I'm proud to introduce Malerie Page, who is an independent self-published author and 'The Red Hot Bucket List' is her debut novel. She has written professionally for the past two decades and her career has involved working as a journalist and also writing non-fiction texts. She lives in the UK, but has had a long love affair with travel and gets away to far off destinations at any opportunity.
Her new novel, 'The Red Hot Bucket List' tells the story of the adventures of 24-year-old Amber Aiken-Wood as she embarks on an exciting career in Journalism in New York.
As Amber's career aspirations grow, so do her sexual desires.
She sets about exploring her boundaries by drawing up an erotic version of a bucket list and then she gets to work ticking off the items on her list – all within a self-imposed deadline of one year.
As she brings her sexual fantasies to life, she finds herself in situations beyond her wildest dreams and her life heads in an unexpected, yet exciting direction.
So, having had a cold shower, I begin the interview...
When did you start writing?
I have written stories all of my life. I learned to write at a young age and I began writing stories in Junior School and I was lucky enough to win a few competitions. I wrote privately as a teenager and then became a journalist. I always knew that I would write a novel but I am surprised it took me so long to get where I am now.
In terms of my new novel, I began work on The Red Hot Bucket List in September last year, although I wrote it on and off. It took about a total of three months overall to write and to edit it ready for publication.
What 3 things (not including paper, computer, pens) would you like to facilitate a good days writing?
A refreshing walk, a latte and some great sex.
Do you write to a schedule, eg every day or three times a week, set times, etc or do you write as and when the mood strikes?
I am pretty disciplined. I write in the day on weekdays, as much as is practical. with my other commitments. Although I do admit that sometimes I can get carried away with a storyline and then I write as often as I can at these times and so this would include spells when I am writing during little windows of time that open up in the evenings or at weekends. (I must now confess I'm wondering if the sex is scheduled too...)
Is writing your main source of income, I read lots of articles saying writers make no money, and my readers asked this question a lot! Can you survive on book writing alone? if not, what else do you do?
Currently writing fiction is not my main source of income. I have my finger in a number of other pies. I would love for it to be the case that being an author is my main source of income. Time will tell I guess.
What are your favourite biscuits? (that's cookies to american's, though I will accept crackers :-))
Jaffa Cakes - I know some people would say that they are cakes not biscuits but they are definitely classified as biscuits in our household and they are my favourite treat after a writing session! Otherwise, it would have to be a Garibaldi – they remind me of visits to my grandparents as a child.
Where do you do most of your writing?
In the house: upstairs and downstairs. I use a laptop so I can write as often (and wherever) I want. My favourite place to write though is at the kitchen table as it means that I can look out onto the garden and I have plenty of light. If I write in the study, I tend to lie on the couch with my laptop and not at the desk – that would feel like it was work to me.
What book are you reading at the moment?
Amy Poehler's 'Yes Please'.
Do you use social media (facebook, twitter, instagram etc) to engage with your audience, do you think it helps sales and do you find it fun or a chore?
I am a social media addict. I do use Facebook although I absolutely adore Twitter (@MaleriePage). I use it during the writing process, for book promotion, and to network with other authors, as well as to share any news I have with my audience. I certainly don't find it a chore. Love it, love it, love it! (me too - great to find another enthusiast)
Do you own an e-reader? and do you prefer to read digital or paper copy?
I own a Kindle, which was a birthday present. I was a relatively late convert to digital editions. Before that I loved hard copies of books and I used to have a room full of books that I had been collecting since childhood. Since then I have decluttered and now only still own those with sentimental value. I almost entirely read via an e-reader now.
Do you dream in colour?
Yes, I think so.
If reading and writing were banned, what would you do instead?
As a job, I really don't know. Writing is my world and it always has been. In terms of reading and writing as a pastime, then I would go to the cinema with my family. It is one of my favourite things to do at the moment and we don't do it enough.
What is your ideal holiday?
Italy is my 'go-to place', so it would be a holiday with some time spent in some of my favourite cities, as well as some time on one of the resorts along the Italian Riviera.
Malerie's Blog: www.maleriepage.com
Author Profile: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MaleriePage
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/maleriepage
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