Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Interview with Emily March, New York Times Bestselling Author

Emily March
Please welcome New York Times Bestselling Author, Emily March. We are thrilled to have her visit us online this week. She will also give a presentation on her publishing journey at our Author Spotlight on Sept 25th in Keller, TX.
 
About Emily

Emily March is a romance author with years of experience in historical and contemporary stories. Her Eternity Springs novels published by Random House received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly magazine, and her third book, HEARTACHE FALLS, landed on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.

Emily March on her publishing experience:

 
People often think of writers as having “overnight success”. How many years have you been working toward “overnight success”?

Well, my first book was published in 1993, so let’s just say my night lasted a long time.

What has this journey been like for you? Agent? Queries?

I actually didn’t have much trouble getting an agent. I queried an agent I saw speak at a writers conference and she passed me along to a newcomer in her office. That agent sold my first contract. I changed agents after my second contract and was with that agent for many years. She retired about the same time I took my hiatus, so when I came back, I queried another agent I’d met over the course of my career and she took me on.

What galvanizes you to keep writing in this rejuvenation of your career?

I love the work. I love the friends I have made in the business. It took taking a break from the business to realize that I missed it once it was gone.

Could you share a bit about your books and characters in Eternity Springs?

We’re calling my Eternity Springs series romantic women’s fiction because the stories have a bigger focus than simply the relationship between a man and a woman. These books deal with family relationships and friendships, too. Eternity Springs is a small town where broken hearts go to heal, so each of the books has a character whose spirit needs healing in some way.

What inspired you to write contemporary romances?

I’ve written historical romances, women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense. These Eternity Springs stories are what I wanted to write at this point in my creative career. Who knows, maybe next week I’ll decide to write Steampunk--but I doubt it.

How do you give your characters the depth and detail necessary for readers to connect with them?

I write from my heart. I write about people who I want to be friends with. My characters aren’t perfect, but they’re real.

What challenge or struggle do you face when you try to build emotional bonds between the characters?

I don’t analyze my stories too much. Honestly, I just write them.

How do you, then, go about addressing the part you struggle with.

Again, I don’t overanalyze my work. So much of writing for me is instinctual. I do believe I have a basic storytelling talent that I inherited from my dad--the greatest oral storyteller I’ve ever met. I write what feels right, and somehow, it works.

Which is more important in your stories: character or plot? Or are your stories mostly character driven?

Character, definitely. Plotting is my weakness and luckily, I have a group of author friends who help me plot. We do a plot group at least once a year and help each other plot our books for the upcoming year. It’s a lifesaver.

What do you find most rewarding about your writing career? Most disappointing?

My reinvention as Emily March and the success of the Eternity Springs series has been a joy. Most disappointing--the crash of Geralyn Dawson’s romantic suspense series I loved those books.

What piece of advice would you give to new writers?

 Read. Read. Read. Read.Then, read some more.

What is something you often see beginner writers doing wrong?

Worrying about promoting before you ever learn about viewpoint or characterization.

What book are you reading right now?

Christina Dodd’s REVENGE AT BELLA TERRA.

If you could have a beer/coffee/tea with a literary luminary (living or dead), who would it be and why?

No literary luminary for me. Give me a good old mass market fiction author who works to entertain and doesn’t worry about being literary. Two people, I’d have a beer with Jim Butcher because I’m a little in love with Harry Dresden of his Dresden Files series, and wine with Christina Dodd on her front deck because it’s one of the most beautiful spots in the world and she’s one of my dearest friends.

What’s next for you?

I’m putting up my Geralyn Dawson backlist as e-books now. I have an e-book Christmas short story coming from Random House in October, then my next full-length Eternity Springs novel is LOVER’S LEAP and it comes out December 27th. I’m working on the fifth book of the series, NIGHTINGALE WAY, now and it’s due for release in October 2012.

Where can we buy your books and find you on the web?

You can buy my backlist books at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com.

My Emily March books are available wherever books are sold. 

 I’m also very active on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/emilymarchbooks and I invite everyone to join me there.

You can follow me on Twitter @emilymarchbooks and @geralyndawson.
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If you're in the area, please join us on September 25th, at 2pm at the Keller Police Dept (on Rufe Snow Drive) for Emily's Author Spotlight Presentation. She'll also be available to sell and sign books after her lecture.

 If you've read a book by Emily March AKA Geralyn Dawson, which was your favorite title?

3 comments:

Catherine said...

Emily March fav would have to be Angel's Rest.
Fav Geralyn Dawson???? Never Say Never

Ruby Johnson said...

My favorite in this series is Heartache Falls. Geralyn Dawson books-The Wedding Raffle.

Anne said...

I didn't realize that Emily March and Geralyn Dawson are the same person. That's great! I loved the Dawson novels so I will now pick up March!

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