Author Interview and Book Review: Night Sighs by Emma Meade

Welcome to The Wormhole.  Today it is my pleasure to feature:  Emma Meade and Night Sighs.

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I was writing since primary school, so probably since the age of nine or ten. I was hooked on the Point Horror series, and as a result, most of my school essays for English class were about monsters and the paranormal, raising a few eyebrows from my teachers.

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

Lots. I’d love to work full-time as a writer, but for the moment I’m in magazine publishing, and write in the evenings and at weekends.  I’ve worked in a pub, art gallery, doctor’s office, and even a butcher’s when I was a teenager.

? How long does it take you to write a book? 

In the past, it’s taken years to produce one novel I’m happy with, but in the last twelve months or so, I’ve gotten serious about my writing career.  Now it can take roughly six to eight months to create a first draft, edit and have it ready for publishing.

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Music can inspire me to write a whole new story and cast of characters.  For instance, Night Sighs developed from a single short story called “The Dead Beats”.  I’d found a powerful, haunting performance by Bruce Springsteen on youtube one day, “Because the Night” live in Paris 1985, and I was mesmerized by the piano sound and his raw magnetism. I created Tristan and Alex as soon as the song ended.

? Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

I don’t have a routine really. It’s mostly about deciding to knuckle down for a few hours or a whole day with the laptop and keep typing until I run out of steam.

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters? 

Music, books, TV shows and films that have inspired me over the years.  I met a lot of interesting people during my years at college while I worked in a pub.  I like to incorporate mannerisms, dialogue and personality traits from some of the characters I’ve met in real life.

? How do you decide what you want to write about? 

It’s usually the paranormal genre. I start with a character most of the time, and the story develops from there.

? What books have most influenced your life?

The Forbidden Game trilogy by L.J. Smith, Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, The Stand by Stephen King and the books from the Point Horror and Nightmares series are what have mostly inspired my writing life. 

? What is the first book you remember reading by yourself? 

Probably a book of fairytales my grandparents first read to me at bedtime and then later Enid Blyton’s work.

? What are you reading right now?

I’m re-reading Interview with the Vampire.

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Go to the cinema, listen to music, head out dancing with friends, hang out with my family, blog and interact online.

? What is your favorite comfort food? 
Biscuits and cake with tea.

? What do you think makes a good story?

The characters.  Make your characters as real as your best friends, and I think a good story follows.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

I can’t choose just one. Marian Keyes, Maeve Binchy, Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris to name a few. They’ve all written wonderful characters and their stories have captured my heart for one reason or another.

? What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

The Twilight saga books.  I fell in love with Edward Cullen and the rainy town of Forks and read these books once a year.

Fun random questions: 

·        dogs or cats?

I prefer dogs, but I have two stray cats: Puss and Fox! They wandered into my back garden one day and never left.

·        Coffee or tea? Barry’s tea all the way. I drink three or four cups a day.

·        Dark or milk chocolate?  Milk chocolate or white chocolate, especially milky bars.

·        Rocks or flowers? Um, flowers.

·        Night or day? I’m a night owl. That’s when I do most of my writing. I still have trouble getting up for work most mornings.

·        Favorite color? Purple. It’s vibrant.

·        Crayons or markers? Right now, I guess crayons. I use them when I’m drawing with my little niece.

·        Pens or pencils? Pens, though it’s now a rarity when I use them. The computer keyboard has replaced the pen for the most part. 

More About the Author:

Author of Night Sighs and coming soon, Under the Desert Moon.
Emma Meade lives in rainy Ireland and loves all things supernatural: vampires, slayers, witches, ghosts, aliens & shadow men (or at least the youngest of the shadow men), and regular people who live extraordinary lives (think Slayerettes and you're on the right track). One of her favourite authors is L.J. Smith and she's read Stephen King's The Stand more times than she can remember. Books, dvds and tv show boxsets take up lots of space in her home and she collects all the Point Horror books she can get her hands on.
She is not ashamed to admit that Dirty Dancing and Twilight make her top ten movie list but wishes to point out that The Last of the Mohicans, Reality Bites, Dead Poets Society, Stand by Me and The Goonies are in there too.

Writing supernatural short stories, watching marathon re-runs of Buffy and attempting to complete novels are some of her favourite ways of escaping reality. .

Music for Night Sighs Book Trailer provided by http://www.danosongs.com/

      Night Sighs by Emma Meade

It's good to be alive...when you're dead!

Meet Alex and Tristan, modern star-crossed lovers of the supernatural variety.
Alex is running-on-empty, one year on from the death of her fiancé, and the only thing that keeps her going is her romance with the young vampire, Tristan. Tristan, meanwhile has a serious obsession with Bruce Springsteen, and is battling a 'can't live without you' sort of love for Alex. He's trying to persuade her to come over to the dark side, but so far she's resisting his efforts.

So come and sing along to Tristan's band, The Dead Beats, the hottest group in London right now, and walk with Alex as she teeters between this life and the next. Because when you're around Tristan, you'll see, how much fun it is to be alive when you're dead....

Night Sighs is an adult paranormal romance, following the relationship and adventures of Tristan and Alex through five short stories: The Dead Beats, The Ancients, Until My Body Is Dust, Bourbon and Jazz and West of Forever.