Maureen Lang and a new book - Day One

Maureen Lang recently interviewed with Cindy Thomson.

Maureen is a reader who figured out at a very young age how to write what she wants to read. She penned her first novel at age ten, and has been writing ever since. In fact, she’d rather be writing or reading than doing just about anything else—but with a family and a dog depending on her for breakfast, lunch and dinner, she feels like she’s in the kitchen more often than at her desk or in her favorite chair with a book. Maureen is the author of a dozen books and has been nominated for a Christy, Rita and Carol. She’s won a Holt Medallion and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, but none of that compare to the day her daughter told her she was a good writer. Ah, recognition at home is rare indeed. Visit Maureen on the web at www.maureenlang.com

Remember, Readers, to be eligible for the drawing on Friday, June 29, 8 a.m. Eastern, you must leave a comment with your e-mail-at-.com address and an answer to the following question from Maureen:

What kind of reader are you? A stick-to-it-‘til-the-end reader, or one who won’t waste time on a book that’s not fully engaging? A peeker (you peek ahead at the ending). A loyal-to-one-genre reader? A skimmer, or a savor-every-word reader? How would you best describe your reading habits?

 

1.      Please tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into writing.

 

I’ve always loved telling stories, and I don’t doubt I’ll always find pleasure in writing. The first book I wrote was a romance, which I wrote when I was ten years old. More than 40 years later, I’m still writing romance! The best parts now include spiritual elements that, for me at least, deepen the whole reading experience. Not only must the hero and heroine relate to one another, but they must also relate to God—both individually and as a couple. It adds a great layer to romance!

2.      Tell us about your latest release.

From the back cover:

Raised in an exclusive boarding school among Fifth Avenue’s finest, Meg Davenport has all she’s ever needed . . . but none of the things she’s wanted most, like family, or dreams of a future that includes anything other than finding a suitable match. So when her distant father dies, she seizes the chance to throw etiquette aside and do as she pleases. Especially when she learns that John Davenport wasn’t the wealthy businessman she thought, but one of the Gilded Age’s most talented thieves.

Poised to lead those loyal to Meg’s father, Ian Maguire knows the last thing his mentor would have wanted is for his beloved daughter to follow in his footsteps. Yet Meg is determined, and her connections to one of New York’s wealthiest families could help Ian pull off his biggest heist yet. But are they both in over their heads? And in trying to gain everything, will they end up losing it all?

3.      Did you have any experiences that prompted your love of historical fiction?

My family has always been loud and boisterous, with varied interests—but one of those interests is history. I think hearing my family talking about things that went before us ignited my first interest in history. Then when I was around sixteen, my sister introduced me to my first historical romance. I’ve been hooked ever since.

4.      How much time does it take to research your stories – what balance would you say there is between research and actual writing?

I start investigating a particular era or place by typically spending a bit of time just reading about it; I get a feel for what the characters would have thought and cared about, what they would have been talking about in their world. But until I know each story’s specific need, I don’t know what kind of details I might want to use. In Bees In The Butterfly Garden, I needed to know a little about some illegal activity in New York during the second half of the 19^th century. What was a typical “con” during that time? If caught, what sort of punishment might be expected? What kind of lawyers would a person find back then? How would a thief be defended? I was fascinated by each and every aspect, which of course opens the risk to adding too many details just because I found the subject so interesting. So I always remind myself to serve the story first, remember the audience, and include only those things that would matter to my characters (not necessarily to me).

 

5.      Describe for us, if you will, your writing style, as in plotter vs. seat of the pants, and do you put more time into developing characters or plot or are they equal?

I’m definitely a seat of the pants writer, since I love uncovering little surprises along the way—almost as if I’m the first reader of the story I’m writing. That’s both the most fun and the scariest part of writing for me, that unknown. I really can’t explain where some of the details come from in many of my books. Sometimes from research, sometimes from the behavior of the character. Rarely, if ever, do I know ahead of time where the plot twists and turns will lead me. In fact, with Bees In The Butterfly Garden, I was planning on one type of ending and the characters took me in an almost entirely different direction. It was fun!

Come back tomorrow for Day Two of Maureen's interview with Cindy.