Today I'd like to welcome another author for the First Love Blog Hop. Please help me welcome Mimi Barbour to The Writing World. She's the author of the Vicarage Bench Series.
I want to thank Raebeth for having me as her guest today
– I’m delighted to be visiting her blog especially during the First Love Blog
Hop.
How would you describe your writing style?
I would say that my writing style is:
(a.) Humorous - I love adding the element of humor in my
stories because in my world, we always try and have a chuckle and a laugh over
most things. If I spend a great amount of time with someone who is terribly
serious, I get bored and I find myself feeling tight inside. But, if I’m with a
friend who likes to have a bit of a giggle, I’m always much more entertained
and more likely want to be with that person again.
(b.) Shoot from the
hip as far as the plotting goes - Although I always have my beginning and
ending figured out in my mind before I start the story. I'm lucky that way as I
know a lot of authors who can write to the end and have no idea how to finish
off the book.
(c.) Strong character
development – Ever since I started reading as a child, I have to admit to being
drawn to the characters in the story. It goes without saying that I like conflicts
and good story telling, but once I’ve connect with the heroine and hero, I’ll
always finish the book. Can’t help myself. I just have to make sure they get
their happy ending.
(d.) I must admit that as I write more books, my ability to
write stronger in all of the above has grown. Or it just might be that the
first three stories I published were novellas and now that I’m writing
full-length, it gives me more time to build the tensions and interweave
intrigue.
What are you usually
wearing at three o’clock in the morning?
Pajamas and earplugs!
Important question. Silk, satin, cotton or flannel? What
is your sheet of choice and why?
Since I’m a romance writer, I’d love to say satin—but—one time I
bought some just to try them and see how they worked, and my husband slid off
the bed and so did our blankets – all night long. Decided to go back to our
good old percale cotton ones, which are always cool and always feel so smooth.
No balls – I hate bally sheets. Hey! Notice I used the word as an adjective!!
Tell us something not very many people know.
I’m a bit of a
grouch in the mornings. Most of my friends think I smile all the time because,
I usually do. Not so much if it’s really early. I guess you could say I’m more
of a night person. Funny, if I write late at night, I don’t normally have to
edit too much. If for some strange reason I write in the early morning hours,
it’s pretty well all dribble and the bitchiness comes through real clear.
What’s your typical writing day like
About eight am I start my day either on my treadmill or
walking the seawall close to our house in Qualicum Beach. Then I tidy the house
a bit and ready myself for the day. I eat breakfast in my office while I have
my first game of spider (my bad!!). Then I check my e-mails and waste a bunch
more time writing notes and checking Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc, etc. I
call that my promo time so I don’t feel too guilty.
Then I cuss once I’ve seen that the morning has flown and I
haven’t written a word. I quickly grab lunch and have my second game of spider.
(my real bad!!) Then I open my manuscript and lose myself for at least
three or four hours. On a good day I can write 2,500 to 3,500 words.
If I’m under the gun, I start writing first thing in the
morning and go for it all day. If I put my mind to it, I can usually get a good
amount written in the morning, edit it for the PM and get another bunch written
for the afternoon. It doubles my output when I write in the morning also, but
then I'm pretty well incognito when it comes to socializing.
I was going to say some
far-out writer no one’s ever heard of, but the truth is Nora Roberts would be
my choice. She’s consistently produced books that I love to read and never
regret buying. I know when I start one of her stories, I will be entertained,
and invariable, she’ll make me smile, chuckle, or even laugh out-loud a few
times between the beginning and the end. I’d love to be able to question her
about her journey to get where she is now, and most important how she grew as a
writer…the aspects of the craft she would consider to be the most important and
how best to work on them. And, since she’s a best-selling millionaire, I bet
she’d even pick up the tab!
Tell us about your newest release.
My newest release is called Lovable
Christmas Angel which went out on November 5th and to date has 76 reviews
with a 4.6 out of 5 star rating. This just blows my mind!!! (With tremendous happiness
I might add.) It’s a romance about a young nurse who is taking her mother’s
ashes back to her homeland - Honolulu. There’s also an aunt she never knew
existed who has urgently requested help. Of course, our big-hearted heroine
intends to find her and offer assistance. Little does she know she’ll be taking
on a cranky five-year old boy, a handsome rich hotel owner with a bit of an
attitude problem and an extremely loveable angel.
Do you have anything in the works?
Yep!!! Always!! I’m an author. We always have something percolating,
being written or being edited.
I just finished releasing three of my stories in an
anthology called Mimi’s
Mix which is being offered as a free gift to one lucky commentator. I chose
a story from each of my three series’.
Partners is a short introductory book - #1 from my latest new Romantic
Suspense Vegas series. His
devious Angel is the second story and is book #2 from the Angel with
Attitudes series. And He’s
Her is the third story and book #3 from my Vicarage Bench series.
I’m also in the middle of writing a short bridge story for
the Vegas series called Vegas Rift which
I hope to be releasing by the end of the month.
Where can we find you?
I have a really fun blog that I love to work on called
Believe! http://mimibarbour.blogspot.com
Also, you can find me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mimi-Barbour-Fan-Page/203964072966134
And twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/Mimibarb
No comments:
Post a Comment