Blog Ring of Power Presents: Michelle Pickett
I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order. I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction, paranormal, and young adult and new adult contemporary romances. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.
Red Bull or Monster Khaos are my coffee of choice. I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and peanut butter M&Ms and eat way too many while I write (I’m currently trying to kick this habit). I have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one. I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows. I’m a hopeful romantic; I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days. And books that keep me thinking of them long after I’ve finished the last page.
I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, but now live in a sleepy suburb of Houston, Texas with my extremely supportive, not to mention gorgeous husband, three school-aged kids, a 125 pound “lap dog,” and a very snooty cat.
Part 3 Welcome to the Realm
Section #3: The Creative Process
BRoP: Where do you get your story ideas?
MP: I really don’t know. They just come to me. I don’t know if I see or read something that creates a spark that grows into an idea that smacks me in the head days later…I just don’t know. I wish I had some really great answer to this question like a dream or a physic reading or something like that, but I don’t.
BRoP: How do you deal with writer’s block?
MP: I used to bounce a tennis ball off the wall near my desk, but we recently had our house painted so I had to find another way. :) I’ve been walking away lately. Just putting everything away and either writing in my journal or reading. Sometimes it takes a day or two, but it usually helps. I find if I dwell on it too much I tend to make the situation worse. So I try to occupy my mind with something else.
BRoP: How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
MP: No, I’m a complete “Pantser.” I write and the characters develop themselves. The only thing I have in my mind when I sit down to write is a vague idea of what the storyline is, how it will start, and where it will end. I keep notes as I write and the story starts to develop itself. I also keep notes of the characters as they introduce themselves to me.
BRoP: Do you use critique partners or beta readers? Why or why not?
MP: I’ve just started using them. I didn’t use them in the past because I was so new to the writing community I didn’t know what they were. Now I understand their importance in the writing process and I find them invaluable! And I’m very lucky to have found a group of wonderful beta readers.
BRoP: How much time do you spend on research? What type of research do you do?
MP: I don’t do a whole lot of research. Most of my “worlds” are in my head. They are completely my creations so there isn’t much to research. But there was some medical type research to do for PODs, not a lot. “The Infected” required some research (I’m not divulging what type as it hasn’t been released yet). “Milayna” had a small amount about the types of angels different religions believe in, but, again, I used my own “world” for most of that book.
BRoP: Is there anything you find particularly challenging to write?
MP: Yup, love scenes. I hate them. I don’t like writing them At. All. I’m not sure why. It’s not embarrassment. I’m not embarrassed by sex. I think it’s trying to find new ways to present the material without it becoming redundant. I mean, how many ways can you describe a kiss? Also, I write for young adults so I have to be in tune with the fact that sex is an issue in their age group, but I also have to be responsible in how far I take the scenes. So there are a lot of factors that go into a love/sex scene—or maybe I’m putting more pressure on it than needs to be there. I’m not sure. Whatever the case, I really hate writing love/sex scenes. Really.
Milayna…
From the bestselling author of PODs comes an unforgettable tale of action, intrigue, and following your heart in the midst of betrayal.
It's hard being good all the time. Everyone needs to be bad once in a while. But for seventeen-year-old Milayna, being good isn't a choice. It's a job requirement. And it's a job she can't quit. Born a demi-angel, Milayna steps in when danger and demons threaten the people around her, but being half angel isn't all halos and happiness. Azazel, Hell's demon, wants Milayna's power, and he'll do anything to get it. But he only has until her eighteenth birthday, after which she becomes untouchable.
With the help of other demi-angels, Milayna thwarts the trouble Azazel sends her way. Fighting with her is Chay. He's a demi-angel who's sinfully gorgeous, and Milayna falls hard. But is Chay her true love...or her nemesis in disguise?
Because when she learns of a traitor in her group, there's no one she can trust...not even the one she loves.
Buy Links for Milayna:
The Blog Ring of Power (BRoP) is a consortium of five speculative fiction writers who have banded together to bring you highlights from the current speculative fiction market--news, reviews, and interviews with speculative fiction authors--with an emphasis on small-press and self-published authors. So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and relax. Have we got a story for you...
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