Make-Believe Mondays With Miss Mae

Today on Make-Believe Mondays, my guest is Miss Mae.

Miss Mae, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.

Miss Mae: This is a story I started soooo many years ago, and it’s been rejected soooo many times…LOL..But now with three contracted works, I’m hoping I understand more of what editors expect. So, once again, I’m going over this story. It’s about a young vet returning home from the Vietnam War (set in small town USA, 1967)and because of his good looks, he’s immediately popular with the girls. He gets a reputation for being a “bad” boy. My heroine, meanwhile, because her mother had a bad experience with her dad, is over-protective and won’t allow her to date until she’s 18. She meets this “playboy” when she’s 16 and he’s 20. For these 2 years he’s after her to go out with him. But she, unwilling to reveal the “mortifying” reason of not being allowed to date, puts him off. So what happens when she does reach 18 and goes on her first date? She makes the wrong choice, of course…LOL..This is tentatively titled, “A Knight in Deed” and it’s the first book of a two-book story. In the second story, when my heroine becomes twenty, the tale turns into a romantic suspense. It will be called, “A Knight in Need.”

Debra: That's an interesting story set up, age being the hurdle to overcome.

For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?

Miss Mae: Hmm, you mean night dreams, I guess? I can’t recall that I have. But daydreams, yes. Isn’t that how all our stories are created? We escape from the real world around us, withdraw into this imaginary place and dream or “plot” out our books!..LOL..

Debra: Yes, I mean night dreams, but also daydreams too, for they are a type of hypnotic state and that also interests me. It is wonderful to escape to the imaginary place. :-)

As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?

Miss Mae: Yes. Though I loved the Nancy Drew books, I will have to say that Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time” truly stole my imagination. I devoured that book and the story of courageous Meg outwitting the sinister It to save her scientist father and genius little brother, Charles Wallace. See, I can still remember the names!

Debra: And remembering the names as well as the story is the true mark of a book that has touched us, isn't it? :-)

Miss Mae, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.

Readers can visit Miss Mae at
www.missmaesite.com
missmaesite.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/missmaeauthor
www.myspace.com/monamurphy

---------------------
Debra's News/Debra is Watching:

Today it is my turn to blog over on Title Wave. I'm chatting about calendars, changing technologies and ebooks and I would love to hear your comments.

Also this week, I am taking down and putting away the Christmas decorations, selling some things on ebay, doing a winter cleaning and clearing out and getting ready for the new year to come in, all shiny and new and full of adventures and possibilities. It is a good feeling to be clearing away things that no longer serve you, whether it be the things that pile up in our homes or our lives. I'll need a pared down, simpler life once the book signings and writers events kick in next year. So I am paring things back to prepare for that.

www.debraparmley.com
Authors of fiction who wish to be interviewed on Make-Believe Mondays, please visit Debra's website and fill out the request form. Booking through the the end of 2009 now.

Make-Believe Mondays With Melody Knight

Today on Make-Believe Mondays, my guest is Melody Knight.

Melody: Thank you so much, Debra, for inviting me as a visitor to your blog!

Debra: It's a pleasure to have you here today. Melody, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.

Melody: I'm actually working on three at the moment, all under my "N. D. Hansen-Hill" name, which means they are mainstream fantasy/science fiction/paranormal/horror, but not romances, per se. That's because this has been my romance year as "Melody Knight". I've written a number of fantasy romances, SF romances, paranormal romances, and had a romantic suspense novel, "In Flames", released. I'm playing catch-up now with my non-romance thriller publishers to prep for 2009!

The first of my current WIPs is about three paranormal archeologists who know far more about their subjects, the artifacts, and the settings than they should. These three run into trouble when they uncover a particularly strong entity, with possession on its mind.

The second WIP is a fantasy which will probably relate to my fantasy series, The Elf Chronicles. We have an adventurer in a cave and he's running into major problems with creatures who have no business being there. No business being anywhere on Earth.

The third is about gargoyles. I've always wanted to do a book about gargoyles, and this one's just barely underway.

Debra: Of the three, I don't know which one I'd choose to read first, they all sound fascinating. Archaeologists, elves and gargoyles, oh my!

Ray Bradbury said, “We are cups, constantly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.” How do you keep your creative cup filled?

Melody: Research! In-depth research offers insight into everything from the molecular to the movements of galaxies. No event can be viewed singularly, any more than an individual can consider herself remote from her surroundings. I really like lateral thinking in my books, and layering. I don't intentionally arrange it that way, because I write by the seat of my pants, but the more I study a topic "under construction", the more interesting I'm able to make a scene.

Debra: Yes, everything is related to everything when it come to our lives and is equally true when creating the worlds in our books. Pebbles in the stream reach far. It's amazing how something you studied or experienced years ago can play an important role in a manuscript.

Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?

Melody: Definitely! To the point of embarrassment, I must admit. When you're walking down the street, having a two-sided conversation, or sweating because you've just been pursued by a demon, you know you're in trouble, LOL.

Debra: Well, I talk to mine too when no one is in the room. LOL Dickens who is one of my favorite authors, used to do it too. I figure if he did it, we're in good company. And each of his characters is quite memorable.

Some very famous authors have played with language, creating words for people or places that no one has ever heard of. Have you ever played with words in that way and if so how?

Melody: Sometimes there just isn't a word to describe the way one of your characters feels or reacts, so I'm guilty of creating one. Usually my editors catch me, but when the word is perfect for the character, they'll often let it pass.

Debra: Glad that you're guilty then, and that they let them pass. Language is a living growing thing and it is fun for me as a reader when new words are born.

As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?

Melody: There was this book about a blind boy who grew a luscious strawberry to give to a beautiful princess, because he was poor and had nothing else to offer her. It turned out to be her favorite of all the gifts she received. I absolutely loved that story!

Debra: Oh, that sounds like a wonderful story. (Readers if you know the name of this story please leave it in the comments. I would love to read it.)

If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?

Melody: The kind I already write as ND. Writing romance is not my favorite thing, because I have to focus so much on the two main characters. I like entire worlds in trouble with heroes coming to the rescue.

Debra: Then that is the direction you should go, or perhaps blend them a little. We need to write the things that call to us, that bring us joy. It can be difficult when a writer is capable of writing so many things (as I am learning right now) but I think, from speaking to so many authors, that there comes a point where things just click in and you know.

Melody, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.

Melody: Thanks again, Debra, for "having me over" . If you or anyone else would like to see my workplaces, you can visit my pages at
Red Rose Publishing
Linden Bay Romance (now part of Samhain)
my Melody Knight website www.MelodyKnight.com
my N. D. Hansen-Hill website www.NDHansen-Hill.com
and my MySpace pages

Debra: It's been a pleasure, and welcome to Samhain. I was excited to hear of the acquisition, especially as so many publishing houses are cutting back and trimming.

------------------------------
Debra's News/Debra is watching this week:

I'd like to take a moment to wish everyone Happy Holidays.
This week I'm looking forward to visiting with our son and daughter-in-law who are coming up from Baton Rouge. Our other son is in Vegas and this will be the first year he hasn't made it home. It's rather unusual for them to have snow in Vegas or Baton Rouge, but they've both had it this year! So one of the things I've been watching lately is the unusual weather patterns.

Now the tricky thing this week for any author who celebrates Christmas, is to write while in the midst of the holiday. I managed to do it at Thanksgiving, and there's no reason not to get some pages written this week. If you had a 9 to 5 punch the clock job, you'd still have to go to work, wouldn't you? So why should writing for a living be any different? I'll be taking my own advice this week for all but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. That's the way books get written.

This is a season of gift giving and I love pretty packages with shiny bows as much as anyone, but the true gift is the person handing you the gift. Make some memories and enjoy the people you care for and who care for you. Jobs, money and gifts are here today and gone tomorrow. But your loves ones....those who are there in good times and in bad....they are to be treasured.

www.debraparmley.com

Make-Believe Mondays with Pam Champagne

Today on Make-Believe Mondays my guest is Pam Champagne.

Pam, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.

Pam: I’m working on a full-length RS that I keep changing the name of. “Tina, the heroine is an addicted gambler. Her mother died at the hands of a serial killer and now he’s after Tina. Spade, the hero, who carries his own heavy load of baggage, is in hot pursuit of the murderer for killing his sister. Spade’s a former SEAL so he sticks by Tina while she tries to clean up her mother’s involvement in selling a lost treasure map.”

Debra: So you'll keep us in suspense with the title of your romantic suspense. ;-) It sounds intriguing.

Ray Bradbury said, “We are cups, constantly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.” How do you keep your creative cup filled?

Pam: My creative nature is sparked by reading, whether it be a newspaper, other author’s stories, a history book or even a dictionary. I also have an overactive imagination. My brain is like the energizer bunny. It never shuts off. Ever.

Debra: I have one of those busy brains too, so I know just what you mean.

Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?

Pam: My characters are alive in my head from conception. We take a while to really get to know each other but by the end of the book we talk to each other day and night.

Debra: Some very famous authors have played with language, creating words for people or places that no one has ever heard of. Have you ever played with words in that way and if so how?

Pam: No, I can’t say that I have. I enjoy playing with known words…putting them together in a unique phrase, but I’ve never created new ones. Perhaps it’s because I don’t write fantasy or sci-fi.

Debra: For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?

Pam: I’m an avid dreamer and I always dream in color. I’m actually surprised whenever someone tells me they dream in black and white. I’m a star in most of my dreams and I’m sure a psychologist would have a field day with me. I think my overactive brain gets bored at night and conjures up some excitement. I’ve never consciously included any dreams in my books. That’s not to say I don’t do it though.

Debra: I dream in color too. It's hard to imagine it in black and white. Yes, I'll bet psychologists are gleeful when an author walks into their office. We're usually so far outside of the box.

As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?

Pam: I devoured Nancy Drew books as a child. I tried the Hardy Boys, but even at a young age, I liked the hint of “romance” in the Nancy Drew series. As a teenager I moved on to adult books. Forever Amber was one of my first and I read every book that Frank Yerby ever wrote.

Debra: My best friend and I managed to borrow/trade/read every Nancy Drew out at the time. Devoured those books. That bit of romance early on, combined with her adventures was a world we wanted to live in.

If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?

Pam: Great question. I’ve toyed with writing an apocalypse themed book. There’d be a dab of romance, of course, but it wouldn’t be the main focus of the story. Stephen King’s The Stand inspires me to write my own ‘end of the world as we know it’ book.

Debra: Thank you. This is one authors seem to either love or don't want to answer, which I find very interesting. I'm sure that psychologist would have something to say about that.

Is there anything else you would like to add about the role of imagination, and dreams in creating fiction? Any other message for our readers?

Pam: Every author is unique in their ways of creativity. If there are aspiring authors reading this and you’re having a difficult time starting a book, I’d suggest you go somewhere quiet, clear your mind, and start asking the “what if” question. I find this method a foolproof way to come up with a plot.

Debra: Pam, that is excellent advice. Thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.

www.pamchampagne.net
---------------------
Debra's News/Debra is watching:

Well, I seem to be behind on everything and the little fender bender I had last week didn't help matters. This week I have to ship presents to family in Vegas and Ohio and get going on the Christmas cards. And as with any other day job, continue to go to work which means writing. This week I am working on a contemporary romance.

www.debraparmley.com

Make-Believe Mondays with Margay Leah Justice

Today on Make-Believe Mondays, my guest is Margay Leah Justice.

Margay, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you're working on now.

Margay: I am working on the next book in the Dante Chronicles, a follow-up to Nora's Soul in which Dante takes a more prominent role.

Debra: Ray Bradbury said, "We are cups, constantly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." How do you keep your creative cup filled?

Margay: I read a lot, blog a lot, and keep abreast of what is going on around me. You just never know what might tip off a story idea. Plus, my daughters are very creative, as is my mother, so that helps keep my creativity at a high point, too.

Debra: Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?

Margay: Yeah, that's kind of what happened with Dante. He was only supposed to be a secondary character in Nora's Soul, but long after the first draft of the book was done, he stayed with me. So somewhere along the way, during rewrites and edits, more of his story came out and is spilling over into another book.

Debra: Some very famous authors have played with language, creating words for people or places that no one has ever heard of. Have you ever played with words in that way and if so how?

Margay: No, I haven't had occasion for doing that.

Debra: For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?

Margay: Actually, Nora's Soul is based on two very distinctive dreams I had in one night, which I realized, upon waking, were interconnected. The first was the scene where Nora dances the night away in a night club with a dark, mysterious man (Dante) who isn't all he appears to be and shows his true colors when she turns away from him. The second is of Nora moving into a garage apartment at the house of a widower because she is going to take care of his twins. Both dreams are scenes in the book.

Debra: I have always been fascinated by stories which arrive in our dreams and how to capture them before they fade away in the morning light.

As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?

Margay: I read so much as a child (still do!) that it's difficult to pull out just one. Strangely enough, the book that impacted me the most as a child was the Diary of Anne Frank. I was always right there with her in hiding.

Debra: Oh, yes, that book really caught me up with it too.

If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?

Margay: Whoa, that is giving me too much leeway! I think it would have to be some sort of fantasy with action and romance – something for everyone. It would have to be something really epic, something like Star Wars crossed with the Sixth Sense meets Twilight.

Debra: Now that sounds interesting. Is there anything else you would like to add about the role of imagination, and dreams in creating fiction? Any other message for our readers?

Margay: There was a wonderful movie awhile back called The Neverending Story that was a modern day parable. It was actually two stories in one: The story of a boy reading a book and the story in the book itself in which the boy became a part. The character in the book was fighting back something called the Nothingness, which was basically eating up the imagination of children who didn't read anymore and the way to combat it was to become a part of the story. I think that holds true as much today as it did back when it first came out. We are in a state where the imagination of our youth is being devoured by the nothingness of online chatting. That's why I whole-heartedly applaud people like Stephenie Meyer and JK Rowling, who are fighting back the Nothingness with their mega-watt storytelling. So my message to readers is to keep on reading and not just that, but to pass on the joy to others. Encourage literacy; it will open up fantastic worlds for everyone.

Debra: The Neverending Story is a wonderful story. It is part of our job as authors to keep stories and story telling alive. When I travel I always hand off the paperback I've been reading to someone, either in the airport or the plane (flight attendants actually love this) or to people I meet. I feel like it's a way to keep them spreading.

Margay, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.

Margay: Thank you so much for having me here. You can find me at
margayleahjustice.com, where I share excerpts from my book, Nora's Soul, which is now available on Amazon.com. I love reader interaction and always try to answer comments left on my blog, so stop by often if you have a question you want answered.

-------------------------------------------------
Debra's News/Debra is watching:

Angela James, executive editor at Samhain Publishing (my publisher) has a contest going where you can win the new Kindle ebook reader. nicemommy-evileditor

This week I'm going to have the Amazon link added to my website, www.debraparmley.com now that my book is available in Kindle form.

And because everyone seems to enjoy photos of my travels, I'm adding more photos to Debra on MySpace which is where you'll find pictures of Scotland. I'm kicking around ideas for a Scottish historical romance. Revising a contemporary romance to prepare it for submission and decorating my house for the holidays.

Make-Believe Mondays with Debra Parmley and Gerri Russell

Welcome to Make-Believe Mondays! Every so often I look back over the interviews from the past and think about how far we've come. I've been doing these interviews since Jan. 9th 2006 and coming up soon on the three year anniversary. (Which I will be celebrating...more on that later.)

What started it all was the American Title II contest, when I needed a website and then a blog, before I was even published. Make-Believe Mondays was born and it has been a great joy in my life. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Today I thought I would re-visit one of the earlier interviews with my dear friend, Gerri Russel. This is from January 1st, 2007. What a difference a year can make in the life of an author. More on that after the interview.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan. 1, 2007

First I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year! It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since I started Make-believe Mondays. Your response has been so strong that I have decided to continue this blog for many years to come. Monday is always a difficult day of the week, returning to work after an enjoyable weekend and it is my hope that this blog brings a smile and a good start to your work week. Thank you for making us a part of your Monday.

Today is also a very special Monday because today my friend and ATII sister Gerri Russell, winner of the American Title II contest is here with us on Make-believe Mondays. This is a day all the ATII sisters have been waiting for and I'm thrilled to be able to announce that Gerri's book The Warrior Trainer hits the bookstores tomorrow!



Gerri, for some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?

Gerri: The kind of dreams that play a role in creating fiction for me are not the kind you have while you're asleep. I'm an active dreamer. One thing I have always been grateful for is that my mother, and other very influential people in my life, never set limits for me. I was never told I had to be any certain thing--only my own dreams could hold me back. So I grew up dreaming big dreams. And definitely one of those dreams was to become an author.

I feel that it is our dreams that give our lives focus and drive. I've had the desire to become an author for so many years, and have actively pursued that goal for the past thirteen. Finally seeing that dream become reality with the publication of my first book, The Warrior Trainer, has been one of the most amazing moments of my life.

Many people have asked me lately, "where will you go from here? What's your next dream?" I would have to say, the next big dream is to have a career as an author and to keep writing stories that touch people's hearts, fill their lives with joy, or bring them hope during difficult situations.

Debra: Gerri, you're an inspiration. You've achieved a dream and your story will motivate hundreds of authors to follow their dreams of being an author. I'm sure you'll achieve every one of your goals.

As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?

Gerri: I grew up reading everything and anything I could get my hands on. Favorites of mine will always be the classics: J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, but also when I was younger I used to devour mysteries featuring Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I'd say my reading tastes now are very eclectic at best! I'll read science fiction, and romance, and murder mysteries, and autobiographies with the same passion.

Debra: If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?

Gerri: If there were no rules but those dictated by the imagination, I'd probably be writing what it is I write now. As a writer, I've evolved over the years to write about characters who are trying to figure out who they are. Mix that with a bit of the mystical and a bit of legend and a bit of fantasy, and that's the kind of story you'll get from me.

Debra: And that is a story I can't wait to read. I'll be first in line at my local independant book store tomorrow!

Gerri, thank you for visiting us here on Make-believe Mondays to share a bit of the magic of writing with our readers.

You can find Gerri on the web at www.gerrirussell.net or at www.blogspot.titlewave.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Debra's News/Debra is watching:

What a difference a year can make. Gerri now has three books out in her series. The Warrior Trainer, Warrior's Bride and Warrior's Lady (which is available now as a pre-order)

I am also thrilled to announce that my first novel, A Desperate Journey is now available to pre-order the print edition!

click here to pre-order A Desperate Journey



I've been burning daylight and candlelight to finish my novella in time for the Dec. 1st deadline today! I had to have 24,000 words along with a 2 to 5 page synopsis. Samhain issued a call for westerns for an anthology so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to write one. There is just something about a cowboy, isn't there? ;-)

Today I submitted my novella to Samhain with fingers crossed that they like it enough to buy it. It's the first time I ever wrote a novella and I found I enjoyed it very much. I got my start in fiction writing short stories. This falls somewhere in the middle and is a totally different feel than writing a novel or a short story.

Murphy's Law being what it is that everything shall happen at once, it is also my turn to blog over on Title Wave and that blog will be up shortly, once this one is posted.

This week I plan to catch up on some much needed sleep, as well as other things I got behind on in order to get the novella done. There are the Christmas decorations to put up, the house to be cleaned (and I am told there is not much food in the house) and I am looking forward to relaxing each evening with a good book.