May I Present...

Hello lovelies…

Below is an interview with a very cool and dynamic lady. She also happens to be a successfully published author. She’s recently been branching out into other genres, and I was interested in hearing her thoughts on that, and a few other things as well.

She graciously agreed to let me question her.

Here’s what I think is really great about this woman: she is incredibly smart, she is fun and has a fantastic sense of humor, she is open and accessible to her fans as well as with her fellow writers, and she also happens to be one of my favorite authors.

Her books capture me in a way that most others don’t. Her writing is real and raw. That is the best way I can describe it. If you’re like me, or most people, and didn’t have a picture perfect childhood or don’t live a Brady Bunch, cut out of cream cheese life as an adult, then her books will hit home for you. She has a style of writing that lets you peek into the life of someone else that is not a typical romance fairy-tale, but does have a happy ending.

She has a gift and I’m honored to know her.

Without further ado… May I present: Megan Hart.





1. Please give us a bit of a biography to start?

The short version is: I was born and I lived awhile. Then I did some stuff and things. Now I mostly write books. The long version is...boring.

2. When did you start writing?

The first story I remember writing was in kindergarten or maybe first grade. It was about vampires who captured ladies and put them in their underwear in a basement. I drew pictures. I saw it on the front of a comic book at the card shop, and I guess it captured my attention.

3. Was there a favorite writing teacher or mentor?

I did have a really tough English teacher in high school, I can’t say she was a favorite, but she definitely learned me mah bizness.

4. Are you an avid reader? Who are your favorite authors?

I am! Sadly, I don’t read for pleasure as much as I used to. There never seems to be enough time. I’d say my favorite authors are Jacqueline Carey, Robert McCammon, Clive Barker. I’ll always be a Stephen King fan. Love John Irving’s books, especially the earlier ones.

5. Do you have any writing rituals?

I listen to music. Often I’ll burn a specific scented candle, but mostly because I love the smell of it, not because it helps me write. I sit at my desk. I drink Coke Zero or sometimes coffee or tea. That’s about it. When I’m done with a book, as in completely finished, I do the “End of the Book Dance” which is...a sight.

6. How do you deal with the dreaded writer’s block?

I don’t get writer’s block, of the sort that leaves me without ideas. I definitely suffer from lack of motivation, and some days the words come easier than others. Some days I can’t wait to get to the story, others, I’d much, much, much rather do something else. But I just work through it. This is my job. When it wasn’t my job, it was still my job. You don’t get to be a writer by not writing. You have to put the words down. Otherwise you’re just a wanna-be.

7. What are the most difficult aspects of writing?

Sitting in one place for a long time. I’m getting older and my day is spent in front of the computer. I’m sedentary. My hands are starting to hurt. I’m starting to feel creaky. I need to force myself into activity, and it’s hard to write and be active because the nature of it is that you’re at the computer or with a laptop or at least a notebook. The other thing is that I don’t feel like I’m ever finished with anything, my work is never done, and so consequently I could really work all the time. ALL the time. And I still feel like I don’t work hard enough.

8. Most authors say their characters find them and suddenly begin telling their stories. Is that what happens with your characters?

Hmm. I don’t usually view my characters as people, they’re firmly made up and I’m firmly in control. But they do get revealed to me, piece by piece, as I think about them. Actually, I’d guess I’d say the idea for the story comes to me first, and then I figure out what sort of people would live through that story, and how they’d react.

9. Are your characters sometimes composites of people you know or knew?

Sometimes. Don’t piss me off. ;)

10. What genre(s) do you write in and which is your favorite?

I write erotic fiction, erotic romance, romance, mainstream, horror, young adult horror, science fiction, fantasy...umm...a little bit of most everything. My favorite has always been science fiction/fantasy but I love horror too. I do really enjoy writing a good, sexy story thought, obviously, since the bulk of my published work is erotic.

11. You’ve recently ventured into writing Horror, what inspired you to write in this genre?

I started writing horror. (Remember the vampire story in first grade?) Always been a fan. Love to read it. Love to watch it. Wanted to write it.

12. What about writing Horror intrigues you?

The same things that intrigue me with writing anything else: what’s going on with the people. Yes, blood and gore can be scary, ghosts, zombies, monsters. But at the heart of it, we are more scared when we care about the people that the scary things are happening to. Stephen King’s a master at writing horror novels that are on the surface about the big bad thing, but when you really take a look at it -- Pet Semetary is about the fear of losing a child. The Shining is about how alcoholism ruins a family. I want to write things that scare us but also are stories about people.

13. Who is the ideal reader for your books, Horror and Romance?

Well, I’d say that readers with open minds who aren’t looking for something specific...I guess? LOL! I don’t know. Smart people? Pretty people. Umm...people who smell good. They should read my books.

14.Will your regular audience be able to relate to this new endeavor into Horror?

Some will. Some won’t even look because they don’t like scary, and that’s fine. It’s a beautiful, big world with lots of room in it for things we love, there’s not a reason for someone to read books they don’t like. But I think readers who like my romance because of the characterization will find the same thing in the horror. I hope.

15. Do your Horror books have a romantic element to them?

Some do. The Resurrected has a romantic through-thread, with some upcoming parts definitely a little bit more on the romance side.

16. What made you decide to self-publish them versus traditional publishing?

I decided to go with self-publishing for The Resurrected because when I planned them, there wasn’t a good place that I knew of to put out a serial. One story a month, short horror. I also had a vision of how I wanted them to be released and the pricing of them -- the first part is as free as I can make it (except places where it won’t go up as free!) and the other pieces are .99 each. I want to be able to offer them for free to my newsletter subscribers and offer coupons and all that sort of stuff to generate interest. Also, I wanted to make sure I controlled the release dates so I could keep myself to a schedule that didn’t interfere with my bigger projects.

17. Where is the best place to find your Horror books?

Right now, The Resurrected parts 1-3, with part 4 making its debut soon, are available on Amazon.com, BN.com, Smashwords.com. Part one is free from my website, www.meganhart.com. They’ll be available in other places forthcoming as they get distributed. My future horror work is still in the works, but I hope it will be available everywhere!

18. How has Twitter been for you overall in attracting potential readers and meeting fellow writers?

I’m not sure how it is for attracting readers, since I don’t approach Twitter as a place to solely promote. I like to talk on Twitter. I like to meet people. It’s fantastic for connecting with my fellow writers and fans of things and strangers and whatever.

19. What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?

Write. Write some more. Don’t do something just because it seems easy – self-publishing, for example. YES, of course you can bypass all those stinky pubs and editors that don’t see your genius, but...be honest with yourself. Look at your work with a super critical eye. Is your work really ready for publication? Maybe those editors are right. Or maybe self-publishing is the best venue for you, for one reason or another, but educate yourself first about whether or not that’s true. Work hard, write hard, revise, get critique, and don’t be afraid to cut words. Don’t be afraid, and this is the hard one, to put something away and say “this is not my best work.” Not every word you write is gold. Sometimes, you need to put it away.

20. If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?

Nothing.

21. Any last parting words?

Live long and prosper!

*****

Thank you again, Megan, for taking the time to answer my questions. I wish you great success with your career and I know, since I’ve also read “The Resurrected,” you will have even greater success with this new phase of your writing career.

You can find Megan on Twitter and Facebook:

@Megan_Hart

facebook.com/megan.hart

Take care, lovelies.
Wookies Girl

Writing is… The hardest thing I’ve ever done.

I was tagged by Carrie Clevenger for this meme “Writing is…”

Writing has become like breathing for me. I have to write. HAVE to, but it’s also the hardest thing I have ever done.

Just under two years ago a few friends, personal and online, encouraged me to write. I was a big reader and I honestly thought they were completely and totally out of their minds.

I started with poetry mostly, which was an accident and finally, last year I graduated into writing short stories. The poems came as a result of a falling out with a friend. I didn’t plan to write in a poetic way, but that’s what bloomed from those first things that I wrote out. I am glad to say that the friend I mentioned, a brilliant writer, is still a friend. A very close one, in fact. I remember her telling me, when I admitted to her I had written those first posts because of our falling out, that she was honored and sad at the same time. I look back on it now and I’m glad it all happened, because it got me started.

So, why is it the hardest thing I’ve ever done? Well, I could probably list off a million reasons why, all of which make no difference in the grand scheme of things. I think what makes it so hard is, I want so badly to be better. I certainly don’t expect to be perfect, that’s not attainable, but I want to be good, great even. I want to grow and learn. I’m not afraid of feedback or criticism from fellow writers. I prefer you to tell me what I am doing wrong and then also offer suggestions on how to do it better. There are times however when I sit back and think to myself: what the hell am I doing? Can I even write? Am I a really a writer?

I’ve told many people that if they write, no matter what it is, they are a writer. I had someone tell me this exact thing almost two years ago. “You are a writer,” they said. I don’t know if I believed them because I couldn’t imagine how it was possible that I could be a writer. Now for the most part, I know and believe I am a writer and then, just last week that old feeling crept up on me again. Am I a writer?

What makes writing so hard? I do.

Here’s the thing, I am the one that decides what I am. I am the one that has to do the footwork and write the story. I am the one that has to reach out and ask for guidance and help. I am the one that has to put the tools and suggestions I am given into practice.

I’m lucky. Twitter has allowed me to meet and become friends with some incredible writers. These writers offer their experience freely and I try to soak it all up and learn. I also try to offer others what I have learned.

I want to be a great writer. Someday, I will be.



Love to you all.
WookiesGirl

I tag:

Nancy McGregor

WookieStyle

Megan Hart

Melissa Ecker

Shawna Thomas

Twitter, Writing and Characters

Hello my darlings. It’s been a little while since I’ve posted anything for you on this blog. I wonder, did you miss me?

Today I want to write about three things. Twitter, Writing and Characters. Not sure what they have in common? Be patient and I’ll show you.

Let’s start with Twitter and Writing.

Twitter is my playground. It’s the place I go to blow off steam. The place I go to laugh with friends and be me. Yes, me. What you see on my Twitter is pretty damn close to the me in real life. I’ve got a list of Twitter people I’ve met in real life. Feel free to ask those people if they agree. They will, I’ve no doubt.

It’s been just over two years since I was introduced to Twitter and since then I’ve met and made the most amazing friends. Some of them, I am sad to say, I no longer talk with, but it always seems that there is someone new waiting just around the corner to meet and get to know. Lately, I’ve been getting to know some pretty awesome writers on Twitter. Some of them are published, some not. My friends are a mixed bag, I think, and it’s also a great place for me to play and learn in the writing community. I started writing because of the people I met on Twitter. I don’t think that would have happened otherwise. I’m grateful for that. Some of the amazing writers that have helped me along the way are: @texistential, @writermomof5 and @CrystalPosey.

I want to give a great big Thank You to these three ladies! I love you all dearly and you will always hold a special place in my heart.

There have been several more women and men since then that have helped me and encouraged me, but these three are at the top of the list. They told me I had a voice and encouraged me to keep working on it. I’ll also go as far as to mention three very specific people who I no longer speak to. If you happen to be reading this, you know who you are; all three of you were also very instrumental in encouraging me to write and helped me find my voice, so thank you.

Now, let’s talk about Characters.

I’m not talking about people, well sort of. I’m talking about characters from stories. Before I was writing, and only reading, I came across J.R. Ward and her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I was, and am, so caught up in this book series and the characters in it, it’s amazing. Anyone that has read and loves this series would agree with me. Hands down, her characters are so developed, its unreal how real they become in your head. She also has an online forum you can sign up for and she’s put the brothers up on there to interact with her fans. I’m signed up on the forum, of course, and although most people love that environment to chat in, I find it a little hard to really interact with people.

Then, along came Twitter.

First, I’ll back up just a bit. This was all before Twitter and I became friends.

See, I had read an interview with J.R. Ward where she talked about her characters, the brothers, being alive and well in her head and how they literally talk to her. I was both shocked and intrigued. I’d never talked to a writer before and I had recently become acquainted with one, so I asked her. She explained, “Yes, characters are alive in writers’ heads and at times they won’t shut up.” I found this awesome! My definition to her at the time and one I still use today is: it’s kind of like Schizophrenia with an outlet, minus all the harmful shit that goes along with that illness. Seriously, can you imagine? I couldn’t then, but I certainly can now. All these voices in your head talking, pretty much constantly, and the only way to quiet them is to write. Write every damn word they’re telling you. How exciting! I think so, anyway. If you’re a writer you would agree, I’m sure.

So, back to Twitter. The writer I mentioned introduced me to Twitter and she informed me there were some writers that had their characters on Twitter too. She had some of her own characters on there as well, which I thought was pretty cool because I had read some of her stories.

Let me clarify this for you a bit. These ‘characters’ I’m talking about are not people who have created a fan-fiction account on Twitter for a character that they love in a book, no. (Nothing against those folks, if that’s what you like to do then go for it.) These are the actual writers of these characters. When I arrived on the Twitter scene I immediately started talking to these characters. The vampires especially, because they were and still are my favorite. I talked with my friends’ characters and I started talking to some other characters I’d met. I also followed and got to know the writers for those characters. What a world I fell into. It was fun and extremely exciting.

I mentioned above that Twitter is my playground, but Twitter can also be a playground for your character too. There are lots of ways to do character development and Twitter is one of them. You can put your character up and see how they react when talking to real people or role playing with other characters. You can utilize how your character acts and reacts for your/their story. It puts the character in real situations and helps them grow. My husband has used it for two of his characters that he has stories written about. The main one right now you can follow is @knox_barrett. I have used it as well, though those characters are quietly hiding in the back of my head for now. It’s not time for their story, yet. Soon, I hope.

What I figured out, with all this character play on Twitter I was engaging in, was that I had a knack for character development. Most characters respond to me and I am not sure why that is, nor do I really care. I just know that it’s an awesome thing to help a fellow writer bring a character to life. And, besides that, it’s fun as hell!

I’ll quickly tell you about my favorite. Have you met @CrookedFang? If you haven’t, then you should. He’s written by @texistential, one of the amazing women I listed above. Let me tell you about Xan. (CrookedFang) We’ve been friends for almost two years now. Yes, friends. He’s a character in one of @texistential’s stories and he is fictional, but he’s alive and well on paper and in Carrie’s mind. He’s very strong and developed as well as a ton of fun to tweet with.

Xan was the first character that really responded to me. What I mean by that was he was a whole lot quieter before I hit the scene and started bugging him. And now, quiet and Xan don’t belong in the same sentence together. It surprised both Carrie and I how he responded to me and neither one of us really know why. I’m not sure we need to know why. I just know that he sort of…came alive as we became friends and because of that we continue our little Twitter relationship. I certainly can’t and won’t take all the credit for Xan’s blossoming, because there is of course, his brilliant writer! Without her, he wouldn’t be here, obviously. She’s been writing stories about him for over ten years, but I sure have a part in who he is now. That, my friends, is priceless! Also, it makes @CrystalPosey giggle when we play. That woman is so full of wonderful that I’d do just about anything to make her giggle!

So, I hope that what I’ve written gives you a different view into the mind of a writer and the characters that exist there. If you’re a writer, I hope I helped encourage you to bring your characters to Twitter. I’d love to interact with them.
.
Love to you all.
Wookies Girl

P.S. You can also find CrookedFang on Facebook.

My Best Advice, as a New Writer to…New Writers

The following is a post written for Peevish Penman's: My Best Advice for New Writers blogfest

I had the privilege of attending RomCon this past weekend in Denver Colorado. It’s a Romance book genre conference meant for readers; what I noticed, though, is that among many of those readers, I found writers of all kinds. Some were bloggers, some reviewers and yes, most importantly, some aspiring romance writers. Since I had been asked to participate in this blog, I grabbed the opportunity before me, while at RomCon, to ask some published authors what was the best advice they had been given when they, themselves, were aspiring writers.

All of them answered my question quite graciously. “Keep going! Don’t stop because you never know which book it is that will get you published,” or, “Join a local chapter of writer’s groups,” and, “Don’t keep polishing. Move onto the next story.”

These authors had retained this valuable advice, and it’s what they now pass on to those seeking their wisdom and wanting to learn the craft.

I’m a new writer, and by new, I mean I didn’t start writing until August 2009. I have been told many of the same things I listed above, most frequently, “Don’t give up! Keep writing!” and “Show your stuff to people that will give you honest feedback and help you grow.” That being said, it can be scary to put yourself out there. It can be hard to not take the feedback or criticism personally. There will be people who may, at times, come across as being harsh, so it’s important that you find people who are willing to teach you and share what they have learned. The criticism must be constructive or it will do you no good. I have some wonderful and patient writer friends who are not afraid to tell me the truth and to push me. They are also willing to teach me. A big thank you to them!

My biggest struggle as a new writer has been trying to get the visions of the story in my head translated into actual words on the page. I’m finally beginning to string some words together. In the meantime, I’ve written a lot of poetry. The poetry has allowed me to experiment with different words and different ways of expressing my thoughts. This has helped me immensely. However, because I was writing only poems until recently, I didn’t even dare refer to myself as a writer.

This is not to say that I think other writers of poetry are not “real” writers. I truly believe they are. This is my own crazy thinking and only pertains to me, because what I want to do is write fiction. Never mind the fact that this writing thing happened for me out of nowhere.

Me? Seriously? A writer? *gasp*

I’ve had the hardest time calling myself a writer. I was recently speaking with a friend about the short story I had just written. He said, “Do you believe you are a writer now?” Again, my answer was no. Of course, he lectured me.

Here’s the thing: now that I have finally written and finished my first fictional short story, my thoughts have changed. I don’t want to be just a writer. I want to be a good writer! And, I suppose, in my magic mind, until I consider myself a good writer, I will have trouble calling myself one.

On that note, I really don’t think I have any business giving advice to anyone, considering the fact that I am a beginner.

I will say, as it’s been said to me, “If you write, then you are a writer!”

And please, don’t give up before your miracle happens!

WookiesGirl