Melody Snow Monroe

Interview with Melody Snow Monroe

Author of Animal Passions and many others

Interviewed by R. Murry

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I taught high math, economics, and photography for years until I decided I wanted to write full time. I joined RWA in 2001 and belong to two local chapters. What’s helped me the most is meeting some amazing authors who were so willing to share their wisdom.

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

I am probably one of the few authors who never wrote stories-other than for school assignments (note the math background). I did, however, love to read. I started with Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler and Kathleen Woodiwiss (my mom was a huge romance reader). When my book buying began to impact our finances, my husband suggested - why I don’t write a book. I figured how hard could it be? Answer? Damned hard.

BTW. My first book is still “under the bed.”

Were you inspired by someone or something?

My husband thought I could do it. Ha. I am a natural storyteller, but it took years and years of honing my craft to learn how to write.

What do you like about writing a story?

I love coming up with characters and putting them through their paces. When I write, I get to control things (actually my characters control me. Hmm. Maybe I’m really a submissive—okay not going there)

Can you tell us about your book?

ANIMAL PASSIONS was a complete diversion from the previous 23 books that I had written. I’d only done contemporary and wanted to branch out. I put myself in my heroine’s head and wondered what would it really be like if you went for a walk in the woods and ended up in an alternate reality where men shifted into lions and wolves? Hence the story was born. And boy was I hooked on shifter stories. The men are so alpha and yummy.

What genre best fits for the book?

ANIMAL PASSIONS is a paranormal shifter story with two men and one woman (Ménage)

Are you working on something new at the moment?

I have 5 books in the High-Country Shifter series (only 4 are out—ANIMAL PASSIONS is the first in that series). I wrote another 5 book series set in Delight, North Carolina in which panther shifters are trying to keep their identity secret. What’s different about this series is that encoded into their DNA is the fact that when they meet their mate, they know it immediately. Too bad the mate might not want anything to do with them. That’s my Panther Cove series.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Write, write and write some more. I write 4000 words a day, go to meetings, and connect with other writers. I think entering contests really helped me develop a thick skin. Listen to people. If three or more tell you the same thing, consider what they have to say.

Where can people go to read your work?

My books can be found either on the Siren website at http://www.bookstrand.com/melody-snow-monroe

Or on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=melody+snow+monroe&x=0&y=0

Do you have anything to add?

If you read an author’s work and like it, either give it a rating, a like, click on the tags, or write a review. Remember, we are people, too.

Also, it is NEVER too late to start. If twelve years ago, someone had said I’d be a bestselling author, I would have laughed. Now, I’m smiling.