Hi Romance Readers!

Gotta admit this snuck up on me, not that I have anything going on in real life (like my boss retiring and training a new one.)

Michele Summer tossed the ball my way and I’m on it now! Michele is a member of RWA and Heart of the Carolinas Chapter with me. She writes about my home town – not really, but she writes quirky small towns with sassy characters and since I lived there, I can lay claim!
Her work has won first place in the Dixie First Chapter Contest, second in the Golden Palm Contest and third in the Fool For Love Contest, Rebecca Contest and the Fabulous Five Contest.

Her latest Find My Way Home will be released July 1 – be sure to check it out. 

Now about me…

What am I currently working on?

Okay, that’s an easy one – I’m finishing up the third book of The Melting series. The glaciers are dying and in their wake, they leave a deadly, centuries old virus that nearly wipes out mankind. A few of the survivors have found each other and are trying to rebuild humanity in a way that will no longer harm Mother Earth – but are there enough of them to survive?

How does my work differ from others in the genre?

I have the love of the X-Files in my makeup, so a lot of what I write has that slightly spooky but completely plausible situation. There’s also the never give up factor. And I tend to write very strong women who, more often than not, have to pull my hero’s bacon out of the fire instead of the other way around. Hey, it’s more realistic that way 😉

Why do I write what I do?

Well again I come back to the X-Files, but since I also write small town romances that can’t be the only thing. I write stories and books I want to read and haven’t been able to find. And since I’m out of school, I only read for fun. If I learn something, great, but it’s pure enjoyment now. I’ve been writing since I was quite young (and those will never see the light of day again) but I’ve always thought . . . why didn’t the story go that way? I would have . . . and I’m off.

How does my writing process work?

That’s harder. I work full time and though the kids are gone, the cleaning fairy has not found my house. For years I’ve written in snatches, scenes, even paragraphs and then have to tie them together. It’s a little easier now – the house needs a lot less work with just us here and laundry can be done once a week.

One of my favorite ways to get into a scene is to take it to bed with me. It like slipping a tape into the VCR (okay the DVD into the player) and let my characters go. Sometimes I have to rein them in, but it’s amazing where they take me when I let them run free.

During the day I’m all spreadsheets and organization. Sticky notes won’t stay where you put them and I only write with pen and paper when I’m stuck. Then the feel of the paper rather than the keyboard can bring me back. I try to take that home with me and it does help, because structure is key for me. I crave it. When I want to know what a minor character’s eye color is, I need to find it quick. I want a straight up list, in alpha order and don’t distract me while I’m looking.

I don’t usually have all of that worked out when I start a story. Pantsers often don’t. The characters are already there, waiting for their time on stage, but their details evolve for me.

My strictest rule is that when I’m “finished” I put the manuscript away and don’t look at it for at least two weeks. Then I read it from start to finish. It’s amazing the plot holes, missing words and grammar that jumps out at me then. And even after several edits like that, before it goes out I go off by myself and read the thing ALOUD to myself. And still catch things. I have to read every word, because I know what I meant to say, which isn’t always what I said.

And the best part is, I’m having a ball. I’m going to write, that’s up there with breathing for me and when someone reads it and enjoys it and tell me so . . . It doesn’t get any better than that.

Okay – now I’m passing the ball on to PK Corey.  Here’s what she says about herself –

I’ve been writing in my head for decades. I finally took a deep breath and began actually writing the adventures of Cassie and Tom, a fantasy couple, who have lived in my head all that time. Cassie and Tom live and love in a domestic discipline relationship that’s lasted close to forty years. I’ll have a few other stories sprinkled in, but Cassie doesn’t leave me time to write much else. I hope you’ll enjoy their stories.