Interview
Yay for being on my show Mirry!! I'm so glad you could stop by, I know you're super busy :) Let's dive right in! When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I knew I wanted to be a writer from about seven years old. I loved Enid Blyton at the time, and wanted to write books, just like she did. I was always folding A4 paper into mini ‘books’, and drawing and writing the story in. Some of them were very strange—I think I vaguely remember writing a story about a fairy who wanted to buy a caravan. So I guess my stories were always down to earth!
LOL A fairy buying a caravan?! That's awesome haha. What has been the most difficult part about being a writer?
Hmm…will I sound big headed if I say nothing? That’s not true, I’m sure there a million and one things every day that irritate me. But I’ve never wanted to do anything else, and when I have had to do other things to pay the bills, I’ve never been happy. I’m luxuriously happy being a writer J So I don’t really find anything difficult. Challenging, yes, and you learn something new every day. But I would never describe being able to do this as difficult.
I can understand that :) It's definitely something you seem to thrive on, no matter how many things you have on your plate! Who are your favorite authors?
A list far too enormous to put here! I’m kidding, I’m kidding…..some of my favourite authors are Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, Adam Nevill, JR Ward, Tara Stogner Wood, Trish Marie Dawson, K. S. Haigwood, Caroline Levy….oh, and yourself! ;)
SQUEEEEEE ME?! :) You just made my day!! Ok I'm done. Maybe. Still doing my happy dance :) Moving on haha...what authors inspire you?
It would instantly be all the authors above. But also…just indie authors in general. There is no writer as hard working on earth as the indie author, who only have themselves to perfect everything, and themselves to blame if it messes up. We have no big publishing company ready to sweep us up from a bad release—only ourselves. That take a lot of courage, and I’m constantly inspired by the wealth of talent that comes from my fellow authors.
Indie authors are amazeballs, enough said :) Do you like to plan your scenes out or do you just wing it?
Wing it! Where’s the fun in planning it out?! No, I do plan a little. I usually know how the story will start, and what is going to happen around the middle point, and ¾ in. But then I like to see where my characters take me, how they get to that point—sometimes that point changes altogether! I don’t even really know where my books will end…I have to find out where the characters go with it.
Exactly! Why would anyone want to plan it out? No spontaneity that way at all :) A little planning is ok, but rigid outlines are just dull. What type of books do you like to read?
Wow, BIG question…I read all sorts. I mean, you will never find me with a copy of Fisherman’s Weekly in my hands, but I like to reads a wide variety. Sometimes I’ll give a book a go that is not within my usual genre, like Sci-Fi or Romance, and I’m pleasantly surprised. But my usual genres that I gravitate towards are Horror, Paranormal, and Thriller. Although…I will admit I have a growing fondness now for Sci-Fi, after seeing some cool crossovers in it with Romance and Fantasy.
LOL I never know quite how to answer that either. Glad I'm not the only one. What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m sorry? I know not of this ‘free time’, of which you speak. But in between gasping for a breath from writing a book to doing a cover to publishing someone else’s book through Moon Rose Publishing, I like to paint, read, do a little karate or swimming, go for gorgeous walks in the Yorkshire Dales, and...er…get rewarded for my hard work with G&T. That’s a hobby, right?
Free time is this vague rumor I've heard and involves alcohol, sexy man candy, and choccie. At least in my world it does! *stares off into space, fantasizing* Huh? Oh sorry...back to the interview! Where is your favorite place to vacation?
I don’t have a favourite. I’ve been to quite a few places, and all of them had their own unique charms, from Italy, to Ireland, to Holland and back. I couldn’t compare any of them, as they are all so different and I loved all of them equally. But…nothing beats North Yorkshire, where I live ;)
Mirry, Mirry, Mirry...You left off Vegas. Bad Mirry! ;) Do you have any special holiday traditions?
I have a few :) In my household, it’s a Christmas/Yule crossover, as Mark is agnostic, but would describe himself as Christian if pushed, but I’m Pagan. So we always put the tree up around the beginning of December (basically as early as I can get away with it!), and a wreath with juniper berries and mistletoe always on the front door. If it snows, we ALWAYS have to go out and make a snowman as well. And…although it’s a weird tradition…it’s the only meal of the year where we have pickled onions alongside the rest of the dinner. :D
I'm sorry, did you say 'pickled onions'? Must be a British thing lol. That's just hard for me to imagine so we'll move on hehe. Why did you choose to write paranormal romance?
I didn’t—it chose me! When I write, I never have any idea what it’s going to fit in at the end. I like to just let it flow, and then it work it out once it’s finished. A lot of my books happen to have romance, because although I have a tough outer exterior, and I will always be sarcastic over tactful…deep down, I have a soft romantic side, and I secretly love it when a couple gets together in the end. And yup, I may have even shed a teeny tiny tear if it’s in a good film. But don’t you dare tell anyone I told you that!
Well I'm glad it chose you because it's what led to me meeting you! What has been the most fun about working on your books?
I don’t think I could choose. Everything about it is fun to me. From the actual writing, to designing the cover, to publishing it, to getting it out there for people to see…I love every part of the process. I guess the most fun part of the fun, is that wonderful moment where something will trigger in your brain, and you go, “I’ve got it! Another awesome idea for a story!” You feel like doing a little dance at that point.
Psh, some of us actually do a little dance :D What has been the hardest scene for you to write?
The hardest scenes in Vigilante of Shadows were probably all the crime/police scenes. I’d never written anything like that before, and I wanted to make sure that all my knowledge of police processes were not the three things I’d learned from CSI:Miami. Especially as there hasn’t been a CSI: York, England made yet. I have a few friends who are, or were police officers (as they are retired), who helped me out with the language and practices used. So hopefully those scenes are as true to life as can be.
I'm sure they're perfect! We really need to have a CSI: York, England, can you imagine how awesome that would be?! Do you have any favorite characters?
Oh don’t make me pick favourites! You keep doing that…I refuse! I refuse to have favourites! Well…okay…I guess Aodhan would be one favourite. *grin* Mainly because he’s sexy as hell. But also because he isn’t your usual torn up, agonised main character. Sure, he’s agonised, sure he’s torn up…but he doesn’t see it at first. And he just ploughs on through it, he doesn’t dwell on it. He’s more like a normal human than he should be. Another favourite character would have to be Andred. I didn’t give her a big enough part in this book, but you can be certain that she will be making more of an appearance in later books. She’s kind of cheeky and silly, but you wouldn’t dare cross her. In a way, she’s more like me than the other characters, so maybe she’s my cameo role in it. ;)
Mwahahaha! I love making you pick favorites cause I know you have trouble doing it *grin* And damn straight Aodhan is sexy as hell. I mean UNF. But I digress. How did you come up with the premise for Vigilante of Shadows?
I honestly can’t remember, as it was a long time ago I started writing it! (I started two years ago, then it sat for a while until I had time to go back to it.) I’ve always loved anything to do with the paranormal, and the idea of Shadow Men fascinates me. Way too big a subject to go into here, but look it up, it’s really cool. No-one else has really done a lot with them, so I thought I should give it a go. :)
What's not to love about Shadow Men? Heheh. Ok this is the first of a new series for you. Tell us more about your new Scarlet Rain series.
Ooh…I can’t tell you too much, or it will give away too much of the ending for Vigilante of Shadows! But it will be set in a Dystopian world where things have changed a little for humans—and there will be more paranormal romantic goodness. And I’m afraid that’s all I can give away right now!
*Pout* Oh fine, I suppose we'll just have to be happy with that little tidbit! How many books do you plan to write in the Scarlet Rain series?
I haven’t really decided yet, as it depends on how the characters play out, and whether they would have a story or not. I’m thinking a rough number of around ten, but it may end up being more than this.
I just made Simi jump when I went SQUEEE! Love that you have so many planned!! As I hope most people know by now, you are not only an author, but a cover artist and recently formed your own indie publishing company called Moon Rose Publishing. How do you find time to juggle everything?
Very quick hands and no clock in the room. Then no-one realises which one is up in the air. LOL Seriously though, I’ve no idea. I’ve always been one of those people who thrives on working, and my worst nightmare is sitting staring at the TV for more than a few hours. Even when I’m relaxing, it’s usually doing something active, whether for me or my brain. I think I love doing everything so much, that I find time. People tell themselves they have no time, and they make up excuses…before sitting in front of the TV. I think doing everything you want at once is sometimes better than doing nothing at all. :)
I really think you're one of the few people who manages to be busier than I am lol. Maybe we're just insane. We probably are, but it's more fun this way! So, you designed my fantabulous cover for Breaking the Nexus and you're responsible for my very first publication with your company, Moon Rose Publishing. Tell us more about these business ventures please!
I love doing the covers. There are so many great stories out there…with bad covers. It amazes me how there are some people who clearly haven’t practiced a lot of art that sell really bad covers—and people buy them! And then they are surprised when the book doesn’t sell. The old saying is not true—people do judge a book by its cover. So I like to create covers that match the books within. :) I also use the covers for my own company, Moon Rose Publishing. We’re just a small, fledging indie publisher right now, but I want to be able to help people publish their books and enjoy that moment when they tell friends and family. I’m not only a published author myself, but I worked at a publishers before I ever finished writing my first book, so I know how the process runs. The difference is that, as a small publisher, I can actually care about the authors who publish with Moon Rose Publishing, rather than simply seeing them as a number to make money off.
Alright Mirry, we are running low and on time and I know you've got a bunch of stuff going on too :) Before you head off, what's next for you?
Oooh...more of the same? Much, much, more of the same. I’m not planning on retiring any time soon (or any time in the future, for that matter), so I’ll have a plethora of books coming out over the next few years. I have the rest of the Scarlet Rain series, and I’m also publishing another anthology with seven other authors for Moon Rose Publishing.
Loving it! Can't wait to read your upcoming books :) *huge hugs* Ok sweetie, time to head off. Anything else you want your readers to know?
Yes…that I appreciate every single one of you. I don’t know if readers know the power they can hold for writers. I sometimes get lovely messages or emails from fans, and no matter how I’m feeling, they always brighten my day up. I have that grin all day if someone tells me they fell in love with one of my books. Not because it’s my book, but because they fell in love with the characters as much as I did. Thank you all! MWAH and hugs. :)
MWAH!! Thank you so much for stopping by Mirry!! Loved getting to pester you with my questions :)
Vigilante of Shadows...Buy it Now!!
Aodhan clutched uselessly at his head, groaning. He knew it was useless, because the voice was not inside his head. It followed him, skimming across buildings and land. It had followed him since he was sixteen, and it still followed him today, like a memory too horrific to be forgotten…
Aodhan is a shadow-demon, hardened and cold after years of being alone, after his love, his Entwined, was cruelly taken away from him. He has closed his heart to the world, and now spends his life ridding the world of men like those who took his beloved away, an immortal hit-man…
Arianwen Harris is a young DCI, working for York City Police. When a known criminal is found viciously killed, she finds herself trailing a hit-man who has seemed to escape clutches again and again…but she begins to find herself drawn to his dark charms and roguish good looks…
As their two worlds collide, Aodhan and Arianwen find themselves coming together to escape a far greater enemy, one that threatens to create a world far worse than the one they live in. As they battle to hold back the oncoming forces, fate has another plan; one to draw them together and heal their broken pasts together…
Buy it Now:
Meet Miranda Stork!
I was born in Guisborough, North Yorkshire in 1987 and have lived in various places around Britain, including Newcastle and Glasgow.
My writing is inspired by various writers, including the vivid characters of Charles Dickens, the imagination of Stephen King, and the gothic imagery of Anne Rice.
My love of horror began at an early age, when I was only three or four. I could read proficiently at the age of three, and devoured fairy-stories, but I always had a bent towards the darker stories, such as the Brother's Grimm's tales...Red Riding Hood was always a firm favourite, although I always felt sorry for the wolf, despite him having tried to eat everyone!
I also had an incredibly vivid imagination, leading me to believe that the noises that the radiator in my room made, were in fact the noises of monsters hiding behind it. This led to me having terrible nightmares, in which I believed I woke up and would see them sat in my room, doing nothing more extrodinary than playing cards or reading a book.
As I got older, my love of tales about unknown creatures persisted, always wanting to devour tales about ghosts or other beings. Being born in Guisborough was also a coincidence, as it is a town rich in folklore and ghosts in various places, such as the Black Monk of Guisborough Priory...whether or not any of these stories were true, I still don't know, but I love the tingle of imagining whther or not they might be.
As I began school, I began to read more books, and became enraptured with the tales of ancient Greece and Rome, loving the explanations for simple things around us turned into figures and gods. To this day, I still have an avid love of ancient customs, and I have especially fallen in love with Celtic symbolism and myths, winding them into my novels whenever possible.
As I got older, about ten or eleven, I had moved, to a small village, with only about 80 children or so. I quickly became the main story-teller of my friends, my favourite one being a story about a girl who buys a porcelain doll, only to hate it after a few days and lock it away in her family's garage. The doll of course, is haunted, and breaks back into the house, calling, 'I'm coming, I'm coming...!' until she reaches the little girl, who is hiding under her cover, where she whispers, 'I'm here, I'm here...!' The poor mother of course comes into her daughter's room in the morning and finds her daughter dead, with the doll sat on top of her. I have a vague memory of telling a wide-eyed group of peers one morning, and one of them running off crying...I think I got told off for telling stories that were too scary at school.
At the age of seven or so, I was given two books by a relative; one of them was a large collection of Lewis Carroll, and to this day my favourite poem is 'Phantasmorgoria'. The other book was a collection of weird tales, all involving fair maids and witches, devils and wicked spirits in some form or another, a lot of them derived from eastern story-telling, where children and evil witches costantly collide-usually with awful consequences. This persisted with a series of magazines and music called 'The Magical Music Box'.
At this point I began to really get into more horror books, watching all and any horrors on television, even ones that were far too cheesy to watch without laughing. Point Horror stories became a favourite on my shelf as I went into my teens, alongside my classic favourites such as Dorian Grey and Great Expectations (still my favourite book to this day). I got hooked onto Anne Rice novels as well, loving the combination of a typically monsterous creature who had redeeming qualities akin to human ones.
The most terrifying book that ever made an impression on me has to be The Exorcist. The film is nothing compared to the book-I don't believe I slept the night after finishing it, waking up at everynoise in my room, imaginging it to be a voice or whispered giggle.
Connect with Miranda:
HTF Did I miss this when it came out?!
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