Guestpost & Exclusive Excerpt: Meghan Maslow – A Starfig Investigation Series

A warm welcome to author Meghan Maslow who is joining us to share some tought on her Starfig investigation series

Welcome Meghan 🙂

You Can Teach an Old Author New Tricks: Mischief, Magic, and Murder

 

As an author, I enjoy writing, but I’m not as, um, proficient with marketing. I don’t HATE it. I just don’t LOVE it the way I do writing. But it’s a reality that authors need to face if we want to build a fanbase and get our books in front of readers.

 

When I began writing m/m romance, I wasn’t prepared for the need to understand my brand. Every m/m group I joined seemed to be talking about it, though.

 

“What’s your brand?” Oh, how I hated hearing these three nasty little words, because I didn’t have an answer. In my defense, I came from the world of traditional publishing in the mystery/suspense genre, so I’d never thought much about marketing. I mean, that’s what my publisher did, right?

 

Not so within m/m romance. And that’s not a bad thing (though I’ve done my fair share of grumbling about it).

 

So, brand.

 

Um, yeah. I had a lot to learn. I STILL have a lot to learn. But I’m getting better. . . Slowly. Lol.

 

I only recently realized that I personally need at least 1 of 3 elements to invest in writing a romance:

 

1) comedy;

2) fantasy/urban fantasy; or,

3) dead bodies (i.e., mystery/crime/suspense)

 

If I start writing a romance without at least one of these elements, chances are I won’t finish it. It took me a while to figure that out as I experimented with different subgenres within romance. In the end, those are the three elements I keep coming back to: Mischief, Magic, and Murder. Ah ha! I’d found my tagline and ultimately my brand.

 

In my latest release, Be Fairy Game (Book 2 of the Starfig Investigations series), I have mischief, magic, and murder because I like to be an overachiever. Lol. Twig Starfig may be a half-dragon, half-fairy, but he’s also a long-suffering private investigator that seems to bring the drama wherever he goes. It’s a fun series to write, and, I hope, to read. I don’t shy away from hard issues (and dead bodies), but I (mostly) couch them in comedic moments.

 

I also finally figured out a reoccurring element in almost everything I write is ‘misfits who find their fit.’ I owe Damon Suede for this little gem. It’s made me understand my own writing process better and recognize what I need to write the story, but also what a reader can expect when they read my work. I guess you could call it ‘theme.’ (See, I’m learning).

 

In Be Fairy Game, Twig and his motley group of outcasts are always in the process of ‘finding their fit’ within realms that are not so welcoming to any of them. Again, it’s my thing. It works for me.

 

So, are YOU a fan of mischief, magic, and murder? If so, below is the chance to win a free audiobook copy of Be Fairy Game. You don’t need to have read the first book in the series to enjoy this one, though By Fairy Means or Foul (Book 1) gives you more insight into Twig and Quinn’s beginnings. Greg Tremblay/Greg Boudreaux narrates this series and does a fantastic job. If you’ve never listened to him, you’re missing out. If you have, then you know how amazing he is and that he won’t disappoint. Just tell me which element is your favorite – mischief, magic, or murder and you’ll be entered for a chance to win.

 

Many thanks to Love Bytes for hosting this ‘old author.’ Happy holidays to all who celebrate and may 2019 bring you all love and laughter!

Two days later, I’d almost forgotten about our discussion. Things mostly went back to normal, which meant that Quinn and Bill were once again bickering.

“Quinn the Warlock of Fury,” Bill said to Quinn as they reclined on a pile of red and gold silken pillows in my living room. I tried not to roll my eyes. Bill was always trying to come up with Quinn’s wizard moniker, and not very successfully, if Quinn’s long-suffering sigh was anything to go by.

“Really? Warlock of Fury? The names are getting worse.” Quinn ran a hand through his golden-blond hair until it stuck up at funny angles. Cookie, his constant companion, perched on his shoulder and rubbed against his neck in consolation. Or that’s how I read it anyway.

Bill huffed and even went as far as to stomp his foot on one of the plush rugs that I placed throughout my home. His petulant gesture looked incongruous on an eight-foot-tall demon who was by far the most fearsome creature in the Elder Realm. Even if he was technically vegetarian and wore a sweater vest, bowtie, and thick-framed glasses.

“What do you think, Twig? Warlock of Fury. It has a delightfully dark ring to it, don’t you agree?” Bill waved his arm in the air like it was written on the wall.

I held up my hands in a placating manner. “Hey, I’m only a simple private investigator. Don’t look to me for help with your campaign.”

Bill huffed again. “It’s hardly a campaign.”

It’s totally a campaign. Ever since Bill joined my team at Starfig Investigations, he’s been obsessing over it.

“Why can’t I just be Quinn Broomsparkle? It’s a good name. Right, Twig?” Quinn smiled at me and I could feel my heart melting into a pile of unigecko goo.

When my mate turned that smile my way, I couldn’t gather the words to speak.

So, I nodded.

“Oh, puleez. You”— Bill stabbed one clawed finger toward my chest— “are wizard whipped. And you”—he indicated Quinn— “are delusional. Quinn Broomsparkle wouldn’t even frighten a fluffy wampapus and you know they’re scared of their own shadows.”

“In all fairness, their shadows are carnivorous,” Quinn said. “Besides, I’m not interested in scaring anyone.”

“You’re the first wizard in a thousand years! Show some pride, man! I thought humans were supposed to relish a good moniker.”

Quinn raised an eyebrow, then said, “Yes, we do.”

 

Mischief, Magic, and Murder . . .

 

Meghan Maslow is truly a rare breed. No, not a unicorn (although that would be sooo cool). She’s a. . . gasp!. . . extroverted writer. It may seem counterintuitive that as someone who is energized by people, she spends most of her time alone. Yet, that’s the case. And she doesn’t mind.

 

Mostly.

 

If she gets writers block or starts to go a little stir crazy, she heads to a coffee shop, a restaurant, a friend’s place—anywhere to fill up her need for human contact. It also helps that she spends a lot of time with the voices in her head. Some of them are really quite opinionated.

 

She loves writing gay romance because she’s a sap for a happy ending, and she believes everyone—regardless of orientation—should be able to find books that have them. And if that romance comes with a dash of mischief, magic, or murder, all the better.

 

She believes life is for living, kindness is contagious, and a good book makes the world a better place. She loves travel, reading, world music, Moscow Mules, awkward dancing, dreadlocks, her family, and um. . . writing.

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Meghan-Maslow/100008476659934

Website: meghanmaslow.com