Guest Starring...Mindy MacKay!

Indigo Skye: Ink and Art

Welcomes Author Mindy MacKay

Q: If you could have a hot one-night stand with any fictional character you've created, who would you choose, and why?

A: If it's a one-night stand, then probably Michael from Soulgame. If we were talking an actual relationship, it would be a different matter entirely, but out of all my characters, I'd get the most out of Michael in one night, what with the obligatory after-event chess game. (If that sounds ridiculous, I'm being totally serious.)


Q: Tell me your sizzling secrets for turning readers on...


A: For me, the greatest delight is in novelty, so I try to apply the same principle to pleasing my readers. Hit 'em with something they've never seen or heard of before, and add a whole new topic to their repertoire of "internet research".


Q: I'd love to know about your writing life... Do you follow a set schedule every day, or just write when inspiration strikes?


A: I try to squeeze writing into the spare moments, but quite frankly, between school and a social life, it's a miracle to even me how I manage to churn out a book.


Q: Where do you do most of your writing?


A: In moving vehicles when I'm not the driver. I'm one of the only people I know who can read in a car, let alone write, and there's something about just rolling along the highway that creates the perfect relaxing atmosphere for writing.

Q: Do you have any writing rituals, quirks or tricks to help you get started and stay excited about a project?


A: My mentality is, if I lose excitement about a project, it's not worth continuing, simple as that. Good idea or not, if I'm not interested, I'm not going to force myself through it. That said, I've got a few quirks about my writing, like my habit of creating a playlist for each project, but that's more for my own personal enjoyment than a productivity booster.


Q: Your best strategy for beating writer's block...


A: I don't beat it. I set my work aside and do other things. The most important thing to realize about writer's block is it's a temporary ailment, like the common cold or good old Aunt Flo. When it hits, I take advantage of the break my subconscious is giving me and unwind for a bit, and eventually, inspiration returns to tie me to the desk again.

Q: Tell our readers about your sexy new release from Noble Romance...


A: If you mixed Cain and Abel with Crime and Punishment with The 120 Days of Sodom and dropped the whole thing into modern-day New York, you'd have an approximation of Fallen from Disgrace. It's as much about mind games as love, and started out as a character study about human choice versus societal pressure.


And if that sounds too preachy, just skip it all and leave here with the knowledge that the book is about an ex criminal genius who gets it on with her delicious boss, who at one point tapes her to a desk.

Q: Any advice for new writers hoping to break into the business?

A: I don't know what my advice is worth--I'm still so new to the business myself--but besides the integral and standard consejos of "never give up, be true to yourself, etc", it's important to build a strong social network. Writing is as much about interacting with people as actual craft and sales. Get to know your fellow authors, give away free things, take things that are free, read and post reviews, and get immersed in the scene. Not only does it get you known as the fresh new voice on the block, but it can be hella fun.


Q: Upcoming projects you can't wait to dish about...


A: If you've been following me for this long, you'll probably know all about Godspeed, my yet-to-be-submitted-but-complete manuscript about the troubled dictator and his runaway refugee inamorata. I won't go on too much of a spiel about that, but I'm really excited to be jumping right from that project into another one--it's yet untitled, but what I can tell you now is it's a tragedy about a gorgeous but self-loathing guitarist who's determined to end his life and pay for his sins until he meets a rebellious store clerk who introduces him to the subtle art of creating chaos after hours. Hilarity and eventual devastation ensue.


Q: What's the interview question no one ever asks, that you'd like to answer right now for our readers?


A: No one ever really asks what's the hardest part of the writing craft? And right off the bat, it's worldbuilding. I've tried to create a unique fantasy world, I really have, but in the end, I can only see myself identifying with our own beautiful little planet.


Q: Best way to relax after a hard day hitting the page?


A: Soda, chips, and an animated comedy on Netflix with a bunch of friends on somebody's couch.


Q: Your secret little guilty pleasure...

A: Shark Week.

Q: What's your favorite book to read in the bathtub?


A: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. I think it's one of the most convincing love stories of our time, and a lot of the parts take a moment or two of contemplation to let the ideas seep in…which is opportune for bathroom reading.

Author Bio:



Mindy MacKay is a native of Canada but currently lives and studies in Texas. She is a poet of ten years, a novelist of four, and has been a literature nerd for as long as she can remember. Her novels include Peacebreakers and Soulgame, the first two installments of the Puppetmasters series, and Fallen From Disgrace, a single-title mystery. Her short fiction has been published by Pill Hill Press and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She blogs at http://theylikemehere.blogspot.com/.