An Interview With Author Morgan Hannah MacDonald
What books did you love as a child?
I really didn't read much as a child. I've always been a late bloomer. The first book that I can say I really remember was Stephen King's Carrie. I read that in high school.
Who are your favorite authors?
I have several. Tess Gerritson, Lisa Gardener, Lisa Jackson, Erica Spindler, Beverly Barton, Karin Slaughter, Patricia Cornwell. Their stories are suspenseful. They know how to keep a reader interested.
How did they influence your writing?
Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs is definitely a favorite. Up until I read that book, back in the late 1980s, I had not read anything that delved into the mind of a serial killer and I found it fascinating. I adopted his style of putting you into the mind of the killer through his memories of childhood for my book Sandman.
Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series was a big influence on me. I enjoy how real her characters and stories are.
Karin Slaughter. Her books have grit and suspense. I think I identify mostly with her work.
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I had fantasized about it for years. I am an avid reader, of course. Then I found out I had dated a serial killer and just knew there was a book in there somewhere. But it wasn't until two years later that I actually did something about it.
I was visiting my parents for the weekend and my father asked me what I would do if I ever won the lottery? I told him I would buy a cabin in the mountains and be a writer. He went and got his old laptop computer, handed it to me and told me not to wait. I started the minute I got home.
When do you find time to write?
I'm a full-time writer, but I must admit I still need to find time to write while promoting and taking care of my mother.
What is your favorite genre to read in? Write in? Why?
Romantic Suspense. I love the thrill of sitting on the edge of your seat, with a little romance on the side.
How would you describe your writing style?
I'm a pantster. I write by the seat of my pants. I have no idea where the characters will take me when I begin.
What was the inspiration for your book?
The idea for Sandman was inspired by my own realization that I had dated a serial killer. When I found out I was shocked, of course, but at the time I didn't know just how fortunate I was to have survived. I just thought, Wow, I'm lucky he wasn't crazy when I dated him! In denial much? So while I was getting ready for this blog tour, I googled his name to check on the date he was apprehended. I was right, it was my birthday 1998. There was an extensive article about him and as I read it, I was blown away. He did have a troubled past. He was discharged from the Marines in the 1980s for mental problems. Eight years prior to our brief relationship he had been arrested for the brutal rape and beating of a prostitute. The case was dropped due to lack of evidence. And his killing spree began three short years after we broke up.
Do you do research for your writing? If so, how do you go about it (Internet, travel, etc.)?
I use the internet and read nonfiction books about serial killers.
Tell us about your book.
Beware the Sandman. He'll put you to sleep. . .forever.
A serial killer on the loose, a woman being stalked, and a homicide detective who must find the connection between the two before she becomes his next victim.
He collects women. He imprisons them, plays with them, tortures them. Until they bore him. Then he removes a souvenir. They call him the Sandman.
Meagan McInnis is being plagued with late night calls, yet when she answers, no one is there. Then one night she makes a grisly discovery in her own backyard.
The caller is silent no more.
Homicide Detective J.J. Thomas realizes Meagan is the key to finding the Sandman. Now not only must he protect her, but he must find the connection between Meagan and the killer before she becomes his next victim.
What did you learn about yourself from writing this book?
That I could write. That I actually had stories in me to tell.
What advice do you have for other writers?
Join Romance Writers of American-RWA. You don't have to write romance. Join a chapter either online or in your nearest city. They have wonderful online classes to improve your writing, as well as everything you need to know to be an author in this day and age. They will help you with every step of your writing career.
What do you wish someone had told you about writing that you learned the hard way?
To join RWA. If I had joined them years ago, I would have been published much sooner.
What is your next project?
My next book, Spirits in the Trees, will be released June 2012. This one has a serial killer as well, but I've added ghosts to the mix. It's book one in The Spirits Trilogy.
What are you reading now?
Beverly Barton's Dead by Nightfall.
Anything else you'd like your readers to know?
I just want to thank my readers for their wonderful reviews and letters. My readers are the best!
About the Author:
Morgan Hannah MacDonald writes Romantic Thrillers–not for the faint of heart. She has always been interested in writing and serial killers, but it wasn't until she found she had dated one herself that a true writer was born. She belongs to Romance Writers of America's San Diego Chapter, as well as the Kiss of Death Chapter. She resides in San Diego, California where she is busy working on her next novel.
Email: morganwrites@yahoo.com
Website: www.morganhannahmacdonald.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorganHannahMacDonald.Author
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Bewitching Book Tours, interviews, Morgan Hannah MacDonald, Sandman
