- Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it.
- No Funny Stuff! is a novella for Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, a little write-up of her encounter with Ares, the dark lord of War. It’s part of The Wild Rose Press’s anthology Song of the Muses, 9 tales for the 9 Greek Muses of Inspiration. No Funny Stuff! is light-hearted with a dark curse lurking in the background to leap upon and claim the hero at any moment. Tough though it was, Thalia had to take this situation with gravity. The more you like shoes, the more you’ll laugh.
- Care to tell us a little about the person behind the author name? What do you do for fun when not writing?
- I’m a workaholic. I don’t even sit on the couch and watch a show without dragging the laptop into my lap and doing something involved with writing. There’s no end to promotions or e-mail so I always feel like I can’t catch up.
- The holidays are coming. What is one of your favorite holiday traditions and why?
- I like dragging down the tree and dressing it. We collected some really pretty ornaments over the years and I like to see it all on the tree in the corner of the room, white lights reminiscent of candlelight. I’ve been guilty of keeping the tree up until April. : – ) I love the holiness of the Solstices and Equinoxes.
- Paranormal and Urban Fantasy are very popular genres right now. Is there a genre you enjoy but haven’t written yet?
- Oh, yeah. I’d love to write a ghost story, an ESP story, an apocalyptic future story. I dig writing things I haven’t written before. I like it when someone asks me what I write, and I can say, “Gee, tons of stuff.”
- If someone were to play you in a movie, what actor would it be and why?
- Meg Ryan. I had to think about it a long time. When I asked Mom, she drew a blank for hours. Then she reminded me I was once mistaken for Meg Ryan on St. Patrick’s Day at an Irish pub, the same day my TWRP profile picture was taken, in fact.. The lady had to have been very far away when she thought that. Meg and I had similar hair then, so what the heck, she can play me. She’ll have to scruff up quite a bit!
- What comes first: the plot or the characters?
- That depends on the projects. When I do a SF Romance, I choose a technology to learn about, then build plot and characters around that. With Thalia’s world, much is pre-set, many characters well known, so it’s a different starting place.
- When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
- We popped in for a spell and opened your fridge, what would we find there?
- Only the necessities of life. Turkey, orange juice, dark chocolate Kisses, cheese. Half-bottles of 6 brands of salad dressing. I’ll never starve as long as I have salad dressing.
- You are awarded three cabana boys/girls and you can choose anyone (Celebrities, characters, etc). Who would you choose and why?
- Three? I’m not that greedy! They can take shifts. Actually, one strong, hearty clone of George Clooney madly in love with me will do. I love his dark features. He does good things for the world too, and I admire that. Any of my heroes would work. I’m in love with them all. : -)
- You got a celebrity for 15 minutes, who would you chose and what would you do?
Angelina Jolie. I admire what she’s done with her life. She’s very smart, and she’s got a big heart. Not afraid to put up her own money to help people and most of our politicians won’t do that!
Sneak look into No Funny Stuff! By Michele Hart:
“‘Tis so often, Daisy, we do not understand these things. Fate’s reasons are often kept a mystery, particularly those mysteries under the press of the gods. ‘Tis best service not to ask the Immortals their reasons.
“And you know me,” Thalia quipped, bursting into her natural smile. “I don’t want to hear it unless it’s funny.”
Daisy stared down at the weightless gift in her palm. What could she do to change things? Nothing. But if Drew must die, this tiny gift would make his remaining time happy.
Thalia’s hand gently took her shoulder, bringing Daisy back to the room. “Now that you see the layers of the world, Daisy, you can make things a little easier for Drew. Certain scourges curse his day, and you’ll see them now.”
“What can I do to change that?”
Thalia laughed. “Daisy, I’ve faith in you. You’ll find ways. All must die, but so few truly live. I must go now.”
She faded a little, revealing the graffiti on the wall behind her.
“Wait!” Daisy interrupted, and grasped for the muse’s hand to no victory. “I don’t want you to leave. Stay and show me more, Thalia.”
“Touch the pin and think of me, Daisy, and I’ll return to you,” Thalia told her, no longer dissolving but still not whole.
“Wait!” she shouted again, knowing she had mere seconds left with her muse. Daisy’s vision fell to the cutest pink-fuzz low heels studded with pastel sequins. They were sublime yet coy, flamboyant while whispering secrets. “Where did you get those slippers?”
“The Apple Cobbler in New York.”
Daisy deflated. “But we’re leaving New York!”
Thalia’s smile was golden. “They’ve sister stores in Georgia, Washington, Maine, and Texas.”
“Don’t tell me,” Daisy said, giving it a moment’s thought. “The Peach Cobbler, the Cherry Cobbler, the Blueberry Cobbler…”
Then she made a face. “What’s the name of the Texas store?”
Thalia wrinkled her nose. “The Jalapeno Cobbler, but they’re not very good.”
Daisy stuck her tongue out. “That doesn’t sound tasty at all.”
Thalia was gone in the blink of an eye, but the muse’s words lingered in Daisy’s mind.
All must die, but so few truly live.
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Hi Michele,
This sounds like a fun read. Will you write more on the Muses again in the future?
Thanks for coming and being in the spotlight.
Raine D.
Enjoyed the interview Michele and Raine. Yes, I love dressing the Christmas tree too, Michele.
I loved this excerpt, Michele! Especially the jalapeno cobbler part..snicker! Great interview too! So, now we have a Meg Ryan, a Nicole Kidman and a Charo. We need to find out who the other muses would be when they make the movie about our lives and this fantastic series..lol!