My Interview with New York Times Best Selling Author, Angie Fox

Today we have a very exciting interview with Angie Fox. I had the pleasure of meeting Angie at the Fandom Fest convention in Kentucky over the summer. She is so, super nice and I got a signed copy of The Accidental Demon Slayer. I truly hope to see her again sometime soon because she is a really awesome person. So awesome, in fact that she agreed to do this interview for the blog.

Remember to leave comments or questions below!

 

Angie’s Bio:

Angie Fox is the New York Times bestselling author of several books about vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night. She is best known for her Accidental Demon Slayer urban fantasy series. She is also writing a series about a group of paranormal M*A*S*H surgeons. The first book in the Monster MASH trilogy, Immortally Yours, is out now. The second book, Immortally Embraced, releases in February 2013.

 

The Interview:

1. For those readers out there who do not know your work, would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and your writing?

Sure. I’m a mom of two, a big paranormal geek and I write about vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night. Most people know me for the Accidental Demon Slayer urban fantasy series. And I just started a new series about a group of paranormal M*A*S*H surgeons. The first book in the Monster MASH trilogy, titled Immortally Yours, just came out this summer. I’ve also contributed to several short story collections and am going to be releasing the fifth book in the Accidental Demon Slayer series in May.

2. A large portion of my readers are authors as well and we love hearing stories from traditionally published authors about their path to publication, would you mind telling us a little bit about that?

I’ve always loved to read, so it was no surprise to anyone when I eventually decided to write a book of my own. When I did, I attacked it head on. I planned, I worked, I outlined more than any woman should. The end result? I wrote three mysteries that didn’t sell. And back when I was doing it, Amazon was just starting and they didn’t even sell ebooks. In my mind, there was nowhere to go, other than traditional publishing. And that sure wasn’t working for me.

I don’t know how many of you watch Seinfeld, but there is a time in George’s life where he decides what he’s been doing hasn’t been working, so he decides to do the opposite. That’s what I did with my books. I’d been writing serious mysteries, with lots of science and research involved. They’d generated some interest, enough to almost, almost sell. But nothing quite happened.

To take my mind off the latest mystery making the rounds with agents, I decided to write something completely different, a funny paranormal romance where I could build my own world and make up my own rules. I fell in love with the idea of a preschool teacher who is forced to run off with a gang of geriatric biker witches and The Accidental Demon Slayer was born.

Instead of a 20-page plot outline, I had a 5-page list of ideas, one of which included “but little did they know, all the Shoney’s are run by werewolves.” Instead of following the rules, I broke a few. Instead of painstakingly writing over the course of a year, I giggled my way through the book and had a complete manuscript in five months.

 

The opening chapters did well in contests and caught the eye of an editor, who asked to see the whole thing. That same editor bought the book less than a week after I finished it. The book was published by Dorchester the following summer and hit the NY Times bestseller list. I did two more books for Dorchester before they went under. After that, I took the series back, self-published it and am still going strong. I absolutely love having control of the series and my own destiny.

3. I met you at Fandom Fest and picked up the Accidental Demon Slayer. (Signed, Whoo!) Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration for this series?

The Accidental Demon Slayer is a quirky book about a straight-laced preschool teacher who runs smack dab into her fate when a demon shows up in her bathroom. Turns out, that’s just the beginning. Soon her hyperactive terrier starts talking, and her long-lost biker witch Grandma is hurling Smuckers jars filled with magic. And just when she thinks she’s seen it all, Lizzie learns she’s a demon slayer—and all hell is after her.

 

Of course, that’s not the only thing after her. Dimitri Kallinikos, a devastatingly handsome shape-shifting griffin needs Lizzie to slay a demon of his own. But how do you talk a girl you’ve never met into going straight to the underworld? Lie. And let’s just say he tries a little bit of seduction too.

 

4. You have a lot of books available and more to come, so maybe you could tell us a little about your w riting day. How long do you write each day? Do you have an office or do you prefer kicking back in the recliner, that sort of thing.

Well, it all starts with breakfast on the terrace while the pool boys fan me. Oh wait. That’s my fantasy writing day. My real day is more like getting the kids off to school and then snuggling up on the green couch in my living room. I write for 3-4 hours before my brain gives out. Then I grab lunch and either answer emails or sneak off to read for fun. I do have an office and I even made my husband install a chandelier (because, hey, why not?) but I never write in there. The green couch just feels better.

5. When you aren’t creating wonderful books for us to read, what do you like to do for fun?

I’m a huge reader, and have also been known to spend entire days playing Sims 3. Then my family also makes me hang out with real people. We’re active in the Mizzou alumni association and we like to take a lot of weekend trips as a family.

6. If you could pick one thing that you do not like about your career as a writer, what would it be?

Deadlines. I’m not a fast writer and even though I keep a steady schedule, I’m always wishing for more time. The kicker is, though, if I didn’t have due dates, I’m afraid I’d keep editing long past the time I should. That’s why, even with my self-pubbed books, I announce a release date, just to give myself a time limit and make sure I actually turn that book around in a reasonable amount of time.

7. Vampire Diaries or True Blood?

True Blood. Alcide can be my pool boy anytime.

 

8. Once Upon a Time or Grimm?

Grimm.

9. What new projects do you have coming up?

I’m going to be indie releasing My Big Fat Demon Slayer Wedding in May 2013. Then I just turned in the third book in the Monster MASH trilogy. That will be out in September 2013. Oh and book 2 of that trilogy is coming out on February 26. Woot!

10. What is your advice to writers who are aspiring to become traditionally published?

You know, I don’t think my advice is any different for writers who want to be traditionally published vs indie authors. The goal is the same: to do your best work and gain a readership. Write what you want to write. It sounds simple, but it’s so easy to get caught up in everything else about the business. Still, in the end, it comes down to those words on the page. Also, don’t be afraid to push your writing, to surprise even yourself. Your characters have to take bigger chances, have more to risk and lose. It’s easy to say, but a hard thing for a writer to do. It’s a vulnerable, risky place to be.

I knew The Accidental Demon Slayer was big enough to do well when instead of ending my writing sessions thinking, “I hope that’s good enough to impress an editor.” I ended them thinking, “No. I didn’t not just write that. I did not just make my character defend herself with a toilet brush and a can of Purple Prairie Clover air freshener.”

 

Thank you so much for joining us today!

Glad to do it. Thanks for having me!

Visit Angie at:

Website: www.angiefox.com

Twitter: @AngieFoxauthor or https://twitter.com/AngieFoxauthor

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Angie-F...