Interview with SJ McMillian

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome S.J. McMillian to the blog today to talk about her new book City of the Gods. 

1. Can you please share with us a little about yourself?

     I live in southwest Missouri with my supportive husband and my three fun loving kids. Along with being a wife and mother, I have a full time job as an administrative assistant during the work week. I enjoy reading, exercising, eating junk food, watching movies & TV, singing loudly, and dancing terribly.

2. Have you always wanted to be an author?

     I didn’t even consider becoming an author until I finished The Descendant a couple years ago. I remember when I was younger I wanted to be a teacher, but as I grew older I changed my mind several times. For a while I wanted to be an FBI agent, which changed into wanting to be a photo-journalist. The photo-journalist didn’t work out because even though I wanted to write, I didn’t want to write about news. Well that, and the fact that I suck at photography.

3. Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

     My favorite writers include Katie McAlister, Michele Bardsley, Lynsay Sands, & Christine Feehan. Any and all of these amazing writers influenced my writing. All these women write strong characters that I always end up falling in love with. Not to mention, they all have an element of humor in them which is another thing I love about their books. I want to have those strong believable characters in my stories. I want the reader to love my characters and stories just as much as I love these ladies stories.

4. How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

     As you can see from my list of favorite authors, I have an affinity for paranormal romance. I’m just not real comfortable writing the steamy love scenes you often get in those. Urban fantasy is a nice blend of paranormal, horror, and romance. I can put a bit of romance into the story without having to write that full on steamy love scene, but still put just enough gore in the story to make you cringe, but not puke.

Once I finish the City of the Gods trilogy, I do have a story in mind that rides the line between paranormal and urban fantasy. I also have plans for a ghost story and a humorous fiction series. One day I will venture out of my comfortable urban fantasy world, but it will be a few years from now.

5. What are some of your writing rituals?

     I usually have to have some kind of music playing as background noise and I always have to have something to drink handy. Those are the only things that are a must for me while writing. Anything else would be a distraction.

6. Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

     The title of my current release is City of the Gods: The Descendant. It’s about Katalina, a girl who is a descendant of an ancient civilization. Unknown to her, she has been appointed by the Gods to save humanity from annihilation by an evil priest. Three of the original citizens of the civilization are given the mission to train and protect Katalina until she is ready to defeat the evil.

Katalina’s life has been a constant struggle since the loss of her parents when she was younger. She doubts her ability to save the human race, when she can barely protect herself. It’s up to her friends, who have survived for many centuries, to convince her that she does indeed have what it takes to accept the mantle of Redeemer.

7. How did you come up with idea for this story?

     This story has been in the making for over ten years. At the time I was reading lots of paranormal romances. I wanted to write a story of my own. The earliest version of this story had vampires, werewolves, and witches running amuck throughout it. Then came that little phenomenon Twilight, and then Vampire Dairies hot on its heels. I didn’t want to write something that was like everything else out there. I wanted to give the reader something different. One day while researching I came across the city of Teotihuacan in Mexico. I was intrigued by its limited history. I consumed all the information I could find on the city, short of traveling there myself. I took out the vampires and werewolves, and created something unique. It came out better than I could have possibly hoped for.

8. Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

     I’m currently working on the second book for the City of the Gods trilogy. I’m hoping to have it completed by the end of June. The only things I can tell you about the book without spoiling the story is that it takes off where The Descendant ends, and centers more on another character.

9. What would you be if you were not an author?

     A poet or artist. I can’t draw worth a crap, but I would still have that need to express my creativity. As an author, I’m able to express that side of me.

10. What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

       I’m so far behind on my reading. On my nightstand right now is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Yep that’s right, the 2^nd book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I was also told by a good friend of mine to read Shades of Grey. There are probably many others out there that I would read if I had the time.

11. Is there anything else you would like to add?

       I would like to thank your readers for taking the time to stop by and read my babbling. I also love hearing from readers and fellow authors. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcmillansj, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mcmillansj, or come by my website at www.mcmillansj.com.