Authorsday: Shelly Munro

Interview – Shelley Munro

1. What was the name of the first novel you wrote? Did you try to publish it?

When I finally decided to get serious about writing, I sat down and wrote a romantic suspense called Lane’s Love Child. I was very industrious and wrote every day when I arrived home from work. It took me about two months to complete my story. After reading my story through and making minor adjustments, I sent it off to Mills & Boon in London, confident that I’d be receiving a contract by return mail. I didn’t of course. Three months later I received a rejection. I was crushed!!

I loved the story and kept reworking and rewriting before submitting it again. Lane’s Love Child, now titled Playing to Win, is currently available from Ellora’s Cave and is part of the sensual Blush line.

http://www.shelleymunro.com/books/playing-to-win/

2. Describe your book, CAT BURGLAR IN TRAINING.

My upcoming February 20 release from Carina Press is a contemporary romantic mystery called Cat Burglar in Training. Lady Eve Fawkner returns home to England to live with her father. On her arrival she discovers things are very dire at Oakthorpe, the family estate. Her father has borrowed money and is having difficulty repaying it. He wants her to take over the family mantle of cat burglar and become The Shadow. Of course, she resists the idea until the money lenders start threatening her young daughter. She’s left with little option but to embrace the family occupation of cat burglar.

While researching jewels at a society ball, she meets a man who piques her interest. Unfortunately he’s the very worst man for her because he’s a cop!

3. What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

My husband and I spent six years living and working in London. Writing Cat Burglar in Training was a good excuse to go through all my photos and mementos and relive all the fun times we had while we lived in London. Some of my personal experiences and the things I did went into the writing of this book.

Cat Burglar in Training was also my first attempt at writing a book in first person. I’ve written a few first person stories since then and enjoy the change of pace after writing third person manuscripts.

4. What drew you to the subject of CAT BURGLAR IN TRAINING?

Years ago I watched the movie To Catch a Thief, staring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. After watching this movie I yearned to read/watch more cat burglar romances. Once I began writing my own stories, a cat burglar story became an obvious plot choice for me.

5. Who is your favorite character in your book?

Lady Eve Fawkner, the heroine of the book and the trainee cat burglar is my favorite character. She’s feisty and brave and will do anything to keep her family safe. I like the way she grows during the course of the story and stops running away from her problems.

6. Do you plot or do you write by the seat of your pants?

When I first started writing I was definitely a seat of your pants writer. Throughout the years I’ve adapted my writing method, and although no one could ever call me a plotter, I do plan far more than I used to in the past. I guess you could call me a hybrid.

7. What’s your writing schedule?

Now that I write full time I tend to keep office hours and try to write from around nine in the morning until I’ve completed my target number of words. I write 2000 words every day. Once I’ve completed my words, I’ll do promo and other writing related things.

8. What do you do when you are not writing?

We have a puppy and I enjoy taking her for long walks. I also enjoy cycling, playing with the Wii Fit, cooking and photography. My husband and I love to travel, and we explore various parts of the world as often as we can. Last year we did a Pacific cruise and also spent almost a month in China.

9. Who is your greatest cheerleader?

My husband is always extra supportive when it comes to my writing. When I have good news he’ll arrive home with a bottle of celebratory wine, or if I’ve received a rejection he’ll ply me with chocolate. Over the years, he’s become very knowledgeable about the writing business. He’s a good person to have on my side.

10. What is your favorite food?

I’m a vegetarian, and I enjoy eating just about anything with vegetables. I think my all-time favorite meal would be pasta with fresh vegetables like mushrooms, asparagus and corn in a cream sauce. I’m also a fan of chocolate. I love the stuff. Chocolate anything is good!

Author Bio:

Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.

Shelley is also a writer blessed with a vivid imagination who lives with her very own hero in New Zealand. She writes romance in various genres for publishers Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing. Learn more about Shelley and her books at http://www.shelleymunro.com and you might even find her lurking at Facebook http://www.facebook.com/shelleymunro or Twitter http://www.twitter.com/shelleymunro

Book Blurb:

Eve Fawkner had no intention of following in her father’s footsteps. But when the thugs harassing him to repay his gambling debts threaten her young daughter, Eve is forced to assume the role of London’s most notorious cat burglar, The Shadow. The plan is simple: pull off a couple of heists, pay back the goons and go into permanent retirement. But things get messy during her first job when Eve witnesses a murder, stumbles across a clue that sheds some light on her past and, worst of all, falls for a cop.

Inspector Kahu Williams would be the perfect man, if Eve were looking, and if there wasn’t the little matter of their career conflict. The man is seriously hot—and hot on the trail of a murderer. A trail that keeps leading him back to Eve…

Purchase Links:

Carina Press http://ebooks.carinapress.com/698C6556-67E3-4231-B90C-F1C56684E9DA/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=05DC63C6-4E34-40F3-ADC0-4EB5D51CCA06

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Fancy-Free-ebook/dp/B0030MQJSW/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327650970&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cat-burglar-in-training-shelley-munro/1107899330?ean=9781426893230&itm=1&usri=cat+burglar+in+training

All Romance ebooks http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-catburglarintraining-675675-152.html