Author Bio:
Amy Mullen is a freelance writer and romance author living in Corning, NY, with her husband, Patrick, her two children, and an orange cat named Steve. She is the author of A Stormy Knight and Redefining Rayne.
Amy has been writing about love both lost and regained since she was old enough to have her first broken heart. Her love of history and her intermittent jaunts into amateur genealogy led her to a love affair with writing historical fiction. When not writing, she snaps pictures, enjoys the company of her children, and when time allows, loves to bury her nose in a good book.
What inspires you to write?
I think life in general inspires me to write. Life is hard. Love is the most beautiful gift but can also be an enormous source of pain. Raising kids is both the best and the toughest thing anyone can do. Parenting inspires like nothing else can. I know I like to read because I need a break from reality from time to time. I feel motivated to write books which can do the same for someone else – I hope! And of course, inspiration comes from my husband and my children.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m afraid my writing process is pretty hit and miss. I do a few things when I start, one of which is to find the basic plot. This is usually something that comes to me out of the blue. I write it down and let it sit in my head and the story will come in bits and pieces. After that, I develop the characters I feel fit the story. At times, the characters write the story, so it really depends on which comes to me first. I spend a lot of time working out who they are and where they will go. I then spend time researching, which is essential for the medieval time period, which is where I am most interested right now. I do not write out a detailed plot outline, but instead see where the characters take me. This works well sometimes and other times, not so much. I have to write in spurts because that is the only thing my brain will allow me to do.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I do at times. I don’t do it loudly, but I do it. Once in a while I have to stop and think about where things are going if they do not feel right. I may ask a few questions and they answer. I don’t do it often. Is this a sign of madness? For the most part, it’s more like they just lead the way. That is when you know you have done a good job creating them.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write, write, and then write some more. Find a mentor and ask for help. Study writing and the market for your genre. Don’t follow trends. Write what flows from you easily. Read.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
When I wrote A Stormy Knight (my first) it was what I thought of as a typical romance. There were a few ‘love’ scenes in it. Those scenes were hard for me to write. A friend recommended a small publisher Astraea Press, which publishes only clean romance. In order to submit, I had to clean it up. Once I did, I felt so much better about the book and the story. I would suggest new writers search out for a publisher they feel comfortable with and one that speaks to them. Self-pub is always an option too.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
There are certainly more opportunities for writers today and into the future. Anyone can self publish and there are plenty of interesting small presses out there. Unlike years past, there are more books than ever. Instead of a finite shelf life of a release in a books store, the amount of books on Amazon is limitless and can stay there indefinitely. I’d like to say the book store will never truly disappear, but I don’t know.
What genres do you write?
medieval romance, historical romance
What formats are your books in?
Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Amy Mullen Home Page Link
Link To Amy Mullen Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
http://www.authoramymullen.com
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