Author Interview: Barbara Meyers

The Basics

– Barbara Meyers
– Brand: sweet, spicy, sexy romance
– Genre(s): Contemporary Romantic Comedy
– Publisher(s): Avalon Books, Samhain Publishing

To Other Authors

– What are the three MOST important pieces of advice you would give to a brand new author?

• Don’t start writing thinking it’s easy. If you’re not compelled to write, there’s no reason to do it.
• Listen to your gut and find your voice.
• Take as long as you need to write the absolute best book you are capable of writing.

– What’s your favorite way to advertise?

• Internet interviews like this (Renee note: me blushing. :D), guest blogging, and word of mouth. Cover flat postcards and bookmarks.

– What hard-knock lesson did the publishing world teach you (can be your own experience or someone else’s that you learned from)?

• Just one? There’s no rhyme or reason to the world of publishing, so don’t waste your time trying to make sense of it.

For the Readers

– What are you reading, if anything, at the moment?

• The New Yorkers by Catherine Schine.

– Do you prefer ebooks or print for your reading pleasure?

• Print

– Name three of your all-time-favorite, read-them-over-and-over books.

• I don’t re-read books any more. But as a teenager, I read Gone With The Wind repeatedly. I cried every time Melanie died. I didn’t own many books as a kid (couldn’t afford them), but I had one called Portrait of Fear, a paperback mystery I bought at the drugstore which I read many, many times, when I was 14 or 15. I also had a big book of fairy tales. I especially liked Rapunzel and Rumpelstitsken.

Idle Curiosity Compels Me to Ask

– What inspired you to be a writer?

• Sadly, reading to the end of what I considered a poorly written romance novel, throwing it across the room and declaring, “I can write better than that!”

– What do you do immediately after finishing a manuscript?

• Put it on a shelf and wait 6-8 weeks then go back and look at it to try and figure out what I missed. I don’t think my manuscripts are ever “finished” until they’re published.

– Do you talk to your characters or your muse or both?

• That’s a tough question. I’ve been working on a sequel to A MONTH FROM MIAMI. The hero is Rick’s brother. It was such slow going at the start. I couldn’t get a handle on Ray (Rick’s twin brother) nor Haylee (the heroine). It was like pulling teeth. They were both sort of holding back from each other and from me because of painful pasts. That sounds strange, but my characters are real to me. They have to reveal themselves to me before I can reveal them to the reader.

• I think that doesn’t answer your question. I don’t “talk” to the characters or my muse. I’m not even sure I have a muse. A lot of writing is thinking. A lot of what helps me think is exercise, walking the beach, riding my bike. You’d think I’m very athletic, hearing that, but I’m not. I meander with a purpose on my beach walks and bike rides. I rarely push myself. On my bike, I listen to music from my MP3 player, but I often get my best plotting ideas then. I have to work on remembering them all by the time I get home.

Promo Section

~ Coming Soon ~

A MONTH FROM MIAMI ISBN # 978-1-60504-083-7 Samhain Publishing, Ltd. Rick and Kaylee agree to swap car repair for babysitting. But there’s a secret stash in the gas tank, an ex-con hunting Kaylee, and the FBI knocking at the door. Now Rick must decide: Does Kaylee deserve his love and trust? Or is she taking him for a ride? Samhain Author Page: http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/barbara-meyers

Learn More
Website: http://www.barbmeyers.com

Thanks so much, Barbara, for that fun interview. I even made a tiny little comment, which I’ve never done before. 😀

Join me next week for an interview with Vivi Andrews.