Debut author Miriam Greystone writes urban fantasy stories filled with magic, romance, and the occasional centaur. She fuels her creativity with an insatiable appetite for reading and frequent episodes of Doctor Who. She lives just outside Washington DC with her husband and children, and when she isn't hunched over her laptop, she can often be found baking or going on long hikes with her family.
1.
What
is the most exciting thing for you about being a published author?
I really love my
characters – they’re like friends and family to me. I care about them, and I
want them to get a chance to share their stories with others. The most exciting
thing for me about finally actually being published is excited by the idea that
there might be other people out there who can relate to these people who have
become so real and important to me. That readers might empathize with them,
find inspiration through them, or see themselves reflected through the
struggles and triumphs of these characters.
2.
What
was the most challenging thing about writing TRUTHSIGHT?
When I first
started on Truthsight, I planned for there to be a section of the novel where
Amy returns to her childhood home. I spent a lot of time on those pages –
researching for them, picking an actual town and finding pictures and
information about it before I wrote them. I had this idea for a town run and
inhabited completely by mages. I had lots of fun ideas about how they ran their
community, supported themselves and, most importantly, kept their existence a
secret. Eventually though, I realized that the storyline didn’t fit into the
novel. It slowed the pacing down too much, and there were other ways for me to
move the plot forward. But it was super hard to let go of that section. Once I
did, though, the plot flowed and the pacing was better, and writing the novel
went faster and more smoothly after that.
3.
Who
did you trust to read your first draft?
I am very lucky to
have a wonderful critique group. We’re a small group – there’s only three of
us, but we are a great team. I worked with them the whole time I was writing
the first draft, often talking through plot points with them when I got stuck,
or bringing back the same scene over and over as I went through multiple
revisions. They were very patient with me, and I benefited a lot from their
guidance and advice!
4.
Are
you a plotter or pantser?
I am pantser, one
hundred percent!! The times that I have
tried to plot out everything in advance have always lead to disaster. I have
abandoned entire books after forcing myself to outline. I find that the more I
plan, the more locked in I feel, and the less excitement the writing generates.
I much prefer to write it wrong and then revise, because that keeps my
excitement going. I admire plotters – but I am definitely not one of them.
5.
How
different is TRUTHSIGHT’S world from the one we live in?
To me, it doesn’t
feel that different. Yes, there are centaurs and pixies and humans with the
ability to mold reality to their will. But the fundamental elements of the
story are ones we can all relate to. Amy is struggling to forgive herself for
past mistakes, another character’s relationship with his father with deeply
troubled because he has made choices that his father objected to deeply.
Ultimately, my goal is to create a world that is fascinating and full of
completely new things – while simultaneously feeling completely relatable, and
more or less like home.
6.
What
is your ideal weekend?
Hurray – easy
question! Cabin camping with my family, someplace that has a lake with a beach
and hiking trails that are accessible for my kids.
7.
You
love baking. Do you mind conquering elaborate recipes? Do you and your family
agree on which dessert you make is the best?
My homemade
Challah is pretty great, I won’t lie. J
And my daughter is an expert Challah braider, and can make really beautiful,
elaborate, challah with six braids! But mostly I keep my baking simple. I like
to experiment and try to take recipes we all love and make them healthier, or
just make things different than they were the last time I made them. My biggest
problem is that I seldom write down my innovations, and then I have trouble
re-creating it if my family asks me to make the same thing again!
8.
I
used to live just south of you, less than an hour away, and I miss the Great
Falls, Harpers Ferry, Calvert Cliffs…What are your favorite places to visit in
the area?
We also love great
falls – it is an amazing place for bird watching! The National Arboretum is
also beautiful, and one of my favorite places to go. We also live close to Rock
Creek Park, which is great, and we end up at Sligo Creek all the time!
9.
If
you could spend this afternoon anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I’m not supposed
to say at home in my pajamas, right? I’ve always wanted to visit the Amazon
rain forest. I guess if I could go anywhere for just one afternoon, I’d want to
go there!
10.
If
you were offered to witness a supernatural manifestation, travel back in time,
or take a ride in a UFO, what would you choose?
TRUTHSIGHT
Synopsis:
Doctor Amy spends her nights running a secret clinic for supernatural creatures. When she is forced to use her magic to save the lives of a centaur infant and its mother, she vows never to regret her decision, no matter what the consequences. Not even when the Mages capture her, beat her, and condemn her to die. Before the sentence can be carried out, she is abducted by a mysterious being named Rowan, who demands that she use her healing abilities to save his father. When Amy fails to save the ailing man, her actions unintentionally force Rowan into an exile that will soon turn into a death sentence. Now, Rowan and Amy must join forces with the creatures who were once her patients and fight to uncover the one secret that may be powerful enough to save them all.
Link: Amazon
