My Writing Journey by Layne Macadam
Thank you so much for hosting me, I am delighted
to be here today and talk to you a little about my journey as a writer.
I have always been a reader. Even from an early
age you could find me curled up in a sunny corner with my nose stuck in a book.
I adored them all, the mysteries, adventures, and fantasies. I’d befriend the
characters and accompany them as they embarked on their journeys. I especially
loved stories set in foreign places. Anne of Green Gables immediately springs
to mind. I laughed and cried with Anne every step of the way until she finally
married her soul mate, Gilbert Blythe.
As I matured so did my taste in books. I read the
classics, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Thomas Hardy, Dickens, as well as
numerous modern day authors. But like the fairytales, I love a
happily-ever-after so always came back to the romance books, now with that
added extra bit of spice!
One day, a friend suggested I should try my hand
at writing. “Who me?” I asked surprised, but with a bit more convincing I
decided to give it a shot. As any author will tell you, it’s not easy. Some say
it takes five percent inspiration and ninety-five percent perspiration to be
successful. The perspiration I’d have to agree with, because when the book is
complete, that’s not the end of the journey. You then have to find a publisher.
The first rejection is tough and you want to cry
out, “What, you don’t like my book? Are you crazy? It’s a great story.” How
could you not like it?
Most rejections are a standard blurb with no
feedback. I was fortunate enough to get a rejection that included constructive
criticism. They liked my voice, so that had to be a good thing, right? But my
POV was under attack, apparently it was all over the place! Mm yes, that does
sounds untidy, but what were these things? And why hadn’t I heard of them
before? Showing Vs Telling was another point they made that I should have been
doing more of. Sure I’d written academic essays during the course of obtaining
my degree, but that was nothing at all like writing a novel. Links were also provided where I could read
and learn about Voice, POV (Point of View) Plot, Show rather than Tell, things
pertaining to my craft.
So after the bruises healed I picked myself up,
took the constructive criticism on board, and followed the links. What a
revelation! I then relooked at my manuscript with fresh eyes. I kept my Voice,
sorted the POV, and set about rewriting the Telling into Showing. I then
resubmitted and the next I knew there was a contract offer in my inbox. Desire
Unleashed was the first book in my Desire Series.
It was a big leap from a contemporary suspense
novel to paranormal, but thoughts of a wolf shifter were running amuck in my
mind for so long I just had to put them down and the result was Wolf On Wheels,
Book 1 in my Heritage Series, released 16 March, 2015 by Syn Publishing.
Wolf On Wheels
Heritage Series
Book One
Layne Macadam
Genre: Erotic Wolf Shifter
Publisher: Syn Publishing
Date of Publication: 16 March
ASIN: B00TP8WA3I
Number of pages: 76
Word Count: approximately: 38,000
Cover Artist: Syn Publishing
Book Description:
Caleb Grayson’s opinion of humans is about as low as it can get until Lara Walker enters his life. But can the pretty veterinarian be trusted with his secret? As alpha of his pack, he is duty bound to keep them safe and that means maintaining anonymity.
When Caleb offers Lara a job on the mountain she loves, it is like a dream come true, but there is something strange about the handsome biker. Little does she know that he is harboring a secret that once revealed will turn her world inside out and have repercussions neither could have expected.
EXCERPT
Caleb Grayson’s
fur spiked and his tail swished with anger as without a thought or a care, Nora
bounded off down the street, leapt over the suburban fence and was lost from
sight. His orders to the pack had been clear. Bare minimum—travel in pairs.
Stay together at all times. Watch each other’s back. The lure of fresh rabbit
must have overridden duty and common sense.
The growl he
released was feral as he took off after her. The rules were put in place to
keep his pack safe. Hunters were on the warpath and they were after wolf
shifters with deadly intent. He’d already lost one member to their violence and
would not lose another. Humans, he made a derisive sound. They were uncaring
and self-centered. He’d yet to meet one he liked. He pulled his muzzle into a
sneer and bared his teeth at the thought of that race.
One giant leap
had him over the fence and landing smoothly on all fours on the other side.
Nora was farther up the yard edging closer to her goal, but she was not alone.
Frozen to the
spot he couldn’t move had his life depended on it. It was as if he’d stepped
into a trough of rapid dry cement and was stuck fast. His heartbeat had ramped
up and his tail twitched at the sight of the divine human before him.
Awestruck, he
snarled at the smaller gray wolf beside him. They’d talk about her
transgression later. Nora was an adolescent and still in the playful stage of
wanting to hunt live prey. Fresh meat was tempting but no excuse for defying
his orders. She pawed the ground waiting for him to speak telepathically, but
he was speechless. The female human had him dumbstruck and transfixed.
She was a good
head shorter than he, athletically built with dips and curves in all the right
places, and her spiral curls were the color of marmalade and looked every bit
as rich and glossy in the lunar light.
It came to him
in a flash then; this human with her emerald eyes sparkling like gemstones was
his mate. He’d waited centuries to find her, had given up hope, and now, like a
bolt from the blue there she was. Not even Lycan, but human. It was cruel,
preposterous, but true. He had little tolerance for the species, but he ached
to carry her home, cherish her, breed with her, howl with elation, but he
quashed the instinct as his homosapien side surged to the fore—tread carefully,
do not rush this—she may not understand.
“Caleb, what is
it?” Nora’s telepathic voice quivered with unease.
He didn’t
answer, couldn’t answer, so consumed was he with the human before him. Her
shape was visible through the silk of her gown. The night breeze had molded the
thin white material to her womanly form. She was a vision. He was grateful it
was a she-wolf beside him and not a male from his pack.
As he continued
to stare, mouth agape and tongue lolling, the breeze picked up and she
shivered. Her nipples punched out against the flimsy fabric. He whimpered. His
heart pounded faster now as if he’d run for miles at top speed over the rugged
terrain around his Black Mountain home.
“Caleb what’s
wrong, can’t you hear me?” Nora’s voice was high-pitched now and sharper than
normal.
Before he could
speak the woman took a small tentative step toward Nora’s midnight snack. She
reacted on natural impulse. Her fur stood on end, a menacing growl emanated
from lips drawn back in a savage snarl baring sharp teeth. Crouched low and
ready to spring, it was enough to have him recover his voice.
“Stay. The human
is my mate. Threaten her and you threaten me.” As he sent the telepathic
message, Nora dropped to her haunches, and with a whimper assumed a submissive
position—she would not dare challenge him.
The command was
issued with his sight still glued to his female. The stiffening breeze had
whipped the ginger ringlets around her face giving a halo effect, but when her
eyes widened and she trembled, it pierced his heart like a blade. He hated
seeing her frightened, smelling her fear, but at this point there was little he
could do.
About the Author:
Layne lives with her husband, two dogs, and a cat on the mid-eastern coast of New South Wales, Australia. In addition to being an author she has a degree in history and holds down a full-time job.
She has always been an avid reader and voraciously consumes all types of fiction, but she particularly loves a happy ending, so writing romance seemed a natural progression for her. But as she sat at the computer one day — staring at a blank screen — it all seemed rather daunting. Yet once she finally started tapping on the keys, the words kept flowing, and what was meant to be a short story turned into a full-blown novel, Desire Unleashed, the first book in the “Desire” series.
Layne writes contemporary romance, paranormal, and sci-fi. With her passion for travel and a love of history an historical romance is not outside the realms of possibility.
When she’s not writing, you might find her tackling a craft project, walking by the lake, or in the kitchen creating some culinary delights.
Website : http://www.laynemacadam.com
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2 comments:
Thank you for having me. I love your site!
I enjoyed both the excerpt and the book trailer.
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