Guest Author Michele Sinclair & Giveaway!!

I would like to Welcome Michele Sinclair to Book Junkie today as my Guest Author celebrating her latest release Desiring a Highlander Book 3 from the Highlander Series about the McTiernay Brothers set to release Dec 01 from Kensington Publishing. You can read my review HERE

Michele was kind enough to answer some of my questions about her latest Scottish Highlander Historical Romance which is highly entertaining & yet an emotional and touching love story ….. let’s get started!

If someone were writing a story about Michele Sinclair, what would your blurb say?Hmmm – if they knew me personally? Wow. Slow down. What are you trying to do? Which, then again, if they really knew me, they would know slowing down would be impossible! More seriously, Michele Sinclair desires more than anything to write stories people will enjoy reading (hopefully over and over), but that are relatable as well. That she weaves in hard life’s lessons hoping that they touch someone.

How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)? Do you start with an outline, synopsis, characters; what is your writing process like?I’m not sure. The first story was simple and I didn’t know what I was doing. I write a lot for my day job, so the writing was easy, but I was a novice at the planning aspect of storytelling. I was writing the first chapter and realized the hero had brothers… well, how many? Who? And as I answered this question, their stories unfolded to me. Not in detail, but there they were. When my editor asked me to do a Christmas series (can you write a Christmas book? “Of course!” I replied, not having a CLUE what I would write about…), I thought about it and I had always wanted to write a Beauty and the Beast story because it is my very favorite. So I kind of played around with the idea and what ended up was not a B&B, but something very touching nonetheless. I did research during this time period on Christmas and read something on the 12 Days of Christmas and merged the two concepts together. So usually, I have the story in my mind, just not the details. I know the characters and how they meet and what drives them together. The rest just kinds of comes together. I know. Complete answer? Probably not, but it’s the best I’ve got at the moment!

Can you tell us a little about your newest release Desiring a Highlander?

Ah, all my stories have a theme. The first, The Highlander’s Bride, is a light read that set the premise for the series. These two fun characters show up in active roles in every book and explore sharing personal responsibility. We all have aspects of our lives we feel like we need to shoulder alone, but when you have a partner in life, the miracle is discovering you don’t have to. The second in the series, To Wed a Highlander, focused on pride. How it can strengthen a relationship, but also damage and even destroy it. We all have pride and sometimes we let it stand in the way of getting our heart’s desires. This is the third book in the series and it is about promises. We make promises to ourselves and to others. Sometimes out of instinct to protect ourselves from pain, sometimes in revenge, sometimes to ensure someone is protected, helped, etc. Promises, especially long term ones, can affect how we go about our lives and choices we make. Promises are also something that we need to believe in, trust in, even when circumstances tell us not to. This book explores what promises should you keep and which should you let go…and when. (Plug…Book four explores people’s perception of you and how you assume roles others give you and how they can govern your life.)

Why Historical Romance & is there another genre you would like to explore, You are a big science fiction fan, have you ever thought about crossing over genres? LOL – I started with science fiction actually. But I have read enough good science fiction to realize that what I was putting down…well, wasn’t great. The ideas were good, the plot was there, but the research and my actual knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics was weak (and that’s being nice). But by then the writing bug had bitten me and it was suggested that I should write about something that I did know a lot about. History. And who doesn’t love a good story about people and where there is a happy ending. I was lucky. I found out almost immediately upon scribbling my first book where my true passion for writing was.

When reading a book I often imagine the characters in my head as thought I am watching a movie play out. If you could cast Cole & Ellenor for a movie who would play them on screen

Oh gosh, me too. But the people I envision aren’t anyone I know…Hmm, maybe Gerard Butler with his “300” killer body. He looked huge (and incredible) in that movie. His wife in that movie (Lena Headey) had qualities that I would look for, very feminine yet visible inner strength. Could I merge her and the more youthful Keira Knightley? She in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy also displayed these qualities, but she doesn’t quite have the full figure…

Do you usually cast your characters (a mental picture) before or after you have started writing? Does it help inspire you and take the story in a different direction?

Interesting question. I have a mental picture of the characters and who they are (quirks, personality, issues…) before I start writing, but I went to a lecture at my local RWA chapter and heard the phrase “Write it wrong till you can write it right.” Wow. So now I just write what the characters tell me. It is like you know what happens…X goes to see Y, they have a fight and Y leaves resulting in X feeling very guilty and afraid they just might have made a big mistake…perhaps the biggest of their life. So I know the gist of the scene, but then I just watch the details in my head and write it down as if I am trying to capture a movie I am seeing. Sometimes it is smooth and sometimes it is jerky, but I have found that you just put it down and move on. Don’t rewrite until the very last chapter and word are complete. Because it isn’t until then, at that moment, do you really know where your characters are going and developing. Then when you go back you write with much more clarity and it is typically pretty straight forward. Otherwise, you get into what I can the rewrite until it is perfect loop—something many find impossible to break.

What is the hardest part for you about creating/continuing on with a series?Hardest part is not getting to write fast enough, believe it or not. When I start a series, I know the stories for all the characters. Maybe not the details, but I know the personalities, and the drive and the catalyst and what I am trying to convey. As I said earlier about the purpose of the books…Book five is about friends, best friends, who have to decide on whether to remain friends or take a risk and be more. Book six is about society’s definition of home and love and can it be something different. I mean is home really where the heart is? And the last is about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (I work with the military and this is real) and how love can heal even the worst and deepest of wounds. The Christmas series starts with lost hope, the second book is about post partum depression (something I personally dealt with) and the last is who to choose to love (the love triangle with at twist). So you see, they are all in my head and it is just time. I don’t have enough of it. But the series come to me in a flash. All there. I have about 20-30 of them. Argh!

What was your favorite scene to write in Desiring a Highlander?

Hmmm. The whole trip back from England cracks me up. (Oh to be humble…) I think I see me in that situation. Trying unsuccessfully to “make” him do what I want, then having the feeling of euphoria when I best him. The two river scenes are also tons of fun. But, probably the one that emotionally gets to me, is the scene in the chapel. “Cole and I have strong personalities, and if we are to work, we must be friends. The best kind of friends. We need to know that when things happen, there is at least one person whom we can count on--each other. It’s the greatest gift we can give to each other.” It is easier to write, than to do. But oh, what better relationships we would have if all of us could live these words.

If you could be any of your heroine’s who would you be?

Laurel of course! Laurel and Conor’s story was intentionally simple. Fun to read, but not complicated. But these two characters are the cornerstone of the series. How can Laurel and Conor be guiding lights of wisdom for everyone else if they are screwed up? So I didn’t mess with them too much. Laurel is spunky, feisty, beautiful, loved, and just always knows what to do and when. And she is adored by her very macho husband.

What qualities do you look for in your Heroes?

They have to be men. They have to have soft spots that are only really noticeable and understood by very few, and usually don’t open themselves up but rather, the woman sneaks in the back door into their hearts. They want love but don’t feel worthy of it (something I think a lot of us struggle with). Who they are, not what they look like, makes them attractive to their woman. They protect without control, though they like to control. They are strong and can make even a strong woman feel like a “woman.” They are good people who desire good for those around them. They are tolerant, but only to a point and if necessary will draw blood to protect those they love. (notice that none go around attacking until provoked to a point where there is nothing else to be done.) May not be realistic, probably not historically common in this period, but these are my heroes and they have to be such to be love and be loved by the women I write.

Did you ever draw your characters from the personalities in your life?

Of course! Good thing I have tons of material! And my friends have found out that I have no qualms about pilfering their lives too. My Christmas series which is due out next year, the hero is missing an eye and I got the idea from my good friend John who lost his eye in his youth. It is something he still struggles with, and I thought he had long gotten over any issue. The types of hurdles he deals with on a daily basis are reflected in that book as well as the adjustments his wife has to make. Who would have thought? Anyway, I also write characters that I think I WANT to be like or read about. I like strong characters that are feisty and intelligent, so I do take some “educational” liberties (especially with the women). And yet, I struggled with this book, Desiring the Highlander, for a while and it wasn’t until it occurred to me that I really didn’t like the female lead did I realize my problem. Something awful happened to Ellenor, that as a result, I had her becoming weak and paranoid, and…well, when you read about Cole, you will realize (as I did) there was no WAY he was going to fall in love with someone like that. And she was screaming in my mind, this isn’t me! So I listened, and realized Ellenor wasn’t weak as a result of what happened, she was defiant with a strong desire to be independent, letting no one have control or influence of any part of her life. Pretty lonely. That is until she found just the right guy…

Have you ever encountered someone who said, “You write what!!! “?

Uh…yes, most people do because it surprises them that I write something that is so “emotional.” Then, they get thrown with the love scenes—you write THAT? How? Simple, one word at a time. But I have rarely found someone who was critical about it. Most are the opposite and very supportive.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?

Of course, something comes to mind, but kiss and telling…? Grin, hmmm, I went to Scotland and crawled in these castles. All my layouts are based on real castles. Book three is loosely built around Dunnottarr, which I went to and said this is just so cool. I think I explored every nook and cranny in that place. I don’t know if it is interesting, but most difficult was actually trying some of the food. Uh, yeah. I write that it was delicious. And it is. To my characters…

If you were not writing, what would you be doing?

I have to be doing something. I actually started writing on a fluke. I am creative, but have never been able to keep a journal, so being an author never occurred to me. I have created complicated cross stitch pieces, build large scale HO train models, paint, but all of these were just too juicy to my very small kids, who just begged to “help” me with them. Writing I found that I could escape and create and yet there was nothing tempting to little eager fingers.

For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.

Probably nailing down characterization. That probably strikes you as odd after what I wrote above, but I tend to rewrite my outlines quite a bit and usually it is because the characters are not quite right. Personalities drive the story because that is what drives their actions. Get this wrong, there is a domino effect. I got the female lead in this book wrong and had to start all over. I guess sometimes I don’t know if the characters are right until I build them up to the point of meeting and chemistry. When they meet if there isn’t chemistry it is because one of them isn’t right for the other. Then you have to ask, why? Probably one of the harder things is to do an honest assessment of your own story and be willing to delete some great, but not applicable writing/scenes.

If you could ask readers any one question, what would it be?

Silly, but I think I would like to know what characters and scenes they liked best and to know if they are the ones that I like too, or something radically different! What is it about the book(s) they most enjoy? Also I wonder if my readers pick up on my current real-word “themes” because I embed them so they aren’t obvious, but neither are they hidden.

***GIVEAWAY***

To win a signed copy of Michele's Disiring a Highlander, just answer her question above.

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DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my HONEST review.
No items that I receive "in kind"
are ever sold...they are kept by me, donated to The Medford Public Library,
or given away on contests on this blog.