I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH

"I convinced myself I was 'not good enough'...when I finally let go of 'not good enough'...the squashed down writing dream just came bubbling right up to the surface..."

My guest is romance writer, Megan Mulry. The USA Today best selling author had convinced herself she good enough to write story. Guest what? Megan can and writes fun, sexy romantic fiction. Intriguing, no?

Makes me wonder how many writers let the 'I'm not good enough' hold them back?  

It's a pleasure to have Megan visiting with us Over Coffee and she was gracious enough to take the time to answer a few questions for me.   

Thanks so much for inviting me to hang out Over Coffee. I love to laugh and cry (as you can see from my Twitter bio) and I love coffee. And glitches? I got ‘em. So, this should be a match made in heaven.

• How much do current events play into your writing?

A ton! My first manuscript (briefly self-published on a whim in 2010, then withdrawn, and maybe one day—after copious revisions—to be properly published) was inspired by the Lockerbie bombing and Pan Am #103. The entire book sprang from and revolved around that event and how it affected those involved. Later, an obituary about a British aristocrat caught my interest and became the seed that spawned the four books in the Unruly Royals series.

• How often to you get your ideas from what you read or see in the news?

I don’t write suspense very often, but when I weave a suspenseful subplot in (there’s a pretty grisly kidnapping and near-rape in one of my future books) it’s disheartening to realize that anything gruesome I try to invent has already happened. Especially, where I live in Florida, in 2013 there were a spate of horribly tragic domestic murder/suicides. So, I suppose it’s not that I get my ideas from that, but rather that I think, “Oh well, it’s not like I’m writing something preposterous.” (That whole truth is stranger than fiction thing, I guess.)

How often do you see kernel something (via news, a friend’s relaying an incident, the odd online story) and think, wow, that would be cool to write about with xyz additions to make it even better…

Pretty much all day, every day. For example, we moved recently, and of the eight-man-team that moved us, I could probably write a book with each man as the hero. It didn't hurt that they were all super nice, super muscly, and sweating most of the time. But I digress.

• What inspired this series of characters?

The Unruly Royals series was originally inspired by a few articles I had read about the Duke of Norfolk and extended family. Various women I’d met or read about over the years inspired the heroines. Working in New York City and/or London for any amount of time provides a lifetime of dynamic-female-character ideas!

• Have you always wanted to write or was there events that lead you to writing?

I can’t say I always wanted to write, because I had done such a good job of talking myself out of it—I convinced myself I was “not good enough”—but deep down, probably yes, I always wanted to write. So when I finally let go of “not good enough” (*kicks not-good-enough to the curb*) it was like the squashed down writing dream just came bubbling right up to the surface, like, “Hey! Remember me? I’m your dream. Let’s do this!”

• With the book’s release, as you look back, what was the biggest surprise that occurred while you were writing the story?

So many surprises! I guess I had Abby pretty well sorted out (in that she was totally not sorted out and was going to be struggling with her own view of herself and what she really wanted out of life). But the real surprise was Eliot. I had no idea he would be so tenderhearted…for some reason I thought he would be the stereotypical billionaire hard-ass who would be transformed or won over by the heroine. But the more I developed his character, the more it became clear that he had this inner core of intense vulnerability and love. My editor really helped me delve into his family background to reveal why he was the way he was.

• Megan, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and chat with us! Quite the inspiration. :-)

What fun questions! Thanks so much for taking an interest in my writing and for inviting me to visit!

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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Being royal isn't all it's cracked up to be...

Abigail Heyworth, youngest daughter of the 18th Duke of Northrop, is not your typical British royal—she'll take a recycling drive over a charity ball any day. She can't stand hats and heels. Abby's not getting much sympathy, of course, because everyone thinks the life of royalty is so charmed.

But to Abigail, keeping up appearances is unbearable, while running away doesn't seem to work either. Just when she feels like she's getting whiplash from swinging between flat-out rebellion to miserable capitulation, Abigail meets an all-American self-made millionaire who challenges her on every level.

It may turn out that what Abigail is searching for kind of resembles the American Dream..

                                                                                                                              

Megan Mulry writes sexy, stylish, romantic fiction. Her first book, A Royal Pain, USA Today bestseller,was an NPR Best Book of 2012. Before discovering her passion for romance novels, she worked in magazine publishing and finance. After many years in New York, Boston, London, and Chicago, she now lives with her family in Florida. 

You can find Megan: Facebook – Goodreads - Twitter – Website – Pinterest

WRITER'S SPOTLIGHT—MICHAEL OFFUTT AND STEPHEN TREMP

But words are things and a drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought and

produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

~Lord Byron

There are many reasons for starting a blog but in our community most have started their blog because they’re writers. It gets a writer used to meeting deadlines, choosing interesting topics to write about, and writing on a regular basis. Blogs help with getting one accustomed to being a presence in the cyber world. It’s a practical way of learning the promotion ropes and builds a following. Blogging is also a great way to find support and encouragement and that’s important when you’re that odd duck called a writer. J

No matter where you are on the road to publication there are common issues that face all writers. Those who aren't published have this perception, somewhere in the back of their brain, that those who are published no longer face problems in their writing. That’s not so. True, published authors have more experience and more confidence in their abilities but they still have tough days when the words won’t come. They still have jobs and families that eat up their time when they’d like to be writing. They still have things they struggle with. 

And that common denominator is one of the reasons I started my blog with the theme: 

Sharing the tears and laughter, the glitches and triumphs, authors face in the pursuit of their ambition to write.

Periodically, over the next few months, I want to highlight writers from my writing community published and unpublished. I want to share some of their struggles and triumphs. Really we aren't all that different in those areas. Michael Offutt and Stephen Tremp were both willing to answer a few questions for me.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

BUY: AMAZON, APPLE I-BOOKS, B&N,

Michael Offutt 

What excites you about the genre you write? 
I think it's fun writing about people who live extraordinary lives in fantastic worlds.

For you, what’s the best part of writing a story?
The beginning, hands down. It's easy to get excited about a new project.
What do you still struggle with as an author? 

You can find Michael: 
Website/blog,
Twitter, Goodreads.

Writing conclusions.

Give me a triumph/strength—something you’re proud of or something you've overcome as a writer? The feeling that I'm a special snowflake. I think feeling that one is "special" is dangerous to anyone because it can cause a person to overlook opportunities because they are waiting for something else that will never happen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Release Date March 10, 2014

Stephen Tremp

What excites you about the genre you write?

That it’s as real as science fiction can be. Remember, shows like Star Trek used futuristic science concepts that are today common technology. And science is unlocking the secrets of our universe in an exciting, and alarming, pace.

What amazing breakthrough discoveries will we see in the next twenty five years? What will our world be like? What cures will we have? Will we be mining asteroids and terraforming portions of Mars? The stuff if science fiction of today could be reality in a very short time. 

For you, what’s the best part of writing a story? 

Working with my editor. This is where we put it all together and add that additional Wow Factor! I can see the fruit of my labor about to come to pass. And I can spend much more time with the family.

What do you still struggle with as an author? 

Time. I can write two to three really good books a year. I just need to the time to do it. So this year I will write a couple novellas about 150-200 pages each.

Your can find Stephen:
WEBSITE/BLOG,
GOODREADS

Give me a triumph/strength—something you’re proud of or something you've overcome as a writer? 

Researching and finishing a trilogy. Originally, my story was a screen play that turned into a book. But as I filled out the outline, it soon became two books, then three. I’m proud I stuck with it through all kinds of trials. It wasn't easy. But I stuck with it.

Thank you Michael and Stephen for taking the time to answer my questions!

• Have you read Michael Offutt or Stephen Tremp's books? If you haven't stopped by their blogs lately, pop over and say hi!

MEET JENNIFER WALKUP

Today’s writer rarely has the perfect time and place to write.  For most, it’s a matter of carving out the necessary time while taking care of their responsibilities to family and job. It’s a tough juggling act. 

My guest, Jennifer Walkup, talks about some things that have helped her stay on track and overcome the negatives.

• How do you juggle working and family obligations with your writing career?

This is a tough one! I have a job, two young kids, a husband, a dog and a house. Plus I freelance edit for a few publishers and a literary magazine. I’m pretty good at multitasking but there is still only so much time. There are some things I won’t cut corners on - like family time with my husband and kids – but other things I have no problem slacking off on. I’m looking at you, housework! Ha! I’m not saying I completely ignore it, but there may be a few more weeds in my garden and a bit more dust in my house than there should be.

Many of us working mom types think we can do it all, but throw writing into the mix and it becomes literally impossible to get it all done. The sooner I let go of getting it ALL done, the better I felt. In other words: don’t sweat the small stuff! 

• What does your writing day look like?

Unfortunately, I don’t have a typical writing day. Being a mom to two young boys, my day is often upside down and backwards. Between that and working, I sneak in writing where I can. I try to write every night when the kids go to sleep, and can usually fit in a few hours. I’m a much more efficient writer early in the day, however, so when I can sneak in some morning writing hours, I’m a happy girl! 

• How do you handle negatives?

I try really hard not to let them bring me down. I’d like to say I don’t read reviews – I know some authors don’t – but I’m not that strong. I read them from time to time. When a reader doesn't agree with (or downright doesn't like) something about my book, I try not to absorb it. And it mostly works. Not every book is for everyone. And that’s okay! It’s just like when we writers are querying agents and submitting to editors and publishers. Not every agent or editor is going to love our work. Same with readers. As long as I’m entertaining some readers, I take it as a win! 

• How has associating with other writers helped you?

In all my years of writing and trying to get published, the writing community has helped me more than anything else in the world!

I have learned so much from fellow writers about the craft itself. Without the writing community I never would have gotten my manuscripts in shape to try and publish, and certainly never would have gotten published. The writing community is amazing – supportive, understanding and after all these years, filled with wonderful friends. Love my myriad critique partners and writing buddies! 

• What do you still struggle with as an author?

Everything! Ha, it’s funny, but true! Every single novel I write has its set of challenges. And every single story, every new character has the same approach. Is this interesting? Is this real enough? Will this grab the reader? Will this bore people? Will they like this character? Hate this character? Will this keep them guessing enough? All the fears I've had since book one are still the same. 

Now it’s a little scarier, actually. Since Second Verse came out, I've had people emailing to ask: “I loved your book! When’s the sequel?” It’s amazing feedback and it makes me feel great! But I’m terrified too. What if the sequel doesn't deliver? What if these readers don’t love it as much? So those fears, I think, they are always there. The key is channeling that into productivity, which I am slowly but surely learning how to do. 

• Second Verse is a ghost story—a bit dark and definitely on the scary side—with a rich portion of romance stirred in. What inspired this series or characters?

Second Verse is a mystery/thriller with paranormal elements. Not one bit of the story was inspired by anything in real life. Like most writers, I have a huge imagination and like many, I get inspired by seemingly innocuous things that cross my path. The inspiration for Second Verse was one of those instances. To make a long story short, it was inspired by the 30^th anniversary of a famous musician’s death. The whole story can be found on my site. 

• I’m always curious to see how people respond to the question of personal heroes. Who is your real life hero? Why?

My real life hero is my oldest son. He’s 7 years old and is the strongest, bravest boy I know. He was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years ago and even though things aren't always easy for him, he works so hard at everything he does and deals with so much that I wish he didn't have to. But he takes it all in stride and just keeps going. 

On that note, this would be a good time to mention that I’m donating a portion of all book sales in November to fund epilepsy research in honor of Epilepsy Awareness Month. 

So if you are interested in my book or know someone who’d like one as a holiday gift, if you purchase this month, part of the sale will go to epilepsy research!

Thanks so much for having me on OVER COFFEE today! I really appreciated getting to hang out here and chat with your readers!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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Bad things come in threes. In Shady Springs, that includes murder.

Murder Now
Lange Crawford's move to Shady Springs, Pennsylvania, lands her a group of awesome friends, a major crush on songwriter Vaughn, and life in a haunted, 200-year-old farmhouse. It also brings The Hunt: an infamous murder mystery festival where students solve a fake, gruesome murder scheme during the week of Halloween. Well, supposedly fake.  

Murder Then
Weeks before The Hunt, Lange and her friends hold a séance in the farmhouse's eerie barn. When a voice rushes through, whispering haunting words that only she and Vaughn can hear, Lange realizes it's begging for help. The mysterious voice leads Lange and Vaughn to uncover letters and photos left behind by a murdered girl, Ginny, and they become obsessed with her story and the horrifying threats that led to her murder.  

Murder Yet to Come
But someone doesn't like their snooping, and Lange and Vaughn begin receiving the same threats that Ginny once did. The mysterious words from the barn become crucial to figuring out Ginny's past and discovering how their own past is connected to hers. They must work fast to uncover the truth or risk finding out if history really does repeat itself. Excerpt

                                                                                                                                                         

When Jennifer Walkup isn't writing or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and young sons, listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers, and coming up with costume ideas for Halloween. She’s obsessed with good coffee and new recipes and likes broccoli on her pizza, flowers in her hair, flip-flops on her feet, and the number 13. A member of SCBWI and RWA, Jennifer also serves as fiction editor for The Meadowland Review and teaches creative writing at The Writers Circle. Second Verse is her first novel. 

You can find Jennifer: Website, Blog, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter.

ANNE CLEELAND —RECHARGING HER CREATIVITY

~My apologies for the late posting. Blogger did not follow scheduling directions.~ 

My guest is historical/mystery author, Anne Cleeland. Anne writes a good story with some intriguing twists. The story may be Regency in setting but the story is anything but predictable! 

She discusses a few things about her and offers some good advice about unleashing creativity—dive right and let it flow. 

• Why this genre instead of another? What excites you about this genre? 

            I've always loved historicals, and the Regency era in particular.  I think it stems from the Jane Austen/Georgette Heyer/Stephanie Laurens stories that are so enjoyable—partly because the setting provides an immediate tension; young women in society had to operate under strict rules, while love and longing simmered just beneath the surface.  Remember how in Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie changes her mind about Darcy but she’s fretting because she’s not allowed to tell him?  Or how shocked everybody was in Sense and Sensibility because Marianne was writing letters to a man she wasn't engaged to?   There’s something almost chivalric about the love affairs, and I think that’s very appealing in a fairy-tale sort of way.

            Meanwhile, while tea was decorously sipped in formal drawing rooms, the world was in absolute turmoil.  I use this contrast in Daughter of the God-King; the heroine has lived a protected and uneventful life until the world intrudes and she is suddenly swept up in dire events.   Much of the story takes place in Egypt, because it was during the Regency era that the treasures of Egypt—locked away for centuries—were finally unearthed for everyone to see.  Egypt is romantic and mysterious at the same time, and the setting is perfect for an adventure story.  

• How important is belonging to a writing group, such as RWA, to an aspiring or published author?

            To those of you who are thinking about writing your own book, I strongly encourage you to find a writing group of similarly-minded souls. I joined RWA after I wandered in one day to hear an author speak, and kept going back month after month—the combined knowledge and experience in the room was priceless, and everyone was amazingly supportive and helpful.   It’s no easy thing to write a book, and you’ll find all kinds of encouragement and practical advice on the how-tos.  And I think this industry more than most is built on networking and contacts—so go out and find your fellow pre-published authors; you’ll make lifetime friendships and have a lot of fun while you are embarking on your new hobby and/or career. 

• How do you refresh and recharge yourself so you can continue writing? 

            It’s the strangest thing—the day I decided to sit at the laptop and bang out the stake-out scene in Murder in Thrall I started a new obsession.  Now, I’d rather be writing than doing just about anything else, and I think most other writers know exactly what I’m talking about—it even takes up my reading time, which is something I never thought would happen, since I love to read. 

            Sometime my best ideas come when I’m tired after a long day and I think that I’ll just do a few edits on the last chapter.  The idea for the big twist in Daughter of the God-King came to me in such a way—late at night when I was trying to get to bed.  (As a reader, I love being surprised and so all my stories have at least one big, shocking twist.)

            Sometimes the ideas come when I’m not thinking about anything in particular—walking the dog is the perfect example.  So I suppose my answer to this question is vice-versa:  it’s the writing that refreshes and recharges me for everything else I have to handle in day-to-day living.  Again, to those of you who are considering it, my advice is to dive right in—don’t worry about the logistics until later. You’ll be surprised and amazed by your own creativity.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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The Cursed Tombs of Egypt Hold Many Secrets...

Miss Hattie Blackhouse has never been close to her parents...and no wonder, since the Blackhouses are renowned scholars who spend most of their time excavating ancient tombs in Egypt. But news of their disappearance forces Hattie to leave England and embark on a voyage that will reveal the long-buried secrets of her past.

An encrypted senet board and a gold medallion lead Hattie on a perilous quest to track down her missing parents—and discover why people associated with the Blackhouses continue to turn up dead. What she uncovers is a secret that could alter the course of history... 

Excerpt (chapter one)

Filled with intrigue, romance, and ancient secrets, Anne Cleeland's thrilling novel takes you on an unforgettable Egyptian adventure.

                                                                                                                                      

Anne Cleeland holds a degree in English from UCLA as well as a degree in law from Pepperdine University, and is a member of the California State Bar.

She writes a historical fiction series set in the Regency period as well as a contemporary mystery series set in New Scotland Yard. A member of the Historical Novel Society and Mystery Writers of America, she lives in California and has four children. 

EXPLORING THE TWISTS AND TURNS WITH SUZANNE FERRELL

My guest romance author, Suzanne Ferrell. Not only does she write on the edge of your seat Romantic suspense, but also writes western historical, and  erotic romance. She is a busy woman. She writes absorbing stories and works at night as Labor/Delivery nurse and has delivered over 200 babies in her career. On any given day you can find her working on her latest craft project or listening to good music (and rock –gotta love her for that!). 

I've read her romantic suspense and they tend to grab you and not let you go. As a writer, I had to ask her how she manages to produces an engrossing tale filled with danger and suspense and yet maintains the romance of it all-without dropping either one.

I love the thrill of a suspense and the feeling of danger especially when one weaves in romance. It ups the ante. It makes for a more interesting story, don't you think?

That’s the thing I like about it. Putting the hero, heroine or both in a situation where their lives depend on each other heightens the emotional, physical and often the sexual tension. It pulls the reader (and writer) in and should keep the pages turning.

What's the hardest part of writing suspense for you? 

I tend to tell you who one of the bad guys is, or hint at it. I don’t write mysteries, well at least not straight up who-done-its. Having said that, I did fool my editor Tanya on who the ultimate bad guy in Close To The Edge is. (I think that’s a good thing.) Usually the reader can see the bad guy coming in my books, but not necessarily the hero and heroine. I like to think of my books as action/adventure with danger around every corner and a ticking-clock forcing the characters to act in order to survive.

So, the hardest part, is putting enough believable twists and turns into the book to keep that sense of danger moving along. Then there’s the whole romantic side that has to come into play. I've read books where the characters are in mortal danger and they just stop to have sex, because hey, it’s a romance, sex must play into it. OR there is no sexual tension anywhere in the book, and poof at the end when the suspense is done, they’re in love.

That’s probably the hardest part of writing romantic suspense. Finding the believable balance.

I agree with you there, Suz! What do you have to do, once the story is done, to tighten up your suspense and danger? 

This question is making me smile. My son calls it “getting my Ludlum on”.

I've read all of Robert Ludlum’s books and one of the things I learned he does is as the book is getting closer to its climactic end, the writing gets tighter.

I try to employ this structure in my books. Shorter, succinct sentence structure. Shorter paragraphs. Lots of action verbs. I tend to flip POV scenes more frequently, so the reader gets the feel of things moving. What’s the hero doing? What’s the heroine doing? What’s the antagonist doing? What are the secondary characters doing? Boom, boom, boom. Keep the reader’s brain involved.

Another trick is to force a character to do the last thing in the world they’d ever want to in order to save the person they love. Sort of like Indiana Jones has to face down the snakes in the pit. In HUNTED my heroine had to go back and face the camp where she’d been tortured as a teenager in order to find something. She also has to repel down the side of a mountain—again, another fear she has. And ultimately, she has to face the cult leader once more before he dies.

I did the same thing in Close To The Edge with my heroine…but I can’t tell you what, or it will ruin the book for you! J

What's the best thing about writing suspense? 

Getting to push the envelope and letting the characters react to what you write. In KIDNAPPED, my heroine is abducted out of a parking lot on the same night she’d planned to kill herself. Talk about a wake-up call! From that moment on, she’s forced to deal with the hero and his injured witness and eventually help them. In HUNTED, my heroine’s cover in WITSEC is blown and she forces the hero, at gunpoint, to help her. And my hero and heroine in Close To The Edge are investigating a seemingly harmless little case, when they find a dead body.

Often their first reactions set in motions events that make the situation worse. I’m at that point now in the book I’m writing. The heroine’s actions make sense, but they make the situation worse. A friend once told me, the best thing to do is kick your characters to the floor and once they’re down, kick them a few more times for good measure.

Your latest book, CLOSE TO THE EDGE, is to be released March 25^th. I like the premise of it and I like the sense of humor you employ. I have to say, the opening line caught my eye and made me laugh, “Her ass was by far the finest he’d ever seen in this town.” And the “ass” in question is dumpster diving, of all things. What made you think of dumpster diving?

The book came about after a PI talked to my local RWA chapter. He was talking about public dumpsters being public domain and anyone could take anything out of it and it couldn't be considered confidential. This is the opening scene that played out in my head.

It doesn't start out dark and terrifying, but Bobby’s arrival in town sets in motion events that could destroy the town. These two [characters] are hip-deep in cow manure and don’t even know it yet. That to me can be suspenseful. Finding out your sleepy little ordinary world might not be as peaceful as you once thought. That the neighbor or acquaintance you once thought “normal” isn't quite all together right-in-the-head as you supposed.

Well, the opening line certainly got my attention! Suz, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions and share your latest book. 

To see the full opening scene, do click on the excerpt link at the end of the blurb.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Close To The Edge is the second book in the Westen series. The series is about life in a small Midwestern town, but this particular book really lent itself to suspense.  

After facing death as an undercover narcotics cop, Gage Justice has come home to heal. His recuperation is cut short by his father’s unexpected diagnosis of cancer and subsequent death. Now he’s honoring one of his father’s last wishes by taking over as the sheriff of his boyhood home, Westen, Ohio. Biding time until his father’s term is finished, he fights boredom more than crime in the sleepy little town—that is until one sexy little teacher-turned-Private-Investigator literally falls into his arms.

Bobby Roberts is looking for adventure. After giving up her own dreams to raise her two sisters after the death of their parents, she’s been trapped in a schoolroom for nearly two decades. The suffocating claustrophobia of the classroom has set her on a new career path. She arrives in Westen, complete with brand-spanking-new PI license, a handgun and a simple case—investigate a lien on property of a dead man.

Little does she realize her “simple little case” will lead her into the world of one sexy sheriff and the path of a murderer intent on keeping them both from discovering his secrets or stopping his plans that could destroy Westen. Excerpt
Available March 25,2013 Amazon


                                                                                 

Suzanne discovered romance novels in her aunt's hidden stash one summer as a teenager. From that moment on she knew two things: she loved romance stories and someday she'd be writing her own. Her love for romances has only grown over the years. It took her a number of years and a secondary career as a nurse to finally start writing her own stories.  A double finalist in the Romance Writer's of America's 2006 Golden Heart with her manuscripts, KIDNAPPED (Long Contemporary Category) and HUNTED (Romantic Suspense), Suzanne has also won The Beacon Unpublished and the CTRWA's contests in the erotica categories with her book, The Surrender Of Lacy Morgan, now an online e-book with Ellora's Cave. Suzanne's sexy stories, whether they be her steamy Western Eroticas, her on the edge of your seat romantic suspense, or the heart warming small town stories, will keep you thinking about her characters long after their Happy Ever After is achieved. Where you can find Suzanne: www.suzanneferrell.com, www.romancebandits.com 

CHATTING WITH AUTHOR OF CHAIN OF COMMAND--COLBY MARSHALL

       

My guest is suspense/thriller writer, Colby Marshall. Her debut novel is a captivating story of an assassin with an agenda, a government in crisis, a dangerous web of lies and corruption, and as with all good stories—a touch of romance. Being the curious sort, I had some questions for Colby.

How has your own romance colored how you write romance in your stories? Or does it?

I laughed out loud at this question, because my first thought was, “Does your blog have a rating?”  Let’s just say between us girls that some of the love scenes…hmm.  I’d better plead the fifth.  My mom might read this post! 

All joking aside, my husband is actually a brilliant sounding board for my romances, simply because I do write from both female and male points of view.  When it comes to the violence in the story, I've heard many times that I write like a guy. What five-foot-one girl who owns more glitter than your average craft store doesn't have a thing for car chases and knife fights, right?  But when it comes to writing romance from a man’s point of view, I’m sometimes a bit too…tasteful.  My husband reads my work as I write, and he always reminds me to keep my voice in the right place when writing a male POV.

Well, I don’t have the glitter but I’ll admit I love fights, car chases, and action flicks and books 

• You’re a dancer and choreographer. Do you design the dance composition of a piece, like the dance patterns and movements? I’m thinking of the routines they do with Dancing With The Stars?

Yep, that’s exactly what I do.  In fact, not too long ago I was one of the professional dancers for the Dancing Stars of Central Georgia, a charity event modeled after Dancing with the Stars that raised over $200k for the Central Georgia Alzheimer’s Association.  I was paired with a local celebrity, and I created a routine for us.  I trained him for eight weeks prior to the event, where we performed the samba to Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.”  I love flashy concepts and do a lot of choreography for theatres, so of course we dressed the parts as well, complete with glittery lightning bolts on our faces and crazily-teased hair.  What can I say?  The theatricality came out!

Wow! Sounds like a lot of work but fun, too!

I love to read a good thriller although writing one would be tough I think because all of the parts that have to come together to make the story flow and build tension.

• What excites you about this genre?

 

Those things that have to come together are both the most challenging thing about writing thrillers as well as the thing that excites me most about them.  When I’m reading a thriller, I try to solve the puzzles as I go, and if a read keeps me guessing until the end and delivers a resolution that I believe, that author has made a fan for life in me.  That’s why when I’m writing a thriller, I will give myself headaches to make it more layered and complex: I hope to give readers that experience of not knowing what’s coming, but also the ability to read back and totally see how it was coming the whole time.  

• How much do current events play into your writing? 

Current events (and past events) do often give me initial sparks of ideas.  CHAIN OF COMMAND first took root in my head when a few years ago, more women began to appear in campaigns for the White House.  The idea for the new thriller I’m currently working on started when I read about a recent high profile murder case.  My stories are never “based on a true” story type things, as they are entirely fictional, but I do tend to hear news items and think, “But what if that sort of a situation happened with a different twist?”

• What do you like about McKenzie McClendon, the heroine of Chain of Command? What about Noah? 

McKenzie is fearless.  She might not know she’s fearless, but she is.  When she gets an idea in her head, she will chase it down, wrestle it to the ground, and beat it into submission no matter what.  I think her tenacity makes her a fun character to write.  As for Noah, I just love that he is a complete badass.  There’s no way around that phrase to describe him for me.  He’s the type who, in movies, sets off the explosion and walks away without flinching.  They’re both independent, but that mutual boldness is exactly why they bring each other to their knees where no one else can.     

What’s not to love about a badass like Noah?

• Noah is a SEAL and proud of his training (and McKenzie has a rather negative view of SEALS)—what’s their common ground that allows them to work together? 

They definitely don’t have much common ground at all in the beginning.  They end up working together because each has an ulterior motive: Noah plans to use McKenzie to get out of a sticky situation, and McKenzie thinks she can use Noah for a career-making story.  Unfortunately for both of those well laid plans, as they hunt for the truth, the two of them find out the other is a real person and not just a tool to be utilized.

• Now that you’re a new mother how has this impacted on your writing time? 

Balancing a new baby and writing time is a feat.  Sometimes I do it quite literally: I balance the baby on my lap to feed her with one arm and pluck out keystrokes with the other.  The biggest impact on my writing time is that now it is not guaranteed.  When I get settled in to write, I know at any moment I could be interrupted.  A chunk of writing here and there as I can grab it has to work, where before I would make sure my writing environment was more controlled.  Basically, I have had to become one with the chaos.  Luckily, I’m good at multitasking.  (Birthday cake ice cream helps, too.)

• How has being published changed your life? In what ways? 

It’s an interesting change, for sure.  Mostly, I've noticed how things that would before have seemed so “out there” now feel like just part of a running machine.  Recently, I missed a phone call that a few months ago I’d have scheduled my entire day around.  I wasn't able to return the call that day because I was in between TV spots to promote the book, which felt crazy!  I've had people I've been friends with for years ask if they could possibly “get me to autograph” a book for a friend of theirs.  I always want to say, “Are you kidding?  I love signing books!”  I always tell them of course but laugh and say, “But I do hear if you can find a copy that isn't signed, it’s worth an absolute fortune.” 

• What’s coming next from Colby Marshall? 

I’m currently editing the next book in the McKenzie McClendon series, which is about a surgeon providing infants for the black market baby trade.  McKenzie needs an angle on this story to keep her job—and her home.  When her high school sweet heart tips her off that his wife may have been one of the victims, she launches a frantic search to find the killer and her ex’s son.  I’m also working on a new series about a forensic psychiatrist with graphemeàcolor synesthesia—a form of synesthesia in which an individual's perception of numbers and letters is associated with the experience of colors. One half of a vicious team of killers is caught, and she uses her unique gift to hunt down the mastermind still at large.

Hmm, how soon did you say I can read these? I'm looking forward to getting my hands on these!

Colby, thank you for taking  time, out of a very busy life, to answer my questions and sharing a bit about your other loves. 

• A publisher's ARC copy is up for grabs for a lucky commenter today.

BUY:  AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND

The road to the Oval Office is paved in blood… 

The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.

Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers, igniting the fury of the alleged assassin’s former partner.

Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer. 

No one who knows the truth is safe… 

Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets. And an assassin who is still on the loose. 

His next targets are already in his crosshairs…Excerpt

 

•  A publisher's ARC copy is up for grabs for a lucky commenter today.