Maggie Blackbird talks about BLESSED
Q.1. Blessed is an intriguing title. Did you have much trouble coming up with it?
A.1. It's an Elton John song. I chose it when Emery's father had a POV in the story, and before I gave Emery a brother and sister. I kept the title because it was appropriate for Darryl and Emery's relationship.
Q.2. Can you describe your heroes with three words each?
A.2. I sure can. Darryl Keejik: Passionate, emotional, driven. Emery Matawapit: Logical, level-headed, reserved.
Q.3. Elevator pitch! Will you give us 25 words or so of logline?
A.3. A mixed-blood Catholic seminarian struggles to discern his true calling: the priesthood or his ex-lover, a proud but damaged Ojibway man.
Q.4. What do you love best about writing romance?
A.4. Developing the characters and their conflict. And of course writing their resolution. It's fun.
Q.5. What's next for Maggie Blackbird?
A.5. Since Blessed is part of a trilogy, I'm working on the sister's story. Right now I'm finishing draft four. In a week I'll be sending the ms off for a critique.
Q.6. Why write exclusively about the Indigenous People of Canada?
A.6. First, I'm Ojibway, so it's near and dear to my heart. Being raised on the rez, and having worked for an aboriginal organization for fifteen years, I wanted to introduce readers to our everyday life, our careers, our communities, our culture, our beliefs, and of course our relationships with others. Second, there are many stories I can come up with based on real life issues Indigenous people face. I always give these a spin of "what if" to get the plot moving.
Q.7. Did Blessed involve a lot of research?
A.7. There was some. I was fortunate that the reserve's priest was three years out of seminary. He was a big help. Dad was on hand to answer a lot of questions, too, since he attended two of the Indian Residential schools.
Q. 8. How long have you been writing?
A.8. When I began making up stories for Ken and Barbie LOL. Then it became a hobby, a way to relax because I had a high-stress job that involved tons of travel. So I'd sit in my hotel room in the evening after I finished up some work and write to unwind. I wrote seven novels this way LOL, but they'll never see another sets of eyes but my own. Then I encountered a lovely Russian author online who introduced me to fan fiction. That was lots of fun. But in order to grow as a writer, I decided to take workshops and pursue publication. Writing for a living was always my dream.
Q. 9. What do you do in your spare time?
A.9. I love golf. I'm a golfer and I watch golf on TV. I enjoy my early morning walks with the dogs. Hubby and I live in the country, so we spend a lot of time working in the yard. I'm also a huge music fan, especially of hard rock and metal.
Q.10. What are you currently reading?
A.10. I'm juggling three books right now. Guarded Wish by Addison Carmichael (YA Contemporary/Fantasy Romance), Captive Heart by Cynthia Roberts (Historical Romance) and the Ojibway-Dakota War Volume II by James. A. M. Ritchie (non-fiction)
Blurb: It’s been ten years since Emery Matawapit sinned, having succumbed to temptation for the one thing in his life that felt right, another man. In six months he’ll make a life-changing decision that will bar him from sexual relationships for the rest of his life.
Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s suffered: the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery. No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon, and he intends on using his new-found power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and the church.
Hoping to save the church, Emery races home. But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery. Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his life: please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.
An erotic spiritual journey…
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blessed
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebo
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/boo
Google: https://books.google.ca/books?
eXtasy Books: http://www.extasybooks.com/mag
Find Me:
Web Site: https://maggieblackbird.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackbirdM
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/auth
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ma
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profil
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