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I’m reminded of a line from an old television series: “I love it when a plan comes together.” Of course, that brings to mind another quote: “Always have a backup plan!” This month’s news hits a few high points on both quotes here. My take on writing, along with updates on the new release and my latest project and an interview with a very talented author. That’s where the plan comes to play. So as Pappy Cantrell might say “What y’all waitin’ for?”
Writing
Late last month, I bumped into an old
friend. We chatted for a bit and he asked if I was still writing. Upon
confirming that I was, he asked about my latest book. I began describing Chene’s new adventure and
a quick sketch on the story.
“You have a knack for writing a
series. The way you work the background into the book, someone who hasn’t read
the first one can still enjoy the second or the third installments.”
That comment reminded me of a similar
one from author Diana K. Plopa, whose first introduction to the Jamie Richmond
character was when she read “Fleeing Beauty”, the third book in the series. Diana wrote a glowing review, indicating how
much she enjoyed the book, and included the statement … “I had no difficulty
following the characters or the story, even though I hadn’t read the other
two.”
As a kid, I grabbed every Travis McGee
adventure, written by the great John D. MacDonald. Something about a series intrigued me. I
liked seeing familiar characters and discovering what conflicts they faced. I continue to enjoy many series, including
the works of Stephen King, John Sandford, Michael Connelly, Greg Iles and James
Rollins, to name a few.
Hopefully when someone new discovers
one of the books, that may encourage them to read the earlier ones as well.
That would be a great bonus for me. And part of the plan.
Work In Progress
We’re getting closer to the release of
“The Wayward Path”. I know there are
several of the main sites, where you can pre-order your copy. There are a few people who received advance
copies and their feedback has been very positive. Here are the links.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B114JLCD
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wayward-path-mark-love/1141467645?ean=9781509242191
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-wayward-path/id6442843627
Meanwhile, work continues on the fourth book in the
Jamie Richmond series. The title
continues to remain elusive, but that doesn’t worry me. It’s not uncommon for
me to discover a good title during the course of writing the story.
Earlier this month I also had the opportunity to
read a section of one of my books for a podcast. Since this will air in early July, I thought
a vacation piece was appropriate, so I picked “Stealing Haven”. It was a lot of fun to do. I’m looking
forward to hearing it when it airs. Jamie’s impatience at the delay with her
new book may be temporarily satisfied. Hey, at least she’s still in the spotlight!
Author Interview.
It has been my great pleasure to have known this
month’s guest for quite a while. Melissa Keir and I crossed paths at a number
of author events and festivals. Melissa worked for many years as a teacher, in
addition to raising a family and writing in every free moment. Having her visit today is long overdue.
Hello Mark, thanks for
having me visit your blog. I’m excited to share about myself and some of the
things I have coming up.
Where are you from? I am originally from Ohio- don’t hold it against me, but
have spent almost as much time in Michigan, where I moved after getting
married. Michigan is where I raised my children. Finally, I was able to move to
my dream location in South Carolina, where snow goes to die!
What’s your ‘someday’ or dream
vacation spot and why? I am living my best life.
Who couldn’t ask for being five miles from the ocean, enjoying sunshine and
warm weather 10 months of out of the year and some of the best fresh seafood
around?
What’s your favorite thing to do for
relaxation? This may sound strange but I love
walking when I’m stressed. I go out in my neighborhood and visit with the local
wildlife. It’s wonderful to see nature in action.
Any favorite hobbies? I love to photograph the world around me. During my
walks, I came up with a concept for a new book, and wrote Conversations with
Gators, a children’s non-fiction book.
How long have you been writing? I’ve been a writer all my life. When I was growing up,
my sisters and I would make up stories and share them while we fought going to
sleep.
My first published book
was released in early 2012 and I’ve never stopped since.
Are you able to write full time or do
you also have a job/career? I have been a full time
elementary teacher and owner of a romance publishing house while being an
author. Additionally, I’ve been a mother and wife. About five years ago, I
retired from full time teaching and have been able to substitute teach on days
when I want, while continuing my writing.
Is there a particular genre that you
write? Or more than one? What led you there? I
started writing in the Contemporary Small Town Romance genre. It was what I
knew but over time I have branched out into Paranormal Romance and Contemporary
Western Romance, as well as Children’s picture books and non-fiction books. I
love the variety! My stories always have a small town component. There’s
something about living in a small town that makes life magical.
Do you use friends or family as
characters in your work? I often weave
characteristics of people into my stories. Sometimes I toss in a name from one
of my students or use a person’s job, but each character is not one single
person. They are who I dream them to be, even if at times….I don’t know how
their story is going to go.
What authors had an impact on you
growing up and as an adult? I loved reading Piers
Anthony’s books. The use of puns in his Xanth series and the complexity of his
characters drew me to his stories. I found Margaret Atwood’s GOOD BONES AND
SIMPLE MURDERS in college and I loved the way she gave women a voice rather
than allowing them to hide in the background. The biggest influence for me was
the romances of Johanna Lindsay and Jude Devereaux whose books I devoured as a
teen. The romances led me to read any and all romance books I could get my
hands on.
Has anyone in your life influenced
you or encouraged you to pursue your interests of writing? My mom and grandmother were voracious readers. They would
visit the local used book store taking back bags and leaving with more bags.
Books were always about in my home. My sisters encouraged me to create fantasy
stories in my head as we snuggled in our beds. They were my first audience but
it wasn’t until author, Liz Crowe told me that I should write my own romances,
that I finally gave in to the dream that had been hiding in my heart.
Is there a common theme or item that
appears in each of your work? My stories all
feature heart! Small towns and family are common aspects in my stories. From
sisters in the Wilder Sister series to brothers in the Pigg Detectives series,
I love to include those relationships. Other people have told me that my
stories all feature overcoming obstacles. Characters with physicial challenges
are in some of my stories as well as people overcoming emotional challenges.
What have you learned the most from
being in the writing business? I’ve learned that
there is no ONE way to do things and that friends are the best support and
sounding block for authors. We should always support each other, it’s not a
competition.
Tell us about your latest work.
My latest work is a
major rewrite of one of my first books. It’s been ten years and I feel that
I’ve learned so much about writing that I want to really deepen the story in
Protecting His Wolfe. The novella will be featured in the GRAVE DANGERS
anthology, releasing in March 2023.
Blurb:
Grave Dangers: A
Thriller, Suspense, and Horror Collection
Link: https://books2read.com/u/md6KJw
What’s dead doesn’t always stay buried.
Whether it be in a small town, an abandoned asylum, or a
bustling city, no one is safe from the ugliest parts of human nature. A social
media influencer, a college student, a detective – titles make no difference
when death plays Russian Roulette.
Question is, who will be next?
Fifteen bestselling
authors offer up their sacrifice in GRAVE DANGERS, a collection of thriller, horror,
and suspense stories that will chill you to the bone and encourage you to
double check that window lock. Fans of James Patterson, Harlan Coben, John
Grisham, and Joe Hart will love these heart-pounding, terror inducing
stories!
Scroll up and one click
today to lose yourself in the mystery of this limited edition thriller,
suspense, and horror collection.
_______________________________________________________
How did you decide on your story
plot? I love
crime shows. I grew up with Columbo and The Rockford Files. Recently, I’ve been
watching all the CSI and Criminal Minds reruns. A good murder mystery sets my
mind to spinning. I also wanted to play with fairy tales so I took the Three
Little Pigs and made them police officers and private investigators, then I
tweaked the fairy tales with the pigs in them, from the Big Bad Wolf to Grandma
going missing.
Describe how this method works best
for you. Outline or ‘seat of the pants’?
I am a seat of the pants writer. For my book
THE HEARTBROKEN COWBOY, the characters changed what happened halfway through
the book! It was totally a better story but surprising.
Here's a little more information
about Melissa.
Growing up in a small town, Melissa created stories in her head and
lived them out with her sisters. They climbed through the quarries, built forts
among the leaves and pretended they were their favorite television heroines.
Always trying to spread joy and happiness, Melissa has written over 30+
stories of couples who eventually find their Happily Ever After. Her books are
filled with broken heroes and heroines who overcome real-life obstacles and
come out stronger than ever. Her children books (written under her childhood
name- Missy Watling) feature endearing tales infused with important lessons
about self-acceptance.
Escaping the cold Midwest winters, she and her husband, along with
furbabies enjoy the beaches of South Carolina and can be found talking to the
gators and turtles. She posts photos of her gator friends as well as other
wildlife. After all, sometimes they have the best advice!
http://www.facebook.com/melissakeir
https://www.instagram.com/keirmelissa/
Music
Here
are my top five favorites:
Cherry
Bomb: https://youtu.be/KF0gsbQKhD8
Authority
Song: https://youtu.be/wsEwK69LXjQ
Pink
Houses: https://youtu.be/qOfkpu6749w
Jack
& Diane: https://youtu.be/h04CH9YZcpI
Hurt
So Good: https://youtu.be/4dOsbsuhYGQ
