Name of Author: Michelle Hayes
Title of Book: How Deep the Roots Go
Favorite Authors: Hemingway, Poe, Anne Rice, and Nicholas Sparks. There are just a few!
Bio:
Busy Mother of four, who balances family, work, and hides in a closet sometimes to write!(not kidding) I love my family and friends dearly, and spend time barbecuing, drinking wine, and making memories.
How Deep the Roots Go
http://www.wattpad.com/story/23204928-how-deep-the-roots-go-~-book-one
Can you explain what your book is all about?
Temperance Augustine is in the midst of battling with the recent weakening of her blood tied gift. It is one that she inherited through generations of the Augustine women. With the sudden death of her mother, she finds herself forging ahead with as much grace as she can harbor, and with little to no answers. In a moment of weakness, she is convinced by her best friend to visit a Tarot Card Reader right in her hometown, New Orleans, LA. It is within that very room that Temperance soon discovers that the parting of her gift is not by mistake, but being depleted by something more powerful than she could ever imagine. Temperance unveils that a gift like hers was bestowed for a purpose, and was chosen long ago to face a battle of good and evil − marked already in the pages of fate.
Who is your target audience - and why?
I feel that this story is not limited to a specific audience because it stretches from paranormal, romance, thriller, and so on. The protagonist is in her early twenties, so even a YA reader may enjoy it.
What is 'paranormal' about your story?
Upon reading the first page you're witnessing a Tarot Card reading that subtly hints to why the protagonist is losing her sight, and what she will embark upon. The characters all have rare gifts; such as: the second sight, mind reader and persuader, Skin walker, and various types of Angels. There are Demons, and an Archfiend army that wants to harvest the gift that lives inside the protagonist.
Does it contain other genre elements, if so which ones - and why?
Romance and Thriller. The protagonist, Temperance, falls in love with the one man she cannot have; her protector, Roman. He was assigned the duty to shield her from the evil that will befall. There are reasons their hearts cannot bind, but will they listen to the law that was handed down to them? Or will they succumb to the want brewing within their souls?
Tell us about your writing process - how do you get from story idea to a Wattpad published story?
I aim for structure, yet I know its not necessarily perfected. I think in time it will improve. I have an outline of the plot, and then I break it down with the characters, traits, conflict, etc. I keep it handy while writing, but I allow for new ideas to come aboard too. In other words, though I do not stray from my outline, I welcome and use something that will occur to me that did not before during the writing process. I write every single day. Even if it's only a sentence. Though there are times I'm overwhelmed in life, and if I have to put my project aside for a brief time, I will do so. Writing when frustrated, or having writers block, will not produce the story I would be proud of. I do feel that writing something every day allows me to advance in the craft. Writing is challenging to begin with, but writing great is even more so.
Did you encounter any challenges when writing, if so - how did you overcome them?
I'm sure most of us in the writing arena face challenges in writing. Balancing family, work, and writing, is not an easy task. I try to find a happy medium. I'm a tenacious soul, and will not fold on writing. I love it too much.
You often hear that 'writing well' is the baseline for success. What does that mean for you?
I interpret it as writing good is one thing, but writing well is a whole other ball game. Evoking feeling from the reader, making the characters feel real with dimension and a voice that is true to the human spirit, will make or break a story. I want to have my reader within the pages; so entranced that they're experiencing what the characters are going through and what they are feeling. It's not an easy charge, and I hope that in time, the more I compose I'll become more skilled.
