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Monday, January 30, 2006
Things you want to know from this New Orleans' girl
What prompted you to put pen to paper initially and take the writing plunge?
Would you believe I owe it all to Harold Robbins and my oldest daughter? It's true. I've always been an avid reader and working full-time while raising four children didn't leave a lot of time for reading. So when I did steal away a few hours, I always had a book in hand. One particular weekend, I had the house to myself and read the latest Robbins' book. It was a good book--lots of drama, romance, sex and suspense. Only it ended miserably. When I complained to a friend at work the next day, she said, "Metsy, if you want books with happy endings, read a romance." Well since I grew up in a Catholic orphanage and foster homes, the nuns didn't exactly encourage you to read romance. So I'd never read one. But I quickly made up for lost time. Hundreds of reads later, I started making noises about having ideas for a romance and wanting to write one. But I never did anything about it. Then my oldest daughter came home one day from the mall where she was working after school and said, "Mom, you're always saying you want to write one of those romance novels. Well, there's a touring workshop in the mall tomorrow on How To Write a Romance and I signed you up for it." The rest, as they say, is history.
What or who continues to inspire you to write?
For me it's like breathing. It's what I do, a part of who I am. Even if I never published another book, I would continue to write because I love writing. I enjoy discovering new characters, watching them tackle life's adversities, putting them into dangerous situations emotionally and physically, then seeing them conquer their demons. So many things inspire me. For instance, I'm from New Orleans and as you can imagine, Hurricane Katrina had a great impact on me and my family. There are also people and situations that inspire me. "Black Silk" my romantic suspense coming out in March has my heroine (a cop) on the trail of a serial killer and she becomes his next target. A few years ago, the Louisiana serial killer was captured--but not before he murdered the daughter of a friend of mind. In "Black Silk" I explore how such a death impacts the entire family.
What are some of your favorite writing/craft books and why?
"Writing the Thriller" by T. Macdonald Skillman, "Criminal Profile Into the Mind of the Killer" by Wayne Petherick and "Crime Scene the Ultimate Guide to Forensic Science" by Richard Platt. Since my single titles are romantic suspense, I spend a lot of time delving into the minds killers and the people who solve the crimes. I have to say, it makes my husband a bit nervous. He tells his friends that he sleeps with one eye open.
What kind of heroes and heroines do you most enjoy writing about?
I love the alpha male and I like strong heroines, women who can rescue themselves.
If you were stranded on a desert island what 10 books would you like to have along with you?
Hmm. I suppose I'd like a book on survival and it would be nice if I had Jack Bauer from 24 along to help. I'd also want my prayer book and book of saints--just in case there's one who can help me get off the island. For reading pleasure, I'd take "Exclusive" by Sandra Brown, "Scruples" by Judith Krantz, "Absolute Power" by David Baldacci and anything by Nora Roberts.
Tells us what your writing day is like?
It depends on whether or not I'm on deadline. Right now, I'm up to my ears in paperwork and the promotion of "Black Silk". But when I'm actually working on a book, I try to be at my machine for 8:00 a.m. I spend about 30 minutes tending to email--or at least part of it. Then I start writing. I write all day, taking breaks to go to the bathroom and to start dinner. If the book stalls or the characters misbehave, I'll take a walk with my dog Molly Brown or fool around in the garden and try to fingure it out. If the book is due soon or not going well, I'm back at the machine after dinner until about 11:00 p.m. When I'm working on a book, I write 7 days a week because it keeps the story and characters fresh for me and the momentum going.
Why do you write romance?
I write romance because I think there is nothing more powerful or empowering than love. It's what life's all about.
What is the most fun you've had while writing or researching a book?
I really, really loved writing my first continuity book for Silhouette Desire--"Secret Agent Dad". It was part of the Texas Cattlemen's Club series. I bonded with the other authors while doing that book and we remain friends to this day.
posted by Metsy Hingle at 10:04 AM
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6 Comments:
Charlene said...
Hi Metsy,
I enjoyed reading your post! And I too think that the greatest relationships are those between men and women and the love they share!
Charlene
3:12 PM
Playground Monitor said...
Hi Metsy! Great post. It's always fun to learn a little more about the authors. I've read several of your continuity books as well as Flash Point and Lovechild, which I think is the best example of a secret baby book that I've ever read.
Hope you're recovering from Katrina. I'm 450 miles northeast of you and we still have evacuated families living here.
Best,
Marilyn
8:34 AM
Metsy Hingle said...
Hi Charlene--
So glad to read you feel the same way I do about the importance of relationships. In some of the workshops I do for aspiring writers, I always tell them that while plot and storyline are important, it's the characters that make the story. Just look at "Gone With the Wind". What I remember most about that book are the characters and the relationship between Scarlet and Rhett.
8:52 AM
Metsy Hingle said...
Marilyn--
What a sweetheart you are! I'm so glad you've enjoyed some of my books. Both "Lovechild" and "Flash Point" are among my favorites. "Flash Point" is especially dear to me because I used some of my own experiences of growing up in an orphanage and foster homes as motivation for the character. I was also able to draw upon those emotions in my upcoming Silhouette Desire continuity, "The Rags-To-Riches Wife", which launches the Secret Lives of Society Wives series. If you're a fan of Desperate Housewives, you're going to love this continuity.
As to Katrina and the recovery, it's still very slow-going down here. Many parts of New Orleans resemble a ghost town. Some areas may never be rebuilt. Housing continues to be a major problem. It's the reason I opted to donate part of my earnings from "Black Silk" to Habitat for Humanity for the New Orleans' area. I was down at one of the sites where they're building just over a week ago and it was heartwarming to see something being built amidst the destruction. The house I went to is supposed to be finished by the end of next month and will be housing a family with four kids.
The good news is that we are making some progress--even if it is at a snail's pace. Some of the schools opened up again during the past two weeks. Shell Oil announced that their coming back. These are positive signs and I know in my heart that the city and its people will rebuild. It's just going to take a lot longer than most people expect.
9:02 AM
Playground Monitor said...
I LOVE Desperate Housewives and can't wait for the Society Wives series.
Marilyn
8:09 PM
Metsy Hingle said...
Marilyn--
I'm so glad to hear you're a fan of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, too. It made writing my book in the series even more fun. The cover is already up on my website if you want to check it out (www.metsyhingle.com). I love the tag line for the series. I hope you will, too.
Hugs........Metsy
6:29 PM
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