Interview with @MaeClair1 for Eclipse Lake

Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back.  Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars.

Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with mystery and romance. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.

You can find Mae Clair at the following haunts:

Website and Blog

Twitter@MaeClair1
Google+
Facebook Author Page
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
 

1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head?

It seems I always have ideas racing in my head but I concentrate on one story at a time. It’s rare that I move onto a second project without finishing the first. Generally, though, by the time I am three-quarters of the way through a WIP, I know what my next project will be and that idea and characters are already percolating in my head.

2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in?

I read many different genres and have written in several, but I’ve only published in a few. I concentrate mostly on romantic suspense and mystery, but I’ve often thought about exploring some of my other works which include fantasy, speculative fiction, and light horror. I have a fantasy trilogy I wrote years ago I’d love to work on again, I’m just not certain I want to step away from romance and mystery.


3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your stories? Absolutely! My present release is better described as a romantic mystery, but the next two are full blown romantic suspense. One of those, MYTH AND MAGIC, releases on June 9^th and is about ghostly occurrences at a corporate retreat. The other, which revolves around the legend of the Mothman, should be ready for submission to my publisher later in February.

4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself?

What a delight that would be! I would have a seaside cottage in a small coastal village overlooking a bluff. Lots of large windows for incredible views, a covered porch with a swing and rocking chair for relaxing, and a path that winds down to a private, sandy beach. I wouldn’t even mind if the weather turned chilly part of the year, because the cottage would have a large stone fireplace and warm rugs over hardwood floors.

5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)?

ECLIPSE LAKE would make an intriguing TV series, I think, because of the cast of characters involved—a hero with a criminal past, a heroine who works for a national magazine, the hero’s outspoken teenage son, Jesse, (who has a knack for digging into his dad’s past), even the hero’s brother who still carries a fifteen-year-old grudge. Then there’s the town sheriff who’d like nothing better than to settle an old score, plus a host of minor characters who range from a dispatch officer with a heart of gold, to a nosy teen trio who befriend Jesse. Sounds like something that would fit on Network TV or cable. Tune in next week as the saga continues… J

6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!

ECLIPSE LAKE is about Dane Carlisle, a man who returns to his hometown after a fifteen-year absence. He’s left a criminal past behind, and become a successful businessman and philanthropist. His goal is to make peace with his estranged brother, Jonah, but there’s bad blood between them. Complicating matters, Dane begins a relationship with Ellie Sullivan, an outspoken photojournalist who has no intention of settling down. Circumstance goes from bad to worse when  freshly discovered skeletal remains put Dane dead center in an unsolved crime—one a vengeful sheriff is determined to pin on him.

Where to Buy:
Amazon Kindle

Amazon Print

Add ECLIPSE LAKE to your Goodreads List
Excerpt:

Ellie stopped walking and turned to face him. “Why are you here?”

Dane picked up a flat stone. With a flick of his wrist he sent it skimming across the lake. It danced effortlessly across the surface as if he’d done the same thing a thousand times before. “You know that skeleton they found?”

She nodded.

“I’ve got more skeletons than a graveyard. I can’t pick up and go to another place…to the next photo shoot.” He turned to face her. “Half of my life is here and half’s on the west coast. I have to make them fit together.”

The revelation reminded her of the family she’d left behind in Idaho, reawakening a familiar tug of homesickness. In an effort to find more comfortable ground, she changed topics. “You told me you’re from San Diego. I did a photo op there four years ago. What do you do for a living?”

“I get by.” He took her hand and started walking again.

She sent a speculative glance in his direction, recognizing evasiveness when she heard it. He was wearing a Rolex, and though dressed casually, clearly had expensive taste. Yet he’d booked an ordinary cabin rather than one of the exclusive chalets higher up the mountain.

She liked the feel of his fingers around hers, warm and firm. The contact sent a pleasant tingle up her arm. What the hell was wrong with her, getting caught up in his touch as if it were magic? As if she’d waited her whole life for that sensation. He had skeletons in his past, a brother who couldn’t stand the sight of him and a sheriff who wanted to run him out of town. Eccentric, or just plain trouble? 

 

Mae will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour!

 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway