It’s always such a pleasure to support a fellow author. Melanie Robertson-King has just launched her first novel, the paranormal romance A Shadow In The Past. She is also a  member of the fun-loving party animals and talented group of writers and readers I feel privileged to be part of at loveahappyending.com.

The majority of members in this group are from the UK so we often feel like we are hopping back and forth across the Atlantic … virtually, that is!  Melanie has been busily flitting from one continent to the other as her blog tour rolls out so please excuse any jet lag!

She’s dropped by for a chat, so without further ado … *drum roll, please* … here’s Melanie!

 PS: When did you first begin writing with a serious thought to publishing?

MR-K: That would have been in the mid-2000s when I signed up for a creative writing course. Prior to that, I wrote (not necessarily very well) for my own enjoyment.

PS: How did your interest develop in this genre?

MR-K: I guess my interest in the paranormal (time-travel) element came from reading Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels.

PS: What was your inspiration for A Shadow in the Past?

MR-K: I’d been to the area of Scotland where my father was born on a few occasions and the beauty of Aberdeenshire and the friendliness of the folks I met begged a story. Even back then, I took events from the news and spun my story around them. In that case, it was a school bus that lost a wheel. A Shadow in the Past began as an overgrown short story called Sarah’s Gift.

PS: Writing does tend to consume our life and for most of us it is a labour of love. When you do take time for other things, how do you like to spend time?

MR-K: I’m an avid reader so I spend a lot of time doing that (ebooks or paper). I love to travel, although these past few years haven’t been able to do as much as I would have liked. I’m also interested in photography and genealogy.  

PS: Where do you call home and have you always lived there?

MR-K: My parents moved from Maitland to Brockville before I started school and I’ve always lived in or around the city ever since. The furthest away was Mallorytown (about 15 miles west). 

PS: What do you see happening next with your writing once this book is launched?

 MR-K: Once A Shadow in the Past is launched, my plan is to write the sequel. A Shadow in the Past started out much longer than the finished version, so what was “Part 2” is going to be a standalone book, possibly called Shadows from her Past or Shadows of her Past. I’ve not decided completely yet.

PS: What would you say have been the most important lessons you have learned about writing and publishing a novel to this point?

MR-K: My writing didn’t start out perfect, much as I wanted it to think it was. Even though my novel was polished to gleaming when I landed my contract, there were still changes that needed to be made to improve it.

PS: One piece of advice for a new writer would be _________________

MR-K: Develop a thick skin. If you’re planning on going the traditional route, you’ll receive a number of reject letters. And no matter how much you try to tell yourself you won’t let them get to you, they do. Keep submitting. Study the publisher’s guidelines and make sure that your work fits what they’re looking for.

A Shadow in the Past

When a contemporary teen is transported back through time to the Victorian era, she becomes A Shadow in the Past…

When nineteen year old Sarah Shand finds herself in Victorian Era Aberdeenshire, Scotland, she has no idea how she got there. Her last memory is of being at the stone circle on the family farm in the year 2010.

Despite having difficulty coming to terms with her situation, Sarah quickly learns she must keep her true identity a secret.

Still, she feels stifled by the Victorians’ confining social practices, including arranged marriages between wealthy and influential families, confronts them head on and suffers the consequences.

When Sarah realizes she has fallen in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, she faces an agonizing decision. Does she try to find her way back to 2010 or remain in the past with the man she loves?

Click here to order A Shadow in the Past from Amazon.com

A Shadow in the Past is Melanie Robertson-King’s debut novel. Prior to turning her hand to fiction, she wrote articles and has been published in Canada, the US and the UK. In addition to writing, her interests include genealogy, photography and travel. On one of her trips to Scotland, she had the honor of meeting The Princess Royal.

Melanie is a member of Romance Writers of America and their Ottawa Chapter.

She lives in Brockville, Ontario, Canada along the shore of the majestic St. Lawrence River with her husband, son and oldest grandson.

Visit Melanie at her website or her Celtic Connexions blog.

Thanks for stopping by, Melanie, and I wish you the best with your launch and blog tour. Enjoy every moment of being a newly-published author!