7 Things You Might Not Know About Zee Monodee (via The Very Inspiring Blogger Award)

Hey beautiful people!

Once again I find myself up to my neck in edits and barely able to pop my head over the water level for long enough to take another life-sustaining breath. But with the weekend approaching, I'm starting to let myself bob up and down on those choppy waters, and the best thing to do in that state is... chill!

I don't have a progress report for you today (though if you check the WIP counters, you'll see the jump in work), but since I've been tagged for a blog award, I thought, why not chill with that?

The lovely and talented Rae Rivers tagged me on this round of The Very Inspiring Blogger Award (thank you, darling!! I'm honoured!). For those of you who don't recall, Rae was here a little while ago with her guest post "Has the cat got your tongue?" Take a peek at the quirky world of art and art theft she features in her latest book.

But anyhow, the award... This is how this works. I'm supposed to link back to the person who tagged me (done!), write up 7 things about me, and then tag a few very inspiring people. I'm not too sure about the tagging part, because everyone I find inspiring seem to have already been tagged, so I won't burden anyone with a tag. I will, however, tell you who I find inspiring lately. *grin*

So, 7 things you might not know about me.... I'm pretty much an open book, but the blog's been getting lots of new visitors lately who might not have been following my rambles from all the while back. I also have lots of new Twitter followers, so this might be interesting for them.

Let's get started...

1. I was a surprise baby, born when my dad was 48 and my mum 41, a few months before their 20th wedding anniversary. After having my brother 16 years earlier, my mum had been told she'd never have kids again. Then, *poof*, here I was.
I'll admit it was kinda strange growing up with my cousins' kids the same age or slightly older than me... Today, at 30, I'm already a "grandma" to a 16-yr-old girl... *gasp*

2. I'm a cancer survivor. 8 years ago, a week after my 22nd birthday, I was diagnosed with malignant ductal carcinoma in situ - in short, breast cancer. Thank goodness it wasn't the invasive kind, but given how it struck with me being so young, my oncologist took no chances and pumped me up with meds and therapy. I've thus been through horrid rounds of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
But as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and cancer changed my life, taught me to enjoy every moment I have been blessed with on this Earth, and to not take for granted all the blessings God has showered on me.

3. I always 'dreamed' of being a writer someday. I thought a 'good' life meant a career in a sophisticated office environment and me as a power maven in that culture. Then I tried corporate working, and it kinda left a bitter taste in my mouth when it wasn't making me sick outright. Still, that's what was deemed as our society as 'making it', so I stuck to my guns.
But when I was diagnosed, by husband told me that "one day is right now; you make it happen!" I took his words to heart and put pen to paper, literally, and what emerged was my first novel, The Other Side, which is being re-published in July this year.

4. I'm a bully magnet. I don't know if it's because I'm naive, or trust too easily, or people take me for an airhead whom they think they can boss around easily... I've been bullied throughout my life. There was the out-and-out mean girl in secondary school, who thought she was the hottest stuff to walk the earth and thus anyone slumming it in a way unlike hers deserved her contempt and riling. Sometimes, I wonder how I survived her taunts... I think God gave me the strength to cope. When I think of what she put me through, today I ask myself how I didn't think of ending my life, the way some bullied kids do nowadays.
Then at work, my boss' PA offloaded all her work on me, and in a sweet way that no one would pinpoint at first, would bully me around to do her bidding instead of what the department required (hence the bitter aftertaste and nausea induced by the corporate world).
I was not at the end of my tether, though, because even online, someone I considered a dear friend abused that friendship and turned on me in an outright war of slinging mud when I dared say, enough is enough!
I'm pretty sure I'm not done with bullies. With my track record, I consider that a given. But hopefully, I am older and wiser now and can stand my ground.

5. The sight and smell of fresh fruit makes me sick. I know - weird. I cannot even run past the produce section at the grocery store without gagging once. Consequently, I don't eat fruit, either. And in case you're wondering, I get my Vit C from veggies or boxed juice or even multivitamin tablets. It's worked so far.
But my biggest nightmare is bananas. Just the sight of them even in a picture can make me want to throw up. And no, I have no clue where that phobia of bananas comes from.

6. Other thing that can give me nightmares - reptiles! As much as I adore shoes and handbags, I cannot even tolerate the idea of a shoe or bag in reptile skin *shiver, shudder, horror!* I cannot stand the look of those animals, and they totally, totally creep me out! I can kill a cockroach (while screming the whole time to keep the adrenalin bursting!) and I'll shoo spiders when I see them. But if my gaze lands on a lizard, I freeze, and only my vocal chords will work as I yell for whoever is at home to come get that beast away from me!

7. The first time I got married, I was 17. Today I know that what I had deemed a lifelong love (without which I'd die!) back then was nothing more than a burst of infatuation with a man who seemed to have everything (including a tendency to want to provide to more than one lady love at a time, if you get my drift...).
At 18, while all my peers were writing their A-levels, I was getting a divorce in a very messy courtroom battle because my ex refused to shoulder the blame of his infidelity as the reason for our breakup. Yes, today I know I was partly to blame in there because at the time I was a spoilt little princess who thought she was owed everything. I wasn't easy to live with, but what hurt was that he never had the courage to say to my face that I was driving him nuts; instead preferring to go find his solace in other women's arms before crawling back into my bed afterwards.
So at the wise age of 19, I remarried, and so far so good, this man and I have been going strong for 11 years, through thick and thin (cancer, remember? We also had our lean times when the money was only enough to buy potatoes to take us to the next paycheck, and we didn't have a car for many years, among other things...)

So here's a bit about me. I must've bored you stiff by now, and I apologize. It's just that even to myself, I am a complex puzzle made of facets and sides that somehow all come together to make 'me' who I am. And the quirkiest is... I'm not at the end of my tether. Every day, I discover something about myself, and uncover some wisdom about life... They say we never stop learning, and life's doing its fair share to show me that all the time...

Anyhow, back on track. As this is The Very Inspiring Blog award, I am not tagging people but will tell you who I do find inspiring in this big bad world out there. Some of them are:
author Natalie G Owens. My bestie, a wonderful author, and even more beautiful person with a heart of gold and the most helpful, guileless nature out there. Proud to know she is on my team!
author Karen Rock. A fabulous writer, but an even more fantabulous person! I recently met her but the friendship bond she has extended my way is the kind that reinforces in your heart that Good does still exist out there!
Decadent Publishing owners Lisa Omstead and Heather Bennet. Two insanely awesome ladies who go to bat for their authors, their friends, and their pub house. It's an honour to be part of their team, and an even bigger honour to consider them dear friends.
authors Lynn Spangler, Graylin Fox, and Rebecca Royce - for being amazing women, fantastic authors, and always being there for me despite whatever drama could be going on in their lives. They are my rocks!

That's it for my (very rambling) Friday peeps. No, I'm not drunk (I don't drink, what with being a Muslim and all that, lol) and I'm not also high on anything (recently cut off caffeine from my life. I know, crazy, but I had to for health reasons...).
Still, I hope this post gave you a glimpse into my existence. Thanks for sharing these parts of me now.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday: Let me reveal my latest collaborative project, ETERNELLES

Hey beautiful people!

It's been a while since I last posted a progress report. The thing is, I didn't have tangible progress to show on my work. Yes, I've dabbling in a few projects, none less getting the brand-new Africa-centred line, Ubuntu, up with the folks at Decadent Publishing (more on that soon, I promise!). But I haven't been writing, not actual words to make sentences to make paragraphs and pages and chapters...

That being said, it's been a hectic time full of new things and ideas, and today I can tell you more about one of them. :)

Guess you do know by now that Natalie G. Owens, the wonderful author with a writing voice that gets you to sigh and wonder how any words can seem so lyrical when strung together - well, you all know she's my bestie. The sister I never had. We found each other rather late in life (some 4-5 years ago, actually), and despite me living in Mauritius and she being first in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and then on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean, over a few emails we 'clicked' and never looked back.

So sometime during the past months, after Natalie went indie, we started talking about, maybe, why not write a series together. We thought of an anthology with a similar theme ... and before we knew it, we had moved into whole new territory and were talking of a truly collaborative work, one co-written and that we could have as an ongoing series.

I cannot tell you at what point and how or when we came up with the ETERNELLES project. In the true spirit of collaboration, we wanted each of our talents to shine. My voice is much more active and in-your-face, while Natalie's is more lyrical and deep, like a rambling stream of which you find the depths little by little, every time you look more closely.

The solution came to us in the form of a story with 2 heroines - one written by me, one by Natalie. Two heroines, each with her distinct personality. We talked, we must've emailed each other 25 times a day over weeks, we compiled and we searched and we dug and we imagined...

...and this is how the ETERNELLES series came into being. That word is French for "the eternal ones/women" - fitting, as our heroines are immortals.

Today, I tell you more about this project - here you are with the blurb, and the cover.

INESCAPABLE: Book 1
Eternelles: The Beginning

For more than 2000 years, an immortal woman has looked for a reason to live...
Beautiful and ruthless, Adrasteia 'Adri' Dionysios is the only mythical being of her kind, the unlikely daughter of the god of wine and revelry, Dionysos, and a maenad. Banished to Earth from Olympus during the Greek Dark Ages, she has roamed the world fending off the attentions of men and the petty jealousies of women while putting her knowledge of battle and her immortality in the service against Evil. Until the day she finds a mysterious baby girl in her backyard. Her life is finally complete... but now unknown forces are after her daughter. Furthermore, the dubious role of an elusive man in her life only serves to complicate things further.

A young woman who never asked to exist...
Born with phoenix and gypsy blood, and with superior mental prowess, Seraphine 'Sera' Dionysios' origins are as yet shrouded in mystery. Her very existence defies Nature, just like Adri's. As a woman who has loved and lost, she would rather have died after a vampyre tried to make her his. But, Adri made the only choice a true mother would make: the one that would save her child. Torn between a mother whose blood she doesn't share, and a man who now possesses her soul, the only thing Sera can still cling to is her heart...

Adri and Sera fight for the innocent, but who will fight for them?
When the forces of Evil breach the lines of Shadow Bridge, the town where the mortal human world ends and the supernatural realm starts, it is up to these two women to find out the answer behind a prophecy as old as time itself.

The citizens of Shadow Bridge know one thing above any other: always protect the portal. In a place where anything can happen, the very worst will take place... unless Adri and Sera can stop the prophecy.

Yes, the women on this image reperesent the heroines - Sera on the left with the Phoenix on her face, Adri on the right with the ripple of water above her image. And FYI, Natalie is writing Sera; I am writing Adri.

We just finished with the full character profiles and the outline, and have started writing Book 1, Inescapable, which will come out in April 2013 on all major indie platforms (Kindle, Smashwords, Nook, Sony, etc).

Both Natalie and I cannot wait to share more about the series with you all. We'd eager to share how this one is different - we're both TV nuts, and this series mimics season arcs of popular shows like Supernatural, Grimm, Once Upon A Time, Charmed, True Blood, Vampire Diaries.

Get ready to meet Adri and Sera; along with a slew of other mythical characters as you'll uncover the hidden depths and nooks and crannies of Shadow Bridge. And, be prepared to meet the men in these two women's lives. I can promise you both Des and Rafe are heroes that'll bring you to your knees!

I'm so, so excited to share all this with you today! It's been killing me to keep this on the hush-hush, and now we can finally let the (squirming!) cat out of the bag!

Hope you all have a lovely Friday and weekend, peeps!

PS The Progress reports should come in more regularly now. Feel free to ask me about progress if you don't see me chime in here every Friday! :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Writing Wednesday: Welcome to Natalie G. Owens!

Hey beautiful people!

It's my absolute pleasure today to be welcoming the woman I consider my soul sister, the other writer-half of me, and a delightful, wonderful person - Natalie G. Owens! I met Natalie a few years ago, but within a few weeks of meeting, we felt like we'd known each other forever. Our friendship and the ties that bind us just kept on growing deeper and stronger, and today, I can say without any doubt that she is my guardrail - the writer-side person who pushes me to be better, stronger, to aim higher in my work, in my author dreams.
And I think that's not hard for her to do, because she's intrinsically a strong and competent writer too, one with a truly unique, lyrical voice that sings off the pages. Natalie has a way with words that, once you read her, makes you go, Damn I didn't know people could string words like that, so beautifully!

Please give her a warm welcome! I cede her the floor now.

Tell us a bit about you, and something we don't know/wouldn't expect about you.

I was born on the Mediterranean island of Malta, and lived here until age 27 when I moved to Atlanta, Georgia to be close to my (now) husband. In 2009 I returned to Malta, where I had a son, and we all settled here. Some author friends may not know that I trained as a lawyer, although writing was always in my blood. It was at a time and in a culture where artistic pursuits weren’t considered a “serious” endeavor. Probably the common perception hasn’t changed much. When you come out of high school, you need to get a “real” job—have a real profession. So, I followed the maddening crowd—indeed became part of it. Until I came to my senses and realized that if I wanted to be happy, I needed to be ready to make some sacrifices and pretty much pull myself away from “normalcy.” So here I am, writing, editing, and doing the things that make me happy – all things that fill my day and leave room for little more, with the exception of taking care of my family. :)

I think a lot of people fall into that 'trap' - I did too. But some find a way out of a doldrum-type existence, and I'm glad you did!

What’s your favorite moment of the day, and why?

Usually early morning, before everyone wakes up. I tend to get work done at that time. However, I have also come to love evenings, when I spend time with my son before he goes to sleep and wind down for the day, perhaps with a bit of reading.

You're a color – which one are you and why?

Red – I tend to flare up pretty quickly, but calm down just as swiftly. Deep down I’m just a little puppy :)

Why become a writer?

Because it makes me happy. Because I feel I have something to say… and because it is cathartic for me. Writing was my therapist in the beginning, and it got me through some tough times. Today, I want to share my work with others, and hope they want to read it :).

Lol, if people don't want to read your beautiful voice, I'm sorry to say they'd be losing on something magical...

As writers, we are bombarded with ideas every minute of every day. How do you sort through these ideas, to stick to the 'viable' ones?

Sometimes I hit a wall with my ideas…but what works for me is to sometimes let it go. Not to force things. Then ideas come to me when I least expect them to. As far as going with the right choice – I think it’s all about instinct. A writer knows what’s going to work in the story and what won’t. It’s all about being honest to yourself and to the story.

Trust in your instincts, innit? They got you so far in your life, we need to remember...

How do you develop an idea into a book?

Lol, I’m not sure I can offer useful advice her. But, I must say that brainstorming with my trusted critique partner always brings up amazing concepts and ideas. At times I speak to my husband, and he may come up with something genial. Or, perhaps I may read an article and it sparks into a speck of an idea in my head, that eventually snowballs into something entirely different. It’s all about happenstance – and being ready to receive the gift when it comes to you.
Now, as far as developing this idea into a book, I like first to have a very general, sketchy idea of a plot. Following this, I figure out who my main characters are going to be. Then, I scout for pictures on the Internet so I can see what my characters look like. At the same time, I develop their back story, which gives me insight into their GMC (goal-motivation-conflict) and helps me determine how they’re going to behave and react in particular situations. From this point on, I start refining the plot/sub-plots and then, do a chapter by chapter breakdown. Writing a rough synopsis is a good springboard. In case of fantasy, I will need to do extra work related to world-building (e.g., the Valthreans in my work in progress, An Eternity of Roses), and identifying the culture/norms of a particular society. These, of course, will have a direct bearing on the story.

Sounds fascinating! :)

If there's one book you wish you had written, which one is it and why that book in particular?

Only one? I’d say there are quite a few – Jane Eyre, The Historian, The Venice Conspiracy, The Children of Men. There are more. First, I love a good romance. I also love books with a gothic feel to them, as well as stories with compelling characters and an underlying philosophical bent.

Which is easier for you – narrative, or dialogue?

I’d say narrative – but I’m learning to be more economical with my language, and I know that one word can often be more effective than five. This helps me with my dialogue. To write better dialogue, the process is very in-depth with me. I always get deep inside my characters, literally lose myself in them – this takes away a lot of energy :). But, this is what I always strive for… I want my characters to be/feel natural.

Awww, don't take too much away from that lovely voice!

POV of predilection? Which POV mixes with you like oil and water?

I write in third person POV – sometimes, very rarely, third person omniscient (when I first started writing I did this more often). I would also love to write a book in first person, but so far I haven’t attempted it – not sure if it mixes with me like oil and water as I haven’t really tried it yet.

Preferred genre to write?

Romance! Because no matter how much I drag my characters through misery and trials, I can’t let go of that happy ending. And, I really want to make readers smile. I want to give them a few moments of escape.

Very true...

How do you get into your characters' heads and shoes?

By thinking of them. Sleeping with them. Waking up with them. Daydreaming about them to the point that my family thinks I’m a bit more than weird. I’ll be extremely distracted, and if you’re talking to me while I’m with my characters, chances are I have no clue what you were saying.

Drafts, edits, polishing – love or loathe? Can you please explain?

Edits drain me – but if they are going to make the story better, then I’m fine with them. Polishing though, it’s a necessary evil that I don’t like much :). That said, I’m a bit of a perfectionist and will go through a story two dozen times if I have to.

What unique factor do you think you bring to the book/story market?

It’s probably my voice that has a literary vibe to it, and that I adapted to genre fiction. I also love to use exotic locations in my stories, as well as add a touch of the gothic.

Best advice you've received, and that you'd want others to know?

If you want to be a better writer, just keep writing and slog through the not so glamorous bits of this career. If you really want this, never give up – no matter what they tell you. No matter the rejections. Another thing – when you’re starting out, don’t be afraid of constructive criticism or take the stance that you know everything. Use the feedback to improve your skills, and appreciate it for what it helps you become—a more confident writer. Then always, always thank the person giving it, whether you agree with them or otherwise. In short, don’t burn bridges, and don’t stop learning.

Tell us about your latest release

My latest release is a short story, called Something to Live for – the first book in my Moonlight Dating Series. It’s a story about two people who find uncommon ground in the most unlikely of situations. It’s also explores the element of healing and overcoming trauma through physical intimacy. It’s short, emotional, sweet and hot, and ultimately, it’s a ‘feel good’ type of story :).
Here’s the blurb:

Fifteen years ago, one fateful day bound the lives of two perfect strangers…
Melita Saari-Quinn is living the consequences of a traumatizing psychic event that turned her adolescence upside down. Now, disillusioned with her job as a psychotherapist and desiring a change from her lackluster existence, she hopes that something out of her  ordinary sphere of existence - something totally uninhibited and spontaneous - will renew her zest for life.
Alex Moncado seems to have it all – good looks, a successful business, and a fun life in “party central” of the Mediterranean: the island of Malta. Except for one day in the year when he can’t help but remember a tragedy that never should have been. One day he’d rather forget, because if he doesn’t, the guilt will consume him.
Can one passionate night together banish the ghosts of the past and give two lost souls a second chance?

Only Fate can tell…

You can read an excerpt here: http://www.nataliegowens.com/p/something-to-live-for.html

In 5 words:

      Your book: paranormal, contemporary, romance, Malta, hot
      Your heroine: trauma, change, adventure, life, secrets
      Your hero: tragedy, guilt, family, desire, redemption
      You as an author and person: persistent, dedicated, loyal, thankful, optimistic

Let's say your book is a movie – which one does it most closely resemble?

Not sure it’s long enough to be a movie… perhaps it could be an episode of The Twilight Zone with a romantic bent.

What real-life actors are playing the roles?

Thomas Jane as Alex Moncado and Joanne Kelly as Melita Saari-Quinn

Now this movie needs a soundtrack – what songs/tracks best fit your book?

I think that “My Immortal” by Evanescence describes really well Alex’s state of mind in this story.

Your characters end up in a world where everyone's a fashionista – how do they dress and what are they wearing?

I think that Alex would feel comfortable in just plain jeans and a t-shirt. Melita is very delicate and feminine so she’d love to wear light sundresses and sheath dresses.
Where can we find you and your books?

Here’s my website URL: www.nataliegowens.com
I also love to connect with people on:
Facebook profile page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=563297082
Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Natalie-G-Owens-Author/24911987111
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/natalie_g_owens
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4527498-natalie-g-owens

You can also download Something to Live for from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RWCK0W (US)http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007RWCK0W (UK)


Do make it a point to check Natalie's work, peeps! I for one, cannot wait for her Valthrean series to come out - An Eternity of Roses is on my watchlist, in the very top spots!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

So it's finally Friday! Though I cannot say I'm looking forward to the weekend (home with the boys - no going away this time, sadly...), I also have to admit I am so, so glad Friday is here, to finally bring a close to this week.

How awful can it get to be away for 2-3 days, eh? That's what I asked myself too. Then I came back to my 'usual' workload on Tuesday... and it took me Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and half of Friday, to clear up the backlog that'd accumulated while I was away. Good grief, people - there's something seriously wrong with my life! With my workload... With my awful management skills too, I suppose.

This week's been an eye opener. If I want to get work done (was supposed to have started revamping an old ms, and been done with it, by now!), I need to handle my email better. Which means, more stops online every now and then, so nothing has the possibility to snowball over me and leave me looking at a gobsmacking-awful mess!

So, order for next week - get something, anything, done writing-wise!

And would you believe it? Next week, we'll be in February. So January's gone and what do I have to account for it? Got it - a big old rollicking nothing! Do I dare say I was easing into the year? Yeah, I can kid myself. I seriously need to get back in the saddle and work!

Speaking of work, my bestie, Natalie Owens (you formerly knew her as Angela Guillaume - I didn't swing loyalties all of a sudden *grin*), and I have an ongoing writing project, and we've committed to writing a chapter a month on our respective stories, on top of our other works. So as from next month, look towards the progress metre for Against The Odds - the total should be growing steadily there. Not sure if Glory Days will see any significant progress, since I have 3 old mss to revamp, and I'm supposing that'll take me at least a month. But we'll see...

So, weekend... What are your plans? I have to catch up on some backlogged reading (Backlogged is my middle name lately!).

Right now, off to pack the hyenas to the gym - they're in the kitchen doing their hysterical laughs and wolfing down a bowl of dry cereal (yes, that's what I feed them as post-school afternoon snack!).

Have a lovely weekend, peeps!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee