Here is the interview I had with author Michelle Irwin :)
IN-DEPTH AUTHOR INTERVIEW – WITH MICHELLE IRWIN
Name: Michelle Irwin
Age: 32
Where are you from? I live in Queensland, Australia, but I’m from New Zealand originally.
A little about yourself `ie your education Family life etc: I’ve always been a huge reader, but I have very eclectic reading tastes. I live with my husband, daughter, and two cats. My formal training is in accounting and I work in a bookkeeping/management accounting role.
Lilian: Tell us your latest news?
Michelle Irwin: Wow latest news, there is so much! I’ve had Besieged by Rain just released, I have two new releases coming up in the new few months: All Amity Allows (Fall for You Book #2) and Rise from Ash (Daughter of Fire book #2).
As well as that, I’ve found a new genre that I’m really enjoying writing—Steampunk. I’ve got a three book series planned that I’m really excited for.
Lilian: When and why did you begin writing?
Michelle Irwin: My very first written project outside of school was a ‘choose your adventure’ book I wrote when I was in my tweens. I wrote angsty teenage poetry constantly in high school, it was my way of coping with what the world threw at me. I was quite an introverted person (was, hahaha, still am!), and poetry and drama were the two ways I could bust out of that shell.
Lilian: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Michelle Irwin: There are so many times that I’ve gone, okay now that has happened I am really a writer. The first time was when I was in a crit group, then it was the first time I published something online—fanfiction, but it was still published for consumption by others, then it was when I had a first draft of a story with original characters, then it was when I had a publishing contract . . . there are a hundred more opportunities for me to think, yep, now I’ve finally made it, I’m finally a writer.
Lilian: How did you come up with the title?
Michelle Irwin: Besieged by Rain was a hard book to title. I’ve had books which the title came first and everything else fell into place after that (BbR’s companion Through the Fire was like that) but when it came to naming Clay’s books, there was so much to consider. There had to be a link to Evie’s stories, but they also had to stand apart. In the end, I looked at the events of the story. The Rain are such a big influence on Clay, and not always in a good way, that they had to feature in the title.
Lilian: What inspired you to write your first book?
Michelle Irwin: My first official book was Through the Fire. I wrote that after penning almost 1 million words on fanfiction in a number of different fandoms. Basically, it came down to my own characters starting to make too much noise for me to ignore any longer. The biggest single inspiration back then was a song by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus called “Cat and Mouse.” Of course, the possibly novella length YA story that the song inspired in my mind is very different from the four novel NA story that my characters delivered.
Lilian: Do you have a specific writing style?
Michelle Irwin: If you speak to my pre-reader/beta she would probably say yes. I think I could give her a list of forty paragraphs written by me and thirty-nine other people and she’d be able to pick which was mine. For people slightly less obsessed, I would say it’s less specific. I have some stories in first person, some in third. I have rom-coms and angst-fests. The one specific thing for me is drama. Even after all this time, I love good angsty drama.
Lilian: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
IN-DEPTH AUTHOR INTERVIEW – WITH MICHELLE IRWIN
Name: Michelle Irwin
Age: 32
Where are you from? I live in Queensland, Australia, but I’m from New Zealand originally.
A little about yourself `ie your education Family life etc: I’ve always been a huge reader, but I have very eclectic reading tastes. I live with my husband, daughter, and two cats. My formal training is in accounting and I work in a bookkeeping/management accounting role.
Lilian: Tell us your latest news?
Michelle Irwin: Wow latest news, there is so much! I’ve had Besieged by Rain just released, I have two new releases coming up in the new few months: All Amity Allows (Fall for You Book #2) and Rise from Ash (Daughter of Fire book #2).
As well as that, I’ve found a new genre that I’m really enjoying writing—Steampunk. I’ve got a three book series planned that I’m really excited for.
Lilian: When and why did you begin writing?
Michelle Irwin: My very first written project outside of school was a ‘choose your adventure’ book I wrote when I was in my tweens. I wrote angsty teenage poetry constantly in high school, it was my way of coping with what the world threw at me. I was quite an introverted person (was, hahaha, still am!), and poetry and drama were the two ways I could bust out of that shell.
Lilian: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Michelle Irwin: There are so many times that I’ve gone, okay now that has happened I am really a writer. The first time was when I was in a crit group, then it was the first time I published something online—fanfiction, but it was still published for consumption by others, then it was when I had a first draft of a story with original characters, then it was when I had a publishing contract . . . there are a hundred more opportunities for me to think, yep, now I’ve finally made it, I’m finally a writer.
Lilian: How did you come up with the title?
Michelle Irwin: Besieged by Rain was a hard book to title. I’ve had books which the title came first and everything else fell into place after that (BbR’s companion Through the Fire was like that) but when it came to naming Clay’s books, there was so much to consider. There had to be a link to Evie’s stories, but they also had to stand apart. In the end, I looked at the events of the story. The Rain are such a big influence on Clay, and not always in a good way, that they had to feature in the title.
Lilian: What inspired you to write your first book?
Michelle Irwin: My first official book was Through the Fire. I wrote that after penning almost 1 million words on fanfiction in a number of different fandoms. Basically, it came down to my own characters starting to make too much noise for me to ignore any longer. The biggest single inspiration back then was a song by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus called “Cat and Mouse.” Of course, the possibly novella length YA story that the song inspired in my mind is very different from the four novel NA story that my characters delivered.
Lilian: Do you have a specific writing style?
Michelle Irwin: If you speak to my pre-reader/beta she would probably say yes. I think I could give her a list of forty paragraphs written by me and thirty-nine other people and she’d be able to pick which was mine. For people slightly less obsessed, I would say it’s less specific. I have some stories in first person, some in third. I have rom-coms and angst-fests. The one specific thing for me is drama. Even after all this time, I love good angsty drama.
Lilian: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Michelle Irwin: Prejudice sucks. Seriously, judging people based on one narrow definition of your specific world view just stinks.
Lilian: How much of the book is realistic?
Michelle Irwin: That’s a hard one to answer because it’s paranormal so in some ways, it’s all wildly impossible and make-believe. However, I do like to have a degree of realism woven into the story, so that it is possible that this could happen. The relationships are real, even if some of the events that surround them might not be.
Lilian: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Michelle Irwin: Not in this book. There is a conversation that made it into one of my other books which may or may not have been based on a long-running joke I have with a friend of mine (okay, so it is LOL).
Lilian: What books have most influenced your life most?
Michelle Irwin: At different times, I’ve had a few different influential books. Not a book as such, but I am a huge Shakespeare fan. His works just inspire me to do great, to be great. Not that I’m comparing myself to him in any way, shape, or form, but there’s something inspirational in even his darkest tales.
Books in general helped me when I was a young, dorky child. I used to spend my lunch hours secreted away in the library as a library monitor. I loved it there, because among the shelves, I just fit in. I didn’t have to try to pretend to be something I wasn’t. I didn’t need to try to be popular. I had books and they accepted me however I came.
Lastly . . . and I know there are some corners where I’ll probably cop some grief for what I’m about to say, but Twilight. I found Twilight (for the second time because I wasn’t a fan the first time I tried to read it) around the same time as I discovered Fanfiction. The thought of being able to play with the creations and come up with different versions of the sequels (that didn’t include demon, rapid growing babies and the wolf-men who love them) just blew my mind. I have great friends that I would never have known if not for that series. I also would never have had the confidence to truly attempt my own unique stories if not for being part of that community.
Lilian: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Michelle Irwin: I don’t think she’s that new, but one author who grabbed me from almost the first word and has never let go (at least not in the Blood and Fire series) is Frankie Rose. I adore Kit and Ryka’s story and I can’t wait to get back into it when the next book is released.
Kate Bonham is new on the scene, and I was very impressed with the pacing in her story, Fate. I can’t wait to see what she does with book two in the series.
I have another author who has yet to release a book, but I know when she does it will be awesome (because I’ve been lucky enough to read it in advance) J. Corrine, you know I’m talking about you. You need to get your words out into the world!
Lilian: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Michelle Irwin: It would have to have been Sir Terry Pratchett. He had the most wicked way of weaving a story that just was just captivating. I often feel sad when I hear of famous people passing away, but in this case, it made me cry. I have a family member who has the same debilitating condition he had, and for him to have fought it for so long, and continued to write, is just inspirational.
Lilian: What book are you reading now?
Michelle Irwin: See You In Hell by Demelza Carlton
Lilian: What are your current projects?
Michelle Irwin: I have a lot on at the moment. I tend to be a little scattered/piecemeal when writing. I almost always have at least two projects on or else I feel like I’m not doing enough. Most of the Daughter of Fire and Son of Rain series are already penned, but I am still working on the last book of the Son of Rain series. I have All Amity Allows which is going back into edits shortly. I have a three-book steampunk series that I’m working on, and I’m about 5k into the planned 300k for the books.
Lilian: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Michelle Irwin: Bottom Drawer Publications gave me my first publishing contract. Their faith in my writing is something I could never forget. There are also a number of awesome bloggers and blogs who have done so much for me. Belinda, Siobhan, Louisa, Kate, Abbey, yourself,
Lilian: Do you see writing as a career?
Michelle Irwin: I would like to. At the moment, I have my “real” career which pays a regular paycheque and supports my family. The dream would be to eventually scale that back and do more writing, and I approach publishing as professionally as I can for that reason.
Lilian: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Michelle Irwin: I can’t really think of anything of the top of my head. In my first book, I debated the ending, and I’m still not sure whether I should have ended it earlier or later, but I still stand by where things ended. Because BbR is the companion to that novel, I think some people where perhaps hoping to see certain scenes late in the piece from the other side, but Clay’s story is so much bigger in some ways that there just wasn’t room for it. I do hate that I’ve disappointed them, but I do also believe that both books end where they should. And to anyone who hasn’t read the books that answer probably doesn’t make a whole heap of sense, but read them, come back and read this, and then you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Lilian: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Michelle Irwin: I am a bit of a rusher. I tend to want to get the story out, so I get all the characters interactions and dialogue down, but forget to sketch a drawing of the surrounding. As such, my editing rounds tend to add a heap of words—mostly descriptions. Chances are if you’re reading a description of clothing or a building/room, it was added in after the end of the story was already completed.
Lilian: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Michelle Irwin: My genuine “I have to do this every day or I’ll go crazy” writing moment happened when I started writing fan fiction. That was about the time that the saying “the characters speak to me” really started to make sense. It was like I’d turned on a radio inside my brain and there were all these voices telling me their story as separate and distinct to my own.
Michelle Irwin: How I found fanfiction . . . now there’s an interesting story. I am a massive Doctor Who fan, and after Journey’s End I needed to know more. I had to know whether or not 10.5 and Rose lived happily ever after. Did they get married? Did they have kids? I hoped that the BBC had answered some of these questions, so I hunted and googled everything I could until I stumbled on a fan made video of their life in the parallel universe. I became obsessed. I watched the video a hundred times, read the comments, and the description. In there, was a link to a fanfiction called Behind Closed Doors. I read it, loved it, and it sparked something in me that I couldn’t extinguish.
Lilian: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Michelle Irwin: It’s unedited, but sure!
The metal horses creaked and rattled as they came to life at the deft touch of the driver.
Annabeth drew as deep a breath as she dared in the tight corset and prepared to farewell the large stone building she’d called home for all of her life. She lifted her hand and waved out the window as the carriage was drawn past the large stone structure.
She would miss the hidden tunnels in the little house, and the manicured gardens around it—the hedges that she had formed her secret places where she could let herself be who she wanted to be and play rather than being the prim and proper lady her mother demanded. A tear formed in her eye and rolled down her cheek before she could stop it.
“A lady should not be sentimental,” her mother chided.
“Yes, Mother,” she responded, wiping away the tear and turning back to sit properly with her legs crossed at the ankles, just above the lace on her boots.
When she glanced across the carriage, she met her tutor’s eye. From beneath her sandy-brown hair, Madeline offered a small, comforting smile, but Annabeth knew that nothing would be said to counter her mother’s offhanded dismissal of Annabeth’s emotions—not while her mother was still close by.
By the time the carriage turned onto the laneway that ran in front of the manor, the steady clanks and clicks of the gears and works, both in the horses leading them and beneath their feet, had taken over the carriage, providing a background ambiance that was almost monotonous enough to send Annabeth to sleep. Both Madeline and Celeste sat with their heads bowed, watching their hands, with their hair loose around their faces, shielding them from Annabeth’s gaze. The sight of their heads bobbing in time with the rocking of the carriage, helped lull Annabeth into a restful state.
Lilian: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Michelle Irwin: It’s hard to say. I have a varied and eclectic taste, ranging from the Lord of the Rings, Discworld, and Harry Potter, right through to Dan Brown, Harlan Coben and Twilight. I just admire any author who can transport you away, to the point where you’re not just reading any longer but ripping the pages to one side to find out what happens next.
Lilian: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Michelle Irwin: Not as much as I’d like. My dream would be able to spend a good couple of months touring the places in my novels (for real, not just stalking down the streets via Google maps), doing signings in all corners of the globes.
Lilian: Who designed the covers?
Michelle Irwin: The covers for my Daughter of Fire and Son of Rain series were all done by Mumson Designs / Bottom Drawer Publications. The covers for Happily Evan After and All About Amity were both done by Soxie at Soxsational Cover Art.
Lilian: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Michelle Irwin: The hardest thing is always sticking with it when you’re just not feeling it. There are days when hundreds of words cascade off my fingertips with barely a thought. Other days, every single word is like typing through cement. But you need to persist on those days to get back to the better ones.
Lilian: Do you remember the first book you read?
Michelle Irwin: I remember having a series of books when I was a child called “Mark and Michelle . . .” (e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Michelle-Forest-Gilbert/dp/0861630122). These two kids (the older brother and the younger sister) used to adventure in different places. They were children’s books, but as a younger sister, Michelle, to an older brother, Mark, I thought for years that it was about us. That’s probably my earliest reading memory LOL
From there it was onto the Wishing-Chair and the Magic Faraway Tree books.
Lilian: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Michelle Irwin: Probably not from the writing as much from the editing. There is so much that you think is right until you really start to realise why it’s wrong. Then it’s hard to unsee it. Of course you still don’t pick it up as readily in your own words, but reading someone else’s and you see so many things.
Lilian: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Michelle Irwin: Invest in your editing. The readers who don’t care about that sort of thing, probably won’t care that it’s done right, but the readers who do . . . will care a lot, and they’ll thank you for it.
Lilian: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Michelle Irwin: Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I cannot express how much it means to me every time someone shares my links, recommends my books, leaves a review, or even just messages to say hello.
Lilian: Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
Michelle Irwin: Does being a cheer mum count? ‘Cause I’m totally a cheer mum now ;) hehehe. Not really, I don’t have time for hobbies around work, writing, and family. If I could have a hobby, it’d be travelling.
Lilian: What makes you laugh/cry?
Michelle Irwin: My daughter makes me laugh (and funnily enough cry), but she’s just such a little unique soul that it’s hard not to giggle at her sometimes. I have a very wry sense of humour generally, so it’s usually the more offbeat things that make me laugh. The Men Who Stare At Goats, and Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou are to this day two of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, but so many people give me odd looks when I say that.
What never fails to make me cry—watching the Doomsday episode of Doctor Who. I’m a hard-ass usually, but that episode makes me bawl. Also anything to do with children/parents being separated/reunited.
Lilian: Is there one person past or present you would meet and why?
Michelle Irwin: There are a few, for many different reasons. I would love to meet David Tennant again, but for a proper chat rather than a dizzying fan girl moment in front of a stage door. I would have loved to have met Sir Terry Pratchett. And who wouldn’t want to meet Shakespeare?
Lilian: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music?
Michelle Irwin: Food . . . depends on the day but can’t beat a good kebab, good Chinese, or a packet of Kettle salt and vinegar chips (has to be Kettle though!). Colours, varies depending on my mood, but I am partial to being a little girly with pinks and purples.
Lilian: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Michelle Irwin: Doctor Who, Torchwood, Sherlock (BBC), Supernatural, anything with David Tennant, Once Upon A Time (although I’m two series behind, gah!)
Lilian: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
Michelle Irwin: Gone insane LOL. I would still be what I am most likely, an accountant with a daydream.
Lilian: Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
Michelle Irwin: I do. www.michelle-irwin.com and blog.michelle-irwin.com
Lilian: How much of the book is realistic?
Michelle Irwin: That’s a hard one to answer because it’s paranormal so in some ways, it’s all wildly impossible and make-believe. However, I do like to have a degree of realism woven into the story, so that it is possible that this could happen. The relationships are real, even if some of the events that surround them might not be.
Lilian: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Michelle Irwin: Not in this book. There is a conversation that made it into one of my other books which may or may not have been based on a long-running joke I have with a friend of mine (okay, so it is LOL).
Lilian: What books have most influenced your life most?
Michelle Irwin: At different times, I’ve had a few different influential books. Not a book as such, but I am a huge Shakespeare fan. His works just inspire me to do great, to be great. Not that I’m comparing myself to him in any way, shape, or form, but there’s something inspirational in even his darkest tales.
Books in general helped me when I was a young, dorky child. I used to spend my lunch hours secreted away in the library as a library monitor. I loved it there, because among the shelves, I just fit in. I didn’t have to try to pretend to be something I wasn’t. I didn’t need to try to be popular. I had books and they accepted me however I came.
Lastly . . . and I know there are some corners where I’ll probably cop some grief for what I’m about to say, but Twilight. I found Twilight (for the second time because I wasn’t a fan the first time I tried to read it) around the same time as I discovered Fanfiction. The thought of being able to play with the creations and come up with different versions of the sequels (that didn’t include demon, rapid growing babies and the wolf-men who love them) just blew my mind. I have great friends that I would never have known if not for that series. I also would never have had the confidence to truly attempt my own unique stories if not for being part of that community.
Lilian: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Michelle Irwin: I don’t think she’s that new, but one author who grabbed me from almost the first word and has never let go (at least not in the Blood and Fire series) is Frankie Rose. I adore Kit and Ryka’s story and I can’t wait to get back into it when the next book is released.
Kate Bonham is new on the scene, and I was very impressed with the pacing in her story, Fate. I can’t wait to see what she does with book two in the series.
I have another author who has yet to release a book, but I know when she does it will be awesome (because I’ve been lucky enough to read it in advance) J. Corrine, you know I’m talking about you. You need to get your words out into the world!
Lilian: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Michelle Irwin: It would have to have been Sir Terry Pratchett. He had the most wicked way of weaving a story that just was just captivating. I often feel sad when I hear of famous people passing away, but in this case, it made me cry. I have a family member who has the same debilitating condition he had, and for him to have fought it for so long, and continued to write, is just inspirational.
Lilian: What book are you reading now?
Michelle Irwin: See You In Hell by Demelza Carlton
Lilian: What are your current projects?
Michelle Irwin: I have a lot on at the moment. I tend to be a little scattered/piecemeal when writing. I almost always have at least two projects on or else I feel like I’m not doing enough. Most of the Daughter of Fire and Son of Rain series are already penned, but I am still working on the last book of the Son of Rain series. I have All Amity Allows which is going back into edits shortly. I have a three-book steampunk series that I’m working on, and I’m about 5k into the planned 300k for the books.
Lilian: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Michelle Irwin: Bottom Drawer Publications gave me my first publishing contract. Their faith in my writing is something I could never forget. There are also a number of awesome bloggers and blogs who have done so much for me. Belinda, Siobhan, Louisa, Kate, Abbey, yourself,
Lilian: Do you see writing as a career?
Michelle Irwin: I would like to. At the moment, I have my “real” career which pays a regular paycheque and supports my family. The dream would be to eventually scale that back and do more writing, and I approach publishing as professionally as I can for that reason.
Lilian: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Michelle Irwin: I can’t really think of anything of the top of my head. In my first book, I debated the ending, and I’m still not sure whether I should have ended it earlier or later, but I still stand by where things ended. Because BbR is the companion to that novel, I think some people where perhaps hoping to see certain scenes late in the piece from the other side, but Clay’s story is so much bigger in some ways that there just wasn’t room for it. I do hate that I’ve disappointed them, but I do also believe that both books end where they should. And to anyone who hasn’t read the books that answer probably doesn’t make a whole heap of sense, but read them, come back and read this, and then you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Lilian: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Michelle Irwin: I am a bit of a rusher. I tend to want to get the story out, so I get all the characters interactions and dialogue down, but forget to sketch a drawing of the surrounding. As such, my editing rounds tend to add a heap of words—mostly descriptions. Chances are if you’re reading a description of clothing or a building/room, it was added in after the end of the story was already completed.
Lilian: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Michelle Irwin: My genuine “I have to do this every day or I’ll go crazy” writing moment happened when I started writing fan fiction. That was about the time that the saying “the characters speak to me” really started to make sense. It was like I’d turned on a radio inside my brain and there were all these voices telling me their story as separate and distinct to my own.
Michelle Irwin: How I found fanfiction . . . now there’s an interesting story. I am a massive Doctor Who fan, and after Journey’s End I needed to know more. I had to know whether or not 10.5 and Rose lived happily ever after. Did they get married? Did they have kids? I hoped that the BBC had answered some of these questions, so I hunted and googled everything I could until I stumbled on a fan made video of their life in the parallel universe. I became obsessed. I watched the video a hundred times, read the comments, and the description. In there, was a link to a fanfiction called Behind Closed Doors. I read it, loved it, and it sparked something in me that I couldn’t extinguish.
Lilian: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Michelle Irwin: It’s unedited, but sure!
The metal horses creaked and rattled as they came to life at the deft touch of the driver.
Annabeth drew as deep a breath as she dared in the tight corset and prepared to farewell the large stone building she’d called home for all of her life. She lifted her hand and waved out the window as the carriage was drawn past the large stone structure.
She would miss the hidden tunnels in the little house, and the manicured gardens around it—the hedges that she had formed her secret places where she could let herself be who she wanted to be and play rather than being the prim and proper lady her mother demanded. A tear formed in her eye and rolled down her cheek before she could stop it.
“A lady should not be sentimental,” her mother chided.
“Yes, Mother,” she responded, wiping away the tear and turning back to sit properly with her legs crossed at the ankles, just above the lace on her boots.
When she glanced across the carriage, she met her tutor’s eye. From beneath her sandy-brown hair, Madeline offered a small, comforting smile, but Annabeth knew that nothing would be said to counter her mother’s offhanded dismissal of Annabeth’s emotions—not while her mother was still close by.
By the time the carriage turned onto the laneway that ran in front of the manor, the steady clanks and clicks of the gears and works, both in the horses leading them and beneath their feet, had taken over the carriage, providing a background ambiance that was almost monotonous enough to send Annabeth to sleep. Both Madeline and Celeste sat with their heads bowed, watching their hands, with their hair loose around their faces, shielding them from Annabeth’s gaze. The sight of their heads bobbing in time with the rocking of the carriage, helped lull Annabeth into a restful state.
Lilian: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Michelle Irwin: It’s hard to say. I have a varied and eclectic taste, ranging from the Lord of the Rings, Discworld, and Harry Potter, right through to Dan Brown, Harlan Coben and Twilight. I just admire any author who can transport you away, to the point where you’re not just reading any longer but ripping the pages to one side to find out what happens next.
Lilian: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Michelle Irwin: Not as much as I’d like. My dream would be able to spend a good couple of months touring the places in my novels (for real, not just stalking down the streets via Google maps), doing signings in all corners of the globes.
Lilian: Who designed the covers?
Michelle Irwin: The covers for my Daughter of Fire and Son of Rain series were all done by Mumson Designs / Bottom Drawer Publications. The covers for Happily Evan After and All About Amity were both done by Soxie at Soxsational Cover Art.
Lilian: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Michelle Irwin: The hardest thing is always sticking with it when you’re just not feeling it. There are days when hundreds of words cascade off my fingertips with barely a thought. Other days, every single word is like typing through cement. But you need to persist on those days to get back to the better ones.
Lilian: Do you remember the first book you read?
Michelle Irwin: I remember having a series of books when I was a child called “Mark and Michelle . . .” (e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Michelle-Forest-Gilbert/dp/0861630122). These two kids (the older brother and the younger sister) used to adventure in different places. They were children’s books, but as a younger sister, Michelle, to an older brother, Mark, I thought for years that it was about us. That’s probably my earliest reading memory LOL
From there it was onto the Wishing-Chair and the Magic Faraway Tree books.
Lilian: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Michelle Irwin: Probably not from the writing as much from the editing. There is so much that you think is right until you really start to realise why it’s wrong. Then it’s hard to unsee it. Of course you still don’t pick it up as readily in your own words, but reading someone else’s and you see so many things.
Lilian: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Michelle Irwin: Invest in your editing. The readers who don’t care about that sort of thing, probably won’t care that it’s done right, but the readers who do . . . will care a lot, and they’ll thank you for it.
Lilian: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Michelle Irwin: Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I cannot express how much it means to me every time someone shares my links, recommends my books, leaves a review, or even just messages to say hello.
Lilian: Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
Michelle Irwin: Does being a cheer mum count? ‘Cause I’m totally a cheer mum now ;) hehehe. Not really, I don’t have time for hobbies around work, writing, and family. If I could have a hobby, it’d be travelling.
Lilian: What makes you laugh/cry?
Michelle Irwin: My daughter makes me laugh (and funnily enough cry), but she’s just such a little unique soul that it’s hard not to giggle at her sometimes. I have a very wry sense of humour generally, so it’s usually the more offbeat things that make me laugh. The Men Who Stare At Goats, and Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou are to this day two of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, but so many people give me odd looks when I say that.
What never fails to make me cry—watching the Doomsday episode of Doctor Who. I’m a hard-ass usually, but that episode makes me bawl. Also anything to do with children/parents being separated/reunited.
Lilian: Is there one person past or present you would meet and why?
Michelle Irwin: There are a few, for many different reasons. I would love to meet David Tennant again, but for a proper chat rather than a dizzying fan girl moment in front of a stage door. I would have loved to have met Sir Terry Pratchett. And who wouldn’t want to meet Shakespeare?
Lilian: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music?
Michelle Irwin: Food . . . depends on the day but can’t beat a good kebab, good Chinese, or a packet of Kettle salt and vinegar chips (has to be Kettle though!). Colours, varies depending on my mood, but I am partial to being a little girly with pinks and purples.
Lilian: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Michelle Irwin: Doctor Who, Torchwood, Sherlock (BBC), Supernatural, anything with David Tennant, Once Upon A Time (although I’m two series behind, gah!)
Lilian: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
Michelle Irwin: Gone insane LOL. I would still be what I am most likely, an accountant with a daydream.
Lilian: Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
Michelle Irwin: I do. www.michelle-irwin.com and blog.michelle-irwin.com
Bottom Drawer Publications is proud to present Besieged by Rain, book one in the New Adult Paranormal series, Son of Rain, by Michelle Irwin.
The Son of Rain series is a companion series (of sorts) to the Daughter of Fire series featuring Evie Meyers. We say of sorts because Clay’s story, albeit partly told in Evie’s books, is so much bigger. This is not simply a retelling of the story from Clay’s perspective. Clay lives a whole other life that Evie only gets a glimpse of when their story unfolds.
Book Details: Novel
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
206 pages - 89,000 words
Blurb
Clay Jacobs is a soldier. His family—elite members of a secret organization—are tasked with washing the world clean of all supernatural threats. Each new day brings the opportunity to fight at their side for a cause that he’s never doubted is just.
But Clay harbors a dangerous secret. The object of his teenage obsession was not human, and he failed to detect the truth until it was too late to destroy her. Even after she fled, he couldn't bring himself to report her. Now, the memory of the one who got away not only haunts him, it holds him captive and assaults him nightly. Unable to escape her hold on his mind, he races across the country to locate her and restore his sanity. Only instead of the monster he expects, he finds a woman who ensnares him with her charms. In her embrace, Clay dares to imagine a different life.
When his family discovers his betrayal, and threaten to destroy his dreams in the worst way imaginable, Clay has no option but to return to their side and convince them he’s back on the right track. Will he be able to play his part convincingly when the cause he’s spent most of his life fighting for is the very thing that will end his lover’s life?
Buy Links:
BDP Shop | Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble
Giveaway:
Enter the draw over the next 6 weeks until the end of the blog tour and be in the running to win paperbacks, shop vouchers, swag from the author, and e-books.
For more information:
Follow Michelle on her Blog | Follow Michelle on Goodreads
Follow Michelle on Booklikes
Follow Michelle on Bottom Draw Publications
About Michelle Irwin:
Michelle Irwin has been many things in her life: a hobbit taking a precious item to a fiery mountain; a young child stepping through the back of a wardrobe into another land; the last human stranded not-quite-alone in space three million years in the future; a young girl willing to fight for the love of a vampire; and a time-travelling madman in a box. She achieved all of these feats and many more through her voracious reading habit. Eventually, so much reading had to have an effect and the cast of characters inside her mind took over and spilled out onto the page.
Michelle lives in sunny Queensland in the land down under with her surprisingly patient husband and ever-intriguing daughter, carving out precious moments of writing and reading time around her accounts-based day job. A lover of love and overcoming the odds, she primarily writes paranormal and fantasy romance.
Follow Michelle on her Blog | Follow Michelle on Goodreads
Follow Michelle on Booklikes
Follow Michelle on Bottom Draw Publications
About Michelle Irwin:
Michelle Irwin has been many things in her life: a hobbit taking a precious item to a fiery mountain; a young child stepping through the back of a wardrobe into another land; the last human stranded not-quite-alone in space three million years in the future; a young girl willing to fight for the love of a vampire; and a time-travelling madman in a box. She achieved all of these feats and many more through her voracious reading habit. Eventually, so much reading had to have an effect and the cast of characters inside her mind took over and spilled out onto the page.
Michelle lives in sunny Queensland in the land down under with her surprisingly patient husband and ever-intriguing daughter, carving out precious moments of writing and reading time around her accounts-based day job. A lover of love and overcoming the odds, she primarily writes paranormal and fantasy romance.