What's up? - Week 1

It’s that time of year where I have so much going on but nothing to really say.  So instead of a regular blog this week, I’m letting you know what’s up in the life of a writer, aka me.

1.  NANO – As you should know, I am set to begin.  Just waiting, and waiting for the November 1^st start date.  If anyone else is doing nano and wants to add me to their buddy list, you can find me under:  Ctnyrene. 

2.  It’s Halloween Week. Yes, most people celebrate the DAY or the Beggar’s night, but I celebrate the week.  I love this week.  Horror movies galore on tv.  Gearing up for beggar’s night.  Getting pumpkins ready and costumes complete.  This is the best week, EVER!  No really, it is.

3.  Pregnant women.  Is it just me, or are they everywhere lately?  I don’t mean the one cute, about ready to pop woman you see at the mall.  I mean they are everywhere right now.  I was at a birthday party over the weekend and there were 4 of them.  4!  At the same party! I happened to be forced to the mall last weekend and everywhere I turned was one.  It’s not that I mind, I happen to enjoy the big bellies and the memories they induce, but really.  Everywhere.  I did a quick google search, and apparently, as the last winter was long and cold, we are expecting a record number of babies this fall.  Hahaha.  Apparently it’s not me.  They really are everywhere.  Good luck, mama’s.  Wishing you all well in the coming months.

4.  Leaves.  They look so pretty falling to the ground.  They sway and twirl and lift and drop, as they make their lazy way on the wind.  Then they land with all their bazillion friends and wait for me or my husband to come along and pick them up by the wheel barrel full.  I hate them.  I know it’s not nice to hate, but seriously, I hate them.  When and if we move, I will be making sure the next house does not have 8 mature (read huge) trees in just our front yard, and especially not Silver Maples.  I wont even mention the back yard. 

What’s up people?  Anything exciting going on with you?  Expect more of these types of blogs in the coming weeks.  NANO…remember?  

Author Spotlight - Maggie Mundy

Today I am happy to introduce to my readers, fellow Author, Maggie Mundy:

Quick Bio:

Maggie Mundy lives in Adelaide, Australia and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia, and the local chapter SARA (South Australian Romance Authors). She recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and English at Flinders University. She had a short story published in the RWA Topaz Anthology Little Gems in 2010 called Sea and Vines. She has two books out with Rogue Phoenix Press. An erotic novella called Blood Scent and a paranormal romance called World Change. She also has two books out with Soul Mate Publishing called Hidden Mortality and Unknown Protector.

She has also performed for many years in corporate entertainment for which she wrote her own sketches, which probably explains why her head is so full of characters. She loves writing romance but thinks falling in love can be scary, especially in her stories where creatures of the night really exist.

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Maggie was nice enough to stop over and answer a few questions and give us a chance to get to know her a little better.

Interview:

1. What kind of music do you like? I like all sorts. When I grew up I would say I was a Deep Purple girl. Still love Smoke on Water. It is a classic. I also loved the Doors. Jim Morrison’s voice was so sexy. I also saw Queen in concert when I was young. Freddy Mercury was brilliant. These days I go with what takes my fancy from Adele to Vance Joy or Linkin Park. I try not to be locked in and say I only like one thing.

2. Describe your dream home… Next to the ocean. I would love a house near the beach where I could walk my dogs. It would be nice to have a writing room that looked out over the ocean. A nice veranda to sip a glass of wine while you listen to the waves crashing on the shore would be good too.

3. Favorite literary hero & heroine? Elizabeth Bennett. I am a Jane Austen tragic and glad to admit it. I love the fact that Elizabeth was not afraid to speak her mind in a time when women with no money had little status. Pride and Prejudice is such a beautiful love story and who could resist Darcy.

4. What are you reading now? I am reading the BlackDagger Brotherhood Series by JR Ward. Lots of super sexy alpha vampires and strong woman.

5. What comes first, plot or characters? A character for me. I get an idea about a person and then wonder how they would deal with a situation. In World Change I wondered how a person would cope be transported to a world that should not exist. Then I had to decide the setting and liked the idea of something similar to Renaissance Italy

6. Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? I am a plotter so my block comes in the planning stage rather than later. I tend to write out chapter guidelines so I have usually worked out the block already. When I can’t sort something out I go off and walk or garden and let my mind sort it out.

7. Do you ever want to be someone else? Who? No. I am happy to be me. That isn’t to say that life has always been easy but I still like me.

8. What’s naext? I am working on a few projects. The second book in my Earthbound series is almost complete. I have also started on the second Midworlder book as well. I am trying my hand at women’s fiction with a work in progress called Healing Boots. (Yes I am addicted to boots)I am also co-writing a romantic comedy with a fellow author of mine. I keep busy.

Maggie is a very busy writer. The following are a few of her current books, just in case you are looking for a good read. I have read some of Maggie's work and genuinely enjoyed them. Otherwise, I would not host her on my blog. Just saying.

Blood Oath is a sequel to Blood Scent.  Book 2 in The Seeker Chronicles. 

We discover more about the Rogue, Seeker world in Australia. This is the story of Cassie and Matt based in Tasmania. Matt kills a rogue vampire who wanted Cassie. This sets up a course of events where the rogue’s twin has sworn in a blood oath to avenge his brother’s death. Throw in a bunch of vampire hunters as well and you have trouble. Things become even more complicated when Cassie’s sister is kidnapped as bait. The only option may be that Cassie will have to give up her own life to save them all?

Unknown Protector:

Two things have helped Nicole cope since the murder of her husband. One is running her detective agency, and the other is her guardian angel Mira. When Mira is killed by a demon, Nicole accepts the help of a Ridge, a long haired, cigar smoking diamond in the rough with wings. Things go from bad to worse when a replacement guardian cannot be found. She has to trust Ridge, which is tricky when she realizes there are no demons or angels, just parasitic aliens that humans have built the myths of these celestial beings around. Ridge isn’t an angel or a devil, but an alien half breed known as a Midworlder. He is also way too sexy for his own good, or is it her own good.

World Change

Clare gets transported from present day Florence to an alternate world, one that looks like fourteenth century Italy. The only way back is through a portal half a world away, plus the local High priestess wants her dead, and the only one she can trust is a vampire called Trevi. He is the only one who exits in this world, and she knows more about what he is than he does. He is hard to resist, especially when he saves her life. Trevi can take her home but he is keeping one big secret. She will have to be like him to survive the journey through the portal back to her world making a myth a reality.

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Feel free to comment. I'm sure Maggie will be stopping over and will answer any questions you may have. Have a great week everyone! 

Oh October, how I love and hate thee...

October for me is both a good month and a bad month.  Good in that my favorite time of year, is Halloween.  The horror movies that play all month long, actually make me want to watch TV.  The fun times at the pumpkin patch, picking the very best pumpkin, and then the carving of it.  It’s all a game and yes time consuming, but it is so much fun.  Then there are the costumes.  No, I’m too old to dress up, but I love seeing the children.  And the best part ever, all the CANDY!  Sugar-aholic that I am. 

Then you have the bad, which is the death like sleep the world goes into.  The leaves turning brown, and falling to the ground giving me more work to do, as if I didn’t have enough.  The flowers losing their color and dying right before my eyes is just depressing.  And the worst of the worst, the cold, dreary days that go on and on and on for months.  Oh how I hate the cold and winter.  I know it’s not winter yet, but once fall hits, and that means, October I know it’s right around the corner and it really bums me out. 

Those are the best and the worst of the month of October, but what’s in between?  For me that would be the pre-prep for November, which for writers like me is also known as NANO Month!  I’ve talked about Nano in the past so I will skip the advertisement and just say that you have 30 days to write at least 50,000 words or a novel in a month’s time.  I have been working on an outline (gasp!  Yes, I know…) for a sequel to A Howl in the Night.  I have pulled out my storyboards from the original book and I have pulled out my character studies.  So, do you know what that mean?  Book two is in the works!  Finally.  I plan to have that puppy drafted out in November and finished before the end of January.  Will that happen?  I don’t really know, but I will at least have it drafted by the end of Nano.  Right?

I am struggling with a title for book two.  I am thinking I may hold a contest for ideas.  I wanted the title to be “A Howl in the Night – Dawn Breaks” but I have a feeing that is too close to the Twilight novels.  Since that is what is stuck in my brain, I am having trouble thinking up other titles.  Regardless, the outline is done.  The novel is simply waiting to be written.  I’m excited.  Come on November!  I’m ready for you.