Author Interview with Multi-genre Author Marie Higgins    

During the past few months, I had the wonderful experience of reading one of Marie's earlier historical novels and discovered what an exceptionally gifted author she is.  Marie takes her readers inside the story with masterful descriptions and a page-turning storyline.  She generates magic with her complex plots and clean but passionate romances. I love the way she can paint a setting and help the reader escape into the world between the pages of her books. I hope you will enjoy reading Marie's responses to my questions. Thanks, Maire, for letting me interview you.

1) Tell us a little about yourself, your background, interests, anything.

I’m a mother of three, grandmother of three, and I’ve been married…forever. lol  I’ve lived in Utah all my life, and I work full time for the state. I’ve also been writing for approximately 16 years. But really, I’ve been writing longer than that because in school I loved to write poems, and I also enjoyed writing skits for our community. Nowadays I’m what would be considered the class clown because I try to make people laugh. I’ve added this to my stories, and some are quite comical. But for now, my interests are family, church, and writing.

2) Why did you begin writing novels, and what motivates you to keep writing?
I’d been reading romance since I was 19. I love watching romantic movies, too. What started me into writing was after watching a good romance movie that had a bad ending. That night I had a dream and when I awoke, I thought it could make a pretty good book. So I decided to give it a try. Up to this point, I’d only been writing silly skits and poems. However, once I started writing this story, my creativity changed drastically…and I found my muse! From that first story, I haven’t been able to stop writing, which is all right with me because I love creating new adventures!  What motivates me? Thinking about sitting in front of the tv for the rest of my life doing nothing with my mind and not using my talent. When I think about this, I’m back in front of the computer, writing my heart out!
 

3) How many books have you written?

Good question! I don’t know for sure. lol  Last I counted it was around 64. Keep in mind, that a LOT of these were written in the early years, and so they’ll need a lot of revising before I can make them readable. But it seems I never have time to revise because a new story idea comes along, and my characters won’t shut up until I write it.

4) 64! 64! 64! Wow!  That's incredible.  What is your favorite genre or do you like to write in more than one?

I’ve written in several genres (historical, contemporary, paranormal, western, time-travels, Inspirational), but my favorite is historical. Victorian is probably my favorite, then Regency, then American historical.

5) Ahhh, yes; Victorian and Regency.  Two of my very favorites.  Are you working on anything at the present time, and if so, could you give us a brief description of it?

I’m not really working on anything, but I have a lot of stories waiting on the shelf. I’m first waiting for my editor / publisher to decide when my next book will be released and then we’ll work on edits for “Secrets After Dark” – my historical paranormal, in England 1880’s. This is about a woman set on finding her father’s murderer, and in the process, stumbles across a family’s secrets she wished she’d never discovered! This story has a Gothic feel to it, and it has witches, curses, and werewolves…oh my! It’s darker than most of my stories, so it’ll be interesting to see how well it does. 

My agent is submitting a few of my stories, so this is why I’m waiting to see what happens before I start writing anything new. If she sells my Inspirational historical “A Walk In Heaven”, then I’ll want to get started on book #2 for this series. If she sells my sweet Regency, “To Love Again”, then I’ll have to start working on book #2 for that series. So at the moment, I’m in waiting limbo while ideas for new projects swirl through my imagination. 
 
6) I love to read little teasers from authors' works-in-progress, and I post one every week from mine.  Could you share a snippet from your work in progress or from a book you have written that shows a little about your style of writing?

Ohhh, what a wonderful idea! I’d love to share a snippet. This is an unedited section in “Secrets After Dark” when heroine starts to wonder about the “East Wing Ghost” the family she’s staying with has warned her about. Now she’s realizing there is more to the story than what they’re saying… 

The rabid dogs were kept entertained by shredding the garment, so Hannah took another step back, then another, until her feet quickened and she put some distance between them. The dogs snapped their heads in her direction before leaping toward her.

                Disoriented, having no idea which way to run, she screamed and ran. Where was the house? All that loomed before her were the jumble of black tree trunks and a white, swirling mist. Branches whipped at her face and caught her hair, but she didn’t dare stop. The animals were close on her heels.

                Her toes hit a moss-covered log. She fell into the mud. Sobbing, she covered her face. The piercing of teeth on her flesh would be the next pain she’d feel.

                Another sound ripped through the air. Some other animal had joined the threesome. One dog yelped, then all of them joined in. Then the yelps of one dog seemed to become a man’s voice. A man’s tone boomed into a growl-like hiss.

                She peeked through quivering fingers. Yellow, glowing eyes caught her attention. She blinked, not believing what she saw. A tall man with wide shoulders and wearing a hooded black cloak stood between her and the dogs. She recognized him immediately. Morgan Thornton!

Lowering her hands, she watched. The glowing color of his eyes disappeared. Had she imagined it? After all, he wanted her to believe he was the East Wing ghost.

                He turned his attention toward the beasts and growled in a wolf’s tone. Cocking their heads from side to side, the dogs whined.

                Hannah gasped. Could this man actually talk to them? Impossible.

                Yet the dogs acted as if they understood or at least feared him. He growled again and the three beasts yelped, and ran into the forest with their tails between their legs.

7) How can your fans get a hold of you?  Do you have a website?  And where can they go to buy your books?

I have a website that teams with my blog. http://mariehiggins84302.blogspot.com
I’m also on Facebook as Marie Higgins (Campbell) – I had to use my maiden name. lol. My books are available at any major bookstore, Deseret Book or Seagull Books, or if you’re an online shopper, you can buy them on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Thanks Wanda for this great interview!

Thanks for taking the time.  Can't wait to read more of your books!  All the best to you in your future writing adventures.