Author Interview "Maggie Way"
Maggie Way is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Entangle Me Series. She loves drinking ridiculous amounts of wine, making her own beauty products from scratch, and traveling around the world while munching on cheese and chocolate. She lives with her real-life happily ever after, while fantasizing about all her hot fictional book boyfriends on the side. She writes stories with heat, humor, and lots of heart and is more than happy to say what the rest of us are thinking, and sometimes what we’re not. Wanna connect with Maggie? Either hop the next plane to Sydney, or stop by her website at www.maggiewayauthor.com. Your move.
Q&A
Please tell our readers a little about yourself.
Thanks for having me LaDonna! So happy to be here. I hail from Sydney, Australia. By day I work in government administration, and by night I’m a romance writer. I’ve loved romance books for as long as I can remember. Whenever I go to the library, I run straight to the romance section and stack them right up. That’s how I got into writing – I would be reading these books, or watching a movie, and I would always think to myself ‘I would have ended the story that way’, or ‘no, the heroine should not have done that!’
You know, things like that. Eventually, I had a ton of ideas that I didn’t want to keep in my head anymore so here I am. My ideas are now on paper, and I’m having a great time.
Could you tell us a bit about your book and why it is a must-read?
The best way I would describe this book is The Notebook meets Dynasty - you've got the tragic love story, mixed with the family and social intrigue. Brother against brother, death threat after death threat, love triangles, rectangles even. It's all sorts of entertaining page-turning drama, romance and heat. But at the heart of it, is a beautiful love story that you want to root for.
It is a suspenseful, plot-driven, exhilarating, and sexually charged adventure that sweeps you along with the heroine.
I think what makes my book unique is that it's timeless, yet fresh at the same time.
What inspired you to write your book?
It’s funny – even though the book is set in Chicago, I actually came up with the idea to write the book on my way to Europe! I was inspired to write the book after this question randomly came to me: ‘What would your morals be worth in the face of love?
I really wanted to write my ultimate love story, where the odds are so high and everything is against the couple. But they’ll do whatever it takes to be with each other – the classic, tragic romance. Heart of Thorne is very much a homage to my favorite novels like The Notebook, Bridges of Madison County, Bared to You, and Fifty Shades of Grey because they were the books that kept me up all night, and the couples really got me swooning and excited.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book?
Probably researching the logistics of running a small business, especially in the United States. I had to look up state laws, to make sure I was writing an accurate and factually correct book, given my character is living in present day Chicago.
Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s particularly unique or quirky but with every story I write, I’ll firstly think of the critical scenes I am craving to write in the story, a specific ‘something’ that must happen and that I must add. Whether it’s a confrontation that leads to the first kiss, a funny and awkward scene that leaves them not wanting to talk to each other, or even a particular line/joke, I start with that and then build the story around it.
I also have go-to playlists that help get me in certain moods for my writing – one for more light-hearted scenes, one for the heavier ones, things like that. It works every time!
How did you come up with the title for your book?
It’s a play-on words with the hero’s surname Thorne. Roman is a hard man, who has had to learn to take care of himself given his upbringing. Everything he knows is stiff, cold and characterized by greed. He is very prickly in nature, hence the surname. Mia is the rose to his thorn, and softens him and his hard heart. Hence the name.
Is there a message you want your readers to take away from your book?
It’s that romance is not black and white – there are so many facets and colors in between both ends of the spectrum. It takes work to be with the one you love, and this book is definitely going to demonstrate that.
I also think that with the onset of social media and popularity of online dating apps like Tinder, romance has become forgotten or a bit of an out-dated notion. I certainly don’t think so, and I’d like readers to take that away after reading this book. Romance is certainly not dead!
Do you have any advice for the yet-to-be-published writers reading this?
Only pursue writing if this is something you absolutely love. Being that I work full-time, I often think to myself that I must be mad to do this but I cannot imagine doing anything else.
You really have to believe in your stories, because first comes passion, then comes success, I believe.
Also, given that I’m self-published this applies to indie authors. It is very much like running a business, so the best advice I can give is focus on your strengths (which I would assume includes writing) and outsource the rest. Whatever it is, it needs to be able to let you focus on your writing.
What are you working on now?
Follow-up novels to Heart of Thorne, as well as some standalones.
What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, etc.) and link(s)?
You can read more about Heart of Thorne at https://publishizer.com/heart-of-thorne/
I love receiving fan e-mail, and always encourage readers to contact me directly at maggiewayauthor@gmail.com
Otherwise you can check out my website http://maggiewayauthor.com where you can read excerpts of my work.
MIA WINTERS is a down-on-her-luck young woman, trying to chase her dreams in Chicago. Her life is thrown to the wind when a man from her past arrives unexpectedly.
ROMAN THORNE. Best friend. College sweetheart. Passionate lover. Once upon a time, he was everything to her. This is however is not a pleasant reunion – they were unexpectedly torn apart two years ago and have not spoken since.
Not to mention he’s now engaged. So why is he back? Why does he still look at her like he used to? Why are the sparks between them are hotter than ever, the emotions deeper, the love intensified?
Filled with shocking revelations, intrigue and a heart-stopping twist, Heart of Thorne is a sizzling romance that captures the beauty of love and the pain of losing it.