Kayden McLeod's Blog: Ravyn Wilde, Interview With The Author

An interview with Ravyn Wilde

Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

For many decades I worked as a regional sales manager for a Fortune 100 company. When the company was sold in 2002 and I was laid off that August, I had a lot of time to read while I tried to figure out what to do next. I clearly remember buying a paperback at the grocery store and coming home excited to have a new book. And then about a third of the way through it, I couldn’t stand any more. It was horrible. The plot and characters, the editing – everything was bad. In disgust, I tossed it in the garbage and offhandedly told my husband, “I can write better than that!” He shook his head and told me, “Then do it.”

I clearly recall frowning at him and thinking about all the books I read that I really didn’t like and thinking I probably could do better. But if I wrote something, what would I do with it? The thought of writing appealed to me and I started researching possibilities. And that research led me to one of the “NEW” online publishers that I had discovered recently from a friend’s recommendation. I had been reading my way through their catalog and the next time I logged in I noticed they had a manuscript submission section of their website.

So, I looked at the requirements and then sat down and started writing. Within a week I had the first three chapters. Which is what I needed to submit, thinking I’d finish the book in the next couple months while I waited to hear from them.

I got an email in two days requesting the rest of the manuscript. This was right at Thanksgiving time. I replied that I needed a couple of weeks to “polish” the book and sent them the rest right after Christmas. My book was accepted within a few days, and then went through months of back-and-forth revisions with the editors.

That first book was Zylan Captive, it was originally published in June of 2003, and is still one of my best sellers – and is regularly listed in Amazon’s top 50 in the relevant Sci/Fi and Fantasy categories.

At the end of December 2020, I released Vlad & Veronica, my 40th book!

Where were you born/grew up at?

I was born in Oregon and grew up overseas. When I was 12, my family moved to Bougainville, New Guinea. We lived there for four years and I did correspondence courses for my schooling. (This was before the internet and online schools. It would take months to send assignments in the mail to teachers and get the corrected work and grades back!) My junior year in high school we moved to Singapore. Then back to Oregon my Senior year.

If you knew you'd die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?

I would hopefully be near a beach and have my grandchildren with me. I love the ocean and love spending time with my grandchildren.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

Go to the beach. Read in the hammock. Write.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less!

Coffee-addict, dedicated, structured, imaginative, hippy-ish

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

A gecko. It hangs around on the ceiling in warm climates and just watches everything.

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?

I can’t really give you top ten… but JD Robb the In Death series, Christine Feehan all her books and series, and Laurel K. Hamilton’s Anita and Merry books.

How long have you been writing?

Since 2003

What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

This really depends on the book. For instance, for Let Them Eat Cake I did a great deal of research on Marie Antoinette and what her life was like. For UnDuplicated Magic I spent days reading about the Romani, Travellers, and the Nazi purge when it came to the Travellers or Gypsies. It may be something to do with a character, a time period, or something I want to know more about. Okay… more examples. Also, for Unholy Magic (part of Magic and Myth) I did a lot of research on Ute Indians. And for all the subseries, Children of the Dark Mage, I spent time researching and reading about cloning.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise?

Why? Sometimes music, more often the sound of waves. A specific character might demand music… Midnight in Midnight’s Mystery wanted old rock. Lots of Billy Idol or ACDC. But I typically write to YouTube Videos of the ocean and waves. When I can travel, my “writing” vacations are to the ocean. Because I find I am two or three times more productive if I am by the ocean when I write. I duplicate that with videos of ocean waves, tropical beaches, and the sound of the ocean. And… sometimes when things get complicated, the only thing that works is silence.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

Both. Sometimes I work one of the paranormals and one of the sci/fi fantasy. The primary book I will write three hours a day or 5000 words, the secondary book will only be for ½ an hour and no word count limit. Just enough to keep the story going. When a book gets close to the end, or I’m doing revisions and final edits, I only work on one.

A day in the life of the author?

I’m up by 7:30. Take about half an hour to get coffee and take care of the dogs, etc. Then write for three hours on the primary book, ½ hour on secondary. Then an hour of housework, exercise… or something that requires me to move. 😉 Then three hours of “Author” stuff. Promotion (Social Media, creating promotional material like newsletters, participating in other multi-author promotions, etc.) and book housekeeping which often means checking or updating categories, blurbs, formatting and editing to put a book in print, research on author tools, creating and managing advertising… etc. An hour of personal management – bills, medical/insurance management, going through the mail, etc. Then another hour of something that requires me to move. More housework, projects like painting or gardening, I have a dancercise subscription that I move to. I make dinner, do laundry, and read, edit, or write more after dinner and check my list for the next day of what needs to be accomplished. This is a day that I don’t have grandchildren over, errands to run, or specific things that need to be taken care of. I go to bed from midnight to 2 am.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Write more, write faster, take writing classes, and keep abreast of the changes in the industry. Don’t be afraid of that change, move with it.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Yes. It comes. Sometimes nothing other than time will help. But I’ve learned to sit down and write about a character’s day. Do they smile at the neighbors, get coffee every morning, talk to the kid on the skateboard… or go through life without seeing anyone? Do they wear clothes they’ve always had, or ones they just bought? What is their favorite food, drink, color? Etc. I have mundane conversations with them. Getting to know them better. Sometimes these pieces get in the book, sometimes they don’t. I’ve also found that if I have been using the computer, I switch to pen and paper. And if all else fails… I take a bath and take the pen and paper with me. If I have writers block, a soak in a hot tub will always shake something loose.

Excerpt from the latest from Creatures of Myth Series, Vlad and Veronica

Vlad let his paranormal senses search the building while Marie explained.

“The eight gargoyles who protect this city are granite monstrosities that can be called upon to guard the innocent. With a little blood and great need, a stone being can be brought to life. I’ve never known all of them to wake at the same time,” she offered.

“There is a lot of blood. And it circles all the pedestals. Whoever pleaded for help, woke them all.” Vlad had never spoken more than a few words with the Guardians. For one thing, he’d never been innocent. For another, not many believed anymore so there wasn’t anyone asking for help. Which meant the stone creatures spent a hell of a lot of time asleep. They weren’t awake for him to talk to, so he didn’t know much about them.

He spoke again, “I don’t sense the demon, nor do I feel that there was a death up here. I believe the Stone Guardians were awakened and they’ve taken their charge or charges away to care for them. The demon couldn’t wake them from their stone sleep as he is not innocent. In a sleeping state, the stone protectors couldn’t give the demon what he needs, which is their blood. I don’t fear for them, but we should make sure they are aware of the demon’s threat. The demon would love to capture one of these ancients.” Vlad hadn’t been thinking. Asleep, these ancients didn’t bleed. He didn’t believe the demon had them. But that meant eight ancients were running around the world. Ancients that hadn’t been awake for centuries. Shit. Another problem to deal with.

He looked at Marie. “See if you can find them. Later tonight I’ll send you a list of the few ancients in your territory that would tempt Adramelech. And I’ll put together another list of the top twenty worldwide for Brian and Matt. They can work their magic and get the other Sentinels searching. Be alert, aware, and watch over your people. The demon has had some success with his plans. He’ll be more determined now than ever.”

* * * *

Back at his castle, Vlad called out to his mate. “Veronica! I’m home. Where the hell are you?” As the leader of the Supernatural Council, he’d gained the ability to shift time and space. With Others all over the world, he needed to be able to pop in and out of continents within moments. He always took Veronica with him, and sometimes Igor.

But the strips had given him the luxury of going alone. Igor had followed under his own steam. This was the first time since he’d mated Veronica that they had been separated by so many miles. The hours had gone by fast, but he’d missed his mate.

The sublingual strips had been created by Eve to allow vampire True Bond mates to spend time away from each other. Without the strips, vampire mates needed to remain close. Like in the same room. It was frustrating when Vlad needed to do things that might put his mate in danger.

But the modern drug had a time limit. The drug wasn’t wearing off yet, but Vlad could feel the need for his mate, creeping up on him.

Veronica didn’t answer his call, so he set out to search all one hundred and twenty-two rooms of the castle. Rooms Veronica had painstakingly decorated to meet their combined personalities. Which hadn’t been easy. She was sweet, caring, and lived to help others.

Vlad was none of those things and didn’t have a problem admitting it.

Contrary to misguided history, his castle had never been Bram. He hadn’t even had a castle until he’d been a vampire for some time. Vlad had preferred life on the road. Pillaging and fighting didn’t require a home base.

It was also a misconception that he had killed to acquire the castle. Vlad snorted. No, he did it the old-fashioned way. He paid money for it. For one thing, Veronica wouldn’t allow him to do anything else.

Being head of the Supernatural Council required a home base. Having a mate that he loved and wanted to protect, made it even more important. It wasn’t the love of a good woman that kept him in line. Kept him from solving all his problems with mayhem and murder. It was Vlad’s love for Veronica. He snorted. The love of an unbelievably bad man for the flickering light in his soul.

He frowned when he stepped out on the sun deck at the very top of his castle. Veronica wasn’t here. She wasn’t anywhere within the castle walls.

Gazing over the calm fields and watching the sunset, he pulled out his com device to check for messages. There weren’t any. But he noticed the home communicator had been answered by Veronica several hours ago. She’d talked to Autumn. Maybe the Dragon Witch knew where he could find his mate.

As he waited for Autumn to answer, Vlad pictured the Witch in his mind. She had dark black hair with thin white streaks running through it. The other Dragon Witches often teased Autumn that the slivers of white were caused when lightning bolts of knowledge hit her brain.

She had taken every bit of digital information out of the cave in Greece, where they had rescued many clone babies and a few women incubators.

Vlad knew she was looking for clues. Trying to find other locations they could search for the demon.

He wondered if she’d discovered anything.

“Hey, big guy. Did you get the message?” she asked instead of greeting him.

Vlad frowned. “You left me this message?” he asked.

“I did. And now I’m confused. I called this morning and talked to Ronnie. I told her about a place that we needed you to inspect. It appears there might be a training school or military camp there for the clones. It’s not far from your castle. Veronica said she would tell you as soon as you got home. She told me you went to test one of your theories on who might have been held captive in the last cave.”

“I went, I saw nothing. It is not this morning—it is the night. Veronica is not home where I left her.”

Autumn gasped. “Oh shit!” she muttered.

Vlad couldn’t help but agree. His heart raced in fear for his mate.

****

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About the Author

Ravyn Wilde is the author of the Zylar’s Moons, Creatures of Myth, and Out of THIS World series. She writes Hot romance filled with things that go bump in the night! Get Wilde with a werewolf, or vampire, maybe a dragon or two...or let an Alien hunk take you away from all your troubles. But keep track, because one and a while a story-worthy human comes along. These books have strong, capable women and happily-ever-after endings. Ravyn is a firm believer in escapism, preferring to read and write stories that have little basis in the real world.

Ravyn is passionate about her family, the beach, and the hammock in her backyard where she stares up at the treetops and formulates her books. Oh, and coffee…she’s very passionate about coffee. She has lived all over the western United States and in a few exotic places like New Guinea and Singapore. She is married with three grown children and a fabulously fun, expanding hoard of grandchildren.