FYI: This is My 2nd Blog

Hi there! You're here at my second blog where I do interviews and book reviews.

In case you're looking for my 1st blog, where I share my IWSG posts and other musings, just go to "The Musings of a Hopeful & Pecunious Wordsmith, SittieCates".

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Author Interview: SittieCates Interviews Author Melynda Price


Author of Until Darkness Comes (Redemption Series) and Bonded in Exile

Interviewing Melynda Price, author of Bonded in Exile and Until Darkness Comes, was such a pleasure. In this author interview that was exchanged (mainly) through emails since my computer is still busted, the author had taken me through an interesting ride to her world as an author and as a regular person, how she handles her work, her family, and more.

SittieCates: Could you give me three to five particular words that would best describe you as an author? As a person?

Melynda Price: As an author, I would describe myself as creative, dedicated and entertaining. As a person, I’d describe myself as loyal, loving and hardworking. At least, that’s how I hope others would describe me. J

SittieCates: I'm sure they would, Melynda. Anyway, could you tell us how you fell in love with writing romance or paranormal stories? Why did you opt to write those types of stories? Was this type of fiction your initial interest? Or did you have another type of writing genre (horror/comedy/children’s stories/etc.) that you were interested in?

Melynda Price: I fell in love with writing while editing a book for a friend of mine. I write paranormal because the idea of creating a world where the only rule is to make the unbelievable believable is both fun and exciting for me. I’ve always been a romantic at heart, so I’ve never tried to write anything else, but I do like to weave suspense into my novels. I write stories with an underlying theme of good vs. evil, so the stakes are always pretty high, and my antagonists can be pretty nasty characters. 

SittieCates: That's interesting. In your bio at your official website, you’ve mentioned that you’ve always been fascinated with angels and their roles in our lives. What prompted this deep fascination for angels? And could you recall when did this fascination start?

Melynda Price: Even as I child, I was fascinated with angels—how they’ve impacted our history and the world around us we cannot see.

SittieCates: I see. I understand that your inspiration to write your Until Darkness Comes (Redemption Series) was born after you’ve read the Book of Enoch. Was there a crucial part in that book that triggered that interest? If so, could you tell me more about that?

Melynda Price: The Book of Enoch never made it into the Bible, so its validity is completely unfounded, but nevertheless, it’s a fascinating story of how fallen angels came to earth and took human wives—the daughters of Cain. It claims children born of these unions were called Nephilim, and they were inherently evil. The book claims that these fallen angels taught humans many secrets of the earth, such as the use of medicinal herbs. The fallen angels’ defiance and wickedness angered God, and soon the world became evil, until there was only one pure bloodline left, Noah’s, and to rid the earth of this evil, a flood was sent... Hence, the story of Noah and the Ark. Whether there is any truth interwoven in this ancient book or not, it’s still a fantastic story and a great premise to birth a fallen angel series.    

SittieCates: I’ve noticed that you write beautiful and vivid descriptions of the characters and events of the story. How did you train yourself to do that? Was there an author who served as your role model for this type of beautiful and descriptive writing?

Melynda Price: Thank you. J I try to bring my characters to life through vivid description, but it’s their dialogue that I think helps carve their individual personalities the most. I hate filler; as a reader it bores me, so I naturally write fast-paced, voice-driven novels. This being said, some filler is necessary, so I try to give descriptive details without getting too wordy. I think Lara Adrian does a great job of this in her Midnight Breed series.

SittieCates: Thank you for that information. I'll take note of that. By the way, Melynda, I’ve gathered that you have a different career that you’re busy with, and you have a loving family. How do manage to keep a schedule for writing? Is your schedule for writing mostly done on weekends?

Melynda Price: Fitting it all in is a huge challenge for me, particularly finding balance. Anyone who’s a writer knows that just because the bus drops the kids off, or it’s time to make supper, that doesn’t mean the characters are ready to quit for the day. So often, the story writes itself, and if I don’t get it down right at that time, it’s nearly impossible to go back later and try to remember it. So, I do a lot of “just a minute” or “I’ll be there in a second,” and my family does a lot of eye-rolling, lol J But, they’re supportive and they understand, for the most part, and sometimes I do just have to walk away from my laptop. As a family, we try to set aside a few hours every night together, to snuggle in and watch a movie or something.

SittieCates: That's really sweet. Could you tell us more about your first few attempts in writing the initial drafts of “Bonded in Exile?” What about when you were writing "Until Darkness Comes (Redemption Series)?" How did you feel when you were writing those drafts? Did you sail to your desk with a clear notion on what to write? How did you approach writing? Is writing easy for you?

Melynda Price: Writing the first drafts is my favorite part. I’m a pantser, so I love to just sit down, go with it and let the story write itself. It’s the going back and layering, making sure it’s all connecting, that can be tedious sometimes. Bonded in Exile is actually the first book in the second series I’m writing. This series is adult, more geared toward readers who enjoy J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood, or Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series. The plot’s a bit more complicated, so weaving it all together has been challenging.  My Redemption series, Until Darkness Comes- Book 1, is sweet enough to appeal to YA and adults. This was my first novel, so as I wrote it, and the others in that series, I kept growing as a writer, so I’d go back and rewrite it. I think I re-wrote that book at least six times. 

SittieCates: Aside from the books that you’ve written and published recently, were there earlier works of writing that you would like to share with us that you had also published (at schools or such)?

Melynda Price: Until Darkness Comes is my first book. I don’t have earlier works because I worked and reworked this novel until I had it exactly how I wanted it and ready for submission.  I’m currently editing the second book in my Redemption series, Shades of Darkness. I’d love to share a few chapters of it, but the story is a continuation of the first book, and I’d be a huge spoiler alert, lol J

SittieCates: lol! For that, I guess, another interview would be necessary. J By the way, often, they say, in writing, a part of the author is revealed. Do you agree with that? For “Until Darkness Comes” and “Bonded in Exile,” which part/s of you would you say was/were (somehow) shared within the stories?

Melynda Price: My sense of humor and sarcasm comes through in some of these characters. People who know me say when they’re reading dialogue between my characters, sometimes, they can see me in them. I think it’s funny to hear that because some of my characters can be pretty extreme.

SittieCates: For your books, “Until Darkness Comes” and “Bonded in Exile,” what is/are your favorite part/s when you were writing these stories? Why?

Melynda Price: In Until Darkness Comes, one of my favorite parts is when Olivia realizes who, and what, Liam really is. I think they’ve got great chemistry and that scene has it all—sensual tension, drama, heat… I also enjoyed writing Max throughout the book, and bringing his sarcasm and wit to life. For Bonded in Exile, I’d have to say one of my favorite parts is the shower scene where Silas tells Emily he loves her. It’s hot and romantic. Unfortunately, it will be a while before Bonded is released. It’s in the editing and beta stages before submission. However, I do post weekly excerpts from this novel every Sunday on my blog, www.melyndaprice.com. I’m really excited to see how many people are following and loving it.     

SittieCates: We’re curious. Who is Melynda Price when you’re not busy writing books?

Melynda Price: When I’m not writing, I’m busy raising two fantastic children, ages 17 and 11. That keeps me busy, and as summer quickly approaches, I’m looking forward to many poolside hours of fun in the sun with my kids. J

SittieCates: That's lovely! What advice could you give to those who would like to write paranormal and romance stories with angels and dark forces in conflict?

Melynda Price: Make the stakes high, and go beyond just the hero and the heroine. Research and study our Biblical history. It’s fascinating. Then use those events to create a foundation that you can weave into your story. It helps create realism and achieves the greatest goal for a paranormal author, making the unbelievable believable.

SittieCates: Wonderfully said! Anything else you'd like to add for our blog readers and followers? 

Melynda Price: Thank you, SittieCates, for hosting me on your blog today, and to everyone who stopped by. I’m offering a giveaway for Until Darkness Comes. To enter, visit my website, www.melyndaprice.com, “follow me” and then send me an email Melynda@MelyndaPrice.com with your contact information so I can let you know if you win. Good Luck! J

SittieCates: You're most welcome, Melynda Price. It was such a pleasure to talk with you. Thank you, too, for spending the time to do this interview with me. I'm sure that lots of people would visit your site and check out that giveaway. Good luck to the person who would win. J  

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