Author Interview with MJ Spickett

Who are you?

My name is M.J. Spickett. I'm a single mom, ten time published author, artist, and crafter. I build just about anything dragon related from plushies, to candles, and jewelry.
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Where do you live?

I live in Espanol, Northern Ontario, Canada. It's a beautiful town surrounded by rolling hills and is known as the gateway to Manitoulin Island on Lake Huron.

Manitoulin Island

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What’s your home life like?

Home life is often quite hectic. On top of being a single mom to a preteen young man, I am the sole caregiver to my elderly disabled mother. So when not running around with events for my son, I'm usually running with appointments for my mother on my days off work.

via GIPHY

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What genre(s) to you like to write? To read?

I read just about everything but I prefer to write fantasy which is a large enough genre in itself. I write for a variety of age groups and timelines. Urban fantasy and erotica were my primary focus from 2001-2013. In 2014 I switched gears and began writing about Vikings and dragons which I just finished up my last novel in. I am returning to urban fantasy as well as erotica for my next two novels which will finish up two book series and from there I hope to start something new. 

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Why did you start writing?

Writing has always been a stress reliever for me. I tried writing in a dairy as a kid but hated writing about myself or my day. I was going through a lot of family issues and found that writing about them was too depressing so decided to write something far more interesting and creating a fantasy life that I wished I was living and things began to build a life of their own.

via GIPHY

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What do you do when you’re not writing?

When I'm not writing I'm either chilling with my son, working, or creating something. I love to build stuff, the more challenging the more interesting.

via GIPHY

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Where do you like to go when looking for a new book to read?

I love going to old or unique bookstores. We don't have any where I live and there are very few left in the nearby cities, but there is one I have been going to since I was a kid. I have a love-hate relationship with it due to my claustrophobia and often have to do into the basement to find the books I like. The aisles are narrow and cramped with books, most on the shelves but others on crates or crammed into into every available opening. I honestly spend hours on end there looking for stuff and more often than not buy more books than I was supposed to.

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At what point do you call it quits when reading a new book?

I've only ever called it quits on a book once or twice: when it fails to catch my interest or if it's very poorly written. However, if that's the case I refuse to post a review. If I can contact the author personally and offer creative critism, I will, as well as tips to improve. I find there is nothing worse than a horrible review because a lot of new authors may take it to heart and quit when all they need is a little guidance.

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Are you independently or traditionally published?

My publisher is an independent "authors helping authors" type group that boarders on traditional. As we grow we take a more traditional route towards publishing. We now have a board of directors and can pick and choice which books to publish, but we're still very small in size.

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How many books/stories have you published so far?

I now have 10 novels under M.J. Spickett and 1 young readers book under Margreat Davis. Yes, that is the correct spelling

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What book/story are you currently promoting or working on?

Beyond Valhalla is the last novel in the Gods Among Dragons saga which follows a young Viking named Eiryk Redhairs as he comes into his own, learns who he is and where he came from, and discovers the source of his magic. It's a tale of family and love and that being different or disabled is nothing to be ashamed of and that he can still accomplish great things.

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What’s the elevator pitch?

Hmm...I suck at these.

Beyond Valhalla
Death is not the end.
When Asmund died he should have gone to Valhalla and dined at the table of kings like many great warriors before him.
That never happened.
Instead he awoke in a new body, with a new lease on life, and a new mission.
Now he must take a new name and protect Eiryk from an ancient evil before it can corrupt his son and unleash the true force of his power.

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How long have you been working on it?

I originally wrote Beyond Valhalla in 2015 but it was placed on the back burner while I rewrote and edited the two novels that take place before it. The rewrites for it began late 2017 up until March of this year.

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When will it be available to buy? Where?

A limited edition softcover will premiere April 27 at Northern Game Expo in Sudbury Ontario. The official release of the hardcover and softcover will be May 1, 2019 and should be available through Lulu,

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How can readers find you?

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What inspires you to keep writing?

Write what you want to read not what everyone wants you to write

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Anything you’d like to add?

I've been writing since the age of 10. It doesn't matter what you Write, if it's original and fanfiction, what matters is how you feel when writing it. If you take joy in writing than that is the greatest gift you can give yourself.

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Many thanks to MJ for joining the Laughably Inane Blog family and wish her all the best in her future writing and publishing endeavors.

Sincerely,

Nicholas P. Adams

Just a small-town boy with an overactive imagination.