Interview with Michelle Pickett
The Blog Ring of Power Presents...
An Interview with Author Michelle Pickett
Today I'm thrilled to bring you an interview with author Michelle Pickett. I had seen Michelle's book Pods all around the blogosphere and had wanted to contact her regarding an interview. As luck would have it, I happen to know the publicist for Spencer Hill Press and arranged for an interview for Michelle. Hooray! Networking! Michelle is here today to tell us about her latest novel, Malayna. Feel free to leave a comment or question for Alys below, and when you're done here, pop on over to the other BRoP sites to read the rest of the interview.
BRoP: How long have you been writing?
Michelle: I’ve been writing all my life. I remember writing short stories as a child. I wrote in my journal and partial novels (usually just a chapter or two) as a teen. I didn’t get serious about my writing until college, however.
BRoP: Tell us about your early works—what was the first thing you ever wrote?
Michelle: I remember writing short stories as a child, but the first thing I ever wrote was a crime novel. I never finished it. I still have it. Maybe one day I’ll go back and re-work it.
I spent a lot of time before college getting what I thought were good ideas for books and starting writing them. I’d start of strong and then slowly fizzle. I’m not sure why I’d fail. If I wasn’t focused enough, or just didn’t have the drive needed to stick to it. Writing isn’t a glamorous profession. There’s a quote by Katrina Monroe that sums it up pretty nicely: “Writing is like giving yourself homework, really hard homework, every day, for the rest of your life. You want glamorous? Throw glitter at the computer screen.”
My first book that was published was titled “Concilium” and was published through a small Canadian e-publisher. It is an adult urban fantasy. Although it received decent reviews, I can see so many areas I would change if I had the chance. When my rights revert back to me I might take the opportunity to rewrite the book the way it should have been written to begin with. As it is, it probably should have never been published. But I can’t be embarrassed by it, it is a decent book, and I love the characters and the storyline, even if there are changes I’d make to it now that I’ve learned more about my craft and publishing in general.
BRoP: When did you first consider yourself a professional writer?
Michelle: When my debut young adult novel PODs was published with Spencer Hill Press. That’s when I went from calling myself a writer to calling myself an author.
BRoP: What books have most influenced your life?
Michelle: “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls was the first book I actually connected with on a very personal level. I felt what the characters were feeling; it felt as though I was there with them. That was new to me. I’d never experienced that before.
“Olivia and Jai” by Rebecca Ryman is another book that really inspired me. She has such a way of developing strong characters. She wrote a historical book with mystery, suspense, betrayal, non-fiction historical facts of India’s culture and the tea trade and wrapped in up in a forbidden romance. It was an incredible ride and I knew after reading it that I wanted to do that!
BRoP: What genre do you write?
Michelle: I guess I would answer that I write across genres. I’ve written urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic, paranormal and now I’m working on a contemporary romance. I enjoy writing each genre. They all have their high points that make them exciting to write. There isn’t any one genre that I prefer overall.
BRoP: If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?
Michelle: It would definitely be something in the arts, probably a photographer or graphic designer.
What format is your book(s) available in (print, e-book, audio book, etc.)?
Both
Where can readers can stalk you:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Linked In | Google+ | About.Me. | Amazon Author Page
MICHELLE PICKETT is a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order. She writes young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction, paranormal, and young adult and new adult contemporary romances. Reading was one of her earliest passions, writing soon followed. She began writing seriously during college where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why she chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery. She was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, but now lives in a sleepy suburb of Houston, Texas with her extremely supportive, not to mention gorgeous husband, three school-aged kids, a 125 pound “lap dog,” and a very snooty cat.
MILAYNA: From the bestselling author of PODs comes an unforgettable tale of action, intrigue, and following your heart in the midst of betrayal.It's hard being good all the time. Everyone needs to be bad once in a while. But for seventeen-year-old Milayna, being good isn't a choice. It's a job requirement. And it's a job she can't quit. Born a demi-angel, Milayna steps in when danger and demons threaten the people around her, but being half angel isn't all halos and happiness. Azazel, Hell's demon, wants Milayna's power, and he'll do anything to get it. But he only has until her eighteenth birthday, after which she becomes untouchable.
With the help of other demi-angels, Milayna thwarts the trouble Azazel sends her way. Fighting with her is Chay. He's a demi-angel who's sinfully gorgeous, and Milayna falls hard. But is Chay her true love...or her nemesis in disguise?
Because when she learns of a traitor in her group, there's no one she can trust...not even the one she loves.
GET IT NOW:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository
This is part one of a five-part interview. Be sure to check out the other BRoP sites for the rest of the interview:
Part 2 @ T.W. Fendley
Part 3 @ Emily LaBonte
Part 4 @ Sandra Ulbrich Almazon
Part 5 @ Vicki Lemp Weavil
The Blog Ring of Power (BRoP) is a consortium of five speculative fiction writers who have banded together to bring you highlights from the current speculative fiction market--news, reviews, and interviews with speculative fiction authors--with an emphasis on small-press and self-published authors. So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and relax. Have we got a story for you...