Siobhan Muir Interview Published on: 04, Apr 2023
Since how long have you been living in Cheyenne, Wyoming?
I’ve lived in Cheyenne for almost 9 years.
Being an avid reader of science fiction/fantasy, who is your favorite author?There are too many to name, but if I just stick with sci-fi/fantasy I’d say Elizabeth Moon, Elizabeth Kerner, Steven Brust, Robin McKinley, and Nicola Cameron to name a few.
What draws you to the romance genre?I like the happily ever after. All the bad things in the world are fixed and that just makes the world a better place.
What steps do you take when you write a novel?I usually just need inspiration to give me the who, the what, the where, and the why. Then the Muse takes over from there.
What challenges did you face while writing your paranormal romance book, "Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack"?That was my second published novel and since I was so new to the industry, I had a tough time finishing. I knew how the story ended, but I couldn’t seem to get the motivation to write it out. It was a struggle to push through.
When was your first book published and what were the main obstacles you faced trying to get it published?My first book came out in February 2012. At the time, ebooks were really becoming a thing so it wasn’t hard for me to find a small epublisher to take my first novel, Her Devoted Vampire. But before that, with all the traditional publishers calling the shots, I wasn’t sure I could get published without an agent. And it was hard to get stories in front of their eyes.
What do you enjoy writing more - action romance books or poems or short stories?I don’t write poetry – I’m not very good at it. So I prefer to write romance books rather than short stories. My tales are too complicated to be short – I run out of word space too soon, lol.
What is the sweetest fan-mail/compliment that you have received for your writing? Which book was it for?The best compliment I received was from a beta reader and she said I’d kept her up to the wee hours of the morning from reading my book until the end. The book was THE NAVY’S GHOST.
How does one write a good novel? Which steps does one need to take to write a good novel?I don’t think there’s an easy answer for that. What makes a novel “good”? For me, it’s a clear storyline with all the details tied up at the end, and since I write romantic suspense, the characters have to get together, like each other at the end, and solve the external conflicts along the way.
How long does it take you to write a novel?If I just worked on one at a time, it would take me about 4 months from start to finish. But I write several at once so they take longer (and all come out about the same time).
How do you think you have grown as a writer since your first book?My writing is stronger, more mature, and tighter. Fewer “that’s” and “was’s”, stronger language with fewer filler words.
What are you currently working on?Currently I’m working on a new military romantic suspense series where the heroines are the military SpecOps members, and I’m also working on the second book in the Callowwood Pack series.
How has AllAuthor helped you to promote your books? How has been your experience working with us?AllAuthor has done a great job tweeting about my books and getting the word out to their readers. I’ve liked having that support and a way to make cute promotional images.
