Eileen Makysm on Writing & Family Life #Paranormal #NALit #AmReading
Posted on Tuesday, April 8, 2014
How do you write – laptop, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
I
write on a laptop predominantly, although I also occasionally write in
my journal (a spiral bound notebook). My laptop is a relatively tiny
Asus (my second…I loved my first so much that when it gave up the ghost I
bought another one) that I can easily carry in my shoulder bag, because
I prefer not to write at home! Currently my favorite writing spot is
Tuscaloosa’s sole Starbucks. They know me here, and sometimes have my
usual (grande iced coffee, breve with hazelnut) ready when I get to the
register!
Where do you get support from? Do you have friends in the industry?
My
friend and mentor Paul McComas has been my biggest supporter. He’s
been a writer for a long time (and manages to make a living off of his
writing and teaching!) so he has a lot of contacts and time tested
advice. When I have a question concerning pretty much anything writing,
publishing or marketing related, he’s who I turn to.
How much sleep do you need to be your best?
At
least nine hours. I can function on less, but not much, and not for
long. My college days of running on three hours of sleep a night are long gone.
Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?
My
husband, who has been steadfastly supportive of my work and has endured
a lot of the drawbacks of living with a mercurial writer! Paul
McComas, my teacher, mentor and friend. And all the writers along the
way who have read and critiqued my work and shared their work as well.
Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?
Success
is continuing to work on and improve my craft, and sharing my work with
others. Of course, having a best seller and making a lot of money
would be nice, too!
It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign?
We are primarily reaching out to YA fans who love a streak of horror in their paranormal.
Tell us about your new book? What’s it about and why did you write it?
Haunted is
about three college friends -Steven, Tara, and Paul - who have the
ultimate extracurricular activity: chasing ghosts. While investigating a
haunted house, they’re confronted by a ghost that nobody expected,
someone connected to Tara’s past, and find themselves in grave danger.
Haunted started
off as a project for the 2006 National Novel Writing Month, which is a
yearly event where writers of all ages and all levels of experience sign
up to write a 50k word novel in the month of November. I had
participated before, but 2006 was the first year I reached the finish
line! I came up with Steven, Tara and Paul first, three bright and
ambitious college students with a passion for the paranormal, and
started writing, following where they led me.
When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?
I do lots of things! I love to listen to music (I have eclectic tastes: Nick Cave, The Fantasticks, Tim Fite, Chopin…), play guitar, solve sudoku puzzles, knit…
Do you have any tips on how writers can relax?
Do something to quiet your brain! Listen to music, do something manual and repetitive like knitting, or take a walk.
Tara
Martin – exceptionally accomplished neurobiology major with a troubled
past. Steven Trent – confident political science major with an
irresistible attraction to Tara. Paul Stratton – history major who is
able to hear spirits. Together, they make up the Society for Paranormal
Researchers at their prestigious New England University. When they’re
not in class or writing papers, the three friends are chasing their
passion….ghosts.
When
the group learns of a local retired couple trying to sell a house they
claim is haunted, they decide to investigate. As the clues unfold, a
familiar spirit interrupts their investigation and Tara finds her life
in danger. Can her friends save her before it’s too late?
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – YA paranormal, NA paranormal
Rating – PG-13
More details about the author
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