I’m delighted to welcome fellow paranormal romance author Maya Tyler to my blog today. Check out her fantastic new release, A Vampire’s Tale.

A Vampire’s Tale focuses on heroine Marisa Clements who is a struggling writer. Unknown to her, a paranormal skeptic, a vampire has been influencing her life path. This is not any ordinary vampire. Corgan Halton is ancient and powerful with the ability to see the future. He wants to tell his story and end his life. He chooses Marisa to author his tale. But his presence in her life puts her into danger, the helpless target for Corgan’s enemies. It takes a coordinated group (of wizards and vampires) effort to fight the enemy. During the progression of the story, Marisa and Corgan fall in love – the emotions intensified by the high-pressure, dangerous situation they find themselves in.

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Interview with Maya:

What inspired you to write A Vampire’s Tale? Where did the idea come from?

I was ready to start writing my next book and I, literally, closed my eyes and saw him – Corgan Halton, the hero – standing in front of me. A dark stranger, with glowing yellow eyes. I knew he was a vampire with a story to tell me or, rather, my heroine Marisa Clements. Like Corgan, I feel that some Hollywood versions of vampires are just unrealistic and completely unbelievable, even to me. So, I offered up my own version.

 

Do you have a dream cast for your characters? If so, who?

My characters were products of my imagination. I saw Corgan first. Dark hair, a bit long and unruly. Hard muscles. Intense sex appeal. Adam Rodriguez would fit the bill nicely. Don’t judge him for his hair in Magic Mike. I saw Corgan through Marisa’s eyes, when he first appeared to her. Then, the view switched to Marisa. Lovely, vulnerable. Long, brown hair. A dreamer. A fighter. Minka Kelly, best known from Friday Night Lights, comes to mind. Sweet, yet spunky.

If you could be best friends with one of your characters who would it be and why?

It would definitely be Marisa Clements, which should come as no surprise as I based her character loosely on myself. We both write paranormal romance. She has taken a chance on her dream to write as I did in 2010. I even gave her long, brown hair like me.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which of your characters would you want with you?

Am I married? <<humorous laugh>> Probably Corgan Halton and not just for his devastatingly good looks. He’s a survivor and he’d take care of me. Yes, I would play the damsel in distress.

Did you bond more with a particular character? Who was it and why?

Characters are a lot like children to me. So, in that regard, I don’t tend to bond with any one more than the others.

What’s your favourite colour?

Blue. Closely followed by purple.

What’s your favourite food?

I’m a foodie, but, alas, I haven’t yet been able to settle on just one favourite. I jokingly tell my kids that my favourite food is an all-you-can-eat buffet.

What is your typical day like?

Rushing and chaos? <<pulls out hair>> I have two little boys, there’s no such thing as a typical day. Keeps life interesting!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Disney World in Florida. I am a huge Disney fan (and a total child at heart)! Disney World is a very magical place… the perfect place for the paranormal enthusiast.

Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

Reading actually inspired me to write. I’m an avid reader; good books inspired me to create something good and “bad” books, ones I didn’t enjoy, made me think I could do better. Also, I have a very active imagination and I’ve always loved making up stories.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

I enjoy walking and yoga, reading, music, and watching TV and movies. I love rock concerts and live musical theatre. Going out for coffee or meals. By the end of the day, it’s usually Netflix and a bedtime snack.

What are you writing now?

I’m in the middle of a couple paranormal romances…

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Drop the “aspiring” and write. Write for the pure love of it. Write what terrifies you. Just write.

What’s the hardest part about being an author? And the easiest?

Writing, even though it comes with its own challenges, is actually the easy part. You love everything about your book – the story, the characters – it’s perfect. Then… you let someone else read it – a friend, a beta reader, a prospective publisher – and the whole thing collapses like a house of cards. You realize it’s riddled with mistakes – amateur-hour mistakes that you can’t believe you’ve missed and, it’s not exactly back to the drawing board but, there’s a lot of hard work ahead. The hardest part is editing (and changing) a piece of work you love, sometimes deleting pages of words you spent hours, months even, writing. Writing is an emotional investment, but you must edit with a certain amount of detachment.

How do you handle writers’ block?

Distraction. Creativity is not something you can schedule or force.

Have you learned anything from your readers? Or had a response that especially touched you?

I think my biggest takeaway from readers has been the critical reviews. A negative review can be a hard pill to swallow. Why is that? Has the criticism struck a chord because there is an element of truth in it? After you lick your wounds, evaluate the review, and learn from it.

The positive reviews encourage me and inspire me to create more stories to thank the readers who have given a practically unknown author a chance.

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Author Bio:

Maya Tyler is a romance author, blogger, wife, and mother. She has a degree in Commerce, but writing is her true passion. Her short story “Just for Tonight” is included in an anthology called With Love from Val and Tyne and her debut paranormal romance novella was Dream Hunter, published in December 2014. Her second paranormal romance novel A Vampire’s Tale released on March 22, 2017. She writes paranormal romance with a twist and all her books have a common theme – happily ever after. When she’s not writing, you can find her having fun with her husband and sons.

You can find Maya on the web at the following locations:

Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

 

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