Mari is an active member in Romance Writers of America and holds a B.A. in English Literature. She lives in southwest Georgia with her husband, their twin daughters, two rascally dogs, a noisy cockatiel, and one demanding cat.
Thanks for dropping by to do an interview. I know readers want to know more about you and your writing.
Why did you become a writer? Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life?
I’ve wanted to be a writer for a long time. Even as a kid, I wanted to create stories to entertain people. In fourth grade I wrote a children’s book about a Christmas celebration under the sea with an eel, whale and octopus. It was really cute. I got to read it for the first graders and they loved it. Since then, I wanted to write. I didn’t seriously think about making it a career until I was pregnant with my twin girls. I would sit in my recliner with a word processor on my tummy. (The whirr of the machine calmed them from the constant turning.) It wasn’t until the daze of their first year was over that I went ahead and completed my first novella.
Out of all the characters that you’ve written, who is your favorite and why?
I think my favorite was Fredrick from Crossed Swords. I fell a little in love with him as I wrote that book. Big hunk of a blond man with a commanding stature and a heart of gold…what’s not to love?
If you were writing a script for the big screen, who would you want to act in your movie?
Hmmm…either Gerard Butler or Hugh Jackman. Of course, I would HAVE to be on set too!
What would you want readers to take away from your books?
To be entertained. I don’t go for teaching a lesson. I like the action and romance of a satisfying tale.
Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book?
Write what you read. And read a lot!
What are you reading right now?
I just finished Rita Herron’s In the Flesh, a Harlequin Intrigue. I liked it until she introduced a character the reader never heard of for the entire book until the very end—and make him the killer. I hate that. If you write a romantic suspense with a mysterious killer on the loose, don’t bring in a brand new character into the mix at the last possible moment. I liked the story until that point. I felt jipped…
Describe a time when you had to sacrifice quality for a deadline, or visa versa. Would you try to extend a deadline to stay true to the quality of writing you aspire to?
I do not want to think I sacrifice quality for a deadline. I have asked for extensions in the past. In fact, Crossed Swords was 2 weeks late, but I was given an extension. I don’t think a book is worth writing unless you devote yourself to writing quality—even if it means asking for more time.
Tell me about a project you have been working on and how you organize your paperwork, chapters, writing goals, etc.
Right now I am working on a novel I plan on submitting to agents and Harlequin Blaze. All I will say is it is 1) hopefully the beginning to a series, and 2) features a sexy cowboy.
To organize I use WriteWayPro (http://www.writewaypro.com/) I like the storyboard feature. I have a basic outline of plot points I need listed like “Turning Point” or “Dark Moment”. I also use Deb Dixon’s Goal, Motivation, Conflict to map out my characters. (There is a character building feature in WriteWay as well.)
I do get suggestions along the way from my writing pals at Romance Writers Unlimited. (http://www.rwunlimted.org/) Those ladies rock!
What aspect of your past books did you enjoy the most?
I like the romance intertwined with action and adventure. I love action movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Ladyhawke, or Pirates of the Caribbean. I try to infuse that love into the books I write. I noticed if my book doesn’t have someone wielding a gun or sword, I get bored. Something about a man with some sort of weapon…I love it. Must be some sort of psychological thing on my part. LOL!
Now that we know you better, how can we by your books Royal Bondage and Pirate’s Mistress?
Royal Bondage is in bookstores everywhere right now. It is also available on the Simon & Schuster website, Amazon.com and B&N, etc.
Pirate’s Mistress is available for order through EC’s print store, Jasmine-Jade at http://www.jasminejade.com/p-3944-pirates-mistress.aspx
Marianne LaCroix
www.mariannelacroix.com
