Author Interview - Libby Mercer

Defamed, Disgraced and Displaced...

Fresh from a career-killing scandal, New York fashion girl, Maya Kirkwood, arrives in San Francisco to reinvent herself as a fine artist. She's offered the opportunity to create an installation at the Silicon Valley headquarters of a hot new tech company. Fabulous, right?

Not so much.

She can't stand Derek Whitley - wunderkind software genius and CEO of the company. Hot as he may be on the outside, inside the man is a cold, unemotional, robotic type. Way too left-brained for her right-brained self.

As Maya and Derek get to know each other, however, their facades begin to crack. She catches her first glimpse of the man behind the superhuman tech prodigy, and he starts to see her as the woman she used to be. But is this a good thing? Once that last secret is revealed, will it bring them closer together or will it tear them apart?

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Born and raised in the Midwestern US, Libby Mercer’s adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she’s since lived in Boston, NYC and London. San Francisco is the city she currently calls home. For several years, Libby worked in fashion – first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper. She also dabbled in design for a while. Even through the crazy fashion years, Libby never let go of her dream of being a published author, and has since developed her signature writing style, crafting quirky chick lit/romance hybrids. Fashioning a Romance was her first published novel, and Unmasking Maya will be her second. Libby has a third novel, The Karmic Connection, scheduled for release in 2013.

1. If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?

I would have to say Marian Keyes. Her way with words is amazing and her plots are so intricate. I’d love a chance to work with her and hopefully pick up some tips!

2. What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?

When I’m on a roll, I write pretty much all day long – from the time I wake up until long into the night. If the words aren’t flowing so well, I’ll power through for a few hours only – usually sometime around midday. And I write on my laptop, which is set up on a small table in my kitchen.

3. What is the hardest part of the writing for you?

Really just getting through a difficult scene to write. Sometimes things just don’t sound right or I don’t know what direction to take. For me, it helps to get away from the computer and maybe go for a walk or run some errands. Sometimes I’ll figure out a way to make the scene work or else I’ll realize that whatever I’ve been trying to come up with is just not right for the story and I’ll have to take it in different direction.

4. When and why did you first start writing?

I’ve been writing for so long I can’t remember why I started! Seriously. I wrote my first “book” when I was seven years old. I continued to write stories all through childhood and my teens. I studied creative writing in college and worked as a journalist, so I don’t really know what life is like as a non-writer.

5. How did you come up with the idea for your book?

In a way, it was inspired by real life. I moved to San Francisco a year ago as a single gal, and I thought it would be a good idea to look for love in Silicon Valley. Easier said than done though. Some gal pals informed that a lot of the guys there are a bit difficult to relate to because they’re so left-brained and analytical. I thought that would make for an interesting story if the love interest was so deeply immersed in the cyber world he couldn’t relate well to people outside of the industry.

6. Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?

I absolutely love to read. And even when I’m at my most hectic and overworked, I must have a book to read at night. It’s my ritual. Right now I’m reading Rachel Astor’s Bridesmaid Lotto for one of my book clubs. It’s a lot of fun. Love the premise!

7. Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Keep at it. The more you write, the more you’ll improve and in almost all cases, it takes a long time to hone your craft. I’m talking years. If your goal is to build a writing career, be sure to study up on what’s happening in the industry. It’s changing so much. And with the boom of e-publishing, it’s actually a great time to be an author. Thank you so much for having me here today, Debra!