GUEST AUTHOR: Mel Teshco

Yes, I know it' not Monday but I couldn't pass up having a special guest and my friend Mel Teshco visit today!

Bonus! You're getting a couple of guest authors this week!!! And a give-away!

So, who is Mel Teshco?
I’m a mum of three wonderful girls and a grandmother of a gorgeous little boy. My family has a thing for cats (four) and horses (three). And of course, we love books—well, my husband and two youngest girls do, my eldest daughter prefers to watch books at the movies (g).

I live in sunny Queensland, on a small acreage with gorgeous big gum trees and rolling green hills. And presently, a big empty pool (liners are expensive!! LOL).

Sounds like a nice patch of paradise, Mel! Must be great for the creative side in you when you're writing. Speaking of :-) - can you tell us about your new release, MOON THRALL?
MOON THRALL is about a woman desperate to escape the abuse of her ex fiancée. I can totally relate to this theme and thought this heroine truly deserved her HEA.

The hero has been waiting for his weren (werewolf mate) and is shocked to discover her ex fiancée is his werewolf enemy.
 
Elyse Wellston escapes from her brutal, violent ex-fiancé to a remote cabin in Australia. Fearing for her life, it makes no sense for her to react the way she does on meeting the enigmatic Dane Maddox.

Only when she discovers he is a werewolf and she is his weren—his mate and a werewolf herself—does she begin to understand the hot, sexual yearning within. No longer does she need to act out a desire she doesn’t feel, Dane is everything she wants. But will her ex-fiancé end her happiness, her sexual fulfillment, almost before it begins? 

What is it about your characters that made you want to tell their stories?
I think it’s things I can either relate to or that fascinate me in some way. The characters in MOON THRALL actually came to me after I imagined the opening scene. Movies can stay in my mind and influence my characters many years down the track. In this story, think of the heroine as Julia Robert’s in Sleeping with the Enemy. (damn good movie, too!) And the hero, he’s the rich, alpha male with a little bit of SNAG thrown in...gotta love that!! (g) 

Movies are a powerful visual, aren't they? I'm a bit of a movie buff too, mostly action/adventure, lots of SF/F and I'm always a sucker if there's a romantic element thrown in.

Now, for a question about your writing process. Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write? Has your pet taught you anything about writing? If so, what?
My tabby cat Yammy (named after the Yamaha motorcycle, as a kitten her purr was LOUD).

If she’s not on my keyboard or in front of my screen, she’s on my lap or looking up at me with her puss-in-boots eyes, waiting for the go ahead to snuggle.

She’s my *special* girl. She used to stand up on her hind legs and give my little girl a hug when she was crying (this cat worries over crying). Yammy also used to have very bad epilepsy, but she seems cured now (touch wood!!)

Yammy actually was one of the influences for a bit of an odd fantasy novel I started, where the heroine attracted cats like bees to a honeypot. Yet another ms I will have to dust off and finish! 

So, what's next for you? What are you working on?
I’m having a little break from finishing off BELIEVE, my co-authored, never ending book (g) and revising a very old paranormal novel ‘Shadow Hunter’ which will need a name change.

I’m also about halfway through BROTHERS OF THE OTHERWORLD, an alien fantasy short novel for Ellora’s Cave.

Then I plan the third novella for the gargoyle WINGED & DANGEROUS series, which I hope to submit about halfway through the year. 

Wow, you're certainly busy! And I'm looking forward to seeing your next W&D book, especially the cover. They've been a great series! Mel, thanks for being my special "special" guest today! :-) 

And, as I mentioned at the start of this post, there's a give-away of MOON THRALL (or, if you prefer, you get a choice of one her Ellora's Cave back-list). Leave a comment by 6pm, Tuesday 22nd March 2011, and you'll go into the draw. Good luck!

If you'd like to know more about Mel check out her website, blog or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Mel's other books:

 

Free read!