I'm really happy my writer friend Mackenzie Crowne is willing to be put on the rack. I'll try to take it easy on her. Mac writes romance novels among other things. She's kind enough to be the second in this occasional series of whacked out interviews.
BA: When I think of romance novels, I think of bare abs and six packs
or heaving bosoms, yet I didn’t see any such covers on your web site. Did I
miss something?
MC: You
didn’t miss a thing. That’s what a lot of people think of when they think of
romance novels. When I announced I’d signed a contract for my first book, Gift
of the Realm, a fantasy romance set in Ireland, a friend’s daughter proclaimed
me the author of “fairy porn”. LOL She was wrong, of course. My books are by no
means erotica (bare chests, heaving bosoms and thongs) but they do contain sex.
What can I say, I write romance! But the romance genre is broad with many
subgenres and heat levels. My covers convey my writing style. Think chic lit
with a healthy dose of romance or sweetly sensual with a side of sass.
Sass is good. So is "fairy porn." Not so interested in heaving bosoms, though.
BA: I love the idea of living on Testosterone
Ranch with a husband and two sons. Since ranches need animals, what kind do you
have? Did you have a pet when you were growing up near Boston? If so, what
kind?
MC: LOL. I’ve
always had cats and dogs, but the term, Testosterone Ranch, comes more from my
warped sense of humor than an attempt to describe where I live. As the only
female at my house in Phoenix, I was on my own. Even the dog and cat were guys.
That’s changed now. While Itzy our neurotic Pomeranian is a boy, Zoe the
blind cat is my precious girl. As for the ranch, we bought 41 acres in the
mountains outside of Tucson a couple years ago. Besides the free range cattle,
there are plenty of wild critters like hawks and falcons, deer, bunnies,
coyotes, javelina, bear, tarantulas and rattlesnakes.
Oh, I was wrong. Still, I like my image of you running around raising testosterones in Arizona.
BA: You
call your web site “Mac’s Mad Mania.” My main character Mad Max thanks you for
the play on words. Oh, what? That’s not why you named the site? Why this name?
MC: Tell Max I said, you’re welcome. J
Actually, the name IS a play on words. My words. I’ve always joked that J.
Thaddeus Toad and I have a lot in common. Our manias. I have a short attention
span and tend to run from mania to mania - except when it comes to reading and
writing romance. Romance is my mad mania!
No matter what she says, Mad Max knows the site was named for her. Not going to change that stubborn woman's mind.
BA: I just found reviews you’ve written for
bodice rippers. Why don’t you write them?
MC: I love a good bodice ripper, but I just can’t
seem to go there when I sit down to write. While a healthy blast of lust gets
the blood flowing, laughter and those moments that touch the heart are the draw
for me. Consequently, my stories all seem to fall in the sweetly sensual and humorous
category.
I tried to write one. Once. I laughed so hard I couldn't sit at the laptop.
BA: So you read reviews, huh? When you find
the rare review where the reader really hates your story, what do you do?
Swear? Kick dirt? Hire a hit man?
MC: You know,
up until this past week (just finished a free kindle download period) I hadn’t
really gotten any bad reviews, so I wasn’t sure how I’d react. I assumed I’d do
all the above but it turns out, I’m not that thin skinned when it comes to my
stories. I write what I like and know not everyone is going to agree with me. Sure,
I stuck out my tongue when I read the review saying the reviewer wished she
could give me a zero (the cow!) but the review right below hers totally
contradicted the very reason she gave for her nasty comments. Ha! So there!
Others just made me laugh. Okay, bad reviews sting a bit while good reviews
stroke the ego and validate, but ultimately, I think all reviews are good.
I know a really good hit man if you need one.
BA: You quote the saying about wanting to
skid broadside at the end of your journey shouting “Wow! What a ride? Tell us
three things you’ve done that qualify for that high honor.
MC: Hmmm, three things, huh? Well, first, I never miss
the chance to travel, in fact, my friends call me Vacation Mac. I’ve learned
life is short, and I don’t want to miss anything by putting it off for later. Since
this past June, I’ve visited seven states, several of them twice.
One of those trips was to Colorado. I took my eight
year old G’girl on a ziplining adventure in the mountains. I’m still afraid of
heights, but after dangling high above the ground all day while zipping along
over God’s country, not quite as badly.
Last but not least, I met my BFF in an online black
jack room. She lived in CA at the time while I am in Phoenix. After a couple
years of virtual friendship, both she and I were invited to attend the 50th
birthday celebration of another woman we’d met in that online room. Most people
wouldn’t fly to Calgary to meet up with someone they’d never met physically, to
drive over the Rockies, in a blizzard, to sing happy birthday to someone else
they’d never met physically. My BFF and I both did, and the rest is history…
Nope. Not worth of skidding broadside. No way, no how. Although the thought of a blackjack room offers some really great images for a book...
BA: On a serious note, I love the title of
your non-fiction piece about surviving breast cancer, Where Would You Like Your
Nipple? What has been the response from other survivors?
MC: I love the title too and the response has been
tremendous, especially from survivors. The title is a direct quote from my
plastic surgeon’s assistant and seemed the perfect choice for a lighthearted
breast cancer guide. I thought those words were unique to me, but I’ve been
surprised at how many survivors have contacted me to say, “I laughed so hard
when I saw your book, because I heard that same comment!”
One of my friends had a double. When she was asked the question, she said, "On toast with peanut butter." The surgeon fell off her chair.
BA: What are the last three books you read? Why did you choose them?
MC: I’m
currently reading Silverhawk by Barbara Bettis, because the excerpt snagged my attention. Before that it was Fender Bender Blues
by Niecey Roy. I love romcom. This one fit the bill and I try to support new
authors, especially if we share a publisher. Before that was Rain Is A Love
Song by Vonnie Davis, because I read everything she writes and wasn’t
disappointed with Rain.
I haven't read Barbara Bettis or Niecey Roy, but I will. Love Vonnie Davis's romances. Hot enough to be lots of fun.
BA: Do you plan to grow up?
MC: Not if I can help it! J
Thanks for joining me, Mac. Find Mac and her books through the links below.
