Michelle connor Q & A

Michelle Connor
Jan 15, 2018
4 min read

Updated: Mar 6, 2018

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

My name is Michelle Connor, and I’m thirty eight years old.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I live on the North East Coast of England in a place called Grimsby.

Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).

I have been with my husband now for twenty years. We have three children together, our youngest has just turned sixteen. She is the princess of the family and has two older brothers.

As well as writing, I love painting, drawing and photography. I have a great intrigue for history and spend many a summers day hunting for castles and ruins to visit. I think this comes through in my first novella series as it is set in the medieval era.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I have just released the complete series book for the Hers To Save series and it includes illustrations by a great artist, Keith Suddrey.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

Since I were a child I have loved to write. From making up songs with my friends to having poems published as a teenager. I lost that need to get all my thoughts down on paper through the hectic life of raising children. Then one night my character Aveline wouldn’t leave me alone until I gave up on sleeping and started jotting her down on paper.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

The first time I held a print book in my hands with my name on.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

My characters loneliness and pain called to me and I wanted to tell her tale of growing up and finding strength in herself.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I was in a writers group and had my first draft up. When someone came to the scene where the prince comes into play, they made a comment about another book where the prince saves the day and marries the maiden. I remember commenting that ‘no that is not the case, my daughter would kill me if I had written a story like that.’ The name also made sense to me as another character in the book called Herveus feels she had saved him.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

My writing sometimes can start to sound a bit poetic. I allow myself small glimpses of this style but try to rein myself in.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

None of the events are real, but the emotions I try to invoke are, loss, fear. I did name several characters after people I know though. Sasha is named after my daughter, and two of the characters Paul and David are brothers I have been friends with since I was a baby. Paul lost his battle to cancer just after the second part, The Deceived was released.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

When I’m stuck I get my husband to take me for a drive, always with a notebook and pen on hand. We live a short distance away from some beautiful countryside, and the rolling hills and farmers fields help me relax.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

I designed my cover myself.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Aveline suffers physical abuse at the hands of her father, but she finds the strength to take herself away from that the situation and later she also goes back to confront her demons. I wanted to show that no matter how downtrodden we are, the strength is within us if we look and fight for it.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

My favourite writer is Joel Shepherd. I got his first book as it has the same name as my daughter Sasha. His main character is a strong female, who took herself away from being a princess and instead becomes a warrior. It can be confusing when you first start to read the book learning all the different names, but if you work through that it is beautiful written series.

A new author I have just found is A.M Yates, I devoured one of her series and didn’t sleep for two days. I love the world building and the fantasy aspects that are not the norm.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

Other authors I became friends with along the way.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

I see it as something I have to do, like breathing.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I may have made it a little longer.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

My descriptions became better the more I wrote. I hope that carries me through to future books.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Dakota fanning.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Get words on the page, they don’t have to be pretty that is what editing is for, so write first with your heart open, and edit with your eyes and mind open.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Thank you for coming on the journey with me, my words would only be letters on a screen and paper without your imaginations to bring them to life.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

Silver Staked, Shannon Mayer.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

Watership Down.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Everything makes me cry. I’m like a marshmallow.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Virginia Andrews, her books haunted my teenage years.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Painting and photography.