Author Interview: Miss Mae

Today I have the privilege of introducing one of the nicest people I've met during my writing venture, and that's Miss Mae. Miss Mae is the originator of the writing blog and group known as The Sweetest Romance. This has been a great group full of kind and encouraging people. I'd like to encourage everyone to join this group for our chat this coming Thursday with guest speaker, Desert Breeze's Editor and Chief, Gail Delaney. I'll post the link Wednesday. But for now, let's focus on Miss Mae.


Miss Mae, would you please tell us a little about yourself? I’m a happily married housewife, been married to the same guy for 38 plus years now. We live in the north Georgia mountains, only eight miles below the Tennessee line. From our driveway we have a breath taking view of the Appalachians as they stretch as far as the eye can see. Our one child is married, but lives close by. We’ve expanded our family to include four orphaned, thrown away mixed breed mutts.

I LOVE dogs, and we have extended our family with several, okay more than several dogs too.
When did you first become interested in writing? When I was in fifth grade. That’s when I was introduced to the adventures of Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Donna Parker. Nancy was my favorite, though. Her stories caused all sorts of imaginary ideas to circulate through my young mind. I put pen to pencil and wrote a whopping five pages. Whoa, best seller there!

Can you tell us a little about the ups and downs on your journey to publication? Rejection after rejection, disappointment and heartache. I was tempted to quit, but after I came on line with my first computer around 2005, I visited websites, gleaned nuggets of what, how, why of what I ought to do. I joined an online critique group, and after much struggle and toil, I finally hammered together my first accepted story, “See No Evil, My Pretty Lady.”

Critique groups make you sore, but they whip you into shape like nothing else.
Tell us about your latest release? “See No Evil, My Pretty Lady” was my first book, but it was contracted through a small e-press. I despaired of this story remaining an ebook when I, and so many others who inquired, wanted to see it in print. When the contract expired, I didn’t renew. Though I sold two other books after “See No Evil, My Pretty Lady”, (“Said the Spider to the Fly”, and “When the Bough Breaks”), it’s now become my latest release because I’ve taken control of its destiny. It’s now self-published as an ebook through Smashwords and its affiliates, but it’s also a gorgeous PRINT book.

Wonderful!
What inspired you to write this story? I had entered an online writing course at Writers Village University. One lesson involved that we were to write a page which included all the five senses --hear, taste, smell, touch, sight--but to add two more of setting and time. After I turned in that first page of chapter one, comments came through like, “Oh, I have so many questions! Who killed Mr. Davenport?” and “Who is that creepy guy in the fog?” , “What’s the story behind Dorcy?” That encouraged me so much that I sat down and thought, “Can I really make this into a good story line?”

Can you give us a little history on the characters, including how you developed them , and what endears them to you? I’m endeared to Dorcy partly because of the time in which she lives. Victorian London didn’t smile favorably on women and what if you were alone in the world, as Dorcy was? I admire her survival spirit. Gareth captures my heart because of the unhappy boyhood he endured. Yet, despite his tumultuous relationship with his womanizing father, he retained his honor and good character.

Any ideas for future projects? Right now I’m writing a short story, “Miss Penelope’s Letters” to be included in the February 2011 anthology by Victory Tales Press. Also, there will be Book Two in the “Dear Winifred” series.

I always ask trivia questions. so here it goes. What's your favorite movie, food, and place to vacation? Also, do you have any other hobbies? My favorite movie will either be “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” or “Murder, He Says”. Both are classic comedies. And favorite food? Chocolate, of course! Place to vacation? Hmm, I’m a homebody. No place entertains, nor relaxes me more than sipping a glass of iced lemonade while sitting out on my screened front porch.

Other than your book, do you have any recommendations you'd like to pass along? Makes lots of online friends! They will become your support base, and the relationships can last a lifetime.

Thanks for having me, Shawna.

You're most welcome, Miss Mae!

Here's the blurb to "See No Evil."

New maid Dorcy Edwards flees the scene of where her employer's body is found. His murder
sparks a chain of macabre events. Cloistered on a remote island with five strangers, including Gareth Davenport, her late employer's brooding, but darkly handsome heir, Dorcy encounters baffling questions with what she fears may be terrifying answers. Who cut the telegraph lines? Who left a mutilated animal carcass outside her bedroom door? What is the reason for Gareth's black gloves and eye patch? Can he be "Jack the Ripper", the madman suspected to be Mr. Davenport's killer? Dorcy must solve the mystery, and soon, or her growing attraction for Gareth could be her very death sentence.

Purchase

For more about Miss Mae:
http://www.missmaesite.com/

The Sweetest Romance:
http://thesweetestromanceauthors.blogspot.com/