Author Interview Michelle Muto
Random Questions:
Hardcover or Paperback?
Hardcover.
Bookmark or Dog ear a page?
Bookmark
Coffee or Tea?
Tea. Loose leaf.
Pepsi or Coke?
Coke
Vanilla or Chocolate?
Chocolate!
Favorite fictional character?
Oddly, it'd be from a TV show - most of the cast from Supernatural. Cass, Bobby, Dean, Sam.
Favorite movie?
All of the Harry Potter movies.
Have you met anyone famous?
No, but I'm a descendant of William Howard, Blackbeard's Quartermaster. Does that make me part pirate? LOL!
Favorite Quote?
If you think you can or think you can't, you're right. ~Henry Ford
Vampire, Witch, Werewolf etc. If possible what would you be? Why?
Witch. No shedding, no sunburns. Ha! Plus, being a witch would just make housework so much easier.
Serious Questions:
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
I'm an animal fanatic, a nature lover, a die-hard geek, and accomplishment driven. I never trust people who don't have a sense of humor. I've been a sales clerk, a model, an IT professional, and a tech writer.
When did you begin writing? Who or What were your inspirations?
I wrote my first story when I was seven. As a teen, I became more interested in horses and boys, so writing took a back seat. I dabbled a little in my twenties and early thirties, but life and the day jobs always took center stage for a long time. But, once I got back into it, I vowed to never give it up again. My inspirations? First would be my mother who read to me as a child. Then, it'd have to be Bram Stoker, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling. I read Dracula when I was ten and fell in love with all things supernatural. Hitchcock was just brilliant when it came to suspense. My brother used to babysit for me when I was young and made me watch Twilight Zone & Creature Feature reruns. So, he probably had a hand in it, too.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a favorite time of day?
I don't really have a preference. These days, I write in a dedicated room. But, The Book of Lost Souls was written entirely on a laptop while sitting at the dining room table. I wrote whenever I could - in between doing laundry and jotting down grocery lists and paying the bills. That part, the time of day, hasn't changed. I've even been known to get up and write in the middle of the night. I'm sort of an insomniac.
What made you write The Lost Book of Souls? Were there any scenes or situations you had to leave out for any reason? I loved the original Harry Potter so much that when it ended, I was at a loss to find something as light hearted and fun as the first few books. I'm also a huge fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I started to think about a small town witch and how her life was just sweet and chaotic all at the same time. I did cut out a character from this book that will be in a future Ivy MacTavish novel. Yeah, I'm starting to kick around the second one since The Book of Lost Souls has received such a warm welcome with readers. And, I miss writing about Ivy and her friends. They were so much fun.
What genres do you like to read in your spare time?
I read all kinds of books. Literary, urban fantasy, thriller, suspense, horror, humor, young adult.
Is writing your full time job, or is it just your super hero persona?
It's mostly my full time job now, although I do take on some short-term technical freelance writing jobs to help support my writing habit and pay some of the bills.
Do you have any quirks or special rituals you must do before writing or when completing a story?
Not really. Short of making an itunes play list for each book as I go. I listen to it when I have writer's block or need a boost of ambition.
If you could be a character from any story who would it be? Why?
Jenny Weasley. She's just so powerful, so cool, and yet, she's low key.
What are your thoughts about books that become movies? Do you prefer to read the book first or see the film?
There have been some books that were great as movies, and some that could have been better. I'm all for making books into movies. It gets people to go back and read the book. I usually prefer to read the book before seeing the movie, although I'm busy enough that it doesn't always happen that way. Like The Rite. I saw it as a movie and immediately added it to my TBR pile. Unfortunately, I still haven't gotten around to it. I'm dying to see Water for Elephants, though. I loved the book!
Are you currently working on anything right now?
Oh yes! I'm editing a book I hope to have out this summer. There's another book that I'm totally revising, and yet another that I just recently started. And of course, I'm thinking about the sequel to The Book of Lost Souls.
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a quick thank you to Michelle Muto for stopping by and doing this interview.
visit Michelle @
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