Interview and giveaway with Monique Martin

Have you read Out of Time yet?  Well, you will be happy to know that the second in the series has been released!!  Let’s see what the blurb says.

Goodreads blurb:
Professor Simon Cross and his assistant Elizabeth West have returned from their accidental journey into the past and are adjusting to their new life together as a couple. But an unwanted visit from the Council for Temporal Studies could change everything.
A murder in the past is changing the future, and if the killing isn't stopped, Simon Cross might never be born.
When they arrive in 1906 San Francisco, Elizabeth and Simon have no idea who wants Victor Graham dead or how it will happen. With the earthquake that levelled most of the city just days away, the race to save Graham thrusts them into a complex mystery of jealousy and revenge where murder might be the least of their worries.
The exciting sequel to Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance, When the Walls Fell, is a time travel adventure filled with suspense, mystery and romance.

Author Bio:
Monique was born in Houston, Texas, but her family soon moved to Southern California. She grew up on both coasts, living in Connecticut and California. She currently resides in Southern California with her naughty Siamese cat, Monkey.
Monique attended the University of Southern California's Film School where she earned a BFA from the Filmic Writing department.  Monique worked in television for several years before joining the family business. She now works full-time as a freelance writer and novelist. Her novels Out of Time and When the Walls Fell are the first two books in the Out of Time series.
She's currently working on an adaptation of one of her screenplays, her father's memoirs about his time in the Air Force's Air Rescue Service and the third book in the Out of Time series.

For news and information about Monique and upcoming releases, please visit: http://moniquemartin.weebly.com/

Let’s get to know Monique a little better.

Monique, tell us, when did you start writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I started with goofy little mystery stories when I was little. The Case of the Missing Underwear was a big hit in my family. I wrote on and off for most of my childhood, but I was bitten by the acting bug early on and thought that was going to be my path to fame and fortune. I even auditioned for a few TV series like Family Ties. It wasn’t until I went to college that I really focused on writing again. After school I worked in television production on In the Heat of the Night and Murder, She Wrote before I joined the family business. I finally broke away from that a few years ago and got back to writing and here we are!

Oh, I would love to read The Case of the Missing Underwear – so cute!

Does your family support you in your writing?
Yes! I’m so lucky to have a fantastically supportive family. In fact, my dad is my editor. It was…interesting when we got to the sex scenes in Out of Time. ::blush::

(lol) I can imagine!!  Wish I was a fly on the wall for those edits!!

What would be able to distract you from your writing?
When it’s going well, when I’ve got my groove on, nothing distracts me. You really do lose time. When things are flowing, I’ll suddenly stop and realize it’s dark outside and I forgot to eat lunch. When I’m struggling, everything distracts me. My cat is annoying. My socks don’t fit. My floor needs waxing. I can find endless things that need doing before I can get back to work.

What inspired you to write this book?
I knew I wasn’t done with Simon and Elizabeth. I always saw Out of Time as just the prelude to the rest of the series and their adventures. When you’re writing time travel romance, the world and all its history are your oysters. It’s exciting and daunting. There is sooo much to choose from. The Jazz Age (Out of Time) was fascinating. I knew I wanted to go back in time a little further, but not too far. That meant the turn of the century. Throw in one of the worst disasters in US history (the great quake) and you have a great recipe for drama.

What kind of research did you have to do?
I love research, but I tend to go overboard. I love learning about history and it’s so easy to get caught up in that and stray off topic. I did a lot of research that didn’t make it into the book, but they were areas I had to explore. I read dozens of books on everything from how cable cars work to how to have a séance. I printed out dozens of images, watched documentaries and spent countless hours on websites devoted to Victorian and Edwardian everything. From clothing to weapons to make-up to cars. Every detail matters. But in the end, it’s about the characters and you have to pull back from asking yourself “did they have tomato juice in 1906?” questions and get on with the gettin’ on!

Who designed cover?
I knew I wanted to keep my original watchworks theme and found an amazing photograph of a very detailed antique watch. Then T. M. Roy of http://www.teryvisions.com worked her magic.

What is your next project?
I’ve got a lot on my plate, but right now I’m working on a holiday short story (unrelated to the Out of Time universe) and planning the next book in the Out of Time series.

Do you hear from your readers much?  What do they say?
I love my readers. Dear readers, I love you! They’ve been incredibly supportive. Most simply say how much the enjoyed the book. A few ask when Simon and Elizabeth are going to get married.  I love hearing from readers. It’s a lonely business being an author and nothing makes my day brighter than hearing from someone who read one of my books.

What advise would you give other new authors?
Write. Write. Write. Join a critique group. Do it online if you can’t find a local group. But get feedback on your writing. And get it from people you aren’t related to. Writing is as much craft as it is art. You have to work at it and be willing to learn from your mistakes. Don’t rush to publish. In the age of self-publishing, it’s easy to get carried away and post something before you’ve really worked to make it the best it can be. First impressions matter.

What’s in your TBR pile?
When I’m writing, I end up reading non-fiction almost exclusively. Now that I’ve got a bit of a break, I can’t wait to curl up with a few good books. My TBR pile is huge. It’s got a mixture of indies and tradpubs from KC May and Sandra Edwards to GRR Martin and finally read the Stieg Larsson books before the movies spoil me forever!

 

** GIVEAWAY**

Monique has been so generous as to offer a free eCopy of When the Walls Fell.  Leave a comment with your contact details and a hello to Monique :) Closes 03 November 2011

Thank you so much for visiting with us today!  We wish you lots of success and many more titles in the Out of Time series.