Author Q&A with Elizabeth Montaño

Author Q&A with Elizabeth Montaño

BIO:

Elizabeth Montaño is a flower child at heart, born too late for Woodstock. A lover of words from the time she could speak, she began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl. Her love of English and desire to make a difference led her to a career in investigative journalism.  As such, she was chosen to be an embedded journalist during the war in Iraq. Eventually, she grew weary of reporting what was often the worst of human nature. After a two-year term working for Congress, she began writing fictional books where she could pen the endings of her choice. To date, she’s published several short stories on Vocal Media and Medium and eight novels on Amazon. YA Paranormal romance Dawn from Midnight is also available on Audible and iTunes; an audio book of  A Price Too High, a dark, psychological thriller, is scheduled for release late 2021. She can be contacted at elizabethmontano.com or @newsbizlizzy on Twitter.

 

1. Tells us about your writing/ published book(s)

I’m an indie author too impatient to go the traditional publishing route. My published works include the first two books in the Eternal Dawn Trilogy: Dawn from Midnight, Nearing Dawn (I’m currently working on the 3rd: Dawn Forever More). These are paranormal romance, urban fantasy books. I’ve also published A Price Too High (a dark, psychological thriller which comes out on Audible in December, narrated by Jim Frangione), The Fight for Arabella (a story about a Catholic father’s quest to save his daughter from demonic possession), and three books in the Vampire Vigilante Justice Series (these books feature Sahara, a lovely, kickass vampire detective).

2. Where’s your favourite place to write?

My rather messy office. I do try to keep my desktop cleared, but it just loves collecting all the napkins and post-its I’ve written ideas on when I’m away from my computer and don’t have my laptop with me!

3. How do you approach starting a new book?

I have to admit, I’m a pantser by nature who’s trying to force myself to do better at outlining. When an idea pops into my head, I just start writing and let the character(s) take me where they will. When they lead me down a path beyond my knowledge, I research the internet and seek out anyone who may know something about the topic. By the way, I’ve started several dozen books (or at least I’ve stopped and written a few paragraphs when an idea hits me so I don’t forget!) and usually switch back and forth in writing two or three books at a time. I hate losing ideas when they strike me!

4. What’s your favourite genre to read?

I love a good paranormal romance! I’m currently reading Laura Thalassa’s The Four Horsemen series. Book one, Pestilence, was awesome and I’ve just started the second, War. I’m also a huge fan of JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series (narrated by Jim Frangione. He’s  fantastic at bringing a story to life, which is why I HAD to have him as Arnie Price’s voice in A Price Too High!) I don’t typically read fantasy, but I’m totally hooked on Rhysand and Feyre in Sarah J Maas’ ACOTAR series. I’ve listened to those audio books three times!). I also like a well-written dystopian book.

5. Have you always wanted to write?

As far back as I can remember. I recently tweeted a story about how that started… I was a kid who never shut up. I had questions about everything, such as why is the sky blue, or why is a table called a table. My mother finally told me one day if I didn’t hush, I’d run out of words to say (I was probably about four). It scared me… I believed her! So, I started writing instead of speaking. I hardly spoke at all. When I started school, my teacher laughed and told me I didn’t have to worry, I’d never run out of words. Since then, I’ve had plenty to say! However, I’ve never stopped writing.

6. What do you do when you have writer’s block?

This might not earn me any brownie points among other authors, but I’m not a big believer in writer’s block. To me, it’s a delay tactic. Usually, I just stop and mentally recap what’s happened with one or another of my characters and think about how they feel or how they might react. That generally inspires creativity and I’m off and running. Or, I’ll start on another section of my work in progress (since I usually know how I expect to end the book) then I’ll write my way up to that part. If I were to remain stumped, though, I would switch to one of my other WIP. At last resort, I’d stop and read a chapter or two to get my mind into the world of make believe.

7. Tell us about a scene that you loved but had to edit out of your book

That’s one of the luxuries — or setbacks — of being an indie author. No one makes me toss out a scene. So, I don’t. If it isn’t working for me, I rewrite it until it does work. If there were no way to save it for my WIP, I’d probably copy and paste the scene into a new file and find a way to use it in a future story. I think it’s kind of a tragedy to totally delete ideas out of existence.

8. Do you like reading the same books you write?

You bet. If I can’t enjoy them when they’re finished, I know others won’t either. So, before I publish, I’ll sit on it for a day or two or three then read it and fix anything I find clunky.

9. Do write under a pen name? If so, tell us about how you chose it

No, but I kinda wish I had chosen one. I think I might go that route for a series I plan to start sometime in 2022. I do think a name with a romantic flair to it impacts romance readers, while a more mysterious sounding name appeals to mystery readers and so on.

10. How do you choose your book’s title(s)?

It’s sometimes halfway through a novel before I settle on a title. I let it jump out at me from something in the book. For the Vampire Vigilante Justice series for example, Sahara was changed into a vampire at the age of 15. She hated the vampire who turned her into what she’d become and wanted revenge. The name just made sense. For Arnie Price in A Price Too High, I wanted to base it off his name and the price he paid for being what he was.

11. What advice would you give to someone wanting to write their first book?

Start writing! Don’t worry about whether it’s good or bad writing, just write and keep writing! If two or three hundred pages seems an impossible task, write until you finish the story line. If it’s too short to be considered a ‘book’, then you’ve finished your first short story! Publish it on Medium or a similar venue, tell people about it (Twitter, Instagram, whatever), then start on your next story!

12. Do you do research for your books? If so, what kind of research?

Mostly Internet and talking to people who’ve ‘been there’ (In the semi near future, I plan to go undercover as a homeless person for a couple of days for a story I’m itching to write!).

13. How do you fit writing into your everyday life?

Insert a big chuckle here. My family would tell you I fit my everyday life around writing. And that would mostly be true. But my favorite time to write is at night, when everyone’s asleep and it’s quiet. I’ll usually make a cup of coffee and go outside to look at the stars and listen to the sounds of nature as I think about my WIP for fifteen or twenty minutes before I begin. That calms me and clears my mind of all the garbage from the day. I usually walk in with an idea or two for the next chapter, scene, or even a simple paragraph.

14. How do you approach ‘world building’?

As a character develops, so does the world he/she lives in.

As an example of the beginning of world building (keep in mind it’s an unedited, spur of the moment draft):

Mike is quiet and reserved; the nerdy and weird type. I might start by ‘building’ his room… an iPod he can listen to as he does his homework sitting on a twin bed haphazardly covered by an old crazy quilt hand sewn by his grandmother. On his desk is an old Dell that’s slower than his 80-year-old grandfather. Done with the frustrating calculus assignment, he slams the textbook shut, pads across the 1970’s rust-colored shag carpet and logs into a chatroom. There, he can be brave, outgoing and hip; everything he’s afraid to be in the real world. Catching the time, he yells downstairs to his mother. “Running late, Ma. I’ll get something to eat at work.” By the time his mother complains, he’s already out the screen door, pausing only long enough to lift the sagging aluminum by the handle so it’ll latch.

Mike’s a cook three evenings a week at a rundown, greasy burger joint. He can’t help wrinkling his nose every time he walks in and looks forward to the day he doesn’t have to anymore. It’s gross. If they had a health department, it would probably shut it down. The place always feels dirty and reeks from old grease-splatters staining the walls behind the grill. He hates the job but can’t wait to get there on Wednesdays… the only shift he has with Jenna. A petite doll with big, brown, doe-eyes, he’s almost sure she’s the chatroom girl he’s been drooling over for weeks. Except for Jenna, he’d rather be anywhere else. But, he knows he’s lucky to even have a job. There aren’t many to be had in town. And he needs the money to buy the car of his dreams to drive the girl he dreams about to his favorite place; a quiet meadow adjacent to a centuries-old graveyard. He’s also dying to buy a new, high-powered telescope. Online, since the local hardware store boarded up a couple of years ago.

Reading tombstones dilapidated by vandals and age and making out constellations in the night sky. That’s how he spends free time when he’s not in the chatroom. Some might find walks through the overgrown cemetery macabre, but what else is there to do for a guy without friends in his one-horse town? One restaurant (the greasy burger joint… which still exists because there’s no competition), a single gas station that’s frequently out of gas, one understocked grocery store that charges twice what the store ten miles away charges, one school and three churches. THREE churches for a population of under five hundred. One’s a large, newly built structure with a grand steeple; the other two are dingy, breadbox-size buildings with peeling paint. He’d be surprised if either congregation numbered in the double digits and wonders how they can afford to keep their lights on. Their little town doesn’t have a lot of money floating around.

And so on, LOL. (I might have to play with this one some more. With a fair amount of editing, I can almost see a horror-story in the making!)

15. How do you handle criticism?

Constructive or hateful? In either case,  I have to confess I’m not a fan. As an author, it helps to have tough skin. I don’t (sigh!). But I’m getting better about not letting it eat away at me. And even while I dread criticism, I do appreciate helpful comments. They make us better at our craft. As to the rude jerks out there, remember, when you’re pointing at someone, you’ve got four fingers pointing back at ya!

16. Describe your perfect character to me

Rhysand from a Court of Thorns and Roses! To me, he IS the perfect character! Way to go Sarah!

17. Tell me about your current work

Another chuckle. Which one? I’m switching back and forth between three right now. Working on the third book of the Eternal Dawn series and a possible spin-off of A Price Too High. It’s not titled yet since I haven’t decided whether I’ll follow through. I’m really excited, though, about Unlikely Angel (I had the title for this book before I’d written three complete pages). THE MC’s a scarred, imperfect and gruff angel of justice who’s on a mission to prevent a suave angel of death from taking the life of a young girl who doesn’t deserve to die. I’ll have it finished by Spring of next year.

18. Tell me about your main character

Oops. Just did!

19. Would you want your book made into a film?

Definitely! What author wouldn’t love to see their words come to life on the big screen?! I don’t have dreams of fame. Not at all. Riches? Some would be kinda nice. But to have a book made into a movie? Hell yeah!

20. How many books do you own?

I couldn’t even begin to answer that. It would take too long to count. But, between paperbacks, hardbacks, eBooks and audiobooks (the way I read most often now since I have an endless supply of reading material on the go), it has to be well over a thousand.

 

This or That Questions…

Short books or Long books

Reading: Both, depending on the amount of time I have and how compelling the story line.

Writing: Just however long it takes to tell the story. Dawn from Midnight is a whopping 600+ pages while A Price Too High is 149 pages.

Romance or Fantasy

Romance, usually. I particularly love a well written paranormal romance, but just about any romance novel is my cup of tea. That said, a fantasy in the style of Sarah J Maas will get me every time!

Bright book covers or Muted book covers

Hmm. I’d have to think about that. I’m not sure it even matters to me as long as the illustration is compelling.

Ebooks, Paperbacks or Audiobooks

I love the smell and feel of pages in my hands, but, sadly, it isn’t often anymore that I break out a physical book to read. I listen to audiobooks, probably three or four to one eBook and more like a hundred to one when compared with a physical book. Again, it’s the accessibility factor. I listen to an audiobook whenever I’m driving, working in the yard, or preparing meals. I’m an avid reader when I’m not writing.

Writing in the Morning or Evening

Night time and early, early morning!

Character Driven or Plot Driven

I tend to be more character driven. It’s one of my goals, though, to pen a plot-driven novel one day.

 

Finally, what’s the best piece of advice someone has given you about writing, marketing, or just generally about life?

Advice given to me: Never give up. Which is somewhat similar to the advice I would give. That one word answer would be Nike. Another chuckle. Seriously, though, JUST DO IT! Write, write, write! Someone once said you don’t have to be a great writer if you’re a great editor. So true. So, write what’s on your mind, whatever it is. You can clean up the story and make it great once it’s done. And don’t forget to read whenever you have the chance! Reading makes us better writers!  Marketing? Definitely get your work out to social media outlets. Read a few press releases (there are tons online) to see how they’re done and send a press release to local news media. Check with your local library about carrying a copy of your book.