Live Q&A Event with Michelle Lowery Combs
Live Q&A Event with Michelle Lowery Combs
Hosted by: Books and Everything Facebook Group
Facebook link to group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1563727073944331/
Twitter link to group: https://twitter.com/Books_and_Every
2017 is going to be an amazing year and I cannot think of a better way to open it up than with a Question and Answer session online over at my favourite Book Group Books and Everything. The first session of the year and founders Andrew Christie and Gretchen Miller have OUT DONE themselves. Not only was it a great attendance (glad you are all listening to me) but was a great writer to question.
This is the Biography of the writer from the initial invite:
“Michelle is an award-winning writer and book blogger living in rural Alabama with one cat and too many children to count. She spends her spare time commanding armies of basketball and soccer munchkins for the Parks & Recreation departments of two cities. When not in the presence of throngs of toddlers, tweens and teens, Michelle can be found neglecting her roots and dreaming up the next best seller. She is a member of the Alabama Writers’ Conclave, Alabama Writers’ Forum, and supports her local aspiring authors groups.”
This was enough to entice me to throw my usual work to the wind and log on for an awesome Q&A and as always; the B&E crowd exceeded the expectations. There were great questions; greater answers and some fun jokes in-between. Not to mention a few photos of Frank (Sorry you’ll have to attend one to see who this gorgeous fellow is!)
High points of the event includes the great sense of humour all the people who attend have. Lots of fun jokes are shared and the banter is light hearted and enjoyable. I also quite love the variety of questions that get asked which clearly shows how diverse the group is.
For those who couldn’t make it I have taken the top 3 choices of questions and posted them below. If you want to see the rest be sure to join the Books and everything group so you don’t miss out!
This Event Was Reviews as 9/10 by TBBManiacSian
Q: Michelle, perhaps you could start things off by telling us a bit about yourself?
A: I'm a mother of five, avid reader, lover of all things chocolate. Heir to the Lamp was my first novel, completed in scenes to read to my kids at the end of a day mostly. I loved stories as a child and hated to see them end. I started writing what I now know as fanfiction at age eight. My first stories featured the Muppets ala Pigs in Space with Miss Piggy. lol. I liked the idea of characters I loved so much in unexpected settings. I figured if Miss Piggy could space travel, anything was possible!
Q: Please can you tell us a bit about the Genie Chronicles ?
A: I completed the first draft of Heir to the Lamp on the sidelines of my younger sons' football practices, longhand. I'm sure I looked like a nut hunched over a notepad. By the time the manuscript was completed and I felt like I might have a real book, I carved out time to write after the kids were asleep and any other time I could spare. It's gotten tons easier as they've gotten older. They are 21, 18, 17, 14, and 9 now. While part of a series, each novel can stand alone. There aren't any crazy cliffhangers...I personally don't like those in my YA fiction. Who can bear to wait a year or more for serious resolution? Not me!
Q: How do you develop a character like Rashmere? Genies are such a fascinating fantasy
character type. If I were to try it'd probably draw on Genie from Aladdin or something
A: I was thinking of a guide charcter for Ginn through which she would learn of her identity and capabilities, I struggled a little. I wanted him to be male and largely emody the traditional Arabian folklore and mythos of djinnis. He started out a lot different, but I initially settled on the millenias-old genie who preferred the form of a teenager as he made for a better companion for my MC. I also liked the potential for a character who is kind of at odds with Ginn's crush through most of the stories. Rashmere and Ginn's crush Caleb approach the story conflicts in different ways, which both help highlight and differentiate how Ginn handles them ultimately.
I hope to see more people at the next online Question and Answer session. To ensure you don’t miss a single one make sure you get into the group and consult our Facebook page for updates.
Until the next one
TBBManiacSian
Image Courtesy of: Andrew Christie Books and Everything Founder
