Saturday, September 15, 2012

Behind the Pages #12: An interview with Michelle Davidson Argyle


Michelle Davidson ArgyleDo you know who Michelle Davidson Argyle is? Well, you certainly should. She's one of the most intense and compelling author I've ever come across. And after reading through this interview and learning a little more about her, wouldn't you like the chance to experience her work? Continue below and you just might:

You write in the genres of suspense, to fantasy and romance. Is there one in particular you lean more towards?

Lately, I have been enjoying YA contemporary, and find myself coming up with more ideas in that genre than any other. My sequel to The Breakaway, titled Pieces, falls under the YA contemporary genre.

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer and who are some of your biggest influences?

I have wanted to write novels since I was about ten years old. Some of my influences have been Lois Duncan, Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Annie Dillard, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Quite the array, I know!

Tell us about your debut novel, Cinders, and why you wrote a continuation to the popular fairy-tale?

I wrote Cinders when I was frustrated with writing and wanted to write something just for me. I had seen a trailer for Disney’s Cinderella III, and was fascinated with the idea of telling my own story of what happens after a fairy tale ends. It turned into a project I wanted to share with the world, so I decided to self-publish it back in 2010. Because it’s a novella (a short novel), I knew it didn’t stand a chance alone in the traditional publishing world. Since then, however, a small publisher, Rhemalda Publishing, showed interest in the novella and the two others I wrote in conjunction with it. It is now being published by Rhemalda as part of a collection titled Bonded, which will release on November 1, 2012.

MonarchYou later released Monarch, an adult thriller. This was a completely different theme from your previous. How difficult is the transition from one genre to the next?

It can be quite difficult, actually. I wrote Monarch before I wrote Cinders, even though Monarch was published earlier. I’m finding it more difficult these days to hop around from genre to genre, and may decide to stick in one genre in the next few years.

Does it ever feel overwhelming?

Publishing in general is overwhelming. Writing a novel is one thing, but when you throw a publishing career into the mix, things can get really stressful and complicated. I have recently taken up yoga to try to bring my stress levels down.

Your latest release, The Breakaway, seems so much more intense. What inspired you to write a novel based on such topics?

The Breakaway (The Breakaway, #1)I first wrote The Breakaway over seventeen years ago, so I honestly cannot remember what inspired me to write a story about a kidnapping. I think Joan Lowry Nixon’s novel, The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimoremight, have had something to do with it. I remember adoring that book and wanting to tell my own story about a girl who is kidnapped.

Can you give us a snippet of what the sequel, Pieces, has in store for us?

Without spoiling too much of The Breakaway, I can say that Pieces includes Naomi’s journey to try and overcome the effects of Stockholm syndrome. She’s still in love with her former kidnapper, Jesse, but another guy walks into her life and makes things even more complicated for her. Some locations in Pieces are California, Italy, and Massachusetts. If I could choose any of those to visit for research, I’d choose Italy, of course!

How do you unwind outside of writing?

I like to read, so I try to fit in as much of that as possible. I have also recently started doing yoga, which is helping a lot. And I eat a lot of chocolate.

What's next for you?

I recently finished Pieces, and will be turning my attention back to a novel I’m hoping can release in 2013 if my publisher is interested in it. It’s a young adult novel about selkies (half-seal creatures), titled A Curse So Deep.

Thank you for stopping by. Please leave a message for your supporters.

Thanks to everyone who took the time out of their day to read this interview! 

For more info visit Michelle's official website



The Breakaway (The Breakaway, #1)Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she's missing. Escape isn't high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she's part of a family-even if it is a family of criminals. But she's still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she's falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn't sure she wants to take it. 

5 comments:

  1. I loved Cinders!! It was a great read and took a turn I totally didn't expect! I will be looking out for Bonded for sure <3 Great interview

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  2. Brilliant interview! I haven't read anything by Michelle before, but I've seen her books around online. Thanks for sharing! :)

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  3. I've been seeing The Breakaway around the blogosphere lately and I'm definitely intrigued. It definitely does sound intense and a lot more emotional :) Awesome interview Shane I'll definitely be checking out her books now!

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  4. I loved The Breakaway and have been wanting to try more of her books. I have a weird thing where I really enjoy kidnapping books so I was drew to the book right away. Thanks for the interview!

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