Once Upon a Twilight!: Author Interview: M. Leighton author of The Reaping, Wiccan and Caterpillar

Help us Welcome today to the blog, author M. Leighton. She is the author of The Reaping, the 1st in a series called The Fahllen. She also has another series called Nine Lives, the 1st book in the series is called Caterpillar. Her latest release is called Wiccan which is a paranormal romance.

Welcome M. Leighton:

OUaT: Which of your books was the easiest and hardest to write?

Wiccan was probably the easiest to write. For some reason, it just flowed quickly. Maybe because I get so excited about romance and Wiccan is heavy on the romance side. Plus, I think I developed a little crush on Grayson, the male lead character. That made it much easier.

A book I haven’t published called City of Blood was the hardest to write. I don’t know exactly what it was, but something about the plot made it hard to contain.

OUaT: Which of your characters would you invite to dinner, and why?

Well, although I’d love it, it couldn’t be Grayson. I’m married (hee hee). If I can’t have him, it would probably be Rainn, a character in Caterpillar. I think she’d be an entertaining dinner guest.

OUaT: Can you tell us your latest news?

Well, I’ve only been out a month, so I don’t have any earth-shattering news…YET, but I do feel like things are progressing nicely, which is good. On the writing front, I’m 12,000 words into my new novel, which is dystopian. I’m really excited about it and can’t wait to finish it so that my beta readers (aka, hubby and sister) can give it a whirl.

OUaT: Can you describe your writing environment for us? (Include a picture if you like)

My office is a small, quiet room. My desk sits between two big windows that look out onto a balcony that has a bird’s nest at the top of one of the columns. I swear, I must've “raised” at least a hundred birds by now. The whole clan lives in the woods behind my house. Those crazy birds are the highlight of my day sometimes, especially when there are babies in the nest that are getting ready to fly. It’s so cool to watch them!

OUaT: Have you picked the titles for your books? If they have been changed please tell us about the process.

Honestly, titles drive me crazy! I've struggled over every one I’ve ever done except The Reaping, which was by far the easiest (for obvious reasons). Every other title has given me a fit. I've changed them all numerous times. When I finally find the right one, though, it usually won’t turn loose. Even if I try to change it, I keep coming back to it over and over again.

OUaT: What are your hobbies while your not writing?

Hobbies? Hmm. Let’s see. Well, eating’s more a necessity than a hobby so I guess I’ll have to leave that one off the list, otherwise it would be ranked #1. With an answer that starts off like that, would you ever guess I used to be skinny?

Sorry, I digress. Hobbies, hobbies, hobbies.

I have a lot of interests and they’re very diverse, but as far as something that I pursue regularly enough to be called a hobby, it would have to be watching movies. They’re my escape. My husband loves them, too, so it’s something we enjoy together, which just makes it that much better.

I love to read, too, but if I’m tired it makes me sleepy so I’d have to put it just under movies as my favorite thing to do.

OUaT: Do you have a favorite object that is pertinent to your writing? If so what is it and please describe it. (Pen, Coffee Cup, Pet, Blanket, Chair)

Not really anything like that. I do keep a book of ideas close at hand, though. I jot notes in it all the time. Or if I’m out and make a note on a post-it or a napkin, I’ll come home and stick it in that book. Sometimes I’ll even get out of bed to write something in it. I keep it close to where I write in case I find a neat place to work something into whatever I’m writing at the time.

OUaT: How much time do you take to finish a book?

It varies greatly. I wrote my first novel in 14 days, but another took about 3 months. There are a thousand things (some within my control and some not) that play a role in the overall time it takes. Anything from mood to house guests to vacations to rewrites to an unforeseen plot twist. Could be anything, but sometimes there are several things at once and that can really slow my progress.

OUaT: Who is your favorite author?

Across the board, I’d have to say Johanna Lindsey. Though I've liked some of her books more than others, I don’t think I've really disliked any of them. She can consistently produce a good read. And the guys are always so yummy (sigh).

OUaT: What do you hope that readers will take from your books?

Enjoyment. Escape. Satisfaction. Inspiration. Hope. Something good, whatever it is. I don’t ever want to leave a reader feeling sad, depressed or angry. Though there may an element to the story or a character that might inspire those feelings, I don’t want to leave a reader feeling that way when all is said and done.