Please welcome M. Garzon to the blog. She's visiting and sharing and interview. Here's the interview:
Caroline:
Where did you grow up?
M: When
people ask me where I’m from, I never really know what to say. I was born in Holland, but moved to Canada
when I was four years old and spent the rest of my childhood moving around
Quebec. I have two brothers; none of us
were particularly close to our parents but we’re very close with each
other. This, despite the fact that if
they weren’t so much bigger than me, I would’ve happily strangled them numerous
times. I was a wild child, the
undeniable black sheep in my family, and that much hasn’t changed (a writer,
really? Can’t you get a normal job?)
Now
I live in the relatively small town of St-Lazare, Quebec and I’m a single mom
to two fantastic kidlets, aged seven and nine.
They live with me 100% of the time, which I love but which also made
writing quite a challenge at first.
Three cheers for school!
Caroline:
Who are your favorite authors and genres?
M: I
know some people will groan, but Stephenie Meyer’s writing was a revelation to
me. I actually prefer her lesser-known
book, “The Host”, over the Twilight series.
She was the first author I read whose story felt so real and immediate
to me that the characters truly felt like friends, so much so that I didn’t
care about the holes in the story. My
books have gotten some comparisons with Twilight, which some consider an
insult, and others find amusing because there’s nothing remotely supernatural
in my stories. I take it as a huge
compliment though, because I hope it means that my characters have become real
to someone in the same way hers came to life for me.
A
current fave author is Laini Taylor. I
love her wild imagination and offbeat style.
As for genres, I don’t pay much attention to them – to me, the story’s
what matters. Lately I’ve been reading a
lot of YA dystopian/fantasy type stuff, but before that it was heavy dramas
(think Khaled Hosseini and Jodi Picoult), and when I was younger it was science
fiction. Oh, and lots of horse novels,
of course.
Caroline:
What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?
M: Relax? Do people still do that? Okay, I jest. Sort of.
Being a working single parent means that I have to combine hobbies with
necessary tasks, so right now I’m making a scrapbook with my son, and I like to
walk our dog through the woods near our house.
I still love to read, but it’s not always as relaxing as it used to be…
sometimes it’s hard to turn off the “edit” function in my brain. I used
to like bubble baths and going dancing with friends, but that’s a distant
memory…
Caroline:
Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?
M: I’ve
had a succession of favorite quotes throughout life, as I suppose everyone does
as they grow and expand. My current
favorite is: “Follow your bliss.” Joseph
Campbell first said that; he meant for people to identify what they were truly
passionate about, and to pursue it wholeheartedly. That’s what writing is for me.
Caroline:
For me, too. How long have you been writing?
M: Since
the spring of 2009. Before that, I
didn’t write at all.
Caroline:
Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet?
M: Most
is done on my laptop, since I can’t keep up with the muse writing by hand. I usually write in the quiet of my bedroom
office, but I’ve written in cafés and libraries, and done a considerable amount
of scrawling on scraps of paper in the car.
Caroline:
Ah, yes, the scaps of paper when you’re away from home and an idea strikes. Are
you a plotter or a panzer?
M: I
actually had to look up what a “panzer” is to answer this question (and I’m
assuming you’re not referring to the German tank).
This
is something that’s still evolving for me.
When I wrote Blaze of Glory I
happily spewed out entire scenes, totally out of sequence, without any thought
of plot or cohesive character development (bet you want to read it now, don’t
you?) Each subsequent book has been
planned out a bit more. I’m planning to
write a fantasy series next year, and that one will require extensive plotting
beforehand.
Caroline:
Not the tank. It’s lovely when the scenes come like that, isn’t it? Do you use real events or persons in your
stories or as an inspiration?
M: The
short answer is yes. But I’d have to
qualify that and say those people and things are inspiration only, and markedly
different from what appears in the final product. Several of my friends have let me borrow
their names, which is nice.
Caroline:
Do you set daily writing goals? Do you write daily?
M: You
know what they say about the best-laid plans!
I usually only bother with specific goals and word counts if I feel I’m
getting into a slump, although they’re useful for deadlines too. My kids had chicken pox one after the other
in January, followed by colds. I lost
five weeks of writing time, so now I’m using word counts to make sure I meet my
spring deadline.
Caroline:
Keeping a schedule with small children is tough. What do you hope your writing
brings to readers.
M: Enjoyment,
pure and simple. We all need to escape
into someone else’s world once in a while.
Caroline:
So true. What long-term plans do you have for your career?
M: I’ll
be writing for the rest of my life, one way or another. It would be nice if the TV series got made
soon, because it would give me the freedom to spend as many years as necessary
on the fantasy series I’m planning.
Caroline:
Having a TV series optioned is terrific. Would you like to tell us what you’re
working on now?
M: I’m
working on an as-yet-untitled kid’s book with my children. The story is about a boy trying to form a
relationship with a fractious Canadian horse.
It’s been very interesting for me to learn about this heritage breed. It’s our national breed of horse, though most
Canadians don’t know it, and a few decades ago it was almost extinct, even
though at one time it was the most popular breed in North America.
Caroline:
That sounds intriguing. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?
M: If
you write because you love it, then you’ll never be disappointed. But if you’re trying to get published, there
are a few things that may help. First,
learn about how the industry works. Get
an agent, because without one you have almost no chance of being published,
except maybe by very small, niche publishers.
If
a query letter is supposed to be one page and yours is three pages long, you’re
already doomed. There are plenty of
great resources online to help you learn how to write a killer query
letter. If you’re not getting any bites
from agents (requests to see a sample of your manuscript), then re-write your
query letter. You may have to go through
the cycle several times. It took me
months to find an agent; it takes some people years. When I was sending out queries, some people
were nice, some not, and most never responded, which is worst of all. If any agents give you feedback, by all means
use it to make your query or manuscript better!
Once
you have an agent you trust, try to take their advice. Before my agent would send my manuscript
anywhere, I had to cut it down by 25%.
It took me two months, and it was painful, but it was also worth it.
If
you’ve tried for years and you can’t get an agent or a publisher, you might
want to consider self-publishing. Here
again, you need to do a LOT of research (and don’t fall for those scams that
ask you to pay thousands of dollars up front to get your book out there). The books that tend to make it in
self-publishing are those that have been professionally edited and polished
over and over. Most of all, enjoy the
process J
Caroline: Good advice. What is a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you?
M: Until
I had children, I had never in my life lived in one place for more than three
years, and I frequently stayed a lot less than three.
Caroline: Share something that would surprise or
shock your readers.
M: This
is a question I’ve never been asked before. My
mother has ADHD and learning disabilities.
I grew up feeling very protective of her, but sometimes also resentful
that I didn’t get the chance to fully be a child, without responsibilities.
Caroline: She was lucky to have you. I believe your book is in a series.
Tell us about it.
M: Yes! Blaze
of Glory is the first of a trilogy.
I’d describe it as a family drama, although book one has a strong
element of romance. All three books are
already published, and due to popular demand I’ll be writing at least one
spin-off book in the near future.
Caroline:
Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?
M: I
can’t sing. Like, at all. So any requests for singing interviews are
out.
BLAZE OF GLORY Blurb:
"The
first book in the popular trilogy, soon to be a major new television series!
Some
fires can consume you.
Last
year, I had it all. Two jumpers on the show circuit, a lot of wins, and a lot
of attention - the good kind. But now I have nothing. My life is circling the
drain. The only spark of light that exists for me is my new, forbidden passion.
If my stepfather finds out, he will kill me. My twin brother, my only blood
relative in the world, has already begged me not to. But I can't help myself.
If it can't be horses, it has to be this..."
BLAZE OF GLORY Excerpt:
Prologue
I squished my way through the water-soaked grass to the
pasture. The sudden downpour had cooled the air, and I shivered slightly in my
wet clothes. The worst of the storm seemed to be over, and when I reached the
pasture fence I paused, debating whether I needed to bring the horses in. The
rain had abated to a fine drizzle, and there hadn’t been any lightning or
thunder since I’d left the barn. It was such a relief to escape the tense
atmosphere there that I lingered, leaning on the fence and watching the dark
wet patches creeping down the horses’ coats.
I didn’t hear the footsteps until they were right behind me.
I knew whose they were without turning; only Jaden’s presence would raise the
hairs on my body like that.
“Tea,” he said my name like a caress.
I was about to duck away, but he knew me too well—his hands
shot out and gripped the fence board on either side of me, though he didn’t
touch me, of course. He was so close now that I could feel the heat from his
body searing the back of mine, but this heat made me shiver all the more.
“How long are you planning on not talking to me?” His voice
was subdued.
I shrugged. I felt, rather than heard, his sigh.
“You’re angry with me.”
He was wrong about that. It wasn’t anger that was making me
avoid him, it was self preservation.
“I don’t blame you. I know I’ve made a mess of things. I
came to give you a choice… I was planning to leave at the end of the season.”
He paused, but my brain was already frozen. As though it couldn’t process the
word ‘leave’. “But if you’d rather I left now, I’ll understand. I’ll find a spot
for my horses closer to Toronto.”
My chest constricted painfully, and my breath started coming
in sharp, raw gasps. Either way, he would be gone. My only option was whether
to prolong my suffering. It was always the same impossible choice: the pain of
his presence versus the torture of his absence. I didn’t say anything. I don’t
think I could have spoken even if I’d wanted to.
“Let me know what you decide,” he continued quietly. He
hesitated, then dropped his head close to mine; I felt the zing of current from
my face down to my shoulder. He whispered his parting line in my ear.
“I miss you.”
I waited until his footsteps faded to surrender to the
wracking sobs, and they shook me for a long time before I pulled myself
together and went back to work.
Amazon buy link:
(also available on Kobo, NOOK, and iBooks)
 |
| M. Garzon and equine friend |
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
M.
Garzon rode horses professionally for ten years, until an injury prompted a
career change. She returned to school and completed a BSc; then for good
measure, an MBA. After several years of toiling as a business consultant, she turned
to writing in a desperate bid to regain her sanity. A mom of two fabulous
children, she lives in St Lazare, QC and considers herself extremely lucky to
be a writer.
Links:
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing with readers today. Best wishes for continued success with your books and the TV option.
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