Interview with Marie Flynn

This week I'm delighted to introduce Stephanie Flynn, who writes urban fantasy under the name Marie Flynn. Her latest book, Demon Curse is out right now, and I was able to grab an interview with her about it.

Tell me more about your book?

At the heart, it’s about a man from a spiteful home trying his best to impress his family, and in his desperation, he makes a mistake that destroys everything he loves. The rest of the series is him learning from his past mistakes and rectifying them the best he can with very limited resources.

What prompted you to write it?

I had images in my head of a woman bickering with a stray cat, and the cat complaining about being a cat. The story filled in from there, with the woman being the protag. But after editing the blurb over and over, I realized the cat was the most interesting character. So the cat, iKat, became the star.

What are you working on at the moment? Are there already plans for the next book after this one?

I’m currently editing Twice Cursed, book 1 of the series. Demon Curse is the prequel. And I have plans for either 6 or 9 instalments in addition to the prequel.

When did you first start writing? And what made you start?

I wrote my first story when I was 12 based on a dream I had that night. I typed it up on Word using Windows 95. I printed it and saved it in a folder. I still have that story (somewhere!). Fast forward almost 20 years, through college and required reading, and I discovered some classics that weren’t required reading, and I loved them. But after heavy read after heavy read, I wanted something lighter. I just heard about Twilight, since it was being adapted to a movie, and I decided to give it a read and see what the hype was about. That book not only inspired me to dive into more vampire books before branching out to Ann Rice, Jim Butcher, and J.R. Ward, but it also inspired me to write. So a big thank you is owed to Stephenie Meyer.

I wrote a young adult book that shall never be named and has since been vanquished from the interwebs, and not knowing what else to do, I returned to school. Halfway through my bachelor’s in accounting, I had the bug to write again, this time inspired by Outlander. (I did finish school.) I wrote a full series of time travel romances and had them edited professionally a few times until I mastered all my shortcomings.

Then I was ready to write the story that’s been nagging at me: Nick Barnes, a human turned into a demon and cursed in a cat’s body (iKat). He has to befriend lowly humans and rectify the damage he’d done when he released his government-ordered bacteria to the public. Now Demon Curse is finally here, and Twice Cursed, where he’s cursed into a cat’s body, is almost ready for release.

What was the first full-length novel you ever wrote? (I realise this may not be the same as the first book you have had published!)

That embarrassing pile of flaming poop shall not be named in case anyone has a copy, and it never should’ve been published. But everyone has to learn from their mistakes to grow, so I don’t regret it.

Which is your favourite secondary character in your book, and why is it your favourite?

In Demon Curse, I have a group of secondary characters who are all fun demons, but my favorite is Heather Brush, because she’s sneaky, she hates Nick Barnes, and her loyalties are non-existent.

Where is your ideal writing space?

My ideal writing space is somewhere silent and free of disruptions and distractions, which is NOT where I write now, but I make it work. Ideally it would be raining; I love rain for white noise, but we don’t get enough to rely on for writing here in Michigan.

What’s the best bit of advice you’ve ever been given? (not necessarily writing-related!)

Change your oil and check your fluids. Thanks, Dad! 😊 

And now for some more random questions... 

What’s your radio tuned to most often?

Classic rock, 80s, and 90s. I love me some AC/DC, Metallica, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Genesis, Queen, Creedence, Chicago, Guns N’ Roses, Poison, Green Day, The Offspring, Matchbox 20, etc. Sometimes we listen to Disney movie soundtracks, because kids.

You’re stranded on an island. You can choose one of the following three things. Which do you choose and why?
1. Limitless supply of paper and pens.
2. A computer which will never run out of battery and which can access the internet, but you can’t post anything/get help via it, only read what others have put up.
3. An endless supply of loo roll.

Writing by hand would drive me crazy, since I erase and rearrange so much, so I need a word processor. Assuming the island has poison-free softish leaves, I would choose the never-ending computer. When my eyeballs need a break, I browse Reddit. Actually, I’m a lurker in most places, and I’m totally cool with sitting back and reading others’ posts for education and entertainment value.

You can only wear one of the following colours for the rest of your life. Which colour do you choose?
Yellow. Orange. Green. White. Pink. Green. 

White is too hard to keep clean, and warm colors like yellow and orange clash with my skintone. I could do pink, (I had pink hair for a while), but green is easier on the eyes.

Cats or dogs?

Cats. I love the independence of an animal looking for food, scratches, and a warm lap. Plus, endless entertainment and book inspiration. 😊 

City or country?

If I had to choose the ultimate urban location or deep in the country, I’d probably pick the country for the quiet, but if it was a medium-sized city and I could be on the outskirts, that’s my real pick, and sort of where I live. I still have city water and trash pick-up, but I have almost an acre of land (which takes too much time to mow!) and no neighbors behind me. 

Real book or e-book?

I would’ve picked real book about five years ago, but the weight and space requirements mean I’m an eBook convert. However, I do prefer my non-fiction to be in print. 

Fountain pen or biro? 

Biro (had to look that up!), ball point pen, specifically the Uni-Ball Signo 207. Speaking of which, I need another box. I used a fountain pen in high school art class; it didn’t go well.

Thanks very much for letting me bombard you with questions!

If you want to keep up with all of Marie’s news, make sure you sign up for her newsletter here

You can also catch up with Stephanie/Marie at all of the following places:

Website: https://stephanieflynn.net/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieFlynnAuthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marie-flynn
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21247954.Marie_Flynn
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MarieFlynnAuthor/ 

Make sure you check out Marie's books:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XY6V6C8
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08XY6V6C8
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08XY6V6C8
Amazon AU : https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08XY6V6C8
Barnes and Noble US (print only): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/demon-curse-marie-flynn/1139821891
Universal link: books2read.com/DemonCurse


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