Maggie K. Black Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A. I’m a writer, a journalist and the mother of two little girls. I live just on the outskirts of Toronto, Canada. Most days I walk the kids to school, then I walk Small Dog through the park, make coffee and settle down to write. Christmas Blackout is my fifth book for Love Inspired Suspense, which is really exciting.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A. I think I knew I wanted to be a writer ever since fourth grade. I was going to a private, Christian school in North Carolina and used to write these really, really long stories in English class. I never got good grades on them because they were very long and unfocused. Mrs. Parton used to tell me that if I wanted to be a good writer I had to learn to focus my ideas. But I’m very thankful to her for being my first real audience. I started writing poetry and stories for fun soon after that.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A. I was a journalist for over a decade while I was struggling to write and sell my first novel. My first Love Inspired Suspense, called Killer Assignment, was actually based in Africa when I first wrote it. But after meeting other Love Inspired authors at a conference I got the idea to move it to Canada. All my books are based in Canada now.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Christmas Blackout?

A: Christmas Blackout is a romantic suspense set in an old bed and breakfast, run by our heroine, Piper Lawrence. Our hero, Benjamin Duff is trying to get to his sister Meg’s Christmas wedding. But he crashes his truck trying to save Piper’s life, when she’s attacked by a masked killer. They end up trapped there, during a blackout, with an evil killer inside the building and a deadly ice storm outside.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Christmas Blackout?

A: Benjamin and his huskie dog starred as supporting characters in a serial killer suspense novel I published last year, called Deadline. The story was about a reporter named Jack who tries to save Benjamin’s sister Meg, from a serial killer. I really loved Benjamin as a character and wanted to bring him back for a book of his own. Two years ago there was a huge ice storm over parts of Canada and the United States that caused a major blackout over Christmas, and I thought that would make a great setting for a romantic and dangerous Christmas story.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: I think the family relationships in the book are really special, especially Benjamin’s relationship with his sister Meg and the relationship between Piper’s elderly uncle and aunt. I hope readers remember the love stories in the book, and that while love isn’t always easy, it’s durable and real.

Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

A: I love the wedding scene. In “Deadline” readers got to see Benjamin’s sister Meg fall in love with Jack. In “Christmas Blackout” Meg and Jack finally get married. I can’t say too much about it without giving something major away, but it’s really significant for Benjamin and for his relationship with Piper. It’s a very happy scene that also makes me cry.

Q: What inspires you to write?

A. I’m really inspired by other people’s stories. I love reading the newspaper actually, especially human interest stories and advice columns. My friends are also a great source of inspiration. In Christmas Blackout there’s one scene where the heroine is attacked by a killer in the dead of night, and I actually asked all my friends on social media what they would use to fight off a killer in the night, and they gave me all sorts of wonderful ideas. The struggles that my characters are going through are based on the real life struggles that either I’ve gone through or that friends of mine have gone through. When I’m discouraged and feel like I don’t know what to write, I can always think of one more story on my heart that I feel like I need to tell.

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?

A: When I was younger I definitely thought that all authors were rich and famous, when in reality I live a really normal life. I go to the grocery store and the coffee shop and nobody knows that I write books for a living. But I get to write stories every day and I love that. What’s amazing, that I didn’t know, is that you can spend your entire life creating whole new sets of characters and new stories.

Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

A: I would say write as much as you can and don’t give up. It’s very, very important to finish at least the first draft of a book, because a publisher is going to want to see you’re able to write a full book before offering you a contract. I know a lot of very talented writers who’ve got several partial books started but have never finished one. So, my advice would be first, finish the book, and then, once it’s done you can start looking for people who will love it.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A. I just finished writing a book for Love Inspired Suspense called Tactical Rescue which comes out in May. It’s a very action packed special ops romance.

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?

A. I go to combat fitness classes at night and take classes in a self defense system called Commando Krav Maga. I’m not very athletic at all, but the people are wonderful and I get a lot of inspiration from practicing different self defense tactics. I also love travel and enjoy going on family trips, even just for a day drive to nearby towns.

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?

A.  Readers can find me on Twitter at @maggiekblack and on my website at www.maggiekblack.com.