INTERVIEW WITH MELINDA HOLLIDAY

GENRE: paranormal romance

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Immortal Creation: Sister Witches March 2019 Book 1 Come along on this journey filled with vampires, witches and prowling were-panthers where the heartaches of love and betrayal become twisted by the hands of fate. Lenora and Leonia are two very powerful witches, but, more than that, they are closely bonded sisters. When Leonia meets Orin, a hot, steamy man that seems to have stepped straight from a dream, her entire life is turned inside out. Embracing her chance at love could mean having to change everything she is—everything she’s known.

JDBOOKS has the privilege of an interview with author Melinda Holliday

Where do you live and is that the setting for your novel?

I live in a small town in Louisiana. Immortal Creation is set in Louisiana, however, the location is never actually mentioned in the book on account of the fact that it takes place in early history before Louisiana actually came to be known as Louisiana. With that being said, it doesn't actually contain a lot of history, as the history wasn't the main focus of the novel.  

How did you come up with premise for immortal creation? Was it something that you experienced?

I came up with the idea for Immortal Creation in the middle of writing my first book when two of the characters were in the middle of a conversation. It was then that the idea for Immortal Creation struck me.  Up until then, I really had no idea what my next book would be about.

How did you come up with an amazing title?

Immortal Creation was a spin-off of my first book, and they were somewhat connected, I wanted their titles to reflect that, though they are different series. I wanted to keep the word, Immortal, at the beginning of the title, and since Immortal Creation was the first book in an intended series, Creation seemed to fit well. Of course, I did write down several other titles to make sure it was the best fit, and before I actually applied it, I did searches to make sure the title wasn't already taken or that it didn't too closely resemble any other.

Your book is a Paranormal Romance. What drew you to the

genre?

I have always been drawn to the paranormal genre. I've been reading about vampires, witches, and fallen angels since I was in my early teens. I love everything about the paranormal aspect, and I will read anything from Anne Rice to Stefanie Meyers. The paranormal fascinates me. 

Do you think writers need to feel strong, emotions in order to write a book?

o think that a writer should feel strong emotions to write a paranormal romance. Romance in itself is a strong emotion, and I think that to write about something is to be able to capture it and reflect it in your characters.

In one of my blog pieces, I discuss how to approach writing

a novel, but it is mainly targeted towards those who want to

write fantasy novels. What advice would you give someone on

how to approach writing a Paranormal Romance?

The advice I would give on how to approach writing a paranormal romance is outlining and determining what attributes you would like your paranormal creatures to have, and to try to think outside the box. Ideas are infinite, and, when I write, I try to avoid the cliche and overused. So, say you want to write about a vampire. Once you've decided that, then your vampire is going to need the characteristics that make him a vampire. Will he have red glowing eyes? Will be able to transform humans into vampires, and, if so, by what methods would he be able to achieve this? Will your vampire be able to go out in sunlight, and, if not, what is the reason? I like to ask questions like these and jot them down. After i've gotten that somewhat figured out, I like to sit down and think about what I want my book to be about, and what my end goal is, then write an outline. The outline helps to move the book along for me, but it isn't set in stone; it's more like a reference guide that I can come back to if i come to a place where i feel stuck.

If you could give your younger self some advice about the writing process, what would it be?

if I could give my younger self some advice about the writing process, I would say it would be to plan and research my topics better before starting out. 

What time do you usually start writing and what do you find the hardest part about the writing process?

I'm actually horrible with time management. I used to write late at night, starting at about 11:00 p.m. and ending when I was too tired to go on. These days, I usually start writing at about 10:00 a.m. and shut it down between 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.

How has writing changed you?

Writing has changed me by giving me a drive and an outlet. It has also given me more courage to be confident and comfortable with myself. I'm generally very shy and shy away from attention, which is counterproductive if you want to reach readers and receive feedback. The idea of publishing my work was both thrilling and terrifying, but I made a decision to do it anyway, and it was very freeing. It showed me that I was, in fact, capable and has helped me grow as a person.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

When I'm not writing, I'm a full time mom and a home school mom. I like to spend time with my husband and children and our rambunctious rat terrier.  I absolutely LOVE to read, and I'll read just about anything. I enjoy cooking, camping, fishing, boating, and anything that has to do with nature.