Topic: Author Interview
Bess McBride the person:
1. What three words do you think describe you as a human being?
Fair, funny, foolish
2. How do you think others would describe you?
Funny, nice, temperamental if they know me well.
3. Please tell us what you are most passionate about outside of writing.
Animal rights, women's equality, the environment, child welfare, global peace.
4. Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them.
I have two cats: Deuteronomy is a humongous Idaho cat from the Humane Society whom we call Dooty. He likes to pick on the older, smaller, female. He talks a lot and loves to be pet. Xena is my small petite warrior princess from a box in front of a grocery store in Washington State who doesn't like to be held, but will allow people to pet her on occasion. She's half feral, her daddy having been a feral cat, and it shows.
5. What is your most precious memory?
So many... The birth of my one and only daughter. The second is the birth of her daughter.
6. What is your most embarrassing memory?
I'd be too embarrassed to say... and there have been so many. Okay, laughing so hard in front of a group of people that I wet my pants, and having to run all the way back to my room to change. That stands out for me.
7. If you weren't a writer, what would you be doing with your life?
I should be working as a mental health counselor for which I'm trained, licensed and paying student loans.
8. In two paragraphs or less write your obituary.
Here lies Bess McBride, a silly woman who tried as hard as she could to realize as many dreams as she could in her short amount of time on this planet.
Oh, yeah, and loving mother of Cinnamon, grandmother of Lily.
Bess McBride the writer:
9. Can you describe the time you realized you were indeed a "real" writer?
When I got my first acceptance of a humor submission for a magazine two years ago.
10. What is going on with your writing these days?
I'm busy, busy, busy. I have one book out in digital and print, one book coming out in February 08 and three more under contract. Right now, I'm writing my first romantic suspense. I've written five books in the last year...like a woman possessed.
11. What are your future goals for your writing?
To be multi-published. I'd like to publish four books a year. At this time, I'm happy to stay with small presses. Of course, I'd like to hit the big New York houses, but I'm not in any rush to put myself through the world of rejections.
12. Can you describe a typical writing day for you?
While I'm not working full time during the winter, I get up in the morning, go through e-mails, promotions, etc., and write from about 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. when I quit to go for a walk on the beach. When I work in the summer, I'll ask for a late shift, work a few hours in the morning and a few at night after everyone is in bed.
13. Why do you write?
Because it's great fun. I get such an adrenaline rush when the story begins to take off, and I can barely type fast enough to keep up with it. Now, edits are another story. I already know the end of the story!
14. What writer most inspires you? Why?
Well, Georgette Heyer inspired me because I loved her writing. She was humorous and gracious and wrote wonderful romances.
15. How do you define your writing?
Prolific, hardly sweet but fades to black, humorous at times, always romantic. Scenery is key. Most of my books will be set in beautiful locations. I love to travel and set my books in the wonderful places I've been.
16. In one sentence-what do you want people to say about your writing in fifty years?
"Bess McBride! Oh, I loved her books."
Bess McBride the details:
17. Can you tell us where to find more information on you? Website? Blog?
My website is www.bessmcbride.com. Right now I only blog on myspace at www.myspace.com/bessmcbride
18. Is there a place where readers can reach you?
Certainly! I'm at bessmcbride@gmail.com I'd love to hear from anyone.
19. Can you list all your book titles so people can look for them?
"Love of My Heart," available from The Wild Rose Press at www.thewildrosepress.com and Amazon at www.amazon.com as well as all online bookstores.
"A Sigh of Love" comes out February 2008 at The Wild Rose Press and Fictionwise at www.fictionwise.com
"Caribbean Dreams of Love" will be out in 2008 at The Wild Rose Press
"Across the Room" will be out in 2008 at The Wild Rose Press
"A Train through Time" will be out in 2008 at The Wild Rose Press
20. For new readers-what can they expect when they read your book(s)?
Expect no explicit or graphic sexual details. I fade to black. That's what I like to read and so that's what I write. Expect exotic and beautiful locations. I choose my setting first and set my characters and plot in that location. I love time travels and hope to do more of those. My paranormals are very gentle...mostly contemporary with a suggestion of time travel or a humorous romantic ghost.
In conclusion:
21. Take as much space as necessary to speak to our readers-what would you like them to know about you and your writing?
Oh gosh! I hope that readers find my books a pleasant, fulfilling read. My goal is to give them a few hours of enjoyment...not to keep them up at night worrying about having their toes hanging over the edge of the bed. I write some paranormals, but they are always gentle, much like "Ghost" or "Somewhere in Time." My contemporaries are romantic, sometimes sensual, but not sexually explicit. Again, I fade to black. I hope my time travels are fun. I love the juxtaposition of modern and old.
I want readers to enjoy my romances, to feel as if they were the heroine of the story. I'd like to think that my stories are written for real women who just want a little bit of romance in their lives. My heroines are not the traditional "spunky," confident gals because those sorts of heroines don't hold my interest. I like my heroines and heroes to be slightly flawed...just like all of us...and capable of forming lifelong attachments...sometimes at first sight. That's the romance of it.
