Meet Me Monday's with Margaret Taylor

Check out my next guest, Margaret Taylor! And don't forget to check out her work. :)

1. How has your journey in publishing been? Anything you would or wouldn’t do again?

It’s been good. I was fortunate in that I first published under another pen name in 2003, so I’ve been around a while. I still release stuff under that one, so I think the only thing I would do differently is to have stuck with marketing better. Because I’ve marketed under Margaret Taylor well before either of my debut’s came out, it’s made a difference.
 

2. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

Currently I’m working on both Book 2’s for the Layren and Spi-Corp Series, finishing off another Book 2 for my other pen name and I’ve always got ideas going in the back of my head that want to come out and play every now and again. As for being specific, well, I’ll just have to let your imagination mull that over instead.
 

3.      What/Who inspired you to start writing?

Oh, that’s easy. My mom. She was an English Lit Professor all her life and gave me a love for the written word from the time I was three and picked up my first Dr. Seuss book – The Cat In the Hat. I’ve been writing, reading and telling stories ever since.
 

4.      How long have you been writing?

*laughs* See above answer. I remember very clearly keeping the neighborhood kids entertained from the time I was five or six with all sorts of stories. But, I actually wrote my first short when I was 13. Don’t ask, it was horrendous! But, I’ve learned a lot since then, so I know it was just the first step on this road…
 

5. What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Never give up. If you’re truly meant to write, you’ll know it and all you can do is persevere, hone your craft and take that leap of faith to put your work out there. You’ll never know till you actually try.
 

6.      Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Oh panster, definitely! I truly do write, at least the first draft, by the seat of my pants. It’s afterwards that I go back during edits and fill in all the pertinent details. I do plot, somewhat, but that’s mostly for my Sci-Fi Series. I actually have the “majority” of the Universe as I see it on paper – and yes, that includes Star Charts, System and Sector Maps, Planet Genealogy, Race Specifics and Ship Schematics. The stories, though, I write as they come to me…
 

7.      Who is your favorite author?

Wow. I could no more answer that than what’s my favorite movie or song. Mainly because there are so many good ones! I mean I grew up reading everything from Tolstoy to Tolkien to Catherine Coulter (when my mother wasn’t looking mind you – she was not a huge fan of romance…*laughs*) but today, I read whatever catches my fancy if you must know. Truthfully, I don’t have a lot of reading time, I really don’t, but there are a few that are still auto-buys for me: Liliana Hart, Catherine Coulter, Julie Garwood and a few others. 
 

8.      When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t think I have yet. And I probably won’t until a fan walks up to me and says, “Oh I loved your book!”
 

9.      What is the hardest part about writing for you?

Ugh, editing! I know there’s a need for it, but I still hate doing it…*laughs*
 

10.  Do you have a favorite character from your books? If so, why and who?

Oh yeah. Her name is EJ and she’s been with me since 1993. She started as a Role Playing Character I created way back when and has transitioned into the Spi-Corp Series. I won’t say more, but you’ll get your first taste of her in Book 2 and be able to find out for yourself.
 

11.  How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Wow. I think a better question would be how many have you published. I have well over 30 books in some stage of production on my virtual shelves currently but with these two new releases, I’ve published 8 between the two pen names I use. 6 under Lady Blade and 2 under Margaret Taylor. I plan to release two more under LB in 2013 and a minimum of another 6 under Margaret, maybe more depending on how quickly I get the rest of the Spi-Corp Series ready to go…*laughs* Yes, yes, I’m a prolific little writer…
 

12.  Do you do research for your books or does it all come from your head?

Most of the time it comes right from the old brain pan – which is why I write Paranormal’s and Sci-Fi’s. Occasionally I have to research stuff, but not too often. And that’s also why I enjoy writing paranormal’s and sci-fi’s. I do enough research in my day to day life for work, so when I write, I want to play!
 

13.  What is your favorite colour?

Ah, purple!
 

14.  What is your favorite food?

Oh, again with the hard to narrow questions woman! Come on, cut a girl some slack here already! Sheesh! Fine! Cookies. I love cookies! Satisfied?
 

15.  What is your favorite smell?

I like Jasmine and Pine Needles and fresh cut grass just after it rains…
 

16.  Do you have any strange habits?

Not currently. I used to play way to much World of Warcraft, but I’ve kind of walked away from it this year to really concentrate on my writing and publishing and let it go.
 

17.  Where are you from? Do you still live there? If not, what do you miss about it?

Wow. Um, I was born in Atlanta, GA and I currently live in San Antonio, TX. But, I’m a gypsy and Texas is state 39 for me and I’ve lived in 14 countries over the years. (Gonna let you fine ladies stew on that one for a bit…*grins*)
 

18.  Ebook or print? And why?

Well, I’ve gone eBook for now because the Kindle/Nook/Mobi is really starting to come into its own and traditional print is starting to dwindle. I’d love to put out some of my work in print, but we’ll see. There’s no rush.
 

19.  How do you keep your writing different from all the others that write in this particular genre?

It’s definitely not easy. I find myself using the same “stuff” over and over again and have to change it up when I edit, just so I don’t feel like I’m repeating myself…*laughs* That gets boring, even to me. Most of the time, I really try to “be” the character that I’m writing and find their voice, let them talk. I often joke that I’m just a glorified typist, but that tends to give my fellow Authors the willies, so I don’t say it too often…*laughs*

20.  What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

Probably that I’m still and always will be a Gamer Geek! I love Role Playing Games, always have, always will and that’s probably why I can “be” the various characters – at least in my head…*grins*

BIO:

Margaret Taylor currently lives in San Antonio, TX and is scratching post for her six cats and one puppy. She is an avid writer, a novice photographer and enjoys all things paranormal and science fiction! Just ask her, she'll tell you!

Her two debut releases are:

Wolf's Paradox - Book 1 of The Layren Series

and

A First Love Never Dies - Book 1 of The Spi-Corp Series.

She also has many other current projects in the works. If you visit her blog and ask nicely, she might be persuaded to post some tasty experts! *Bring Cookies as payment please!*

A FIRST LOVE NEVER DIES BLURB:

Janel Canton must be pregnant by the time Fleet Commander Pearson Acto catches up to her again and only one man will do for that. Her one true love, sexy Montana Sheriff Jake Reeves. But returning to Earth she finds he's still mourning his dead wife and has become very comfortable with small-town life. Will introducing him to reality of the Universe be enough for him to move on to a new life?

Sheriff Jake Reeves never thought the nerdy girl he and his cronies picked on in High School would someday become a star ship captain capable of holding her own in just about any situation. But when he meets up with Janel again at their 20 year reunion, that's exactly what he finds! Gone is the nerdy little mouse that never fought back. In it's place, is a rough and tumble, no holds barred, drop-dead gorgeous woman who he's going to have one hell of a time not falling in love with...

The second, The Layren Series, is planned for at least six books. It's Paranormal Romance and while I only have the first written, I've got time for the others.

WOLF'S PARADOX BLURB:

Kathy Granite is not your ordinary writer. She's a Weaver - a spinner of great tales and has the ability to write or rewrite the history of a world. Only one problem, she doesn't know it. She's spent the last six years telling the stories of people dragged to Earth from a variety of places by her Layren Protector, Ronon Wulfdrak.

Ronon has spent that same time keeping Kathy in the dark and only brought her people who simply want their story told. He's carefully chosen who would appear and even though she's become quite the sensation in our world, she's clueless as to her effect on any others. Ronon aims to keep it that way and hopes she's safely hidden from his own people. For, if anyone finds out what she really is, they will tear her apart to get at her power.

SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMargaretTaylor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AuthorM_Taylor

Blog: www.margarettaylorsthoughts.blogspot.com

BUY LINKS:

First Love: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D5UWYC4

Wolf’s Paradox: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D553XE2

**Margaret isn't doing a giveaway but she is donating a $1 for every book of hers sold to the Red Cross for the victims of the OK tornado. Please visit her blog for more details. 

www.margarettaylorsthoughts.blogspot.com 

Fundraiser runs from June 2-30. Thank you!