Thank you for agreeing to this interview! First, can you tell us a little about
yourself and your background?
By night, I write
paranormal and fantasy romance with a good dollop of Aussie humour and sexy-fun
times. By day, I am a scientist. I currently have three books out in my
Elemental Paladins series and I am currently writing book four as well as a
gritty, sexy new series.
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would
they be?
Stubborn, easy-going,
loyal.
If someone wrote a book of your life would it be a drama,
a comedy, a romantic-comedy, horror or science fiction/fantasy? What would be the title?
Definitely not a
romantic-comedy! Drama? Nah, not so much. Maybe a comedy mixed with horror and
a dash of fantasy ;) Only because I seem to be one of the most accident prone
people I know – not clumsy – but I definitely get my share of random bad luck.
As for the title … ‘A day in the life of Montana Ash: A Survivors Guide’
If you could have unlimited storage of one thing, what
would it be?
Oh, books for sure. An
unlimited source of books would be a dream come true.
If you could have dinner with three people, past or
present, who would it be and why?
Einstein – what I
wouldn’t give to pick his brain!
Leonardo da Vinci – tell
me who the real Mona Lisa was, dammit!!!
A dinosaur – yes, yes, I
know – very weird and random. But come on, who doesn’t want to meet a real
dinosaur?! As long as I’m not on the menu of course …
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
English was always my
favourite subject in school. I even enjoyed writing essays. So I have always
liked the process of writing, but honestly, I didn’t begin to entertain the
idea of being an author until a couple of years ago. I had so many worlds and
characters in my head, that I decided I would sit down and write one of them
out. Thus, the Elemental Paladins were born.
What draws you to this genre? Are you interested in writing other
genres? If so what ones?
What genre wouldn’t you write?
What genre wouldn’t you write?
The freedom. I love the
freedom paranormal and fantasy allows me; no rules, anything goes, it’s all
plausible because it’s fantasy! I’m keen to write young adult and wouldn’t say
no to crime fiction either. The only genre I’m not a fan of is non-fiction – biographies
etc.
If you could change one thing about this genre, what would
it be?
Hmm, I can’t say I would
change anything about the paranormal/fantasy genre. It’s the freedom thing
again. I’m happy for it to be free and unrestricted …
What was one of the most
surprising things you learned in creating your books?
How much the plot and
the characters evolve. They truly do write themselves in many ways. I can never
predict where the story will end, even though I have every book plotted and
planned from start to finish!
What do you like to read
in your free time?
I read paranormal
romance of course, crime fiction, science fiction, fantasy, contemporary
romance, thriller, and horror. The only genre I’m not particularly fond of is
biographies.
Which writers inspire you?
Jane Austen – an
empowered female author, well ahead of her time. Also indie authors who find
real success – good for them!
What book that you have
read has most influenced your life?
Probably ‘To Kill A Mocking Bird’ by Harper Lee. Truly a wonderful
book I was introduced to at only 13 years old. Even at that age, I could see
and feel how much power words could hold over a reader. What a gift!
Do you listen to music when you write? Is there a certain type you like to listen
to? Do you put your playlists on Spotify
for listeners?
I do listen to music
when I write. Either that, or movies/TV series in the background. I like noise.
I have very eclectic taste in music from Placebo, to Mariah Carey, to Ed
Sheeran, to Boyce Avenue, to Sia, and Evanescence. I haven’t yet shared my
playlists with readers … but it’s a great idea!
If you could spend time
with a character from your books who would it be? And what would you do during
that day? (PG-13 please ;-) )
Max for sure! A day with her would be so much fun! I would
definitely have to take her to a karaoke bar, given her very vocal objections
to those establishments. I would make it my mission to figure out what the hell
the ‘donkey and the train incident’ was.
What character in your
books are you least likely to get along with?
Definitely the snobby,
elitist characters that make up the council who govern over the special
warden/paladin society. I can’t stand people who look down on others for no
other reason than they were lucky enough to be born into a certain household.
What are you working on at the moment?
I currently have delusions of grandeur in that I am writing three books concurrently; Book four and five in
my Elemental Paladins series – Ranger and Custodian; Book one in my new series,
Reluctant Royals – Reluctant King. And I am also playing with another author to
co-write a young adult fantasy book – T.J. Spade. So I guess, technically, this
year has at least a line-up of four new books. Definitely delusional ;) But
would be great if I could pull them all off!
Montana is a self-confessed book junkie. Although she loves
reading all genres from romance to crime fiction to sci-fi, her not-so-guilty
pleasure is paranormal romance. Alpha men, just a little bit damaged, and Alpha
women who don't seem to know they need looking after, are a favourite
combination of hers. Throw in some steamy sex scenes, a touch of humour, and a
little violence and she is in heaven!
Her overactive (and overindulged) imagination could only take so much before the many voices wanted out. Thus, Montana's journey into the wonderful world of writing.
She is a scientist by day, having grown up in country New
South Wales, Australia. Writing about ancient knights, demons and shapeshifters
is such a delicious contradiction to her day job in the laboratory, that she
doesn't see the voices stopping anytime soon!
Author Bio
Her overactive (and overindulged) imagination could only take so much before the many voices wanted out. Thus, Montana's journey into the wonderful world of writing.
Connect with Montana
My favorite new paranormal author. Love your books, Max is my hero!
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