Margaret, welcome to Immortyl Revolution! What age group is your work geared toward?
I write for adults. Although my books are Paranormal and Romance, I do include lovemaking scenes which gives them a more adult rating.
Into which genre would you say your work falls and why?
Mainly Romance with some paranormal elements involved. I’m a Spiritual medium, so I like to include some of what I’ve experienced into my storylines. I like to make my novels humorous in part. Real life is hard enough without reading about it as well.
Tell us a little about your books..
I have two books out at the moment. To faces One life is a short inspirational coffee break read. It highlights the fact that no matter what your disability is, there is always a life for you out there waiting. You just need to grab it both hands.
My Novel The Heart of a Warrior is very dear to my heart. It took me a year to research and over a year to write. Although it is based on a fictitious reservation in Arizona, the facts are very real. It highlights the problems between two cultures when they collide. Belinda, is fresh from the UK, Yuma is the head of a reservation, which is closing to the outside world. When these two fall in love, there is a battle fought on every page for them to stay together and over come hundred year old traditions. It’ll have you on the edge of your seat, because not all romances have a happy ending. Does The Heart of a Warrior? I’ll leave that to the readers to find out.LOL
Who are your favorite characters in your books and why?
In The Heart of a Warrior it has to be Belinda. She is the one choosing to live in a totally different environment in a strange country. Giving up everything that is familiar is a scary thing and when everything seems to be against you, it take courage.
In Two Faces One Life it has to be Ted. He lives all alone with a devastating disability, yet he always seems to look on the bright side of life.
What other writers would you say have influenced your work and why? What are some of your favorite books in the genre?
Not that I write anything like Catherine Cookson, but I do love her books and the way she brings her characters to life. There’s always a romantic element in her books that I liked. Not too wishy-washy and she didn’t need graphic sex scenes to make a love scene work. It was all woven into the matrix of the story.
I was influenced to write something of my own about 20 years ago when I worked for the makers of the James Bond films. I saw how the scriptwriters worked, taking a character from a book and giving him a whole new life. I decided then, I wanted to write a book of my own.
What is your writing process like? Do you do a lot of background research? Do you plot every detail or do you prefer the characters to move the story in new directions, or a combination of both? Do you belong to a critique group and do you find this helpful?
It depends what I’m writing. If I want to include factual things and scenery, I’ll research it to death. I usually have a basic idea of the plot, but then I prefer the characters to move the story along. I belong to a great Critique group. www,critiquecircle.com. Without their input I don’t think some of my books would have made it. I also had a long-term critique partner, who worked with me on a one to one basis. We finally met up, after a few years, at my first book sign, which was lovely. But she’s moved abroad now, so I’m on the prowl for another one now lol.
Do you have any advice for young or beginning writers?
Take criticism on your writing bravely and learn from it. Don’t get angry or upset. It makes your writing stronger because others spot mistakes that you can’t see. Never copy even the slightest outline of a film you’ve seen or a book you’ve read. Do your research if it’s going to be factual and most of all enjoy what you’re doing. If it ever become a task, then it’s not right for you.
Who is your publisher and where are your books available? Are there e-books and hard copies available?
My publisher is Eternal Press. www.eternalpress.ca
You can find The Heart of a Warrior and Two Faces One Life here
http://www.eternalpress.biz/people.php?author=318
You can also buy both my books through Amazon..
They are available in print and e-book.
What is your website and/or blog where readers can learn more? Can they friend you on Facebook or other sites?
My website is http://www.margaret-west.com/. Blog. http://Margaret-paranormalromanceauthor.blogspot.com/
You can find me on Facebook and Twitter. I’ve also started a new spiritual blog that paranormal writers tend to browse for information for their books. http://magsx.blogspot.com/.
Margaret, thanks for joining me today and good luck on the rest of your tour!
4 comments:
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Hello Margaret,
Such good advice about taking critiques bravely. And so wonderful to have a group or a few critique partners that will be honest to the core. All will make the story, the characters, the whole novel so much in sync.
Great post.
Great interview Margaret! I loved your Two Faces One Life, the only thing I found was that it was too short... I wanted to know more...! Which to me, is the sign of a good writer...
Sharon Benjamin
www.sharonbenjamin.co.uk
Great interview, Margaret. Perhaps there's a book down the track on your time with the James Bond movie makers!
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