Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always loved to write. I know that lots of authors say that, and I’m willing to bet that it’s because, like me, they enjoyed reading so much that they just had to create stories of their own!
I actually wear several different writer’s hats, and I’ve written for both adults and children. (About 80+ books for kids, mostly published by Educational Publishers.) I have also written the Busy Writer series; quick guides for writing in various genres.
These days I write mostly for adults. I’ve had a ball writing the Georgie B. Goode Gypsy Caravan Cozy Mystery series (which is set in the world of vintage trailers and retro fashions!) I’m also planning several new series that will feature interesting characters from the Georgie books.
I’m currently writing Book 8 of the Cozy Mystery series.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is AS GOOD AS IT GETS, Book 7 of the Georgie B. Goode Gypsy Caravan Cozy Mystery series. This one is set in a circus. As for what inspired it… well, I guess I’m always looking for interesting settings for my books, and I thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Cirque du Soleil – and the two just kind of came together!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual. Hmmm.
Something tells me that ‘unusual’ goes with being a writer! But anything I tell you about, someone will already have done it.
I do sometimes use Dragon Naturally Speaking to dictate my books. I go for an early morning walk and sit near a boat ramp looking at the lake while I talk. I call this my ‘walk and talk’. When I told my son that I was doing this, his response was “Cool! You can be known as the crazy lady in the park that talks to herself.”
What authors, or books have influenced you?
HUNDREDS. I’m a voracious reader, but I guess I read more mysteries and thrillers than anything else. I love the Jack Reacher series, and I always enjoy a Nora Roberts book too – now there’s a contrast for you! I also like the Harry Dresden series of paranormal thrillers, so there you go. You can see I have eclectic tastes.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on Book 8 of the Georgie B. Goode series. One of my readers expressed the hope that a mystery would centre on one vintage trailer… so how could I say ‘no’? That’s exactly what is going to happen in this book!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tend to use the Kindle free promo days along with promotional sites like Awesome Gang, which connects a lot of potential readers with my books. I like the idea that they get to read a sample, and if they like it, there are lots of other stories waiting in the wings!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Write a LOT. The more you write, the better you’ll get, and the more you’ll get into a rhythm. This must go along with making a conscious effort to improve your craft. Keep learning from others, and vow to make each book better than the last.
Listen to Indie podcasts (there are three or four I can think of that are really good) and find out where writers hang out and discuss their craft AND how to sell their books.
Finally, don’t be intimidated by how much there is to learn. Just take on one thing at a time… but remember that the most important thing is to KEEP WRITING. Finish the book. Then finish another book.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It can be summed up by two acronyms. Yeah, I know we all hate acronyms, but these are good.
They are: BIC (butt in chair) and FOK (fingers on keyboard). If you don’t FINISH a book, you’re going to have a hard time selling it. 😉
What are you reading now?
(Marg goes to check her Kindle) PROVEN GUILTY, The Dresden Files Book Eight, by Jim Butcher.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m plotting the spin-off series (2 of them) from the Georgie B. Goode series. I plan to release the first book in the first series in November.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Yikes. That is a TERRIBLE question. What can I read and re-read knowing that this might be my only reading matter for years? (You didn’t say when I’d be rescued, I notice. Or IF I would be rescued.)
I think I’d be smart and take John Wiseman’s SAS Survival Guide for any climate and any situation, because I’d want to survive long enough to be rescued. That’s Book 1.
Book 2: The thickest book of puzzles I could find, with a supply of pencils and erasers so I could re-work them all. Fiction is all very well, but you need something else to fill the days besides figuring out how to trap rainwater and survive tropical storms.
Book 3: The collected works of Nora Roberts. She writes everything from futuristic to edgier thrillers and veg-out romances, so I figure that would fit most moods. (Oh, you say there IS no collected works of Nora Roberts? Maybe we should suggest it to her then…)
Author Websites and Profiles
Marg McAlister Website
Marg McAlister Amazon Profile
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