Welcome back to my good friend, MJ Moores, who has some EXCITING NEWS to share!!
Imagine procrastination and stubborn perseverance getting together and procreating – that would be what MJ faces when she looks in the mirror every day. Her stubborn mind-set has gotten her into trouble more often than she’d care to admit.
But, that spunk and tenacity shine in
her eyes when you speak with her, and it carries in the excitement of her
voice. Get her talking about writing and the world of publishing, next thing
you know she’s outlined the manuscript of your life and you can’t wait to write
it. Granted, the instant MJ is required to do something she’s not particular
about, procrastination tendencies creep in like assassins in the night.
MJ’s love of reading and writing at a
young age drew her to adventure books of all genres. While she currently enjoys
writing science-fiction and fantasy, her focus is on balancing the internal and
external journey her characters make as they learn about themselves and face
their darkest fears – this might take place on another planet, on a university
campus, or in a magical realm; but there’s always an exciting adventure to
spice up her work.
MJs dedication to her craft shows not only in the twenty-odd books she's written, but in the fact that she continues to share her knowledge with writers at every stage of their journey through networking, seminars, and workshops. These days, she's taken to coaching Indie Authors on the basics of DIY publishing as she readies to launch a new urban fantasy series.
Website and social media
@AuthorMJMoores (both Facebook & Twitter)
What would you say are
your strengths as an author?
Hmm, strengths come in
many different shapes and sizes (lol). I would have to say it's my ability to
keep an open mind and to trust both my instincts and the process. I have
developed a healthy balance of pantsing and plotting (plantsing?) now that I
have a decade of publishing behind me and several decades of learning the
craft. I have honed my storytelling telling ability but not my ego (lol). Yes,
I trust myself and my process, but without the equal trust I place in my
writing partner, critique groups, and editors, I would not be the writer I am
today.
How often do you write,
and do you write using a strict routine?
In my bio, you may have
noticed my mention of a stubborn mindset. Frankly, I don't like
being told what I can or can't/shouldn't do. I immediately have to prove them
wrong or rebel in some way. Even if it's me giving the guidelines to myself :P
So, nothing is set in stone. Do I like writing in the mornings? Not particularly.
But it's a general habit I've gotten into because evenings are too busy with
other things. Do I write every morning? Heck no. I work part-time at the
library and some days my shift is the early one. Generally, on days that I
don't get to write in the morning, I will spend the afternoon working on client
projects or my own editing. My goal at each writing session is to complete
either a scene or a chapter. This usually spans between 2-3 hrs of steady
writing time.
Five years from now, where
do you see yourself as a writer?
Ha! I'd love to say
working on my writing full time and supporting my family with my earnings, but
that was my goal five years ago! Realistically, I see myself continuing to put
out two or more novels a year, starting a new pen name for my contemporary writing,
and doing my best to help other writers reach their goals.
If you could offer once
piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Keep writing. Even on days
you can't find the muse, write anyway. Write about the weather or what you did
that morning or why you hate cheese (personally, I love cheese but at times it
hates me!). By practicing your craft, and reading in the genres you like to
write in, you will absorb intrinsic storytelling knowledge and grow and improve
and challenge yourself. Always be open, but filter any advice or criticism with
an eye toward your personal goal for that work, and what experience that person
brings to the table. Stay true to you, but don't forget to learn and grow.
What would you consider to
be the best compliment a reader could give your book?
When they say, "I
couldn't put it down. Where's the next one?" LOL! It means I did my job
well.
What are
you working on now?
I am
getting ready to launch my brand new urban fantasy trilogy. The Hollow
Kiss: White Raven Book 1 encompasses everything I ever wanted to write:
the world, the characters, the magic system, the wild supernatural beings, the
adventure, and the emotional ups and downs. This isn't the first story or the
last I'll ever write, but it's the one I was meant to write. The one all this
practice and research and studying and reading and more reading (lol) grew
inside me. Book one will launch December 11th, 2023, book two is set for
February 2024, and once I've written book three, I'll let you know when that one
will come out ;) All kidding aside, the trilogy will be complete by spring of
2024. And if the world likes it, I'm ready to turn it into a full-blown series
:D
Inexplicably drawn to a dark stranger in a back alley, Dray’s soul-sucking lip-lock lands her with a DB and the local PD on her trail. Then, a girl she doesn’t remember shows up out of nowhere and helps her dispose of the corpse.
Dray’s dead-body-bestie initiates her into an underground world with only one rule— expose the fae and suffer the consequences. But navigating this piranha-paradise to hunt down the maniac responsible for her transformation is likely to kill her… or worse.
Can Dray reverse the curse before she spends the rest of her life in an orange jumpsuit?
