Hi everyone!
I am sorry I didn't post Friday, I had to work both Friday and Saturday, so now onto Sunday! lol
But I am sure that everyone will extend a warm welcome to Meljean Brook! Meljean has a VERY successful series out called The Guardians, and it just happens to be one of my all time favs! If you have yet to read this series, you don't know what you are missing!
First of all I wanted to say that I greatly admire you and LOVE reading your books! I first discovered your work in the anthology "Hot Spell" and I have to say that I was hooked! The Guardians world is so rich and the world building is just spell binding...okay I feel as though I am gushing! *blush* Thank you for taking the time for this interview! It means a great deal to me and I am sure my readers will enjoy a trip into your mind! lol
When did you first know that you wanted to become a writer?
There was no real moment. I’ve always loved reading, and that naturally bled into telling my own little stories, and I’ve always liked writing. I imagined myself as a writer many times, but never seriously pursued it until I was in my twenties. Then I realized that was exactly what I wanted to do as a career.
What authors have been the biggest influence on you and your writing?
This is one of those questions that is almost impossible to answer, because I read so much – influence and inspiration came from everywhere – Jean Auel, Philip Dick, Stephen King, Johanna Lindsey, the Trixie Belden series, every Harlequin Presents author that was writing in the late 70s and early 80s, Dean Koontz, Jane Austen. I can see bits and pieces of so many different authors in my work that even this list is a poor accounting of it.
What would you say to any aspiring writers out there? Any Advise? I know that sometimes, it can be hardest job of all! I personally admire all writers their muse and imagination to create these beautiful characters and worlds!
My strongest piece of advice is always to write the books that you’d love to read. Don’t try to follow trends, don’t try to write the books you think that someone else wants to read – write the books that YOU want to read. Writing is a difficult, solitary process. The least you can do for yourself is to love what you’re writing.
What do you enjoy doing once "The End" rolls around after writing, edits and more edits? Do you have a happy dance?
Usually I sleep after I finish a book, because I probably won’t have slept for several weeks before that.
Otherwise, there really is no ‘end.’ After I send in the book, edits come. Then page proofs. And by the time the book is on the shelves I am neck-deep in another book, so even publication isn’t the end of anything. There’s always more work waiting for me.
What do you enjoy reading during your down time?
I don’t have much free reading time, but when I can steal a few moments, I usually read romance novellas, Harlequin Presents (they are like an emotional jolt, which I love) or thrillers, horror and suspense.
When you write about the past, do you ever feel like you belong in a different time, and if so which time would you prefer?
I never feel as if I belong in a different time, no. I do try to write as convincing a setting as possible, but I am very firmly a 21st century girl.
What sort of things inspire you, as in what is your muse or happy place? Where do you write at, for the most part?
I don’t have a muse, at least not in the sense that I’ve ever heard it described by other authors. I find inspiration everywhere – in overheard conversations, in everyday situations, in movies I watch or pictures I see, in stories I hear – but I don’t depend on any one thing to inspire me, and if there isn’t an idea shouting at me, I’ll go out and find it myself.
I write wherever I need to. Sometimes that means I’m at my kitchen table or at my desk in my room. Sometimes I’ll go to Starbucks, because even though I’m a total introvert and don’t talk to anyone once I get there, I like to be around people now and again instead of stuck in my hole all day. So I don’t have any one place to write.
Do you feel that fiction is inspired by life, that maybe where there is smoke, there's fire? Any truth in fiction?
I think that all of the best fiction is rooted deeply in truth. Oh, not in the sense that it’s REAL – but that it’s true. This is why even though a book might be set in a paranormal world and feature creatures that don’t exist still has to feature a romance that feels believable to us. The characters’ motivations and reactions must resonate with us in some way that we recognize – they have to feel true, or the story won’t work.
What meal would you say is your favorite, is there one thing that will make your mouth water just to think of it?
Lamb Biryani. Or Thai yellow curry. Together on one plate would be perfect.
If you could live anywhere in the world, money being no object, where would it be and why?
The Maldives. You just have to Google the pictures and you’ll see why.
What tv shows do you watch and are there any that make you laugh?
I religiously watch Doctor Who (love it – and it often makes me laugh), Castle (also can be funny), Fringe, and Project Runway.
We are all creatures of habit, what habits do you have, good or bad?
Drinking coffee, I guess, though that might be more of an addiction. I don’t have many habits aside from writing, and that’s more like my job now. Maybe reading comic books can be considered a habit? That’s all good (except for my bank account.)
The one thing that stands out in my mind about your books is that everyone has free will, do you believe this to be true or just a myth? That we are all on a preordained path that we have no control over?
The belief that everyone has free will is probably the one thing in the books that I can say comes from me, absolutely. All of my characters have different points of views and different religious beliefs, but the one idea that the entire world hinges on is the belief that everyone has free will and the choices they make determine the type of person they are -- and that is all me.
Sometimes choices are limited, true, but I don’t believe that any fate is determined and that choice doesn’t matter. Even someone like Khavi, who can see the future, can only see the possible outcomes of choices that are made; she can’t make the decision for them (although she can guess which one they are likely to make). The actual choice is up to the individual, however, and so they are the only one that determines their ultimate fate.
Can you tell us 3 things that we don't know about you?
Honestly, I can't really think of many thing that I'm willing to share that I haven't already shared through my blog or some other medium. I'm a boring person-maybe that's one thing you didn't already know about me? I've never been off the North American continent, although I would like to go somewhere else, someday. And I swiped a candy bar when I was four and whenever I think about it, still feel massively guilty, and can be easily paralyzed by it emotionally, so I don't often do anything I'll feel guilty about later.
“Ascension”
When vampires begin disappearing from a community protected by Guardian Marc Revoire, the world-weary warrior doesn’t know whether he’s hunting a demon or one of the bloodthirsty nosferatu — but he’d rather face either of those monsters than accept help from Radha, the irreverent, blue-skinned, and oft-naked Guardian who’d once loved him and left him. He won’t be able to persuade her to leave this time, however, because lighthearted Radha is on a deadly serious mission of her own: not just to help Marc save the community…but to save him.
Nicholas St. Croix is familiar with the evil of demons. After his father’s death, a demon took over his mother’s body and raised him. Six years ago, his “mother” was responsible for the disappearance of the woman he loved, and Nicholas swore he’d find her—even if he had to go to Hell and back. Except she finds him first—and with one tormented kiss, he knows she too is a demon. Now he is determined to take his revenge…
Ash is a half-demon with no memory of her past or how she got to Hell. All she knows is that Nicholas St. Croix holds the key to her identity. And though he’s clearly drawn to her, Nicholas makes no secret of his distrust of her. Yet one kiss at a time, he breaks down her defenses as they battle an array of demons and Guardians. But is Ash’s greatest enemy the man at her side?
Now Meljean is giving 3 copies of "Demon Marked" and 2 copies of "Angel's of Darkness" to 5 lucky commentator's and I want to get to know my readers better, so the topic for the comments will be: What 3 things can you tell us about yourself? Be sure to leave it in the comments and don't forget to vote on your favorite season in the left sidebar! If you do not see the Raffelcopter form below, please click on the read more! Winner's will be chosen at random on 10/31/11! Contest is open internationally, Good Luck!
Happy Reading!
Cindy Bailey
