have a lot of research books because I have to get facts right in my novels. Judgement of Souls 2: Call of the Righteous was set over 300 years, so I had a lot of history to cover. I even got my vampires involved in the French revolution which was fun, but I also had a timeline to consider, three hundred years of mortals who die and vampires who didn’t, so it was very challenging. I love researching my subjects.
When I wrote Judgement of Souls 3, I used a club in the storyline that I used to visit, so the club and its clientele are real. I love Gothic music and culture so it was easy for me to write my first novel.
I enjoy taking pictures and here in Wales we’re lucky to have such an old coastline. It’s Triassic and Jurassic and an ideal place for fossil hunters! On the other side of Cardiff and perhaps a 30 minute car ride down the motorway, you’re surrounded by mountains and valleys, with waterfalls, old castles and abbeys… a picture takers dream!
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
My name is S.D. Mayes and I’m forty-something.
Fiona: Where are you from?
I live in a little village called Cavershamin Berkshire.
Fiona: A little about yourself (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I grew up in Wells in Somerset, but have lived all over the place – in London, Greece, Spain and Portugal. And I’ve worked in many different jobs – from being a medical secretary, to a recruitment consultant, and then a journalist for nearly twenty years, writing for mainstream newspapers and magazines. I now edit and beta read authors manuscripts as well as writing my own novels.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
My book, Letters to the Pianist won a monthly best-cover award and is now nominated for cover of the year this year with a US Magazine.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve been writing since I was a teenager, diaries, letters and short stories.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
From when I first started working full-time as a journalist in my mid-twenties.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
The idea came to me about Letters to the Pianist three years ago, after I read my mother’s memoirs about her family home being bombed in the London blitz, and she was left orphaned. I found this discovery about her life totally inspiring. She’s a survivor and I really wanted my character Ruth to be based on her, and to include the tragic circumstances she had to go through.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
I brainstormed it with my daughter, as the letters my protagonist Joe receives, changes the course of his life. She often comes up with great ideas.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
I write differently in every book as it really depends on the characters. In Letters to the Pianist, I have two protagonists – Ruth and her father Joe – and it’s written in first and third person, delineated by changed of chapter.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are the experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
It’s based on my mother’s real life memories of her childhood and also Hitler’s obsession with the Supernatural, so there’s a lot of truth within the fiction.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
No I didn’t, because the story is set in London and Bournemouth – and I know both places very well – but I did do a lot of research on events and places in the 1940s – for examples, restaurants and cafes, concert halls, clothes and hats.
Fiona: Who designed the cover?
A chap called Vern at my publishers. H came up with the idea and then we tweaked it together. I wanted a blue tint to the cover and a ghosted letter in the sky which he then added.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Although the story could seem to be about judgement and prejudice, at its heart it’s about the importance of family, and how can we find an anchor in the midst of loss.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
I really like Paula Hawkins’ ‘Girl on a Train’ and ‘I Let You Go’ by Clare Mackintosh. I found both their books to be easy reads but very descriptive with a strong sense of authenticity with the characters. Both books were compelling in their storytelling and that’s what made them page turners to me.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
No one person did that. It came from me and I feel it’s always down to the individual to push through challenges to get published.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
I would say it’s part of my career already, but I’ve always had more than one string to my bow.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No, I’m happy with it as it is.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Yes, I learnt a lot about the chaos and pain that everyone went through during World War II, which made me very emotional as I wrote it. I also got to understand my mother’s character a lot more. We didn’t always get on when she was alive, but through writing about her childhood in the book though the character of Ruth, I got an insight into what made her who she was. And that gave me a real insight and compassion for her as a person.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
I would love Michael Fassbender to play Joe and Alicia Vikander to play his wife, Connie.
Not sure who I’d like to play the rebellious teenager, Ruth Goldberg. It would probably be a gutsy unknown actress.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Always get beta readers to test read your drafts, and make sure the MS gets edited. A good story is only worth the attention of a reader if it’s polished and well edited, otherwise attention gets drawn to the errors rather than the storytelling.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Keep an open mind. Letters to the Pianist is not just a standard historical fiction book. It’s historical suspense, so there are plenty of twists and turns. Everyone has a secret and everyone is flawed – just like in real life.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
I’m reading ‘Innocence’ by Dean Koontz.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Winnie the Pooh.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Many things make me laugh – I love comedians like Michael McIntyre.
Sad movies and books make me cry like ‘The Light Between Oceans’, although I preferred the movie to the book. And when my daughter gets upset, that makes me cry.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
I’d love to meet Albert Einstein and Carl Jung. They have such fascinating minds and ideas, I’d love to just listen.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Going for walks by the river where we live, cooking, eating out, decorating, reading books, and going to the cinema.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Because I’m writing and editing until quite late in the evening, I tend to record what I want to watch. I love shows like ‘The Apprentice’ or gritty dramas like ‘The Fall’ and ‘The Missing’.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Thai food is a fave.
Turquoise is a favourite colour.
Musically I have an eclectic taste, so anything other than rap, house and heavy metal!
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
I’d love to go travelling and see more of the world.
Fiona: What do you want written on your headstone?
She loved a challenge!
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
My name is Stephen Bentley and I am 70-years young.
Fiona: Where are you from?
From the UK but I have lived in the Philippines for the past 3 years.
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
I’m a former UK Detective Sergeant, once worked undercover for 2 years, then I qualified as a barrister, or trial attorney as our American friends say. I practised mainly criminal law defending in all kinds of cases from burglary to murder.
I also spent a number of years in sales management; driven big trucks; been a London motorcycle courier; hospital porter; and operated plant machinery for 2 years with Thames Water before I retired from work.
I was educated in the old grammar school system on Merseyside but graduated in law when I was in my early 50’s. Did a post-grad course at the Inns of Court School of Law in London to qualify as a barrister.
Divorced more than once and now happily married, hopefully for the last time J
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
The narrator of the audiobook of my true crime memoir just contacted me to tell me it ought to be finished by the end of January 2018. Hopefully, the audiobook will be available from March onwards.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I started to write my memoir many years ago but kept putting it away. I wasn’t ready to write it, I guess. But in retirement I found the time and space to write it.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I don’t. I’m still learning the craft.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Two things. First, it was good practice for writing and publishing my memoir. Second, it was inspired by the truly atrocious driving I found here in the Philippines city I live in.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
How To Drive Like An Idiot In Bacolod: An Expat’s Experiences of Driving in the Philippines and How To Survive is both long winded and self-explanatory, don’t you think?
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
I think I do have a writing style. Reviewers have said they feel like they are perched on my shoulder when reading. So, maybe intimate? I hope so as I want readers to “feel and see” the story not just read the text.
The second question involves an explanation. I have now written three books one of which I have mentioned – the driving in the Philippines book.
Then came the memoir. A non-fiction book about my exploits undercover on the UK’s largest drug bust.
The third is the first in a trilogy of fictional books featuring Steve Regan an undercover cop.
Now I am writing Book Two in the Steve Regan series. This is where I find it challenging. Undercover work by its nature can be slow. There is a lot of waiting. It takes time to infiltrate a community to get close to the “bad guys.” Readers don’t want waiting. They don’t want the boring stuff. They want action.
The challenge is writing so as not to bore the pants off the reader but at the same time to convey what makes a good undercover cop. It gets tricky!
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I will answer this question in the context of my crime fiction books – the Steve Regan Undercover Cop Series for obvious reasons – both my Philippines and the true crime memoir are non-fiction.
The fiction is based on my own experiences when I was undercover. Indeed, the first in the series was based on two characters I met in reality whilst undercover.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
Fiction again – I would say I did not have to travel to write the fiction books but it helped a great deal that I have travelled extensively. For example, in Book One I write about a near-drowning scene in Miami. It helped that I have been there and the same for Book Two which is largely set in Thailand. I spent two years in that country.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
The delightful Anna from annoulacovers.com.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes. Undercover cops work in a dangerous environment. They use duplicity as their main stock-in-trade. The work can cause identity confusion. I would like the readers to grasp that and empathise with the predicament.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
I have always been a reader but since retirement and starting a writing career, I have become an avid reader.
I have caught up on an old favourite of mine – Ed Mcbain and the 87th Precinct series. I have also started to read Lee Child and the Jack Reacher books.
One of my most recent favourite reads was A Criminal Defense by William L Myers Jr. I would say he is my favourite writer at present. I love the plots and the courtroom scenes. He is a practising lawyer and it shows. He is good.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Difficult. I would have to say BooksGoSocial the authors’ Facebook Group. I find the members and the group highly supportive.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
No. Not enough money and I have had more careers than you can shake a stick at. I don’t need another one.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Yes. Book One of Steve Regan Undercover Cop starts off too slowly. I would change that even though it was done for a reason.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Give the readers a hook immediately. Make them curious.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
A younger Clint Eastwood with a British accent.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
The more you write, the better it gets.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
A big thank you to all who have read my books and a special thank you to those who left a review.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Die Trying, Jack Reacher Book #2 by Lee Childs.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Probably Gullivers Travels by Jonathan Swift.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Toilet humour. Thinking of special people, special moments, and they are no longer living.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
My paternal grandfather. I only met him once. Something clearly happened between him and my father. I would love to know what.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
I potter in my garden, and I mean potter. I love to see things grow.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
I rarely watch TV these days but occasionally go to the cinema. One of my all-time favourite TV shows was The Wire. Last film I saw was Dunkirk. Okay but nothing more than that.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Curries, ice cream, red, blues.
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Be a rock star.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
THE END
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
A portion of all my book sales royalties are to be donated to the Jamie Bulger Memorial Trust, a UK Registered Charity. Please consider donating even if you never buy my books.
Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
My name is Jacqueline Lucia, the author of “Making Ends Meet with a Popcorn Popper”. I’m old enough to have been married, have children and gotten divorced but young enough to still be able to chase them around and not yet become a grandmother!
Fiona: Where are you from?
I’m from a small, beautiful town in New England (in the States). I’m so grateful to my parents that I was raised in such an area – where you could walk the sidewalks safely, enjoy all four seasons, ride your bicycle, and play in the backyard with all of the neighbourhood children until dark.
Fiona: A little about yourself (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
Well, you can find me most nights at home with my children. I really am a homebody. . . I spend my days home-schooling my children and much of my free time exploring their passions. When I can, I dabble in my other interests outside of writing – like comedy, music and the visual arts. With that said, I love to have friends and family over for some food, wine, and laughs as often as I can! I have come to a place in my life where I treasure these times. I try to embrace a creative and cozy vibe.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
I just published my very first book! “Making Ends Meet with a Popcorn Popper” has just been released this week and it is VERY exciting for me! Amazon is offering both a Kindle and paperback version of my book. I’m anxious and nervous and excited – all at the same time – to see how it will be received.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve always enjoyed writing. I love the outlet, the creativity, and the power of the written word. I think I realized when I was very young that the written word had the power to persuade and convince, to present new ideas…to change the world.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I don’t know. Maybe when I started to re-examine my life when I needed to rebuild it; so perhaps a handful of years ago. There are often treasures hidden in trauma.
One of my treasures was discovering who I really am and who I wanted to become. And I like to write – always have. It was probably at that point that I gave the permission to consider myself a writer.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
There is so much that I want to write about. But I thought it would be best to start with something that could help others that might find themselves in a desperate financial situation and not know what to do first. I never thought I would have ended up where I did. I could have never imagined it. But it happened and it got figured out. I thought if there could just be a simple guide – with shortcuts to the lessons I learned – to take you from desperate to manageable, that could really be a game-changer for so many people.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Well, the guide is certainly about making ends meet in the fiscal sense, and I suppose that part is evident. But everyone always asks about the popcorn popper. And I tell everyone the same thing! You have to read the book! This book is not meant to be a boring, dry, manual to get you from point A to point B – it is also anecdotal with my sense of humor sprinkled throughout. Our popcorn popper played a very important role in my family’s recovery.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
My style is conversation and anecdotal. In stand-up comedy, they call it story-telling. When I have done stand-up, that is my default – I always want to tell the story – but the challenge is hoping and praying that the audience – and in this case, the reader, stays with you long enough to get the punchline/laugh/conclusion of whatever you’re telling or writing.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
This book is absolutely realistic and is based on my own experiences. I had been a typical – if there is such a thing – married wife with two children until one day I learned that everything in my life wasn’t what I thought it was at all. In fact, I was living in a house of cards and everything was toppling over! My children’s lives and my life were changed overnight. The children and I moved, and I sold everything that I could and learned how to survive and start over.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
No, I don’t. I can work from home.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
I used Amazon for the cover of the first edition.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
YES. Keep looking forward. Keeping looking UP. This won’t be bad forever – it’s transitional. And no matter how awful it is right now, find a way to enjoy your life as it is. POP THE POCORN.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
I look at the different ebooks out there a lot. I LOVE Neil Hilborn. His poem ‘OCD’ went viral some time ago and I have his published book of poetry from Amazon, ‘Our Numbered Days’. I love his authenticity and rawness. I find him honest, vulnerable and brave. I’m also particularly interested in Rania Alammar and her book about Princess Diana. I suppose that I don’t have a favorite writer. I do like to read some of the American short stories from the last 100 years and then read interpretations of them. I find the different interpretations fascinating.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment tobecome a published author.
Friends and community. Although this book doesn’t go into the specific details that occurred in my life, the book does address how to begin the recovery process financially and hints at how to shift the mindset. I had the support of community, strangers and many friends who saw the difficulties my children and I endured and how we came out better and stronger. So many times, I have heard – you need to share this story! This is a book that needs to be written! While this isn’t ‘that story’, this is a guide and handbook for recovery – and I have a lot of support for that and I’m ever so grateful.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Boy, that would be great. I think you have to see it first for it to happen next.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I’m such a novice that I don’t yet know what I don’t know.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Yes. I learned to not put it off. To expect to be scared. And to keep going. Always keep going.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Mira Sorvino. She’s sassy, smart, and SO talented.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Just do it. Wait, Nike said that. Just write.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Please consider reviewing my book on Amazon – as scared as I am, I really need the feedback!
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
‘Our Numbered Days’ by Neil Hilborn
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
I think it might have been ‘Cat in the Hat Dictionary’.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Things that make me laugh: My children. Stand-up comedy. Saturday Night Live. Funny stories. When Eddie Murphy does his bit about the Ice Cream Truck. The movie Elf. Chris Farley doing the skit “In a Van Down by the River”. Adam Sandler’s “the Hanukkah Song”… I could go on but the Internet might get clogged or something.
Things that make me cry: The song “When October Goes”.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Jesus. He just sounds so awesome and that I probably couldn’t do anything that would make him unfriend me.
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
I like to sing, draw, enjoy and study comedy, and occasionally paint.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
I love the sitcoms from the 80s and 90s – especially Cheers. But then there will be something that comes along like Mad Men. That show had me at ‘Hello’. I also love interesting documentaries and real-life who-dun-its.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
I love homemade macaroni and cheese, New England seafood, Italian food, and cheese and cracker spreads paired with wine. I love yellow, blue and pink and mostly all types of music – my tastes are eclectic overall.
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
I would sing more.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
I don’t want a head stone. My legacy is the love I’ve shared.
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
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