Mona Ingram

Historical Romance and Modern Love

Sometimes I Surprise Myself

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No kidding. I can still do that!
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’d thought that my five books with my former publisher would languish and eventually fade away. I was ready to accept that, albeit reluctantly.
  As a goodbye gesture, I re-read them, just before Amazon’s Montlake Press took them over. And surprise, surprise, these are great story lines! Yes, there are the traditional romantic entanglements, but the stories are fresh and unique. I’m proud of them, and now even moreso, with Montlake’s new covers.  Here are two more:
But Not For Me
Many of us can relate to this story. Erin is a chef, and frankly, a little heavier than she’d like to be. She accepts a new position at a floating fishing lodge on the West Coast of British Columbia. On the way there, the boat she’s traveling in sinks, and she’s stuck with three other people on the beach. I like this one, and am so happy to see it revived.

Here’s the link:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9T5W50

The Shell Game
I was inspired to write this one when I visited cottage country in Ontario. The Muskokas are famous as boating and cottage country, and my husband grew up in the area. Rebecca inherits a bed and breakfast lodge when her grandmother dies, but her wily grandmother has left a surprise:  She must share it with the man who broke her heart on the night of her school graduation. Fun, light, and ultimately romantic, it’s a great story.

Here’s the link:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2FTIQK

Thank You, Montlake Press

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It’s been about a year and a half since Amazon acquired my former publisher. To be honest, I hadn’t expected that those five books would see the light of day again. Boy! Was I wrong about that.
  As you can imagine, it’s been a huge undertaking for Amazon’s Montlake division (romance) to get a handle on all those books. As one of their many authors, I requested that they consider creating new covers for my books. Let’s be honest, the old covers were some of the worst ever designed.
  Just today, Montlake has completed the new designs and uploaded them to the Amazon sales pages. They’ve done a great job in branding my books so they’re recognizable as being from the same author. Great job, Montlake.
   My worst cover – hands down – was for my last book for that publisher: The Gift. Here’s the new cover they gave it. So attractive… and it’s actually a scene from the book. I’ve always liked this story; it takes place just north of where I live now, on a large lake known all over North America for houseboating.
  If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Gift-ebook/dp/B00A9TOWJC/

I actually enjoyed this interview!

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This interview is with Fiona McVie. See link at bottom of page.
Mona:  Hi, Fiona. Glad to be with you.
Where are you from?
 I live in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Think a long, sparkling lake with plenty of beaches. Add in orchards, vineyards, ski hills in the winter, golf courses galore, and you get the picture.
Tell us a little about yourself.
  I spent my younger years in northern British Columbia, then went to UBC for a couple of years, before going to the Sorbonne in Paris for French immersion. When I came back, I went to work in Vancouver for a travel agency, and stayed in travel-related jobs for most of my working life. I’m lucky to have travelled extensively; it opens the imagination.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news
I’ve recently released my eighteenth book on Amazon. It’s the first in a series called The Women of Independence, and it’s entitled Loving From Afar. It’s a romance with a difference. I like to describe it as a book that will break your heart, then put it back together.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve read all my life. My mother took us to the library from a young age. Sometimes I can still recall the smell of the books as we sat on the floor for story hour.  As I read more as an adult, there were many times I thought “I can do this”, so I did. I was naïve enough to think that I’d write a best-seller right out of the gate, but of course that didn’t happen.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I don’t think about it very much. I rarely tell people what I do. I’ve made that mistake a few times and they give me odd looks. I think they’re wondering if I’m going to put them in a book.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?
 I like to think of my style as casual. I don’t care for over-blown romance novels. I also enjoy putting in a twist here or there. The reader usually knows it’s coming, but we both pretend we don’t, and discover the surprise together.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
 Loving From Afar is a story about a young woman who’s had everything stripped away from her, and yet she continues to love a young man from her past. It’s as though she’s watching life from a distance.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I don’t write books to impart a message. I leave that to people who are much wiser than I, but I would hope that the book gives them something to think about.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?
I try hard to make it all realistic.
Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life
Not really, but I can easily imagine a young woman going through these trials.
Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I really enjoy Maeve Binchy.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Four Fires by Bryce Courtenay.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I read constantly, but I confess I don’t pay much attention to the names. I’m more likely to remember author names when the books are poorly written.
Fiona: What are your current projects?
I’m writing book two of the series The Women of Independence. This one is titled The Last Goodbye.
Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members
I dreamed of writing for many years before I started. My friends put up with me during those long years. They were so patient!
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Not originally, but now I can’t stop.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No.
Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
This new book focuses on Danielle, the closest friend of the main character in the first book. A Hollywood film company comes to shoot on her uncle’s ranch, and Danielle is attracted to the producer.
Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Keeping my butt in the chair when it’s sunny outside.
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I’d have to say Bryce Courtenay. He has an uncanny ability to tell a story from the POV of a young child, and I find that charming.
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
  I’ve done so much already, it’s usually not necessary.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Suzie O’Connell. She does amazing work.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Be prepared to work hard and develop a thick skin.
Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you.
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
I’ve always been interested in advertising, in writing ad copy.

To buy Loving From Afar click on the link below

Thank You, Digital Book Review

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A shout out to Anthony Wessell, of Digital Book Reviews for featuring one of my most popular books today.

I won’t bore you with the recap of Full Circle – you can read that on the E-Books page. I mainly wanted to say ‘thanks’ to Anthony for supporting independent authors. His site is great for authors and readers alike.

Thanks for voting!

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A big thank you to everyone who voted for my cover in the Story Finds cover contest. My cover artist did an amazing job for this, my latest release. It’s up against some stiff competition, but I’ve enjoyed putting it out there for everyone to admire.
Thanks again… oh, wait… here’s the link to the book on Amazon if you’d like to take a look. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGFXDLO

Available Now at Amazon

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Loving From Afar is Book One in The Women of Independence series.

This book has it all: despair, sorrow and romance. I enjoyed writing it, and based on initial reaction, readers are enjoying it as well.  Here’s a brief description:

  What would you do if your perfect life was shattered by a series of uncontrollable events?
  Allison Ransome loses everything; everything except her love for Cole Slater, the young man she planned to marry after graduation.
  Gutted by Allison’s perceived treachery, Cole moves on with his life. Ten years later, he returns home, telling himself he will avoid the woman who broke his heart.
   But nothing goes as planned. Can Allison and Cole forget the past and come to terms with the events that tore them apart?
Available now at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGFXDLO

Hockey fever strikes again…

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… at least here in Canada, where hockey is a right of passage. I daresay if you asked some children to hum the national anthem, you’d get the theme from Hockey Night In Canada.
   Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But since we’re in the middle of the playoffs, I thought it a good time to release my newly designed cover for Blogging From the Heart.
   It’s the story of a young woman who blogs about violence in hockey while she’s falling for a man she doesn’t recognize as being a hockey player.
   A charming story, it’s novella-length at 25,000 words. You could probably read it in the time it takes him to watch the game!! Enjoy!

That certain feeling…

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I like every book I write. I wouldn’t be much of an author if I didn’t.
  But the one I’m writing now feels special. I wasn’t going to talk about it, but it’s been poking and prodding at me to let it out… to share it with you, the readers.
   I’ve always wanted to write a series, and I’m finally indulging myself. Perhaps that’s why it feels so special; it’s been waiting in the wings for years.
   The series is called The Women of Independence, and the stories, which are individually titled, are romances at heart.
    But perhaps not your average romance. This series more closely resembles the life we all live every day. Life with its ups and downs; scenarios that are gritty, perhaps hard to take at times, but always true to life. And as I said, in the end they are romances. Because that’s what life is, isn’t it? One long journey in search of love?
   I’ll keep you posted as I get closer to release date, which I hope will be mid-June. The first one in the series is called Loving From Afar. Can’t wait to share it with you.

 

It’s about the ghost

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I recently decided to take a cold, hard look at my books. It’s easy to see which ones are the most popular; the ones with the most reviews, for which I’m always thankful.
   But tucked in there among the other more popular books is a gem of a book. At least I’ve always felt that way. It’s entitled Moonlight Dancer.
  Moonlight Dancer features a handsome ghost who was killed in a rodeo accident. The woman he was about to marry died shortly after of a broken heart and he refuses to ‘pass over’ until he connects with her. It’s also a contemporary romance between a woman named Charlie who befriends the ghost and Jason, the rancher next door, whose practical side won’t allow him to believe in ghosts.
  Two parallel love stories with gentle, ghostly elements.
  What’s the point of this blog, you ask? The point is, I stepped back and allowed myself to look at the book critically. If it’s such a great story, why weren’t people buying it with the same enthusiasm they’ve shown my other books?
  The answer was simple. I hadn’t told them enough about the ghosts; about the enduring love story.
  So I wrote a prologue, letting the reader experience what had happened all those years ago. It is, after all, the balance point upon which the story rests.
  I hope you like the new and improved Moonlight Dancer. I do. And oh, yes, I changed the categories at Amazon so that people who like ghosts and paranormal could find it more readily. It’s working. Enjoy, and if you like it, I’d appreciate a review.

On the Casting Couch with Sheila Claydon

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Sheila Claydon is a multi-published author from Great Britain who I’ve come to know through an on-line group. Sheila writes stylish romances which I enjoy reading. Recently she offered to put  me On the Casting Couch. This is a series of interviews Sheila has done with authors where they tell about the characters in their books. This interview is re-printed with Sheila’s permission. Check out her website; it’s full of interesting information, and most importantly, links to her books.
Published December 17, 2012 | By Sheila Claydon
Over the next few months a number of writers have agreed to sit on my Casting Couch to discuss the different methods  they use in their search for the characters who populate their books. Their techniques give a fascinating insight into the writing process and the writers themselves
Today Canadian author Mona Ingram joins us on the Casting Couch to share the tricks of her trade and to tell why she likes the secondary characters in her books as well.
Thank you for agreeing to sit on the Casting Couch Mona. It’s always a treat to talk to a multi-published author and discover how she casts her characters. Assuming you are sitting comfortably, let’s begin.
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Which characters are the hardest for you to develop? Is it the hero, the heroine, the villain, or the secondary characters?
I’d have to say the heroine. I think that’s because I usually identify with the heroine and although on a deep level I understand her motivation, I don’t like to talk about myself.
When an idea strikes, do you work through the plot first and then cast the characters, or is it characters first? Or does it vary? Perhaps you develop the plot and the characters together.
I wish I could say I’m that organized. Usually my stories start with a nugget of an idea and expand from there. I take quite a while to think about each book before I start. There’s a lot of ‘what if?’ going on in my mind while I’m putting the plot together.
Can you give an example from a published story?
Yes. Call me shallow, but I had an idea that I’d love to write a scene where the two main characters in a book make love without speaking. That was the genesis for my book Fallen Angel.
That sounds like a book I’d like to read Mona. It must have taken a lot of careful thought to come up with something like that.
When deciding how your characters should look, do pictures inspire you or do you think of someone you know? Or perhaps you just rely on an active imagination or another method entirely.
If there are multiple main characters, I’ll sometimes cut pictures out of magazines, stick them on a piece of card, and type captions for them. It isn’t so much hair colour or eye colour, but the look on their faces that attracts me. When my granddaughter comes to visit, she’s always dismayed when she finds magazines with holes in them.  I don’t feel it’s necessary to describe everything about each character, however. Not that long ago, authors would describe every detail about a character’s appearance. You don’t see that so much anymore, and I like that. I think readers want to create their own vision of what the character looks like. I never write about people I know; this is fantasy.
I so agree with you. I don’t enjoy books that are too prescriptive either. I would much rather develop my own picture of how the character looks based on just a few simple pointers such as hair colour or height for example. I am always disappointed when I watch a film of a book. The actor never looks like the character I envisaged in my head.
Do you have a system for developing their character traits? I know some people use Tarot or Astrology. Others produce detailed life histories. There are also writers who allow their characters to develop as they write. What’s your method?
I always know the character’s back story, but I usually let them develop as I write. I often have to go back and consider the reasons behind a character’s actions, and then I might have to ask myself why they did such-and-such, but generally I like to let it flow.
All characters have goals. Can your character’s goals usually be summed up in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? Do they change as you write the book? Could you give some examples?
My characters all have goals. I’m a big believer in GMC… Goal, Motivation and Conflict. Take apart almost any story and you’ll find those three elements. But to answer your question, the goals generally cannot be summed up in a few words. What’s that expression everyone is using these days? Multilayered? That’s how I see my main characters.
Motives drive a character. How do you discover your character’s specific goals? Are they based on back story or do other elements influence their motives?
In my mind, goals and motivations are generally tied together. But motivation gives the story that added dimension. I often like to keep the motivation secret, or use it as a twist near the end of the story. As long as it doesn’t drag on too long and annoy the reader, it’s a good plot device.
I like that idea. What a great way to keep the pages turning.
And last but not least, do you like your characters? Are they people you would want to spend time with? Assuming they are not just a paper exercise, which of your characters would you most like to meet, and why?
I can’t write about people I don’t like. Of course there are nasty characters in my books from time to time, but the main characters are always likeable. Some would accuse me of being too Canadian, but that’s just me.
As for the heroes, I always write about a hero I’d like to know. It makes them so much more believable. I confess, they’re almost always larger than life. I’ve tried to write about ‘ordinary’ men, but they usually morph into a high-powered type.
Who would I like to meet? Wow, good question. I have two. The first is Freddie, from Fixing Freddie.  He’s my kind of man. Quiet, unassuming, owns a highly successful business, and is comfortable in his own skin. I guess the other would have to be Agnes, from my book Then Came Love. She’s an older woman who speaks her mind and befriends the heroine as well as the hero. We all need someone like Agnes in our lives. That’s the fun part about secondary characters. We can have them say the things we’d like to say!
It’s been so nice to meet with you Mona. I’ve certainly learned a few extra tricks from talking to you. Watch out for an outspoken secondary character in my next book! Thank you so much for visiting my Casting Couch and talking about the characters in your books.
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Like all the writers who visit my Casting Couch, there is another side to Mona.  When she’s not writing or reading, she likes to bird-watch. Quoting from a character in her book, Promise Me, she says it gets her out (in her case, away from the computer for a few hours), and keeps her aware of the environment. She also loves to travel…anywhere, anytime!
Mona is a multi-published author and you can find out more about her and her books a http://monaingram.com or go  over to her blog at http://monaingram.blogspot.co.uk where she talks about her writing as well as discussing some of the other things on her mind.
 You might also want to visit her Amazon page at  http://amzn.to/W8MWoN  and look at some of the many books she has written

I still miss hockey

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Having said that, I hear there are rumblings that something might be happening to get hockey back on before the season passes us by completely.

Blogging From The Heart is free October 24, 25, 26. it’s a light romance that combines the issue of violence in hockey with blogging.
It’s a short read, so if you if you like a gentle romance, try this one. The price is right for three days… FREE!  Only at Amazon.com

 

About Mona Ingram

Romance author Mona Ingram has written dozens of novels, including the Forever Series, the Gold Rush Series, and the Women of Independence Series. She lives in British Columbia, Canada.

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Email me at mona@monaingram.com.

All text copyright Mona Ingram.