WWR: Let’s start off by talking a bit about you. Can you give us a brief rundown of how you got started writing romance?
Michael: I started thinking about writing in the eleventh grade after I submitted a story to an English assignment and got so many interesting comments from the students, the teacher, but especially the young teenage girls (Hey, my hormones were raging, getting noticed by beautiful females with ponytails and those really nice curves got to me). Problem was, once I got married, my life turned to managing daily crisis at work, or emergencies at home, so I never had time to lock myself away and create an imaginary world. After three decades of the typical tensions and frustration associated with a career, I decided it was time to transition to the next phase of my life: retirement. I remained physically active with tons of honey dos and working on our farm, but I missed the mental stimulus. Often, during the course of my adult life, I pondered what might have been if I had taken a different path, one I had fantasized about, but never had time to approach: writing stories. I had tried on several occasions, but some family emergency or crisis at work redirected my energies. I was able to accumulate a ton of ideas for storylines over the years, so I thought, “Why not try and share them with others? You’ve got the time now, there’s no excuse anymore.” Great thought, but I really under estimated the difficulty and complexity of starting a new career in the field of fiction writing. After two false starts, I evolved my “writing voice” in the political thriller, TAINTED HERO (released by Champagnebooks in Jan 08). I was fortunate to find a publisher that saw what I tried to pour into the story: a gut wrenching struggle between two people, each faced with fears and demons from their past, but able to overcome the extreme challenges that only a few encounter in their lifetime.
WWR: How does it feel being a male author in a somewhat female dominated genre?
Michael: At first, I was hesitant to enter the realm of the female mind. Over five decades of struggling to understand the lure and influence women have on the male psyche, I still only understand less than 10% of what makes women the wonderful, and confusing, creatures they are. Yet age has brought me to understand one important thing. We are both reaching out toward the same goal, someone that can make us feel complete inside, that can wash away the hardships of everyday life, and that will work beside us to evolve memories we can take into the next realm. As corny as that sounds, it’s the truth that many in media try to ignore. Men and women need each other to be whole, at least that’s my belief. It’s the foundation on which I’ve based my life, so that’s what I write about, the belief that the bond between a man and woman gives them the strength to overcome tremendous adversity. I don’t really write pure romance; rather my stories have romance at the core of a mystery, suspense or thriller storyline. I could never do justice to the pure romance genre, cause I am a guy. We do think about romance, but just differently. I wasn’t sure how the female audience would receive my stories. In fact I was a bit apprehensive whether my male view of love and romance would be accepted. When I received the reviews from various romance websites for my first novel TAINTED HERO, I was ecstatic to find the female reviewers really enjoyed the masculine angle. I was floored by the five star ratings and glowing words from the reviewers. I guess it proofs that sometimes you have to take a risk, as long as you’re true to your own beliefs. I accept that my views of relationships between men and woman, and the role it plays in our lives, is out of kilter with the modern way love is portrayed. The media and academic institutions depict love as a disposable commodity. They tout romance as an out of date concept, and that men and women are not critical to one another’s existence. I lean toward the traditional concept that love is eternal and the supreme gift from the real big guy upstairs.
WWR: What have you found to be the easiest and hardest parts of being a romance author?
Michael: The easiest thing was in deciding the core attributes of my hero and heroine. They mimic what I belief in and respect in people. My heroes are confident man with traditional values they adore woman for all that they are, the confusing elements, their scent, the soft side they bring to life, the way they give purpose to a man’s existence, but also for their intellect. The central weakness in my heroes is their vulnerability to the woman that controls his heart. There is no dragon he will not destroy to protect the woman he loves. My heroines are multifaceted. They are smart, yet feminine both in their appearance and in their mannerisms. Each heroine finds strength, focus and completeness in her life from the man she adores. I know, it’s a complicated equation, but so is true love.
There are several things that were difficult:
a. Finding the right degree of heat in the bedroom. I know what is acceptable for men, but I had no idea what was of interest for women (yeah, just one of those secrets I’m still searching to understand). I surveyed about a dozen female friends and family to try and figure out what they preferred or would accept. I found there was no common universal preference for the degree of sensuality. The views were distributed across the spectrum. That was a shocker to me, but after I though about it, that diversity of perspective makes sense. Every woman, like every man, is an individual with views and borders we each carry across life. It would be unrealistic to expect all women to have the same heat preference. Accordingly, I decided to write the level of sensuality I was conformable with, and it seems to have worked.
b. The responses by friends and family took some adjustment. I know it’s hard for some (especially my male buds) to deal with a big alpha male writing stories that deal with romance. But being the 6’3” 52” shoulder 280# bull that I am, I’m confidant in who I am and just smile at their jokes. But my wife’s friends, that was an unexpected reaction. They started telling me they were watching me, and suggested to my wife she should keep a close eye on me dealing with all these female readers on the web (and they were serious, they weren’t kidding around).
c. The amount of reworking involved in honing a story until it’s complete. I originally figured on 3 or 4 rewrites, yet the number of revisions my stories go through range from 20 to 40 rewrites. That can be very difficult and boring.
WWR: How many books have you written? Have all of them been published? And if so, by whom and when?
Michael: I’ve written three novels and one short story that became part of a paperback anthology. The first two were TAINTED HERO and FORGOTTEN CHILDREN, both published by Champagne Books. The third is entitled BLIND CONSENT and has been submitted for publication in 2009.
WWR: Is romance your one true love, or do you plan to write books in other genres someday?
Michael: As I mentioned earlier I don’t write pure romance, rather suspense/thrillers with a romantic core. I will probably continue with that blend. I enjoy the mystery and intrigue of a story, but it must have romance at its core, otherwise, what does it all mean? Love anchors us in life and I like that facet of our existence.
WWR: What's been the most memorable moment of your writing career? What would you like to see in the future?
Michael: When I saw the five start reviews and accolades offered on my first novel TAINTED HERO. It felt so good to know that you had succeeded in helping readers’ escape, if only for a moment, from the drudgery of our world.
WWR: If you could be one of your characters – who would you be? and why?
Michael: Eric Emerson, from Tainted Hero. Why? Eric is an extremely compassionate and protective person, but with a ton of dark memories from his past. The women in his life form his foundation, and when that source of strength is threatened, it reaps havoc on his existence, rips at his soul, and sends him down a path of conflict between his training and code as a decorated Army Ranger, and the moral conflicts in modern society. He is driven to do things that are out of kilter with the civilized world, until finally he is forced to made the most difficult decision any one person as even been asked to bare. His strength as a independent assured man is monumental, but his sensitivity and dependence on the women he loves causes great vulnerability, until he is saved by one woman with her own demons. I relate to that image a lot. Eric suffers from the turmoil that many modern citizens struggle with: how to protect those you love in a flawed legal system designed more to defend the criminal then the innocent citizen. Each time I see a child molested, a woman raped, or a young girl killed because we allow scum to walk the earth, it gnaws inside, eats at my masculine side. Eric struggles with the same morale paradox, namely: observe defective social norms or set right the injustice resulting from a callus legal system, and it tears at the fabric of his core essence. This personal conflict is multiplied a million fold when Eric is forced to decide the fate of the world by committing the ultimate morale paradox. That's why I created this character. It was a merging between myself and a friend, and a feeling of helplessness in today's world.
WWR: We'd love to know how you structure your time when you're working on a book. Do you have a set schedule? Do you work with an outline or Synopsis...or do you "fly by the seat of your pants" so to speak?
Michael: Once I start writing on a story, I lock myself away in a dungeon (my back room). I really get into the story big time. I see it, taste it, feel it, and I don't want to stop. Every now and then I come up for air, and to check to make sure my sweetie ain't left me (I get to feeling guilty sometimes). I don’t really write to a schedule. When the story or scene is in me, I write till I drop or until I’m interrupted. If I hit a block, I go work on my farm, walk the woods, go fishing, and new ideas come to me. I’m going to revamp that ‘all or nothing” process on the next one. I’ve found that writing is a mistress that consumes your life if you focus on it at the exclusion of all else. The next one is entitled BROKEN TRUST and I plan to stretch out the writing, blend it somewhat with more normal contact with my surroundings. There’s a tendency, at least for me to get a little depressed when you lock yourself away from everything else in life that gives you pleasure.
WWR: Do you belong to any writing groups? Do you recommend aspiring authors join groups? If so, can you suggest which ones are the best investment for your career?
Michael: I don’t belong to any institutionalized writer organizations, but I do participate in several writing forums and I find them very helpful. Examples would be the Absolute Water cooler and The Writers Forum. I also post the lessons I’ve learned about what works and what doesn’t with 15 other authors at TheWritersVineyard.com. In terms of the best advice I can give to someone aspiring to write, here are some of the axioms I’ve learned across my two year struggle to become an author:
a. Find someone, hopefully two or three, that will read your scripts and be brutally honest, I mean brutal. Then listen to their comments with an open mind, and don't make excuses why they aren't reading it right. Be prepared to learn and grow with each story. Listen to all per reviewers, editors, and the publisher. You'll learn a lot.
b. The big five and agents are interested in established commodities where their risk is minimal. A newbie doesn't fit that category, unless you're a politician, actor, or have major connections. The small publishing houses are more open and can provide a higher probability entrance into the field, but it is still hard.
c. The query letter and synopsis really means the difference between success and failure. One small house said they received 23000 submissions a year. How are you going to float to the surface of that queue if you don't grab them on the query letter before they even get to the manuscript?
d. Get accustom to rejection. I received over one hundred rejection letters before I got my first acceptance. And from what I’ve read at the writer’s forums, I was lucky.
WWR: Are you an avid reader? If so, what authors and books do you enjoy?
Michael: I was a massive consumer of books from the age of about 15 to 35. I read about 8 to 12 books a month. When I hit thirty-five, my level of responsibility at work and the activity of being a husband and dad consumed every minute. When I can read, I lean toward thrillers and SF. Some of my favorite stories included: Blade Runner, Red October, Patriot Games, Dunes, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Crime and Punishment.
WWR: Do you like to hear from readers? What's the strangest comment or question a reader has ever sent/asked you?
Michael: Readers are the reason we write, the chance to move someone, make them say, “I never looked at it that way before.” Why spend months locked in a back home if you don't care what readers say. They are everything. The funniest comments came from two female readers that, after purchasing my first novel TAINTED HERO, said they couldn’t finish it until their husbands gave it back. Then I had two male readers tell me how much they enjoyed the story, but they skipped over the mushy parts.
WWR: Okay, now, for all those who will fall in love with Tainted Hero and want more, more, more.... How many books do you expect to have out this time next year? If you already know, we'd love to know the titles and release dates. And, if you can, tell us a little something about your current work in progress, that'd be great!
Michael: a. FORGOTTEN CHILDREN is scheduled for release in July 08. Here’s a blurb:
Life in the small rural town of Lawton, VA is everything you can imagine: wonderful people, beautiful vistas, and a peaceful environment to raise your family, except for one thing. The greed and vanity of a few men has exacted a heavy toll on the community, and no one knows. Not those whose lives have been forever affected. Not the children suffering from a misdiagnosed affliction. Only Sara knows. In her subconscious mind, the nightmares that haunt her sleep, they show her the confusing truth. The anguish of the children in her special education class imprints the reality of what’s happening in the town. Each time she tries to conceive, her mind projects the images onto the unborn child she desperately wants, but she never verbalizes her fears to her husband. Until the true sinister nature of the clandestine EW operation is revealed and the couple is forced to struggle for their lives.
b. BLIND CONSENT was just submitted to the publisher. My hope is it will be released in 2009. It was both the most difficult and moving story I’ve written so far. It reflects life in an impoverished town in the south with a secret that has been buried away for twenty-six years. My roots in the south when I was a young boy drove the scenes, the characters, and environment.
c. I’ve started on two more stories and I’m about 10% complete: BROKEN TRUST and RIMFIRE. I’ve decided to take a few months off to refresh my spirit before I pick up the pen and return to writing. I need to get some color back in my skin and rekindle interests I’ve allowed to be pushed aside for two years.
WWR: How do readers contact you?
Michael: Two places: My website (Davisstories.com) has contact information and excerpts from my stories. I also participate with 15 diverse authors sharing their experiences and views at The Writers Vineyard (thewritersvineyard.com/)
