WILD THING, an interview with Maggie Shayne

This week, I'm posting an interview instead of a more traditional rambling stream of consciousness. =) My fellow authors in the new anthology WILD THING (on sale May 1) have each been interviewed about our stories in the collection. You can read their interviews at their blog sites, and there are links to each of them at the bottom of this piece.

Q. What is your favorite thing about writing a novella? What is your least favorite thing?

A. I love writing novellas. The length is perfect for me. I can focus on the heart of the story—the relationship, the emotions. Those are the best parts of any story, or any relationship for that matter. The feelings. I also like that I can get from start to finish in a couple of weeks, which allows me to write with that initial burst of creative energy from beginning to end. In longer books, that fire tends to wax and wane, and has to be constantly re-stoked to keep my passion for the story flowing.


Q. In honor of WILD THING, what is the wildest experience you've had as an author?

A. I’m glad you specified “as an author.” My truly wildest experiences are too wild to share in this forum. =) That said, as an author, I’ve had a couple of fun ones. There was the reader who came to my signing of “A Sprinkle of Fairydust” and liberally doused me in silver glitter. I was leaking glitter everywhere I walked for days, no matter how many showers I took. Then there was the booksigning where a gorgeous young man walked in and told me he was my long lost half brother. That was probably the wildest ever, and certainly the happiest!

Q. Why do you think readers will fall in love with your hero from this book? With your
heroine?

A. In “Animal Magnetism” Jay is a cop investigating a string of assaults against women. The most appealing thing (to me) about him is the tenderness and care with which he treats the victims of these crimes, and the depth of his caring for them. As for Macy, I think the most appealing thing about her is her past pain, and how closely she has guarded herself from being hurt again—and then the way she puts all of that aside and takes a huge risk in order to make Jay believe her, and help to solve the crimes.

Q. Just for fun, what is your favorite movie in the paranormal genre?

A. Practical Magic. No Question. Of course, as a working Witch, I’m slightly biased.


Q.. What are you working on now?

A. I’m currently writing LOVER’S BITE. Book two of a new four book contract with MIRA. All four books will be part of my ongoing (one might say “immortal”) vampire series known as Wings in the Night.

Q. . What comes out next for you?


DEMON’S KISS (book 1 of the above contract) in December.
MOON FEVER (A St. Martin’s Press anthology) in September








And special collector’s edition, trade size reissues of my entire immortal Witch series, beginning with ETERNAL LOVE (includes Eternity, Infinity) in November and IMMORTAL KISS (with Destiny and Immortality) in December.

Q. About thirteen years ago, I picked up TWILIGHT MEMORIES, and had my every notion of the romantic heroine exploded to pieces by the vampiress Rhiannon. Since then, I’ve devoured every single book you've written, amazed each time by how fantastic and capable and simply kick-ass your heroines are. Does it creep you out to know that you share space in
an anthology with a woman who -- if not for the thin veneer of polite society -- would probably fly to NY, throw herself at your feet, and beg to have your babies?

A. Trust me, there are days I’d let you have my babies. =)

Q. What do you think the key is to creating a strong heroine? Despite their varying backgrounds and personalities, do you feel that there a commonality that all of yours share?

A. For me the key is always in the heroine’s background, in her past, usually in some deep and abiding pain she has experience and not yet dealt with. During the course of the story she often finds a way to deal with it, even finding a way to draw strength from it. And maybe that’s because my own history is quite a traumatic and painful one, and I’d like to think I can find some benefit from it all. Inner strength is something I strive for. It comes and goes. But I’d love to think I’m as strong as my heroines are, deep down. In truth I think most of them spring from my image of the woman I would be if I were everything I wish I were.


Q. What is your favorite scene in “Animal Magnetism” and why?

A. I like the first love scene the best. I love the way Macy gets all the info she needs to successfully seduce her skeptic cop, by having a heart to heart conversation with his basset hound, Fred.

Q. Give us a movie-style voice-over for your story, beginning with the words:
"In a world..."

A. In a world, where a predator lurks, one witness holds the key. And only one woman can hear what that witness has to say. Salvation will come--but only if she can convince a skeptical cop to believe in the unbelievable.

How’s that?

Q. Do you have any pre-writing or during-writing rituals or habits you use to get your
muses flowing?

A. I usually put on some instrumental music, reread the last couple of chapters, and pray that my muse will be kind today. =)

Q. In this particular story, what actor and actress would you choose to play the leading roles?

A. Macy would be Sandra Bullock, I think. I love Sandra. Jay, on the other hand, would have to be played by Johnny Depp. What a pair, hmm?

WILD THING from Berkley, goes on sale May 1st. You can view a book trailer, read an excerpt, and even order the book at www.maggieshayne.com

It features stories by Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, Alyssa Day and Meljean Brook

Read interviews with those authors about their stories, to get the full picture, at the following sites:

“Paradise” by Mejean Brook http://www.meljeanbrook.com/blog
“Hunter Kiss” by Marjorie M. Liu http://www.webpetals.livejournal.com
“Wild Hearts in Atlantis” by Alyssa Day http://www.warriorsofposeidon.blogspot.com