Minx Malone

July 16, 2007

Minx Malone Tells All

ST: Hi, Minx Malone, welcome and thank you for visiting with us this week.

MM: Thanks so much for having me Sloane!

ST: Tell us a about yourself.

MM: This is hard because I never know what to say! I live with my husband in the Washington D.C. area with our three year old son. I’m kind of boring really. I live vicariously through my characters! Although I do have varied interests such as astronomy, Egyptology and of course writing!

ST: You are anything but boring, Minx. Your debut novel, THE DJINNI, looks to be an exciting hot read. Please tell us about the book.

MM: THE DJINNI is about an ordinary woman who gets an extraordinary present one day. I think we’ve all had times when we’re plodding through the routine of our lives and wishing something exciting would happen. The heroine of my story, Ally, is an accountant whose boyfriend cheated on her. She lives alone now since the grandmother who raised her passed away and she’s not the most social person. Then she receives her grandmother’s last bequest, an antique ruby ring. Unbeknownst to her, she’s now carrying around Damien, an Egyptian prince now bound to her.

ST: How did you come up with the story line?

MM: I had a very vivid dream about a Djinni *wink* and just had to write something down. Somehow all the detail such as his Egyptian heritage, the Magi and the curse just seemed to spring from my brain later.

ST: And where can we buy THE DJINNI?

MM: My book was available at Triskelion Publishing. Since they’ve closed I need to find it a new home. lol. It wasn’t available in print, only e-book format but I actually prefer ebooks now, especially for the more erotic titles. No one can see the cover of what I’m reading and since I’m using my PDA, most people just think I’m updating my calendar or reading email! Keeps the nosy people away…

ST: I love it! Thanks so much for being here. Will we see you bright and early tomorrow.

MM: Definitely.

July 17, 2007

The Write Side of Life

ST: Welcome back, Mix. Tell us, what made you decide to be a writer?

MM: I’m not sure what made me try it. I think I was just getting bored with what I was reading. Nothing out there was really what I wanted (multicultural, paranormal elements, scorching romance) so I figured instead of complaining maybe I should try my hand at it.

ST: How long have you been writing?

MM: I started writing in May of 2002 so it’s been five years now. WOW, I hadn’t even realized. However, I must admit that I wasn’t writing everyday in the beginning and didn’t really get serious until the fall of 2004. Before that it was just my little secret wish.

ST: How many books have you written?

MM: How many have I written or how many are available? LOL! I’ve written four books: 2 short stories, 1 novella and 1 novel. The novel was the first I wrote and will probably never see daylight (which is a good thing). I hope to sell the two short stories this year and my novella, along with finding a new home for THE DJINNI.

ST: Which is your favorite and why?

MM: THE DJINNI is my favorite, partially because it’s the one I spent the most time working on and partially because it came from such a great dream. *sigh* Man that was a good dream.

ST: LOL. Do you find writing to be fulfilling? And in what way?

MM: Absolutely. The first scene I ever wrote was something very suspenseful and when I got to the bottom of the page my heart was beating so hard I thought I was on the verge of a heart attack! It was such a rush and such a stunning pleasure to be in control of an entire world. In some ways, this is as close as I can ever get to the divine because it puts me in the role of creator. It’s a heady feeling.

ST: What’s a normal day like for you?

MM: Hectic! I usually wake at 6 am and check email first thing. I try to respond to as much as possible before leaving for work at about 7:30. I usually don’t get home until after 7pm and then it’s play time with my three year old son. His bath and bedtime will usually take until about 9pm. My husband and I are exhausted by the time we crawl into bed about 11pm.

ST: With your busy life how do you find time to write?

MM: I have a long commute to work so I write on the train and jot things down on sticky notes at work. I get ideas at random times so I just go with it. I’m always surprised at the cool ideas I get while standing in line to buy lunch or just walking down the sidewalk.

ST: Thank you, Minx. We’ll see you and our audience in the morning.

July 18, 2007

Author, Author, Tell Us More

ST: We’re back with Minx Malone who lives up to her name. Minx, are there any quirks you have or do before or while you’re writing?

MM: You mean do I turn around in a circle three times before writing, or do I have a lucky troll whose tummy I rub? LOL. No. Not really. Mainly I just need to be comfy and well fed. Sometimes I like to have a cup of tea or something with me.

ST: Who or what encouraged you to write erotica?

MM: Although it’s a fine line, my books are probably better described as erotic romance only because I always have a committed couple and there’s always a happy ending! I’ve mainly read love stories and gradually started reading more sensual stories as time progressed. Since I enjoy reading very erotic romance, it occurred to me one day to try spicing up my work. I figured if I was really bad at it no one had to know. As it turns out, I have a highly active imagination. *wink*

ST: Just how hot are your books, Minx?

MM: They’re rated Erotic and I think that’s a pretty accurate description. My themes tend to be conservative actually because the characters always fall in love. Like I said before, the main difference for me between erotica and erotic romance is whether the focus is on a romance or a sexual journey. For my works, it’s always on a romance. I want my happy ending dang it!

ST: Where do you get the ideas for your novels?

MM: I wish I knew where I get my ideas from because if I did, I would visit every day! LOL! I think most artistic people are like sponges, soaking up all the experiences from everyday life and then expounding on them. Have I ever met a sexy Djinni in real life? Unfortunately not. However, I’ve been interested in Egypt since I was a teenager. I’m sure movies or other books I’ve read introduced the idea of the djinn. Somehow my crazy brain mixed all that up and came up with the concept for THE DJINNI.

ST: How do you research your books?

MM: Like most writers, I am also an avid reader, so I have a personal library filled with everything from romance novels to biographies to textbooks. Also I am a master Googler! The internet is a very powerful tool for research and fun too. I’ve spent hours online reading about the various flora of Ireland or the alignment of the planets at the equinox. You can find the weirdest things online. I love that.

ST: Who is your support group?

MM: My sister, Michelle Lauren, is an amazing writer herself and has always encouraged me in everything I do. The rest of my family is also very supportive and happy that I’ve found something that brings me so much joy. I never realized quite how lucky I was to have them until I met other writers who have to hide what they do or deal with negative comments from those around them. I am truly blessed.

ST: Thanks again, Minx, for spending your time with us.

MM: My pleasure and I look forward to tomorrow!

July 19, 2007

The Soft Side of Minx Malone

ST: Good morning, Minx. Please describe your writing space for us.

MM: Strangely enough I don’t have one. I’m something of a nomad and I’ll write in any space large enough to fit me and my laptop! The changing scenery is kind of inspiring actually…

ST: What’s your favorite part of writing?

MM: I love bringing my characters to life. Sometimes I’m actually sad to finish a story because it’s such fun to discover who they are.

ST: What do you absolutely hate about being an author?

MM: I hate the anguish of wondering whether I’m doing a good job at it. Criticism is a necessary evil but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.

ST: In your opinion what’s the most important thing for a new writer to learn?

MM: Persistence and humility. You need to be humble enough to learn from others and take honest criticism of your work. The persistence will get you through the rough times. I heard once that true courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s the willingness to go forward despite fear. I think a little courage thrown in there helps a lot too!

ST: Your website suits you and your novel. I recommend everyone cruise over to the site and check it out. How did you decide on the content and design?

MM: I have been having so much fun acting as an amateur web designer lately. I’ve figured out how to animate gif files, make flashing banners and let’s not even get started on the MySpace thing! It’s easy to get distracted with all the fun web stuff but it cuts into my writing time so I have to watch it.

ST: I understand. lol. Thanks for coming out today. We’ll see you in the morning.

MM: I’m looking forward to it.

July 20, 2007

Gazing into the Crystal Ball

ST: Tell us, Minx, what does the future hold for you?

MM: Hopefully many more books. I really don’t have any lofty goals, maybe I should! LOL, but I just want to write and enjoy it. I try to write everyday so we’ll see what other twisted things come from my brain. *smiles ominously*

ST: If you had one wish that would be granted, what would it be?

MM: That everyone could be happy. This would pretty much cover all manner of things, no hunger, no violence, no jealousy, no pain. This is an impossible wish of course because without pain I’m not sure we would even know what happiness was. I suppose all things are necessary even if they aren’t pleasant. It’s a balance.

ST: What’s in the works for the future?

MM: I’m actively writing the sequel to The Djinni which focuses on the villain of the book, the brilliant, arrogant and highly sexy Amshare. He is the High Priest of the Magi, an ancient order of Egyptian wizards who is about to get a taste of his own medicine from none other than his wife!

ST: Thanks, Minx, for spending so much time with us. It’s been a great week and I’ve enjoyed learning more about you. The very best to you in the future and keep us posted on your future releases.

MM: My pleasure Sloane. This has been great fun and thanks for inviting me!