Thursday, April 2, 2015

Feature: Melinda Michaels, author of Golden




BLURB

High school senior Hanna Loch just suffered a blackout in front of her entire homeroom class. She hasn’t had one in over ten years, and she’s terrified—the last time she blacked out, she woke up with no memory of her life before. To make matters worse, no one can explain why it happens. For Hanna, bad things tend to come in threes.
And that doesn’t even begin to cover it . . .
When she learns she could be a descendant of someone who lived once upon a time, Hanna must put her trust in William Vann, a descendant of one of the most hated villains ever known. Their histories are intertwined in more ways than she expected, and he has answers about her past, answers even her family won’t share.
But is it safe to put her trust in someone who appears to be danger reincarnate, while trying to escape the darkness that tried to kill her ten years ago?
A loose fairytale retelling, GOLDEN is a story that’s just right, weaving together lost secrets, vengeful enemies, and what happens when fiction becomes reality.

Start reading Golden today!

INTERVIEW

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to try to write something that incorporated the stories that I love with a dose of reality. I think relationships take a lot of hard work and I always thought that happily ever after was more of a state of mind and it goes far beyond the end of a story.

How did you choose your title?

I wanted to keep it simple as well as modernize the traditional title of Goldilocks. Golden was a perfect fit.

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

I love it! The detail of the background with the forest and the wolf in the smoke is amazing. I think it looks a bit mysterious and beautiful, but then I’m pretty bias. Ashley Ruggirello of Reuts Publications was the creator and I just fell in love with it the minute I saw it.


Did you self-publish or publish traditionally and why?

Golden is published with Reuts Publications, a boutique publishing house that really struck a chord with me when I was submitting. It feels like I am working with a family who are beyond helpful and so nice that I couldn’t be happier.

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

I think the balance between writing too much and too little. If you write too much, it can come off as boring and insulting to the reader and if you write too little, it can be confusing and unfulfilling. I think finding that balance is the hardest part but the most important.

What is your writing process?

I always write out a chapter outline, which never stays the same but helps me remember my goals when I become too involved in the story and lose my way.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for over ten years.

How did you get started writing?

I started writing when I was going through a hard time and used it as therapy. Actually, the first story I wrote was an original fairytale. I created a world that I could control because I felt somewhat helpless during my adolescence.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A plotter, definitely. I started out as a pantser, but I never finished anything.

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

The final draft before handing it over to the editor. I tend to panic, but editors are really the most wonderful people.

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

As much as I hate to say it, when I have writer’s block I just write through it. I write maybe two or three sentences of the part I’m stumped on, then continue on to the easier parts. When I go back to fix it, I don’t have writers block anymore.

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

I listen to the washer and dryer in my laundry room actually. It creates a white noise that lets me focus.

Who is your favorite author?

A tough question! I think it changes depending on what mood I’m in but I’d have to say it’s a three-way tie between Bradbury, Dumas and Twain.

Who is your favorite character from a book?

Carapace Clavicle Moundsgroud. My absolute favorite of all time.

What is your favorite book?

I can’t say I have a favorite, but I read the Hobbit once a year. Every time I read it, I’m ten years old again.

Read anything good lately?

I’m almost finished with Inferno by Dan Brown. It’s like reading a movie, it’s so exciting.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I like to be outdoors. Mountain biking, hiking, stripping old furniture and yard work makes me happy.

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

Writing is a job, like any other. If you have a passion for it, a real passion that survives all the times you give up, all the rejections and you still come back to it, you will succeed. But success is different to everyone just like there are different writers. If fame or fortune is your ultimate goal, good luck to you, but if it was that easy everyone would do it. Every writer hopes for those things, but it isn’t the reason they write. There’s only one right reason to write. Hone you skill, nurture your craft, be honest with yourself and persevere.
Then give up.
Then get back to work.

Have you had anything else published?

I’ve self-published a children’s chapter book titled The Mystery of Puppy Pie.

What's your next project?

I’ve finished the sequel to Golden, titled Roses. I’m working on the third book, Glass right now.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melinda Michaels is the author of Golden and currently lives in Milford, Pennsylvania. A self-proclaimed historian with a rare sense of humor, Melinda finds an immense amount of joy in knowing useless facts, exploring historical places and drinking copious amounts of coffee. When she’s not writing she can be found researching obscured time periods for her own amusement or refurbishing old furniture.
Melinda loves Philadelphia and visits often to enjoy the city with her husband Andrew. Together they have three rambunctious pets. Archie the Beagle, Winston the Boston Terrier and Beatrice the cat.
Golden is the first in a Young Adult magic realism series. 

Find Melinda Michaels on facebook, twitter, or her website.  


              

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