Melissa Barker-Simpson

I have a special treat for you today – an interview with Quanie Miller. I featured her new release last week, The New Mrs. Collins. Quanie’s tour will continue until the 31st of October. To catch up on what else has been happening, visit her site here.

I will be providing a review of The New Mrs. Collins on the final day of the tour, so come back on the 31st to learn more.

1. Tell us about yourself.

I’m a married mother of one from New Iberia, a small town in Southwest Louisiana that sits right on the Bayou Teche and is rich in history. I spent most of my youth reading so many books that my cousins would look at me like I was crazy. “You aren’t gonna play outside? And you’re gonna read that whole book?” Then, they would shake their heads in amazement. I love writing about strong-willed women who can’t keep themselves out of trouble and setting my stories in fictional, Louisiana towns.

2. How did you come up with the title for The New Mrs. Collins? Well, the story’s about this woman who moves to a small town in Louisiana and marries this guy named Johnny Collins. She’s the subject of much gossip and speculation since she essentially “stole” Johnny from his girlfriend of 7 years. Since she’s new in town and the people don’t really know much about her, they simply refer to her as “The New Mrs. Collins.” And because the story is about unraveling the mystery of who she is, the title was a no-brainer.
3. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Pushing through doubt. For the longest time I only wrote humorous stories, so when I got the idea for this paranormal novel I thought to myself, “Can I really do this?” But I’m so glad that I forged ahead anyway, because the feedback from readers has been terrific.
4. What inspired you to write your first book?

Believe it or not, I actually sat down to write The New Mrs. Collins, but this funny voice took over and took me in a totally different direction! I was going to tell the story from the point of view of a nanny who discovers that her boss’ new wife is a sinister woman with mystic powers. This is how the story was going to go: the nanny, because of a flat tire, would get stranded in an affluent neighborhood without a cellphone, end up knocking on a random door, mistaken for an interviewee, and land the nanny job by mistake. But when I put the character on the page, this humorous voice took over, and the nanny-to-be never made it into the house. That character ended up being Jasmine T. Peacock, the protagonist of my first novel, a romantic comedy called It Ain’t Easy Being Jazzy.

5. How long does it take you to write a book? That depends. My first novel took 7 months to write. The New Mrs. Collins took right around 2 years, and my current WIP has been simmering in my head for about 4 years. No telling how long it will take me to actually write. Every project is definitely different.
6. What book are you reading now? Sifting Through Mud by Demetria Foster Gray
7. What does your family think of your writing? They believe in me and give me the space I need to create. I’m very blessed to have that kind of support.
8. How do you market your work? What avenues have you found work best? Mainly through my blog, quanietalkswriting.com. It has truly been the single most effective way for me to meet other authors.
9. What are you working on right now? I don’t want to say too much for fear of pissing off my muse, but I’m working on what feels like a paranormal story. It’s set in a fictional Louisiana town and is about a young lady who, after a very traumatic event, uncovers something shocking about herself.
10. Is there any advice you’d like to share? Study your craft, write the best darn story you can, and do everything you can to let your voice be heard.

I hope you enjoyed the interview. Don’t forget to visit Quanie’s site to learn more about her work.

Until next time.

Mel