I am a single mom, a
writer and a lover of all things literary. I live in the PA Mountains but my
heart and soul will always be in North Carolina. I have a wonderfully weird
little boy named Wander Stone and he is utterly perfect for his equally weird
mom. J
My debut novel,
Redemption will be released early in 2013 and I have a bit of a teaser preview
on my blog now. So if you like the darker part of paranormal fiction, keep an
eye out for my Scottish Oracles. I promise; they won't disappoint.
How did you decided to enter the world of
writing?
I wish I could say that writing is in my
blood and it’s the only lover I have ever had, but I can’t. I wish I could say,
I always knew I would end up a writer, but if we’re being completely honest, it
wasn’t always so.
I spent my teen years playing the cello and
dabbling in poetry. I never thought my play with words was an art I was
crafting for a career later in life. My endless journals were more of an outlet
for all the things I couldn’t keep or change; they were my therapy of pages and
ink stains.
Years went by and I pursued other things. I
entered the world of research in animal sciences. I loved it and because I was
good at it, I thought it was my calling. I worked with the most brilliant minds
in this ever-growing field, but I was never truly fulfilled. I spent years bouncing from college research
labs to huge pharmaceutical companies, like GSK. I loved the work. The world of science was always evolving,
changing; therefore there was always something new to learn. But it wasn’t
enough and it was actually an ex-lover and fellow scientist that made me
realize what was missing in my life. Being a scientist himself, he understood
my need for the creative art. So he pushed me to write music with him on the
weekends. With his help, I found out why I was so unsatisfied with my life.
The point is I never would’ve had the
confidence to write, if it weren’t for that final push from my lover. I would
still be coasting through life, unfulfilled and not truly knowing why. I have
him to thank for where I am today.
What does your family think of your writing?
They love it. My sister and mother are my
biggest fans. I write and they pick it a part chapter by chapter. I think their
only complaint is that I don’t write nearly fast enough!
Where do you get your ideas?
I am inspired mostly by music. I adore
everything musical and my taste in music is so eclectic. From Tori Amos to
bluegrass; I love it all.
I will admit there are a few photographers
that have inspired a few of my oracles as well.
If you get a chance, please check them out. http://iomasaty.deviantart.com/
http://www.brookeshaden.com/
Can you tell us a little about your book?
Of course! Here is my blurb:
He was just looking for someone to keep and
she wanted nothing more than to be set free . . .
Gadin Wilde had always been fairly content
with his life. He had long ago accepted the fact he was one of the Damned; a
vampire, an irredeemable beast driven by blood. That was until he met the very
complicated and beautiful Talula Delphina.
Cursed with a fate worse than death, Talula
is destined to watch the world die. Punished with the cruelest form of
immortality, she knows all about the devastation of death and the agonizing
pain of rebirth. For last twelve hundred years, she has relived its vicious
cycle time and time again.
So when the dark and very sexy, Gadin began
hunting her, she welcomed her demise at the hands of such a tempting predator.
Yet Gadin wasn’t after her blood but her love even though neither of them
believed that they deserved the redemption of love. And as their passions grow,
powerful forces fight to keep them apart. Will their love be enough to overcome
their fated paths? Or will the secret crime Talula committed centuries ago, be
so damning that Gadin won't be able to forgive her?
What is your writing process?
I have to write out very detailed character
maps before I can even begin to tell their tale. For Redemption, the longest
character map is around 18 pages. I need to know each character from top to
bottom.
But to be honest with you, I am mess. I know
how I want the story to go but sometimes it doesn’t end up as I planned. My
characters have a mind of their own so I have learned to let them have their
way or there will be hell to pay. J
Oh and I have to write everything down long
hand before I type it up. I literally have boxes and boxes of full notebooks.
What was the hardest part for you when
working on your book?
The hardest thing for me would be doing my
characters justice. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my writing because
these characters aren’t just people on pages. They are my heart, my family and
they are always there for me. I love them dearly and I just want to tell their
story in a way that they deserve.
What influenced or inspired you to write?
Music; hands down, it has always been music.
I write with my ear-buds blaring. I can’t write without it.
Redemption was actually inspired by a
Florence + the Machine song off their debut album, Lungs. I do include the
lyrics at the very beginning of my book. The song is named Bird Song if you
were curious.
Was there a scene that you didn’t add or you
removed in your finished work?
I was actually very lucky. I didn’t have much
that I needed to cut. My editor is an amazing woman and I can’t tell you how
much she saved me from myself in the editing process.
Do you have a favorite character (from you're
book)? Why?
Oh to choose only one! But if you made me, it
would have to be Talula.
She has to overcome so much. I can’t imagine
a death of a child and in her shoes; I would probably have done exactly what
she did to avenge her dear one.
She is brave and fierce and would do anything
to protect her family. She is a true mother.
Do you already know what to write next? Can
you tell us?
Well, I am working on the second book in the
Taghairm Chronicles. It’s currently unnamed and it is Xz’s book.
Where can we find more information about you
and your books?
Right now, I am polishing up Redemption and
getting it ready to share with the world. It should be released by March 2013. You
can find more about it on my blog and even an excerpt read by my absolute
favorite narrator, Xe Sands.
Blog:
http://thetaghairmchronicles.blogspot.com/
My cover was done by the incredibly talented,
Marya Heiman of Strong Image Editing. If you are in need of a cover, please
check her out. She is amazing.
My
cover artist: http://www.strongimageediting.com/
Last but not least, my editor, Marcie Turner.
She is beyond amazing; I can’t stress enough how well she knows her craft. I
don’t know what I would do without her guidance in this process.
If you are looking for a freelance editor,
please consider her. She reasonably priced and she is gifted when it comes to
polishing up your manuscript without trying to change your story.
Editing
Services: http://www.lookingglassediting.blogspot.com/
Do you have any last words?
Thank you so much for having me, Patricia! I
am honored that you wanted to know a little bit more about my oracles. J
Thank you Shanna for visiting. I loved learning all about you and your work. You're welcome to return to tell us about your next books.
Fun Questions
My favorite song is?
It changes from day to day. At the moment, it
is a tie between Tides by The XX and Do you? by Carina Round.
My favorite precious stone is?
Fire Opal
I want to travel to? Why?
Scotland. I can’t imagine a more intriguing
place to go and you will see the Scottish influence in Redemption from the very
beginning. They are Scottish oracles after all. J
My dream is to?
To make a living out of what I do. To say I
love my job would be the understatement of the year. Regardless if I was able
to share with the world my writing, I would still be writing. I have to or I
would go insane. J
My favorite book is?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Before my
kindle, I would go through a copy a year. My last paperback copy is held
together with a rubber-band. I can’t even count the number of times I have
reread it.
