Dark Hope (51 page)

Q. Have you ever had to deal with something that set you apart from others such as Hope’s Mark?

MM: Nothing that significant or physically visible. I have had moments in my professional career where I was the only woman in the room or on a leadership team, and sometimes that was very hard. But those moments thankfully belong more to the past as more and more women are succeeding in business. I think the fact that I had many aunts who were successful businesswomen in their own right helped me have the right attitude to deal with those challenges along the way.

Q. Do you have any unusual or special practices that help you to write?

MM: I like to create and listen to playlists that reflect the characters, the plot, or the mood of the book I am working on. It helps keep me motivated and focused. Readers can actually access the Spotify lists from
Dark Hope
on my website,
www.monicamcgurk.com
.

Q. Anything else?

MM: I also like to surround myself with visual cues—so I will print out photos and online images and tape them all over my walls while I am writing a particular scene, to make sure that the physical sense of place, of location, stays alive for me. It is a bit messy, but fun.

Q. For a story involving very ancient characters, there is plenty of technology in
Dark Hope
, from Wi-Fi hot spots to iPods. Do you write on a computer or with pen and paper?

MM: Both! I carry a Moleskine or other notebook with me to jot down ideas or little snippets of dialog on the fly. I write questions and answers to myself on my iPad in Evernote as I try to resolve particular points of motivation or plot. And I write my actual manuscripts on my laptop.

Q. Do you prefer lobster or a cheeseburger and fries?

MM: I love both but would offer a compromise: deep-fried lobster tail from Chops in Atlanta. Yum!