Eve Marie Mont Interview

Eve Marie Mont

     After a long silence, I finally have something to say.  It's a foggy memory, but I'm pretty sure Facebook helped me discover a book called A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont, coming out in March 2012.  If you've been following my blog for any amount of time, you might realize that I LOVE Jane Eyre.  So Eve's title, alone, made my heart do a little pitter patter.  I watched the book trailer and read the blurb. I was completely sold.  There was no question, I had to have this book. 
     After pushing aside the vague feeling of "I wish I'd come up with that," I also had to tell the author she's brilliant.  So I pre-ordered the book and contacted Eve.  As it turns out, Eve and I have very similar taste in reading.  So that seals the deal.  What's not to love about Eve Marie Mont?  In short, nothing.
    Generous soul that I am, I asked to interview her so you can love her and her books too.  Here we go!

 RW (Restless Writer): Obviously, you are a Jane Eyre fan.  Can you give us an estimate of how many times you’ve read the book?  What are some of the things you most love about it?

EMM (Eve Marie Mont):  Despite calling Jane Eyre one of my favorite novels of all time, I’ve probably only read it about five times in its entirety. Of course while I was writing A Breath of Eyre, I pored over certain scenes, reading them again and again for “research purposes.” But to be honest, it didn’t feel like work. Since I first read Jane Eyre in eleventh grade, I have never found another story with such a restrained yet passionate romance. Each time I read those long passages between Jane and Edward and watch their relationship evolve from master-employee to star-crossed soul mates, I am swept up in the romance of it all over again. Because Mr. Rochester is the ultimate bad boy: dark, arrogant, and moody, but not beyond hope. And Jane is the ultimate heroine to redeem him: strong, intelligent, moral, and unafraid to speak her mind. I knew I wanted my protagonist, Emma, to step into her shoes as she awakens to first love and discovers her own strength of character.

Isn't the cover gorgeous?

RW:  The premise for A Breath of Eyre is brilliant.  How long did it take you from first draft to submissions?

EMM:  The idea has been rattling around in my head for years, but I didn’t actually start writing A Breath of Eyre (then called The Trouble with Jane) until winter of 2009. Since I teach full-time, I wrote off and on during weekends and breaks that year and then raced through the final 100 pages in a mad blur over winter 2010. My agent and I whipped it into shape that spring and summer, and we shopped it around in fall 2010, when Kensington made their offer. So all told, it was a little under two years from draft to submission.

RW:  If there was a way to make fictitious characters real for one day, which 3 would you want to spend a day with?

EMM:  Great question! I’d start my morning dishing the dirt with Elizabeth Bennett over coffee and scones. From there, I’d take long a walk with Holden Caulfield through Manhattan, where we’d go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, visit the Museum of Natural History, and share stories about all the phonies we know. I’d end the day horseback riding along the moors with Edward Rochester, followed by a cozy, fire-lit evening back at his mansion.

RW:  I asked my blog readers if they like to write with or without music.  I usually have to write with music playing so I was surprised at the number who said they need to write in silence or with quiet instrumental music only.  What about you?

EMM:  I usually can’t write with music playing, but for many scenes, I’ll play a song to get me inspired and tease out the ideas while the music’s on, then shut it off so I can do the actual writing. But the song will still be echoing in my head, and it definitely helps me set the tone for certain scenes. Those are the chapters that tend to be the most cinematic, which I love! For A Breath of Eyre, the bands that were most influential were Coldplay, Thirteen Senses, Barcelona, and Embrace. Embrace’s “Gravity” sort of became the unofficial love theme of the book.

RW:  What are the last few good books you’ve read?

EMM:  Oh, wow, I’ve read so many good books this year, most of them YA. Here’s a link to a guest post I did for The Nightstand, a YA group blog I belong to, with blurbs about my top 5 books from 2011:

 http://thenightstanddebuts.blogspot.com/2011/11/top-5-ya-reads-of-2011.html

RW:  Can you share any teasers about the next two books yet?

EMM:  I can tell you that Book 2 is loosely based on The Scarlet Letter and has my protagonist, Emma, doing a lot of growing up as she navigates her way through secrets and scandal. Book 3 is inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and will take place in Paris; it’s definitely going to be the most fantastical and dark book of the series.

RW:  Since you’re a Phantom of the Opera fan, I have to ask if you like the musical version as well?

EMM:  Believe it or not, I only saw the musical once when I was about sixteen years old. I remember loving it then, and I thought the music was so haunting and lovely, but like any English teacher worth her salt, I prefer the book. :)

RW:  You will be exploring The Scarlet Letter and The Phantom of the Opera in your next 2 books.  Anything else planned beyond that?

EMM:  I have a file on my computer called “Good Story Ideas,” where I write down every idea I come across, from the silly to the seemingly brilliant. My head is swimming in my series right now, so I don’t have the brain power to attend to new projects, but I’ve got a few shiny new ideas that call to me every now and then when I should be doing others things. I can say it will almost definitely be a young adult book, and I’m leaning toward a stand-alone idea with some elements of magical realism, in the vein of Sarah Addison Allen.

Huge thanks to Eve for doing this interview and for having such awesome taste in Literature.  Your students are truly lucky to have you.   Excited readers, like myself, are lucky to have such awesome books to look forward to.  (Aside: all of you don't realize that I basically devoted a year of my middle school life to The Phantom of the Opera.  I loved everything about it.  The original novel, novels based on it, information about the Paris Opera House and the musical.  The first novel I ever wrote was in that year.  I hand wrote, in a spiral notebook, my version of The Phantom of the Opera.  It was terrible writing but so fulfilling.  This is to illustrate how wildly excited I am, not just about A Breath of Eyre but the upcoming Phantom of the Opera book.  I daresay I squealed with delight when I discovered that fact.  Share my joy, gentle readers.)


Discover Eve's brilliance for yourself at:
 

 Website: http://evemariemont.com/

 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/evemariemont

 Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/evemariemont

 Blog: http://evemariemont.blogspot.com/

 GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3517421.Eve_Marie_Mont

Gwen Hayes Interview

I recently picked up a book called Falling Under.  The cover is gorgeous, don't you agree? Here's some of the back cover copy:
"Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life, not allowed the same freedoms as the rest of the teenagers in the small California town of Serendipity Falls.  But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, she feels every urge she's ever denied burning through her at the slightest glance from Haden Black.  Theia knows she's seen Haden before - not around town, but in her dreams."

That, alone, sounds pretty compelling, right?  For better or for worse, it's taken me so darn long to revise my novel that I've started reading books that have similar elements to make sure I haven't been trumped.  It scares me to read these books until, phew, I discover they're completely different than mine.  However, books like Falling Under aren't only different than mine, but written so beautifully that I find myself getting lost in the writing, then going back to figure out how she did that.  Gwen Hayes is a masterful storyteller.  Her characters are well drawn and interesting.  (The supporting cast is a riot!)  The descriptions are not too lengthy but gripping.  Each chapter ends with a mini-cliffhanger.  (I did some heavy revising on my chapter endings after I put this book down.  Thanks, Gwen!)  Books like this become instant inspiration for me and the authors become heroic, in my eyes.  (this includes the other authors I've interviewed here.)  So, I highly recommend reading Falling Under if you're looking for a dark, beautifully written paranormal romance.  The scenes will not quickly leave your mind.  If you don't believe me, here's the first sentence of the book, "Everything changed the night I saw the burning man fall from the sky."  Amazing!  And if that doesn't catch your attention, just wait until you find out who the burning man is and how she describes him.  So, without further gushing, here's my interview with the brilliantly talented, Gwen Hayes.

RW (Restless Writer): In your acknowledgements, you admit that it scared you to write this book. I know what scared me reading it, but what scared you about writing it?
GH (Gwen Hayes):  When Falling Under started haunting me, I was busy writing a romantic comedy. I wasn't quite prepared for all the dark, twisty things...I thought I was going to write funny books. It was scary because it seemed like such a stretch for me and I was afraid I was going to blow it. Also...I totally creeped myself out.

RW: What was your first inspiration/idea for this book? 

GH: The first scene with the burning man wouldn't leave me alone. I had no idea what I was embarking on...but that is the original idea.

RW: I was blown away by the pacing and the fantastic chapter endings.  As a writer, it makes me wonder how much was changed in the editing process.  Are there major difference, that surprised you, between the version you first submitted and the final? 

GH: Thank you! I do like to end my chapter and scene endings with a reason to turn the page. :) As for revisions, the first version is unrecognizable. For instance, Madame Varnie came about as a surprise during revisions. And what a surprise Varnie is, right?

RW:  Within the book, Theia makes a comment about vampires who sparkle in the sunlight.  Are you a Twilight fan?  (if yes, team Edward or Jacob?) Did it have any influence on how you told Theia’s story? 

GH: I really enjoyed Twilight. I think Stephenie Meyer does a great job connecting people to the story. And I always felt that Jacob was kind of whiny...so def. Team Edward.

  

RW:  As a mother of young children, I’m fascinated how other moms make time for their writing.  How do you do it? 

GH:  My kids were 11 and up when I began writing, so I have no idea how women with wee ones do it. My husband is the reason I can write, though. He takes care of everything and reminds me to eat when I'm writing. 

RW:  How long did it take you to complete Falling Under, find an agent, sell it and when did you start the sequel? 

GH:  The book took about 6 months to write, and I got an agent less than a month later. I know this is not typical. I know this because I had been querying agents for some time before this book. Penguin bought the book 3 months after I acquired my agent. It all went super duper fast.

RW:  Amazon reviewers, even the negative ones, agree that the world of Under is a unique and interesting place.  Was it easy to write about such a creepy, dangerous place? 

GH:  Well, yes and no. The Under scenes came pretty easily writing wise, but they sometimes left me unsettled. 

RW:  Amazon reviewers also agree that the supporting characters are awesome.  Varnie alone is so interesting I can imagine his own series of books.  How do you keep your amazing supporting cast in check while you tell Theia’s story?  Do they ever try to get more of the spotlight? 

GH:  In a lot of ways, it's just as much their story as Theia's....we're just looking at it through Theia's eyes. And I don't think Theia could function without her best friends, so they are very important to the way she sees her story. 

RW:  Do you belong to any professional organizations?  If yes, how have they impacted your career? 

GH:  I belong to RWA-Romance Writers of America. It's a strong, empowering organization. I'm very proud of the fact that I write romance.

RW:  What are a few of the last great books you’ve read and what struck you about them? 

GH:  I just finished revisions (I don't read much YA while I'm writing YA), so I'm really looking forward to TEXAS GOTHIC by Rosemary Clement-Moore which I shipped to myself last week when she gave me a copy at a conference...and now I have to wait for it to get home. :)

RW:  These days, everyone imagines their favorite books as movies.  Do you have an ideal cast in your head for Falling Under? 

GH:  ARGH...I suck at this question. No...I really don't know the young actors these days, but trust if there is ever a movie, the ideal cast will make it their own. Also, I wouldn't mind it being a Tim Burton movie. I think he would understand Under very well.

Thank you so much, Gwen, for taking the time from revisions to do this interview.  Everyone, keep an eye out for Dreaming Awake, the sequel to Falling Under, coming out in 2012.   For more info. on that, and to see the amazing cover for Dreaming Awake, visit Gwen's website.