Author Interview with Emma Meade

Author Interviews

April 5, 2013

Author Interview with Emma Meade

I’m hosting an author interview today with Emma Meade, author of the horror anthology “The Awakening & Other Stories”. Emma is now touring with her book. If you’d like to see the stops she’s visiting as well, go here for the schedule.

Author Interview

First of all, thanks for answering my questions, Emma!

Thanks for having me here today, Majanka.
1) When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I guess it was always on the cards. I adore creating characters and telling their stories, and it’s amazing being able to share them with others. I practically ran to the library after school to see if there were any new Point Horror books in. I still adore the books from that series. I have dozens upon dozens of them in boxes in my house.

2) How long did it take you to write The Awakening & Other Stories?
I wrote four stories years ago and then another four new ones to complete the collection last autumn. I guess seven years in total.

3) What’s your record time for writing a short story?
I’ve never really timed myself, but I guess I can write an initial draft of a short story in a week.

4) What is your editing process like?
Ugh. Says it all, doesn’t it?
I finish the first draft, then I go back and read it through looking out for plot holes and anything that causes confusion. This is the stage where I probably lose at least a few thousand words and this nearly kills me! Then it’s a line by line edit, amending sentence structure, more cutting out what doesn’t work, adding more info/scenes when necessary. Then I proofread before I send it out to beta readers. When their notes come back I go back to editing, revising and some more editing. A final proofread, then it goes to an editor. Are you bored yet?: 🙂 Editor sends me back notes and I spend a few weeks polishing my manuscript as much as possible. Phew. I’m tired just writing this.

5) What are your writing goals for 2013?
To publish a novella set in New York, polish a novel I wrote when I was 18 or 19 years of age and prep that for publishing. Finish the first draft of a witch novel I started a few years ago. The heroine is turning 30 in that story. I remember at the time I started writing it, thinking how old she was, and now I’m the one turning 30 this year, and the novel is still only in its outline stage. Time to get a move on, girl, I tell myself.

6) Are you working on something right now? If so, can you tell us more about it?

I’m at the editing stage of a coming-of-age novella set in New York. It follows Erin Harris (a character from my novel, Under the Desert Moon) to college in New York. It’s a paranormal story.

Thanks for answering my questions, and good luck with your coming-of-age novella!

About The Awakening & Other Stories

Title: The Awakening & Other Stories

Author: Emma Meade

Genre: Paranormal

The Awakening & Other Stories by Emma Meade

Put on the kettle, close the curtains and curl up by the fire. Dive into 8 short tales, each with a slice of the paranormal.

Ghost Story – Who is the shadow in the window of the abandoned house, and what or who is he waiting for?
The Awakening – It’s time for Sabrina to wake up and face the light.
End of the Line – Cassie wants to die. When midnight rolls around, she stands on the tracks waiting for the train to come.
Milsa Loris – The once magnificent kingdom of Milsa Loris comes alive one night each winter. The King’s witch is brewing up a little magic, sure to make the soup all the tastier.
The Old Vampire – Hailey spent her life dreaming of a dark prince falling in love with her. He never showed up, until now.
The Knocking – Alison’s grandfather has one eye on the next life. After all, he’s heard a lot of rapping at his door lately.
The Boy on the Beach – Kate’s grandmother warns her about the boy with the green eyes. Will she pay heed?
Snowglobes– It’s busy at Calvin’s Cabins this Christmas. Eddie and Maggie are a young couple in trouble. Not to fear, Calvin is always ready to lend a hand.

Author Bio

Emma Meade lives in rainy Ireland. She loves vampires, slayers, witches, ghosts, aliens & shadow men (or at least the youngest of the Shadow Men), and regular people who live extraordinary lives (think Slayerettes and you’re on the right track).