AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
I asked Maggie some questions about her writing. I know you'll enjoy her answers!
How did you come up with the plot for Captured Lies? Was any research involved?
It was one of those situations where a number of things just came together. I am always playing with ideas in my head. I take something normal and then put it in an impossible situation. For Captured Lies, a plane flew overhead and I started wondering what if it crashed. What if someone survived it? What if they wanted to hide their past? Then I heard about a kidnapping of a child by a family member and I thought, what if it had been a baby? What if that baby was the one to survive the crash? What would happen to that infant? How would that person ever learn his or her true identity? I had wanted this baby to be able to vanish, so I had to find out about airplane flights and did they register babies on the manifest, 30 years ago. It was interesting research, finding someone who had some answers.
Do you have a process for developing your characters?
When I'm plotting out my book and looking at the situations that will happen, I look at who are the characters needed to make that scene believable. What is unique, special about each of them and then I figure out their back story. Sometimes I start with their name - to me names have a persona, so I have to find one that fits with the character I want to develop. And sometimes I start with looking at who they are - good or bad in the book and what has made them act the way they do - what home life did they have, what kind of childhood, what do they do for work, wealthy or poor, trauma's in their lives, etc. I often go through a series of questions, which varies depending on the character, to figure out who that person is. I try to learn whatever is relevant, for me to know that individual well enough, to be able to put them in different situations and know how they'd react.
Why did you select your particular genre to write in?
I love reading books that have elements of suspense/murder/mystery/romance/women's fiction/espionage. It really was a process to get to this genre. I've written romances, I've written children's stories, young adult stories and I really got to a point where I wanted to write a book like the ones I like to read. So I started a new novel and made the suspense, murder, mystery, the main part of it with a bit of romance added in. Captured Lies was the story that I ended up with.
What books or authors do you enjoy reading?
A few authors I like, are: Robert Ludlum, Sandra Brown, Stephen R. Donaldson, James Patterson, JR Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Ann McCaffrey
Some new authors, I like are: Virginia McKevitt, David M. Brown, Pauline C. Gordon, Diane Mae Robinson
Books that I enjoyed reading: Thomas Covenant - White Gold Wielder, The Bourne Identity, The Switch, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, The Reef
What was your path to publication like?
Long and arduous but adventurous. I've been writing pretty much all my life but it's really only been the last 15 years that I have seriously pursued it. I have actually written several novels, a few I sent off to publishers and then waited and waited and waited. Then I got the rejection letters. Cried a bit. Stopped writing for a short period of time. Dusted myself off and then started over with another novel. Captured Lies is my first published novel. My next one, Tainted Waters will be published spring 2013.
What would you like readers of this blog to know about you?
If I have a choice of going to the city or going to the mountains, I will always choose the mountains.
ABOUT THE BOOK
She was kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it....
Her life was a lie!
Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. At 29, she finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then suddenly her mother dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life is a lie. Using the skills she learned on the streets, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to discover not only the secrets of her mother’s past but that of a family claiming she is theirs.
Everyone seems to have a story... but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? Is Guy part of the solution? Or part of the problem? To discover the facts, she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets, dating back over thirty years.
AN EXCERPT
Her door was yanked open. She jerked sideways, her arm coming up to shield herself, her foot lifting to lash out. Before she could make contact, a body pinned her and a hand reached across her, ripping out the keys. The scream that formed on her lips was swallowed, as she met a steely pair of blue eyes. He moved back but not before redirecting her foot to the floor mat. Her hand instinctively wrapped around the flash drive and slipped it into her pocket. Feeling faint with relief, she slumped back. Her door slammed and her would be thief was soon around the car and opening the passenger side. Sliding into the seat, Guy closed the door, leaned back and glared at her.
Too tired to move, she rolled her head sideways to meet the glower. Neither spoke. She waited him out. After a long period of time, she raised her eyebrows.
He folded his arms across his chest, and turned to look out the window. “Who was the guest at your house?”
“What?”
“Who was the nice man who was waiting at your home?”
“What were you doing at my mom’s place?”
“Looking for you.”
Since he wasn’t looking at her, she took the time to study him. He definitely had the cute bad boy down pat, all dressed in black, with his black leather coat and his hair looking windblown and falling over one eye. The scruffy beard thing was almost going too far.
CONNECT WITH MAGGIE - AND WIN A PRIZE!
Maggie will be awarding winner’s choice of a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and an autographed ebook copy to a randomly drawn host.
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
Book is currently available through:
Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/cp2go24
Kobo - http://tinyurl.com/dxs82ld
