Interview With Melanie Toye, Author of Entice Me

Thank you for joining me on my blog today, Melanie!

What is your book about?

Entice Me is about three women who are living their lives unsatisfied and unfulfilled but are unsure how to break free and live the life they really want. Which begs the question – what do they want from life? It is not until life forces them out of their daily routines that they are forced to discover what the world has to offer. Complication arises when one woman is set out to be the best in the business and when things don’t go her way no one suspects what she will do next.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Entice Me was created when I had just left a very demanding job that I loved but was treated very poorly. I had never felt fulfilled in any of the jobs I worked in and had spoken to many people who had worked in their careers for decades yet were unfulfilled, they were stuck. I wanted to create Entice Me to hold a motivating message through an entertaining story to not wait for life to force you to change paths, but to think about what are your ultimate dreams in life and each day work towards it.

After writing Entice Me, it seems my life has also changed directions, writing is my dream and at the time I didn’t realise it. I wanted to escape the rat race but I was not sure what I wanted to do. It seems I have been writing and telling stories all my life I just never realised it was my dream career until recently. Now I want more than ever to share with everyone to chase their own dreams. It can be daunting and push you out of your comfort zone to the max, but it is incredibly rewarding.

What makes your book different than others in your genre?

Entice Me is a chick lit novel that pushes the boundaries that this genre would not normally write about. Drama, suspense, eating disorders, fraud and even suicide make this chick lit a book that will have you hooked to your seat wanting to read more.  What makes Entice Me even more compelling are the characters which can relate to anyone in any stage of life.
 
Who is your favorite writer? Why?

Currently it is Janet Evanovich, I love her characters, her writing style and the fact that I can’t put her books down.

What strange writing rituals do you have?

Now, I write mainly in the evening, so I like to have a cup of herbal tea and something to eat as I sit down and write. For sanity purposes I have a pen and notepad in every room of the house as well as in my bag and in my child’s pram because when I get a thought for a good story or just a conversational piece, I have to write it down as soon as possible.

Is your writing style similar to any well-known writers? If so, which one(s)?

A good chick lit novel is one filled with girly fun and adventure, which is light and entertaining that will leave you smiling throughout the read. Entice Me portrays this and adds even more thrill to your read.

I don’t think I could really compare my writing to any one else’s, as all writers add their own uniqueness and specialty. I would say my story telling is combined with self-help as I want to inspire and send a message through my novels to chase your dreams in life but be sure to have fun on the way.

Who is your Muse?

My motivator is my son. I was writing before he was born but he motivated me to self-publish my novel and become a freelance writer. I love that I am showing my son that I am chasing my dreams and he can too.

What are your hobbies?

Writing! Generally all my spare time is spent on writing and marketing. But I love it. I love spending time at the beach and exploring new adventures and places too.

Does your main character resemble anyone in your family or circle of friends?

Most likely, one cannot help but write about personalities and traits that are known to the person. When my husband and brother read the first two chapters, they said ‘this sounds just like you’. Not that I would ever go around sleeping with strangers in a drunken manner and throw my underwear on their bed (as I am happily married!) but I guess my voice came through the novel, which is great.  Although once the characters where created the story just flowed through me, these characters created their own paths.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Longer than one would appreciate. I spent two years writing Entice Me, when my computer crashed I lost everything except for three chapters. I took four months off, when a friend suggested perhaps it was a sign to start again. Then I rewrote Entice Me again adding in Sally and Mr Perfect to really spice up the storyline. I believe most of the story changed but for the better. Took me another 1 year and a half to write Entice Me again. I was also working full time in another role. I would write in lunch breaks, at night time and on weekends.

What are some writing goals for the future?

My immediate goals are to become an International Best Selling Author. I would love for my novels to be turned into movies. And I will be aiming to write and self-publish some short stories and non-fiction eBooks as well as release my next fiction novel by the end of next year.  My main goal at this stage is to earn a full time living from writing.

If you were stranded on an island which book would you bring with you?

I would be sure to pack a notepad and pen so I could write my own story.

What was the most difficult thing you have learned being a writer?

When writing Entice Me I had to be absolutely focused to finish the novel. Then once I finished it, I had to let go of all my fear of rejections and go out and spread the word to the world about Entice Me.

----------

Blurb: Miranda is the top recruitment consultant for Entice Consultancy, working long hours to achieve great results. From the outside she appears to have her life in order as a successful career woman. Yet a jealous rival is determined to do anything to take her down and soon Miranda’s life turns problematical. Grace and Louise both met Miranda through work and lead interesting lives of their own. Grace a free spirit, falls in love with a man that appears to be perfect. When her true love goes missing her world soon falls apart. Louise’s eating disorder is pushed to the limit as is her marriage with Mike. Retirement and a new relationship seem like bliss until one night’s event changes everything. Entice Me is a journey that explores life changing events that forces each woman to rediscover themselves and what they are seeking from life. Meltdowns, break-ups, love and laughter make Entice Me into an entertaining read.

Where to purchase the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Entice-Me-ebook/dp/B008VBTWZO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359078365&sr=1-1&keywords=entice+me

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/234817