Monday, October 08, 2007

COMMENT on this post for a chance to win a copy of The Hunter by M.A. Gonzales.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M.A Gonzales (aka Melinda Gonzales) grew up all over the southwestern United States when she was a child. The daughter of a farmer and a Cotton Gin worker, their family moved with the seasons. From the time she could speak she was telling stories to who ever would listen to her. So, it was only natural that as she got older she began to write those stories down. Writing and being a writer is the only career goal and drive Melinda has ever hand.

She now lives in Northern California with her wonderful husband and beautiful daughter. During school vacations they are blessed with the company of the daughter from her husbands first marriage.


INTERVIEW:

Why did you become a writer?
I don’t think I ever really made the conscious decision to become a writer. It’s just kind of always been there for me, every since I was a child. This may sound strange but I think it kind of chose me. The stories, the characters, they just come to me and they become a part of me. Writing is also like that. It has just always been a part of who I am.

Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life?
It has always been a dream of mine but the desire to become publishing happened, as I got older.

What do you love about being an author?
I think what I love most is when I hear from someone that they loved my characters and really got a vivid feel for them. I love hearing that I made you laugh and I made you cry.

Is there anything you dislike?
Deadlines! LOL.

How do you balance your personal and writing time?
I know a lot of authors who say they sit down to write whenever the muse hits them and I think that is good. You have to do what works and what is best for you. For me I have a set schedule that I follow almost everyday. Notice I say ‘Almost’ because sometimes I do get very wrapped up in characters and storylines and cannot stop lol. That’s usually when my daughter comes to get me because I’ve been on long enough LOL.

How do you write?
I write in my living room, a cup of coffee from 8:30-3:00.

Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story?
My characters defiantly come to me first. As they develop more and I learn more about their personalities and backgrounds the plot begins to develop on its own.

What genre(s) do you write?
I don’t have a set genre. I don’t like to limit myself.

Why do you write the stories that you write?
Because usually, the characters won’t leave me alone. LOL.

What is the biggest misconception about being an author?
That you don’t have to work as hard as you do at a regular 9-5 job. Granted you do get to stay home and you don’t have to deal with morning traffic but it is just as hard, if not harder. When you work at home it takes a lot of discipline. You have to make yourself sit in that chair, at that keyboard, even on the days you don’t feel like it.

Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
I’d say my characters are a mixture of both. A part of them are made up and a part of them are made from people that I do or have known.

Out of all the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?
I’d have to say my favorite character is Vincent, from The Hunter. The reason is kind of complicated, because as you can tell from reading the story, he is a complicated character. He is made up of so many different things. He is kind of a tortured soul, lost love, forbidden love, betrayal, death, revenge. Vincent has experience all those things in abundance, after all he is a 4000-year-old Vampyer. I think for me Vincent has experience all the suffering a person could possibly experience but he is still strong and he still finds the courage to fall in love with Ana. I think that right there is what we all need to remember not matter what has happened, we need to have the courage to always take that next chance. Vincent does that and it is what makes him my favorite.

If you were writing a script for the big screen, who would you want to act in your movie?
ERIC BANA!! I would defiantly want him to play Vincent. He kind of has that old soul-look to his eyes. I loved him when he played as Hector in Troy. He didn’t have to really say anything to convey the various emotions he was feeling in the movie. You could tell just by his expressions and that is a sign of a wonderful actor. Plus, he is very handsome lol. For Ana I have thought of many women from Roselyn Sanchez to Salma Hayek. I would have to see which one would best fit the part.

What would you want readers to take away from your books?
I don’t know so much if I want them to take away anything significant or just the fact that they sat down with a good book, wonderful plot, strong characters that they can relate to. I want them to open the pages and forget about real life, about their problems even if it is for just a little while.

Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book?
If you can just sit down and write then do it but discipline is something that is learned. If you want to make it a career you have to set a goal for yourself and stick to it. For me, I get up and write 2K-2500 K words a day. Anything over that is extra but I always make myself reach at least that. This writing career is 20 passion and 80 percent discipline.

What are you reading right now?
Nora Roberts, Northern Lights.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Violence, graphic sexual content and language are included in the book, so beware! This is not for the faint at heart! How brave are you?

BLURB:

Will the Hunter become the hunted, by an ancient?

Ana Moreno gets a rude awakening when she is told she is the Hunter. The one chosen to protect mankind from the forces of evil, the darkness, why her? She alone must fight. She must win or all hope for the future of this world is gone. There are creatures hiding in the darkness, waiting for the right opportunity to enslave the human race and rule the earth once again.

On her quest to develop the skills needed to fight against Vampyers, her path crosses with an Ancient Vampyer named, Vincent. The sexual attraction is intense and immediate. The desire flaming between them is like a raging inferno that can’t be denied. Ana must face the Queen Vampyer, Lucinea. She must survive or all hope for mankind will vanish.

Will mankind be able to survive or will Ana be hunting for more than her life?


EXCERPT:

Download Excerpt in PDF format HERE!


REVIEWS:

Rating: 4 Cups
"Ana Morena’s mother always told her that she was special, but also in danger. It turned out that Ana’s mother was crazy... or so everyone thought. Strange things have just started occurring in Ana’s otherwise normal life. Things beyond her wildest imagination that make her realize that she is not who she always thought she was.

Vincent is a vampyer. Hot and sexy, yes, but a vampyer. He has a very complicated history, which includes being an ancient vampyer and losing his soul mate to his wicked sister.

Under the tutelage of Vincent and her fellow vampyer hunters, Paul and Maria, Ana works on fulfilling the prophecy that claims her as the chosen one who will defeat Lucinea, the evil mother of all vampyers. Unfortunately, the battle will not be without extreme sacrifices.

M.A. Gonzales’ vampire tale is extraordinarily entertaining. The chemistry between the two lovers flows beautifully, and their love scenes are incredibly erotic. The dialogue between the characters is smart and sassy throughout the book. The Hunter contains all the fabulous classic characteristics of a vampire novel, but goes above and beyond to create an extremely interesting and original story. In particular, Ms. Gonzales’ take on the origin of vampires is innovative and breathtaking. If you are a fan of vampires, you do not want to miss this one."

-- Bonnie-Lass
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books


Superior Recommended Read!
"Ana has recurring nightmares in fact they are night terrors, but once
she wakes she cannot remember anything about the dreams. One of her
co-workers arrives at her door in the middle of the night asking for help
and a place to stay. Vampires the woman claimed had bitten her. Ana
didn't believe Maria but she was willing to help. Ana suddenly starts
remembering her dreams. When Ana is attacked Maria's husband Paul rescues
her, and then they explain that they are vampire hunters and that they
believe she is the one chosen to rescue the world from an evil vampire
Queen that has enough power to enslave the world. Ana doesn't believe, but
the fact remains that the vampires are trying to kill her, she has no
choice, she has to fight. Ana's adventure begins. She is rescued by a
handsome vampire that she is attracted to, but he shoves her away when she
kissed him. He has a old love, that was murdered by his sister and he
doesn't want to betray his love.

This was a wonderful way to pass the afternoon. I started this book and
was truly amazed at how well the story flowed. It was as though it flowed
from the author pen onto paper without a single hesitation or moment of
writer's block. The storyline was interesting, the main characters are
believable, and developed well. The sex scenes are hot and the romance
tender. If you enjoy erotic vampire tales, you will enjoy The Hunter by
M.A. Gonzales."

-- May @ Mayreview.com


The Hunter by M.A. Gonzales
ISBN: 1-94057-70-3
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Genre: Paranormal
$4.99 from Redrosepublishing.com


Purchase The Hunter by M.A. Gonzales HERE!!!