A Ms. Quote Interview with Miriam Newman

   Hello Fantastic Readers out there ‘cross the other side of the screen! You don’t know me. Yet. I bet ya an’thin’ , though, that you’re familiar with my hero, I.B. Nosey? Oh, sure. He’s that absolute yummy hunk dubbed the ‘official unofficial’ cyberspace reporter of GumDrop Island fame? Well, I’m not him but my dream is to become famous an’ stupendous an’ wondrous an’…an’ an’thing else that’s ous. To that end, the delightful authors on this blog (aren’t they just the sweetest thangs!) are allowin’ me to interroga…uh, I mean, ask ‘em questions. Ooh, I’m plum excited to get to know ‘em better! Aren’t you? So, welcome, y’all. This is my column today and it’s called…

Ms. Quote's WORDS with... 

 Miriam Newman

 

MQ: Well, a good gracious greetin’ to you, Miriam! How you doin’ today, sweetie?  

MN: Umm…(glancing around with confused expression) Is this what I signed up for?

MQ: ‘Course it is! (bats lashes) You’re goin’ to be famous right along with me! What else did you expect, honey pie?

MN: Certainly not a blonde…(gives Ms. Quote a quick once-over) bimbo.

MQ: (taken aback) Why, that’s not my name. Shame on you, Billy Bob. (presses ear bud closer and speaks into microphone) What kind of producer are you, telling this nice lady my name is Bimbo. You know he’s the hiccuping monkey you’ve lined up for the next act.

MN: Never mind. (hastily takes seat) In half an hour I have a sky diving lesson with a blind pilot and I don’t want to be late. So what say we get started, huh?

MQ: Goody! (plops down in seat across from Miriam, and picks up book off table) This here was written by you, wasn’t it?

MN: You’re holding it upside down.
 

MQ: Oh. (chortles) Silly me. Here we go. (holds book correctly) My super silky eyelashes keep getting’ in my way, so can you read this title, please ma’am?

MN: (mutters) I wonder if you can read, period.

MQ: What was that?

MN: Nothing. (clears throat) The title is The King’s Daughter.

MQ: Ooh, an’ it has a nice cover an’ ever’thin’! Who’s this gal right here? 

MN: Uh, might that be Tarabenthia, the king’s daughter?
 

MQ: Now that you mention it, I bet it is! (giggles) And what in the world does a name like that mean?

MN: “Heart of the Earth.” It’s the name Tia is given at birth, in her parents’ native Alcinic language.

MQ: Al --Alsend-- (waves hand in dismissive gesture)  Oh, pooh. I believe you. What’s the story about, hon?

MN: Let me read the blurb. (takes book and turns to back cover) Born to a dying queen and an ambitious king, Tarabenthia is heir to the crown of Alcinia. Yet when the idyll of her childhood ends she will defy her father, tipping the balance in a world poisoned on the brink of destruction, leaving history to judge whether she is heroine or harlot. In a time of war, what would you surrender in the name of love? 

MQ: (blinks) Wait a minute. How is the world ‘poised on the brink of destruction’? Don’t get me wrong, an’ I don’t wanna argue, but you know that can’t be true! 

MN: (stares at MQ) Say what?

MQ. (nods) Why, yeah! It’s Atlas that holds the earth on his big thick muscles. Are you sayin’ he gets drunk or somethin’, an’ he lets Earth fall an’ it smashes his piggies? 

MN: Ooh, that’s quite a picture. (fights against grin) No, this fantasy world has been gradually moving from a Neolithic culture to something more “modern,” with alliances between nations and other signs of a flourishing culture.  Suddenly, it’s beset by a primitive one which finally acquires the means to break out of its isolation and threatens everything the others have achieved.  So they risk being  destroyed by barbarians who greatly outnumber them.

MQ: O--kaaay. Whatever you just said. (shrugs) So what’s this fightin’ all about?
 

MN: It’s a pre-Medieval conflict complete with swords, crossbows and every other nasty thing the warriors of that time can dream up.

MQ: Well, oh my. You look like such a calm lady. What made you write a book like this?

MN: Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. 

MQ: Really? Don’t you try your hand at an’thin’ else?

MN: Sure. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug.  I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18 year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland. That’s where I nurture my muse. 

MQ: Muse? Is that the name of your kitty cat?
 

MN: (sighs) I do have a “motley crew” of rescue animals, but Muse isn’t one of them.

MQ: Oh, poor Muse. So you don’t read your poetry to him?

MN: There is no…Forget it.

MQ: How good are you at poetry? Can you make up something right now?

MN: How’s this:

Oh, fickle are ladies in pink

Who wonder if poets can think!

So we ply ‘em with candy

And poems quite dandy

And sometimes occasional drink.

MQ: (squeals with delight) That’s just darlin’ is what that is! An’ what else are you published in, Ms. New-woman?

MN: That’s Newm— (squeezes eyes closed and shakes head) Anyway, my works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance.  
 

MQ: Did you say science fiction? What’s that one called?

MN: Scion – Book I – House of Bardin is my best-selling (for me!) futuristic romance.

MQ: An’ the name of that history one?

MN: The Comet - my favorite historical romance, set against the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

MQ: Uh huh. Well, that’s real interestin’ an’ all, but gettin’ back to poor Muse…

MN: (groans)

MQ: You said you found him in Ireland? What were you doin’ over there? Don’t you live ‘round these parts somewhere?

MN: Nowhere close to you! Currently, I reside in rural Pennsylvania.

MQ: So why are we talkin’ about Ireland? You hopin’ to find that pot o’ gold all them little men in green hunt for?

MN: (checks watch) Yep.  I’m going back in September, in fact.
 

MQ: For real? What about your ‘romance writing bug’? Won’t you need to stay here and tend to that?

MN: Excuse me, but look at the time. (stands up) It’s been fun —sorta— but I need to…

MQ: Wait! You gotta tell me how you ‘caught’ that bug. Where was it flying around? In the Forest of Love?

MN: Actually, it was in Ireland. I think it was in the Guinness Stout.

MQ: Oh, an’ just one more thin’…(grabs Miriam’s arm) My hero, I.B. Nosey, as you know he’s won the Pukelitzer Award. Did I hear rightly that you were sittin’ in the audience at the ceremony?

MN: No, but I wish I had seen that!

MQ: Me too! I can’t wait to meet him in person an’ — (cuts off as door to studio slams open. Monkey dressed in a diaper rushes inside. MQ screams) Billy Bob, get this rascal out of here! 
 

MN: Hey, look. He’s holding my book. (gasps) He’s reading!

MQ: Billy Bob, did you hear me? (flings down microphone and stalks to doorway) That Bimbo is ruinin’ my interroga — I mean, my interview! Billy Bob! Billy Bob? Where are you?

MN: Hmm. (gives cautious glance around, then picks up monkey) You know what, Bimbo? It so happens that I’m terrified of heights and that pilot is blind, so…..(makes a mad dash to Exit door, stage left)

* * * * *
Please leave a comment to have a chance to win an ebook copy of 
The King's Daughter 

Visit Miriam at her website.

Buy links (all digital formats and print) for The King's Daughter

Be sure to come back next month on Wednesday, July 4th, 
to see who Ms. Quotes' next victi... uhm... interviewee will be.