Based On Principle by Marie Johnston
Please welcome Marie Johnston author of Based On Principle
Marie Johnston will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Based on Principal
by Marie Johnston
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance
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INTERVIEW:
- What or who inspired you to start writing?
The hubs gets a lot of credit. He always encouraged me even when it was something I joked about doing. “Someday, I’m gonna write a book about…” But then I’d read my favorite author and think I could never do that. The hubs said she had to start somewhere, too. I still get hard with myself, thinking I can never measure up to my faves. But I’ve learned that I don’t have to. I have to write as the best me that I can.
- How did you come up with ideas for your books?
Lines of songs, scenes from movies, people’s conversations—anything that inspires an emotion that I want to explore further. Usually, the idea will inspire characters and the scene will develop from there.
3. What expertise did you bring to your writing?
None. I was a scientist and all my writing before my books had been technical—procedures and research papers. No English degree, no journalism experience. When I started, I even researched how people write. At a desk? Do writers write in recliners? Laptops or PCs? I had no clue. But I kept getting words out and soon I had a book. Then I was hooked.
- What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?
I’m past a milestone age, twice the size I was when I graduated high school, and have four kids. People don’t look at me and think I must be a veteran. But I used to wear combat boots to work.
- As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?
I like to keep challenging myself, whether it’s with complex characters or plots or learning to write novellas and longer books. I have some ideas for women’s fiction and one day, I’d love to pen my grandparents’ love story. But that would be historical fiction and some serious hours of research.
8. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?
Shout out to Wet Ink! Shortly after I started, I hunted down a critique partner online. She lived across the country and is one of the most generous people I know. Other members of her local Romance Writers of America chapter wanted to start a critique group and asked me to join. It was a super experience and the support was awesome. But we all got busy writing and publishing, and we eventually quit critiquing, but we’re only an email away for support and questions.
- When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?
Confession: I queried three different books and was rejected with all of them. I barely got more than form rejections.
I even dedicated one of my books to the pioneers of self-publishing or I wouldn’t be a published author, much less have three paranormal romance series, and three contemporary series, with another series of each in the works. This year, I was a RITAÒFinalist for Bishop in my vampire series, which I wrote completely for myself just because I wanted to write a vampire series. I’m very proud of what I’ve done with my career. In the future, I’d like to be a hybrid writer and get traditionally published, but only to add another facet to my career and to reach other audiences.
One of those rejected books is Unmistaken Identity, the first book in the series Based on Principalis in.
- What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)
The worst advice I’ve heard wasn’t aimed at me, but I’m on a crusade to rectify it when others hear it. It goes something like this: “If this career is important to you, you’ll find time.”
Anyone else a mom here? Work full-time? Abused themselves with lack of sleep and long workdays for decades and their body is breaking down from the abuse? What happens if there’s no time to give? The great thing about writing is that it’s versatile. Take the time to learn what works and when. Don’t be guilted into thinking it’s not enough, especially if your toughest critique is yourself.
Best advice—also the most frustrating for me: Just keep writing. It’s really the only thing writers can control. When sales slump, or bad news hit the inbox, we can still write.
- Do you outline your books or just start writing?
I start with a general idea and go from beginning to end. Sometimes, I’ll outline, rarely will I jump scenes. Writing linearly really works for me, and ultimately I’ll do whatever works for that book.
- Can you tell us a little about the black moment in your book?
Chris had learned to be secure in who he is so when Natalia wanted to keep putting on a front to please those around her, he walked. Been there, done that, had the custody battle to prove it. Natalia has to realize that keeping parts of herself hidden to meet other’s expectations only hurts herself and prevents her from growing close to anyone.
BLURB:
By day, Natalia is the strict principal of a private school with a staid, troubled legacy. By night, she’s a lithe, agile assassin with a penchant for latex. Or at least her cosplay character is. The two identities don’t mingle until she meets a handsome comic book shop owner at the local comic con. Now there’s a guy she’d be willing to peel her mask off for.
Too bad he’s the father of one of her students.
Single father Chris has no time to date, thanks to his business, his daughter, and his ex’s meddling family. But how can he resist a comic lover in a business skirt? She’s his perfect woman. Or she would be, if she didn’t keep the professional and play parts of her life so separate. And he swore he’d never date a woman ashamed of him again.
Too bad she’s obsessed with what the wrong people think of her.
Together, they could be an unstoppable duo, but when Chris’s daughter acts out at school, Natalia will be put in an impossible position: break all her school’s rules, or pack away her cape forever.
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EXCERPT:
The man she had twined herself around not two days ago at the comic con had just entered her office.
Chris was Mr. Halliwell? He was dressed nearly identically to when she’d met him. There was no denying he was the same person.
She’d made out with a student’s parent?
Mortification swept through her. The one time she lowered her guard, and she committed professional suicide. She’d come here as the ballbuster to knock the place back into shape. If those who resisted her efforts found out she had a personal relationship with a student’s father, they would double down to undermine her efforts.
He smiled, that easy grin she’d dreamt about each night since the convention, but it was filled with tension. “Hello, Ms. Shaw.”
He didn’t recognize her.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Marie Johnston lives in the upper-Midwest with her husband, four kids, an old cat, and a young dog. After trading in her lab coat for a laptop, she’s writing down all the tales she’s been making up in her head for years. An avid reader of paranormal romance, these are the stories hanging out and waiting to be told, between the demands of work, home, and the endless chauffeuring that comes with children.
Author web links: (web, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads, etc)
Websitehttp://www.mariejohnstonwriter.com/
Bloghttp://www.mariejohnstonwriter.com/blog
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/mjohnstonwriter
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/mjohnstonwriter/
Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11248716.Marie_Johnston?from_search=true
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Marie-Johnston/e/B00R6SC79Q/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1472785586&sr=8-1
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Marie Johnston will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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