Q & A with Meg Anne

Mother of Shadows 

The Chosen #1

by Meg Anne 

Helena’s life had always been quiet. In fact, she liked it that way. When her childhood friend returns home and tells her that she is the prophesied ruler of the Chosen, those blessed with the gift of magic, her quiet life goes up in flames. Suddenly Helena finds herself surrounded by a circle of protectors, each having sworn their loyalty to her since her birth. All except for one: her Mate. It’s not enough that she learn how to use her magic and undergo a trial to prove her worthiness; in order to claim her title, Helena must also find the man who carries the other half of her soul. Exiled due to a past he had no part in, Von is the last man the Chosen expect Helena to select. Despite their protests, his soul calls to hers and there’s no denying that he was made for her. But the prophecy stands and all isn’t as it seems. There’s an enemy lurking within plain sight who will stop at nothing to destroy her. 

Kindle Edition, 257 pages

Published August 1st 2017 by Author Friends With Benefits (first published 2017)

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Read It & Reap:  January 23, 2018

Meg Anne has always had stories running on a loop in her head. They started off as daydreams about how the evil queen (aka Mom) had her slaving away doing chores; and more recently shifted into creating backgrounds about the people stuck beside her during rush hour. The stories have been there, they were just waiting for her to tell them.

Like any true SoCal native, Meg enjoys staying inside curled up with a good book and her cat Henry... or maybe that's just her; sunburns hurt! You can convince Meg to buy just about anything if it's covered in glitter or rhinestones, or make her laugh by sharing your favorite bad joke. She also accepts bribes in the form of baked goods and Mexican food.

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Q & A with Meg Anne

Tell us a little bit about your main characters. 

The two main characters in Mother of Shadows are Helena and Von. Helena is fated to be one of the most powerful rulers her people have ever seen. Unfortunately, she has to learn how to use her magic first and it has a tendency to take over whenever Helena experiences strong emotions. With no background or experience to guide her, she has to trust her gut, even against the advice of others. Her belief in the innate goodness of others is both her biggest strength and greatest vulnerability. Von is the other half of her soul. For all that is good and whole in her is damaged within him. His past is a dark one, but through his relationship with her, he finds new purpose and redemption.

In your opinion, what makes a good, strong lead character? 

Someone complex and flawed. A character whose voice is so well defined that you don't even need to see their name before the dialogue to know that they are talking. 

What or who do you see as influences on your writing style? 

It's hard to identify any one thing, but I would say that my playful sense of humor weaves its way in to my writing. In almost every scene there is some element of levity to balance what else is happening. I think in life being able to laugh at yourself and the things that are out of our control is hope we cope with them, and its the same for my characters. 

Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas? 

I haven't done any specific research to date, but I do have a story with tarot cards simmering in the back of my mind, so I could see some research going into that one. 

What is the best writing advice you have been given? 

BICHOK - Butt in chair, hands on keyboard. Seriously, just making yourself do it is a huge step in the right direction. Also - When you get writer's block it's because you are trying to make you character's do something they do not want to do. Take a step back and approach it from a different angle. 

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why? 

I would like to visit other people's dreams and/or have the ability to help others have good dreams (or if they were an A hole maybe some bad ones, haha). I think that would be pretty awesome.

What do you do to unwind and relax? 

Besides reading and playing with my cat Henry, I am a huge videogame nerd. I like to get lost in other worlds for awhile, so whatever venue be it book, show or game gets me there is alright with me.

What book are you reading now? 

I am in the middle of two at the moment because I listen to audiobooks in the car in addition to whatever I'm reading when I'm at home. So I'm listening to Cassandra Clare's "Lord of Shadows" and reading Montana Ash's "Paladin."