Today
we sit down for a chat with mystical and paranormal thriller author Terry Segan.
Learn more about Terry and her books at her website.
When
did you realize you wanted to write novels?
About a decade ago. I dabbled in a few travel articles for
an online newsletter that welcomed guest authors. It was then I realized how
much I loved writing and was hooked. Shortly afterwards I began writing my
first novel. It isn’t the book currently published but will be my next.
How
long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?
From start to finish Photographs
in Time took about two and a half years to write and self-publish. The best
thing I did for my craft was to join a writer’s group. Through their knowledge,
encouragement and critiques, my novel took shape and my journey as a writer
moved forward in leaps and bounds. The story went from being simple words on a
page to an engaging adventure with twists and turns I hadn’t even imagined
until I’d gotten there.
Where
do you write?
Where don’t I write would be an easier question! My
boyfriend and I travel as often as we can by motorcycle. My stories take form
in my head as we roll through miles of highways or shorelines. Sometimes the
landscape inspires me, or I work out difficult plot lines. Once we reach our
destination, I grab my iPad and put down my next chapter. My love of traveling
and writing inspired the blog on my website, “Musings From the Back of the Bike,”
where I share our journeys.
Is
silence golden, or do you need music to write by?
I don’t need either. My writing happens wherever I can set
my iPad, whether it’s a restaurant, bar, or beach. Rarely is the din of
surrounding patrons so loud that it pulls my focus. All I need is a clean area.
Clutter makes me crazy and inhibits my creativity. This can be a bit of a
challenge as we’re full time RVers and space is limited. It’s all about choices:
need versus want.
How
much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in
particular?
The plots are fictional, but my characters may ring with a
bit of truth from real life. So far, each of my novels centers on a female
character. My currently published book, the next one I’m getting ready to
launch, Precious Treasure, and the
third one I’m working on, Five Steps to
Celestia, all have a strong female lead. I’ve always been independent and
driven to explore the world around me, and some of that rubs off on my
characters. Minor roles may have traits of friends, family or complete
strangers. Living in Las Vegas opens many avenues of people-watching.
Describe
your process for naming your character.
There’s nothing magical about it for me. I simply pick one
that feels right.
Real
settings or fictional towns?
Many are inspired by real places, but my specific settings
are fictional. My main character, Sami, lives in a Victorian-style house on the
hills of Palos Verdes overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The town is real, yet her
house resides firmly in my imagination. My next novel takes place on Long
Island, where I grew up, but the cities are fictitious.
What’s
the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
The enjoyment Mr. Chang, the grandfather of one of my main
characters, takes in making people uncomfortable with his vague responses. While
having all the answers, he revels in doling out just enough information to evoke additional questions or cause frustration in those
seeking his knowledge.
What’s
your quirkiest quirk?
Probably humming Flight
of the Bumblebee while struggling into a pair of pantyhose.
If
you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written),
which would it be? Why?
The
Eight by Katherine Neville. My favorite books are those that
either take a part of history and weave it into a current tale or jump back and
forth in time. Katherine Neville’s story alternates between a young woman in
the 1970’s and a French nun from two hundred years prior. Throw in a mystical
chess set created by the ancient Moors that has the answer to life, and you
have absolute brilliance! As the book progresses, she brings the lives of the
two women closer and closer. I strive to have her story-telling ability.
Everyone
at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?
I wish I’d started writing in my twenties. The idea was
there, but I didn’t have the confidence to put pen to paper. Having a vivid
imagination, I could’ve entertained thousands for the last few decades.
What’s
your biggest pet peeve?
The series “Firefly” being cancelled after only one season.
You’re
stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
My iPad with a charging brick, a well-stocked wine cellar of
red blends from the Paso Robles area, and satellite WiFi.
What
was the worst job you’ve ever held?
Working as a secretary at a preschool. The director reeked
so badly of cigarette smoke that potential parents touring the facility visibly
recoiled at her approach.
What’s
the best book you’ve ever read?
As mentioned above, The
Eight by Katherine Neville.
Every few years I need to re-read it.
Ocean
or mountains?
No contest—ocean! I’m a beach girl at heart. Couple that
with my gypsy soul, and there are many shorelines yet to wander. That’s
probably why my first book has the main character living in a house overlooking
the Pacific Ocean. I might even be a little jealous of her!
City
girl or country girl?
I’m a mix. Put me in a city with a great public
transportation system, and I’m in exploration mode. My current favorite is
Boston. So much history, great people and places to wander—not to mention the
seafood. I do like the country as well since I enjoy tent camping. A few
weekends every summer we hook up a small travel trailer to the back of the
motorcycle and head for cooler parts like Mt Charleston outside of Vegas or
Pine Valley, UT.
What’s
on the horizon for you?
I’m currently seeking representation for my next book, Precious
Treasure. It’s a great story and I’d like the opportunity to make it available
to a wider market. Paranormal fiction is very popular, and this book fits the
bill—a missing husband, a journal written by a Confederate soldier, and the
author appearing to the bereaved wife as she tries to find the connection
between the two.
Anything
else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?
My mind is constantly on overdrive creating storylines and
chapters. Much of my writing begins as a sedate plot then twists into something
supernatural or fantastical. I’ve embraced this side of me and feel my writing
is better for it.
Photographs
in Time
Sami and Jimmy have devoted their lives to bringing couples
together in a most unconventional way—time travel. Despite being born eras apart,
happy unions are forged. After two unexpected disasters, it’s not until a third
mishap occurs that Sami and Jimmy discover it’s the intentional meddling of an
old nemesis. As they dig deeper into the past and seek help from their
predecessors, the daunting truth is their own relationship is in jeopardy. They must stop this mad man in time to
complete the thirty matches required before more casualties result from his
vendetta. It will take every resource, past and present, to assure they all
have a future.
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