Behind The Scenes With: Indie Author Jamie McDougall

I got the chance recently to chat with Jamie McDougall about her experiences being an indie author.  Read on to learn more about Jaime and her debut novel Echo Falls.

Q.  First of all, can you tell me a little bit about your novel Echo Falls?

Echo Falls is a paranormal romantic suspense. Phoebe Martin is on the run from a dangerous person until she finds Echo Falls, the city she loves enough to stand up and fight for. While there, she meets police officer and Echo Falls werewolf pack leader Aidan O'Bryan.  Aidan just can't figure her out – or how she's linked to the recent murders of werewolves in his city…

Q.  How did you come up with the idea?  Were there any people in your life that served as inspiration for your characters?

Phoebe Martin came to me running. Really! The first chapter of the book was the first seed that grew in my mind for her story. Of course, then I had to figure out why she was running, who she was running from and what it was about Echo Falls that made her want to stay.

Most of the characters in Echo Falls are a combination of people. For example, Elle – one of my favourite characters – is a combination of traits from my closest female friends.

Q.  Okay, do do you really believe in werewolves?

Ooo, toughie. Literally, not so much. However, I do believe in the 'inner werewolf' I think we all have. I touch on that a little in Echo Falls how it's all about the passion and the mind. Werewolves simply have a more dramatic passionate side that expresses itself differently than the average human being. When I sign books 'embrace your inner werewolf', I think people should embrace their passion, not turn into wolves at the next full moon.

Then again, you never know. There are more things in heaven and earth…

Q.  You're a fellow indie author.  Can you tell us more about your decision to self-publish?  What has been your experience so far?

Indie publishing has been a great adventure. I originally thought that I would never have the guts to do it, but then I began looking around at my options. I didn't want to have to wait one to two years (IF I got accepted by a publisher), I didn't want ebooks only (IF I got accepted by an epublisher) and I wanted more control. Yes, I had to learn a lot to be able to get here, but I love learning and I love the control I have.

I didn't make the mistake of going into this thinking it would be easy and that I would be an instant bestseller. Without those expectations, I have never been disappointed.

Q.  Are you a member of any indie author groups?

At the moment, I am a member of BestSeller Bound – http://www.bestsellerbound.com/ – which is a small forum at the moment, but the members are absolutely lovely and supportive. I'd like to join more if anyone has any suggestions…

Q.  What kind of reaction have you gotten from your readers?

So far the reaction has been good. They love Aidan – an alpha male who cooks? Who wouldn't love him? – they like the story, and some are even asking for a sequel. I am absolutely thrilled that people are enjoying it.

Q.  As a reader, what type of genre do you normally read?  Do you have any favorite books/authors?

As a reader, I'm a bit all over the place. I have always been a fan of romance, but I have wandered in and out of various genres. These days, I love the supernatural. Give me urban fantasy, paranormal romance, etc any day. But I've recently gone back to my roots in historical fiction reading. Catherine Coutler's Bride series will always have a special place in my heart.

Also, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, which inspired me as a pre-teen to try writing my own fantasy novels. Abarat by Clive Barker is a book I've read many times simply because it is such a unique world he has created. Caridad Pineiro's Sin series has me begging for more (and quickly!) as well.

Q.  Real books or e-reader?

I always vowed that I would stay true to print books forever… But, living in Australia, many authors simply wouldn't/couldn't ship their books here. I accepted ebooks and didn't read them for a long time. Then my husband bought me an ereader for Christmas and I haven't looked back. I sit firmly on the fence; I will buy a book in print if I loved it in ebook form. I still buy print books as well. However, the convenience of ebooks and ereaders is undeniable.

Q.  You call yourself a citizen of the world…  How many places have you lived?

Ah, good question. I have only truly lived in two places: Wisconsin and Australia. The 'citizen of the world' comes from a quote I love:

"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." – Thomas Paine

I never felt truly at 'home' in Wisconsin, even as a child. I visited many places in Wisconsin, Minnesota and even into Canada with no feeling of home. Then I moved to Australia when I turned twenty, and I finally got that home feeling. I'd finally arrived where I belonged. However, it is only this year – 2011 – that I have been eligible to become an Australian citizen on paper. So before this, I have been a citizen in the world – technically of the US and spiritually/mentally/physically of Australia.

I got sick of being defined by what was and wasn't on paper, so I declared myself a citizen of the world.

Q.  Tell me something random that no one knows about you.

Another hard one. I suppose people may have inferred this about me, but I don't think I have said it: I love tattoos on my body because I consider my body to be a canvas.

Plenty of people know I like tattoos, but they don't know why I like tattoos.

I grew up not really caring for my body or my looks, especially as I got older. My nails crack, the usual acne woes, weight issues… You know, the usual. But then I got my first tattoo, and I felt amazing. Then I got my second, and I was ecstatic. I was lectured at a few times by people I won't name about 'marring the creator's work' and other such stuff, but my tattoos are meaningful for me and they turn my body into something I view as beautiful. If I can live a life where I not only create art but am art, then I am living the life I love.

Q.  Where and when do you write?  Is it hard to find time to write?  Your preference – music blaring, or absolute quiet?

I try to live my writing life by another quote (from a writer): "You will never find time for anything. You must make time."

I know that's not quite right to the word, but it's the gist of the philosophy. I try to write every day, as I do believe that is a good habit for a writer to have. I also keep a spreadsheet so I account for word count goals. I don't always write every day, but I'm the kind of competitive person that I want to catch up and get done ahead of deadline.

Sometimes I like the television on for a bit of noise in the background, but that's about it. I used to write with music all the time, but music can influence my mood so much and I have yet to make the time to separate things out into mood playlists.

Q.  Pen and paper or keyboard?

I used to be pen and paper all the way, but I am trying to get myself to migrate over to keyboard simply because I can type much faster than I can write. It's much easier to keep up with my thoughts that way.

Q.  At what age did you start writing?  Did you always want to be a writer?

I have definitely always wanted to be a writer. I was telling stories before I could read. My first written story from back when I was still in single digits years old was a page long and about my brother making the earth uninhabitable with a nuclear taco fart. I wrote my first novel – a fantasy – when I was eleven or twelve.

Q.  What can we expect next from Jaime McDougall? 

At the moment, I am working on a contemporary romance called Love on The Fly. After that, I plan on getting back to my paranormal side.

Until then, you can check out Echo Falls.

Jaime McDougall can be found on her blog, Facebook and Goodreads. Her book Echo Falls can be found on Amazon and Smashwords.