About the Author:
Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.
Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her very own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres for publishers Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing. You can learn more about Shelley and her books at http://www.shelleymunro.com and you might even find her lurking at Facebook http://www.facebook.com/shelleymunro or Twitter http://www.twitter.com/shelleymunro
Blog – http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8603.Shelley_Munro
Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?
I’ve been writing for over ten years now. At first I tried every method from plotting to flying into the mist with no idea of my direction. With time, I’ve worked out the perfect way for me to get words down onto the page.
Occasionally I’ll get stuck but a walk with the dog or going for a bike ride usually manages to unstick me or let me know if I’ve made a wrong turning. On the whole I’m finding that I’m doing a little more planning than I used to. The more I know about my story and characters, the quicker it is to write the first draft.
Do your characters ever want to take over the story?
All the time! Sometimes the story shoots in an entirely different direction to what I thought would happen. I’ve learned to go with this since it brings a layer of mystery and unexpectedness to the plot. The characters are normally right!
What is your favourite food?
This is a difficult questions since I love eating and cooking! I’m a vegetarian and adore fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s never any trouble to introduce the five plus vegetables to my diet. Pasta comes a close second. It’s such a quick and easy meal and is always delicious to eat.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I’m more of a morning person. I’m usually up fairly early to take our dog for a walk, and the morning is my most productive writing time.
Travelling is my favorite thing next to books and reading. I’m lucky in that my husband shares my passion for travel. We’ve visited Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, the Pacific, Australia and America to mention a few places. One place we haven’t been is Antarctica, and I think this would be amazing to visit. All the pristine ice in every direction plus the wild life. Yes, I think I could manage the cold for a short time.
Do distant places feature in your books?
Yes, definitely. My love of travel seeps into my writing and books. I’ve set books in New Zealand, Australia, America, India, England and several Pacific islands.
Do you listen to music while writing?
I always turn music on before I start writing, but once I get into the rhythm I couldn’t actually tell you what was playing. The writing and characters draw me into their world and that’s it for me until I take a break.
The book I’m spotlighting today is actually one of my older ones and the first in a twelve book series. Scarlet Woman is a paranormal romance about a woman who attends a Single’s Ball in the small country of Middlemarch. She goes to Middlemarch looking for excitement and a man for one night, but what she gets is way more than she bargained on!
Make sure you grab your free copy of Scarlet Woman (free from Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and All Romance e-books from 28 Jan to 10 Feb 2013) and also Lightning Strikes Twice, which takes place at the same dance as Scarlet Woman (free from Ellora’s Cave and All Romance e-books)
What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?
Writing is a hard business, one that requires patience and stamina and a great deal of determination. Writing requires one to wear many different hats and keep a finger on the publishing pulse. It’s a business that is constantly evolving with publishers coming and going. A writer needs to do a lot of reading and educate themselves regarding the market, they need to be willing to learn new skills and try different methods to achieve results. Writing is consuming and very rewarding!
Is there anything you would do differently?
I think I would have written more series earlier on in my career rather than standalone books, and I might have chosen to work with different publishers, but I have learned with every decision I’ve made, both good and bad.
Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?
I owe my career in writing to Mills & Boon, the first romances I read as a teenager. Although I don’t write for Harlequin, they set me on the path to writing romances and also fuelled my desire to travel. Author Nora Roberts has also been a huge inspiration, and I’m a big fan.
Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?
I hear a lot of rules thrown at aspiring writers. You must do it this way or that way in order to get published. By all means try the different methods of plotting, but go with your gut and follow a method that works for you. Make writing a part of each day. Sit down at your computer and put words on paper. Train yourself to make writing a habit, and you’re setting yourself up for a productive future.
What are three words that describe you?
Determined. Driven. Imaginative.
What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?
The answer to this question changes from month to month and year to year. My most recent finds are Kiss of Steel, a steampunk romance by Bec McMaster and Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress vampire series. I’d highly recommend both to readers who like their romance with a touch of paranormal.
by Shelley Munro
Paranormal
Ellora's Cave
Word Count: 38,561
Cover Artist: Syneca
Blurb:
Emily Scarlet’s husband left her for his secretary and died in a car accident—all on the same day. Now, six months later, Emily has emerged from her chrysalis of painful memories. And to prove she has what it takes to attract a man, she’s determined to experience one perfect night of passion.
Feline shape shifter, Saber Mitchell has a problem with his four boisterous younger brothers. They’re out of control. It’s too late for him, but he hopes to get his brothers mated and settled, and the ball is the place to introduce them to marriageable women.
Unbridled sex is the last thing he plans on, but one glimpse of Emily Scarlet changes his mind. Sex with her is a necessity. They dance. They make love.
One thing is clear—a single night isn’t enough. Saber must have her for his mate, but Emily isn’t so easy to convince…or trust.
The ebook is Available from Ellora's cave | All Romance | Kindle | Kobo | B&N
Thanks for having me to visit today :)
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome :)
DeleteI'm very jealous that you live in New Zealand, we loved it when we visited there :)