Welcome back everyone!
Wow, can you believe it’s already been two weeks?! The first round of voting is officially over for the American Title Contest. On behalf of all the finalists, thank you so much to each and every one of you for your votes and moral support. We (the finalists) are so blessed to have each other and to have you guys in our family as well as we forge our way through this amazing yet terrifying and at the same time, exciting journey.
Although voting is over, I will still continue with the finalist interviews. Don’t forget that the second round voting begins in a few short weeks! I’ll keep you all posted on when to start voting again. We appreciate your time and votes more than you can guess.
Now, without much further ado, let’s introduce today’s finalist, the wonderful HELEN TAYLOR w/a HELEN SCOTT TAYLOR.
MAI: Thanks for joining us here, Helen. Please tell us the title of your manuscript that finaled?
HELEN: The Magic Knot
MAI: Can you give us a quick blurb about the story?
HELEN: When Rose discovers she is the Cornish fairy queen and her father is a dark druid who has imprisoned her people in portraits, the race is on to discover the fairy lore needed to release her people before her father destroys them forever.
She seeks help from the sinfully sexy Irish fairy twins, the O’Connor brothers. Niall’s faint air of menace flutters dark thrills of anticipation through her, but does he want to kiss her or kill her when she accidentally touches his Magic Knot and forges a mystical lovers’ bond with him?
With the survival of the Cornish fairies in her hands, Rose must escape from a vampiric, winged fairy, outwit The Queen of Nightmares and surrender her mind, body and spirit to Niall to release her hidden inner fairy. The Tarot cards warn he will stab her in the back, but when she’s in his arms, the last thing on her mind is death.
MAI: Wow! I would so love to see this on the bookshelves and buy it! How long have you been writing?
HELEN: I started writing in 2003 and submitted my first finished manuscript—a short contemporary romance—to Mills & Boon in 2004. Needless to say, they rejected it. But they did read the full manuscript, and it was a nice rejection that encouraged me to keep writing.
MAI: A nice rejection is always a welcomed rejection, in my opinion. And look where you are now! An American Title finalist! Can you tell us a little about how this book came about?
HELEN: For me, story ideas often start as intense emotional conflicts. I thought what if there are identical twin brothers and one is loved and wanted by his father and the other rejected. How would the rejected brother feel? I then gave it the paranormal twist making the brothers half Tuatha Dé Danann (high born Irish fairy) and half leprechaun. So the hero has not only been rejected, he has a huge chip on his shoulder because he’s half leprechaun. Then I paired him with the most unlikely heroine I could imagine—an accountant! She’s spent all her life trying to shake off the weird life she had with her mother, only to discover she is the Cornish fairy queen.
MAI: Okay, I’m loving this book even more. I’m partial to Celtic mythology and have always been interested in writing about twins. In fact, I have two books I’ve written about twins, lol! What was your expectation when you first entered the contest?
HELEN: I half expected a polite note back from Dorchester saying I wasn’t eligible. After all, the contest is called American Title and I live in England. I hoped my story stood a good chance as it has done well in RWA chapter contests.
MAI: And I’ve seen your very impressive list of contest wins too! What was your reaction when you learned you were a finalist?
HELEN: I was very blasé and thought I’d handle being a finalist with no problem. When I received the email I just kept smiling. It was eleven PM in England so the rest of my family was asleep and I couldn’t tell them until the next morning. I was so hyped, I didn’t sleep that first night. Then I think I must have been in shock for a few days because I got hardly anything done.
MAI: LOL. Yeah, you kept pretty mum about finaling on the loops that we’re both members of while I shouted to the world that I’d finaled. I have no tact, huh? *grin* What has been the most rewarding part of this experience so far?
HELEN: My husband is so proud of me he’s telling everyone. He is very supportive of my writing and I’m delighted my reaching the final gives him validation that his support helps.
MAI: I’m so glad for you. What has been the worst part of this experience so far?
HELEN: I was writing the first draft of a YA mystery and revising a contemporary romance when I received the news about the final. I’ve continued revising the romance, but I haven’t been able to get my brain in gear to continue the mystery yet.
MAI: In one word, how would you describe this experience?
HELEN: Magic!
MAI: Love that! What kind of advice do you have for other American Title hopefuls and/or aspiring writers?
HELEN: I nearly didn’t enter because I thought I might not be eligible, but I took the chance and it paid off. My advice is always take the chance. Whether it’s entering a contest or submitting to an agent or publisher. The worst that can happen is you are rejected, then you’re no worse off than if you hadn’t entered in the first place. As with everything in life, you’ve got to be in it to win it!
MAI: Wonderful advice! Any last words?
HELEN: Good luck to all the finalists in ATIV! Everyone has been fabulous and supportive. We’re all winners to have come this far.
MAI: I couldn’t agree with you more. And good luck to you too in round two, Helen! Thank you so much for your time!
Alright guys, that’s it for our interview. I have to say, I’m real excited about Helen’s book. I want to read it!!
I would like to take a moment to thank all the finalists for being truly wonderful human beings. This experience was made even more magical because of the friendships us finalists have developed. Yesterday had been bittersweet. For the two who didn’t make it to the next round, you ladies are winners to me and I am blessed to be sharing this journey with you. When one door closes, it only means another has opened. I fully expect to see everyone’s books on the shelves one day!!
Okay readers – you know the drill. Leave a comment to win some cool prizes!
See everyone back here Thursday!
Mai Christy Thao
maichristythao.com
We still haven’t bought candy for trick or treating yet.
There’s an interview with me posted on the All About Romance 
)
SAVANNA: There’s tons of excellent advice. Everywhere you look published romance authors are giving the hand up, giving the gift of themselves, their experiences. They are giving what they write about, love – what can be better than that? Honestly, my writer’s journey has been so weirdly crazy, I have no practical advice. Just the usual, follow your heart and your dreams.
