Dyanne: Michelle, hello and thank you for talking to the RSJ family. I also want to give you a big thank you and for providing the tote bags for the RSJ family that they will be given on the cruise. That was a super fantastic gift.
Along with the sometimes crazy questions I ask authors I've decided that this would be a good place to also spotlight the books the authors in the family are putting out. So why don't you tell us what you're doing and especially tell us about the books you have coming out this year.
Michelle: In August 2009, I redirected 100% of my efforts to my writing career, leaving behind the day job of a legislative analyst. At the same time, I also stepped into the presidency of Romance Writers of America, a 10,000 member organization. I also have teen kids, a husband with whom I’m about to celebrate our 20th year anniversary, and a cat that is as moody as me.
This February I’m happy to announce my 13th title – Trail of Kisses - under the Harlequin Kimani imprint. This story is part of the Ladies of Distinction series which features sorority sisters after college. In October, my release – The Millionaire’s Ultimate Catch, is featured as part of the hunky Kimani Hotties line up.
Dyanne: Happy anniversary to you and your husband. Bill and I will be celebrating our 40th in a few months. As I interview you I'm thinking about our president (USA) and wondering right at this moment if you're really feeling him?
Michelle: I’m proud of our president. However in my position, I know that I don’t have to deal with such enormous responsibilities. I think that President Obama and I have a passion and love for what we do. We will make the best decisions that we are capable of making.
Dyanne: I can say with a certainty that the RSJ family wishes both you and President Obama an easier tenure. Now for a little fun. Guess what? I've been given the power (Seriously) to grant the wishes of those I find most deserving. Convince me you're deserving and then tell me your wish. And world peace has been taken.
Michelle: Hmm. I’m not a goody two shoes. I’m not a Florence Nightingale type. I’m not a Mother Theresa type. So, as far as deserving—quite simply, I’m loyal, good natured, and occasionally generous. I wish a larger percentage of our youth would be avid readers.
Dyanne: As I told Kim, your wish has been granted. I have that same wish. Now back to the writing life. Where are you in the writing game?
Michelle: I think it would be shortsighted or a narrow focus to pinpoint a position in this writing game. Just like any board game, you can take two steps forward and five steps back. You can start at the bottom and then shoot to the top only to get knocked back a couple levels. So I don’t obsess about where I am. I work with what I’m in control of, which is the product. I can write and develop my skills to tell my stories. The marketing, the placement on shelves, the climb up the mountain, well, those are incidentals. Keeping such a perspective allows me to be calm and happy.
Dyanne: You talk like a writer who has her head on straight. Good. How did you get started with your writing career?
Michelle: I always wrote as a child because I loved reading and wanted to create my own stories. In the early 90s, a co-worker told me about a writing group, which was the DC chapter of Romance Writers of America. I joined and began learning about the craft. I also enjoyed the social networking. It took several years to develop the discipline and to shift the focus from treating my writing as a hobby to actually pursuing a career as a writer. In 2002, my first contemporary romance story was published as Open Your Heart. Since then, I haven’t stopped writing those stories.
Dyanne: Give us a little peep into your non writing life.
Michelle: I’m so busy with my writing life that my non-writing life is squeezed in or scheduled way in advance. I love to travel. So each year, my family and my brother’s family travel to Barbados to vacation. I also am a movie buff and can be found with my daughter watching movies on the weekend. Now that we have the Beatles Rock Band, the family plays together. I’m the singer. Can’t be bothered with playing the guitar or drums.
Dyanne: It’s always fun for me to find out what writers do besides write. Michelle, thank you again for taking time out to talk with us. Can you give us links to where the RSJ family can reach you?
Dyanne, thank you so much for this opportunity. I can be reached at http://michellemonkou.com, http://myspace.com/michellemonkou, http://facebook.com/michellemonkou, http://twitter.com/michellemonkou
Along with the sometimes crazy questions I ask authors I've decided that this would be a good place to also spotlight the books the authors in the family are putting out. So why don't you tell us what you're doing and especially tell us about the books you have coming out this year.
Michelle: In August 2009, I redirected 100% of my efforts to my writing career, leaving behind the day job of a legislative analyst. At the same time, I also stepped into the presidency of Romance Writers of America, a 10,000 member organization. I also have teen kids, a husband with whom I’m about to celebrate our 20th year anniversary, and a cat that is as moody as me.
This February I’m happy to announce my 13th title – Trail of Kisses - under the Harlequin Kimani imprint. This story is part of the Ladies of Distinction series which features sorority sisters after college. In October, my release – The Millionaire’s Ultimate Catch, is featured as part of the hunky Kimani Hotties line up.
Dyanne: Happy anniversary to you and your husband. Bill and I will be celebrating our 40th in a few months. As I interview you I'm thinking about our president (USA) and wondering right at this moment if you're really feeling him?
Michelle: I’m proud of our president. However in my position, I know that I don’t have to deal with such enormous responsibilities. I think that President Obama and I have a passion and love for what we do. We will make the best decisions that we are capable of making.
Dyanne: I can say with a certainty that the RSJ family wishes both you and President Obama an easier tenure. Now for a little fun. Guess what? I've been given the power (Seriously) to grant the wishes of those I find most deserving. Convince me you're deserving and then tell me your wish. And world peace has been taken.
Michelle: Hmm. I’m not a goody two shoes. I’m not a Florence Nightingale type. I’m not a Mother Theresa type. So, as far as deserving—quite simply, I’m loyal, good natured, and occasionally generous. I wish a larger percentage of our youth would be avid readers.
Dyanne: As I told Kim, your wish has been granted. I have that same wish. Now back to the writing life. Where are you in the writing game?
Michelle: I think it would be shortsighted or a narrow focus to pinpoint a position in this writing game. Just like any board game, you can take two steps forward and five steps back. You can start at the bottom and then shoot to the top only to get knocked back a couple levels. So I don’t obsess about where I am. I work with what I’m in control of, which is the product. I can write and develop my skills to tell my stories. The marketing, the placement on shelves, the climb up the mountain, well, those are incidentals. Keeping such a perspective allows me to be calm and happy.
Dyanne: You talk like a writer who has her head on straight. Good. How did you get started with your writing career?
Michelle: I always wrote as a child because I loved reading and wanted to create my own stories. In the early 90s, a co-worker told me about a writing group, which was the DC chapter of Romance Writers of America. I joined and began learning about the craft. I also enjoyed the social networking. It took several years to develop the discipline and to shift the focus from treating my writing as a hobby to actually pursuing a career as a writer. In 2002, my first contemporary romance story was published as Open Your Heart. Since then, I haven’t stopped writing those stories.
Dyanne: Give us a little peep into your non writing life.
Michelle: I’m so busy with my writing life that my non-writing life is squeezed in or scheduled way in advance. I love to travel. So each year, my family and my brother’s family travel to Barbados to vacation. I also am a movie buff and can be found with my daughter watching movies on the weekend. Now that we have the Beatles Rock Band, the family plays together. I’m the singer. Can’t be bothered with playing the guitar or drums.
Dyanne: It’s always fun for me to find out what writers do besides write. Michelle, thank you again for taking time out to talk with us. Can you give us links to where the RSJ family can reach you?
Dyanne, thank you so much for this opportunity. I can be reached at http://michellemonkou.com, http://myspace.com/michellemonkou, http://facebook.com/michellemonkou, http://twitter.com/michellemonkou
1 comment:
Happy 20th Anniversary!
I see that number 13 is lucky as Trail of Kisses is a wonderful read.
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