MAY: Hi Ally, thanks for inviting me to be your guest.

How long did it take for you to get published and what was the journey like?

MAY: I began writing in 2000 for my own entertainment, and discovered I loved it. I finished the first book, which wasn’t very good and then started taken classes and workshops, joined my local chapter of RWA and discovered the whole world of writing romance. I sold my first book in 2005 and it came out in 2006. The Lady Flees Her Lord is book number three on the shelves.

Tell us about your call story?

MAY: My first book was a Regency, Pistols at Dawn, with Five Star, an imprint of Thomson Gale. Basically my agent telephone me and said – are you sitting down. My heart started beating fast and so I sat down. And then he told me the deal. It was a thrill. I woke up smiling every day for a week.

For those who aren’t familiar with your work, tell us what you write and who you write for?

MAY: I write regency set historicals. My last two books have been with Sourcebooks for their Casablanca line, both of them have big beautiful heroines and men who love voluptuous women.

How long does it take you complete a book, start to finish?

MAY: I would say about six months, including editing and polishing. My first draft goes quite quickly, because I don’t plot. But because I don’t plot there is a lot of editing to do.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your career?

MAY: I had two major challenges, the first was a serious illness, after Pistols at Dawn was published, brought on by hrt and the second was my mother’s demise earlier this year. When things like that happen you have to take a break and give yourself permission not to write. The other challenge was a full-time job. Now I write full time.

Do you believe in muses?

MAY: If you mean voices in my head, yes. But actually I think they are all me, I just have a seriously divided personality.

What influences and inspires you? Any authors?

MAY: I love Georgette Heyer for her regencies and Laura Kinsale for her lyrical prose and Jane Austen because she lived in the Regency. Really there are far too many to name. Mostly the characters that come to me are my inspiration. They bug me until I can write their story. I do draw on my own experiences with people and circumstances, though I can assure you I was not around in 1810.

What’s your take on self promotion? What have you found to work the best for you?

MAY: I think a web presence is key. A website is very important. www.micheleannyoung.com I like to go to signings and give out bookmarks wherever I go. I also send out bookmarks to readers groups and they seem to like getting them. I also do workshops for other writers. I found the workshops given by published authors very helpful when I was starting out, and so I would like to give back where I can. I have done talks at my local library an my local chapter and at Nationals last year. I send out four newsletters a year, and each one has its own little story about an event in the regency. I have fun writing them and people seem to enjoy them. I try really hard to make sure that promotion doesn’t eat into my writing time.

What do you think of social networks? Are you on any of them?

MAY: I belong to several, facebook, myspace, gather, several others. I haven’t twittered yet. I’m twittery enough as it is, I think. I do put up information about my books on the social site, but they are meant to be social, so I do not abuse that by using it as a selling tool. But if people are interested, they can find me there and contact me. It is always a thrill to get a note from someone who read your book and liked it.

How about blogs? Do you read them? Write your own? Guest blog? What do you think works best? And do you have any favorite blogs or blog posts?

MAY: I blog about my research twice a week, and what is happening in my writing life. www.micheleannyoung.blogspot.com. I think my blog has added value, because people who read historical novels like to know about history, and they can find all kinds of snippets of information without having to read a history book. I belong to a couple of group blogs, one with other Casablanca authors and one with the American Title 2 Finalists, where we talk about our journey. I like guest blogging, because you get to meet new people. As far as reading other blogs, I tend to be a blog hopper. If someone puts a link in their post on a loop on an email, I will check out the blog. I do follow a few of them regularly, Drunk Writers Talk, Risky Regencies, Petticoats and Pistols and… Oh I see there are quite a few.
What’s your opinion on having an agent? Do you have one currently?

MAY: I do. Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary Agency is my agent. I find him very helpful in getting material read by editors and getting the ms to the right editor. I think you can get an answer a little faster too, be it a no or a yes. And they can offer career advice. I am also very happy to have someone look over the contract for me.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve been given?

MAY: Try to make each new work better than the last one

Do you have any advice for new writers?

MAY: Persevere. Write what you like to write, it is an art as well as a craft and if you love what you are writing it will show.

Great questions – thank you so much for having me as a guest.

You might also be interested in:

1. Interview with Elaine Charton How long did it take for you to get published and what was the journey like? EC  It took me 12 years.  But in that time there was a lot of personal things going on and I was very involved in my local RWA Chapter.  I still am. Tell us...
2. CataU talks with Lupe M. Gonzalez How long did it take for you to get published and what was the journey like? LMG: I started actively seeking publication in 2001. A bit daunted at first, I kept on writing and submitting. Of course, when you submit, you get responses. Most of the responses I received were...
3. Interview with Shara Lanel How long did it take for you to get published and what was the journey like? SL: I had a couple of short stories published right out of college, but it was several years later before I finished my first novel, which wasn’t really a novel. It was only 145...