Author Q&A: Emily McKaskle
Author: Trish Milburn
Original Publication Date in Love Notes: February 2003

Q. Tell us a little about your journey to publication.

A. Well, I’ve been writing for...gosh, a long time. I started my first book in 1993, but didn’t join RWA until 1995. I didn’t start seriously pursuing a career in writing until about 1998. So I’ve been writing anywhere from 5 to 10 years, depending on my mood. I’ve always loved to read romances. So I never really wanted to write anything else.

I grew up reading all the category romances I could get my hands on. I loved the old Bantam Loveswepts. I’ve been reading Harlequin Temptations since the line was launched. So I’m very excited to write for a line I’ve loved for so long.

Q: Is Baby, Be Mine the first book you wrote? If not, what did you write before this and where are those manuscripts now? How did the idea for Baby, Be Mine come about?

A: Baby, Be Mine was my third manuscript. Sadly, I don’t think the first two manuscripts will ever see the light of day. But I consider them part of my education as an author.

Baby, Be Mine is the story of two radio personalities, Sam and Tabitha. The last thing either of them wants is to fall in love. They’re both terrified that a relationship will ruin their on air chemistry. To make matters worse, Tabitha is pregnant. She’s just been dumped by her “reliable” boyfriend. And the station manager has orchestrated an elaborate publicity stunt that involves listeners sending her love letters.

This story was inspired by the morning radio shows I used to listen to on my drive to work. I was intrigued by the banter between the radio personalities. I wondered what the chemistry would be like off the air. A radio station in Austin seemed like the perfect setting for a fast-paced, romantic comedy.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I just turned in my next book for Harlequin Temptation. We’re still working on a title for it, but it’ll be released in 2004. In it, the hero, Brad Sumners, is fresh from a divorce. When his ex walked out on him, she told him he was a rotten husband and not so hot in bed either. He decides he needs advice about what women want. He seeks help from Mattie Wilcox, a woman whose been in love with him for years.

Q: What aspect of craft have you struggled with the most? How do you overcome it to write a selling book?

A: I struggled a lot with scene and sequel. It took me a really long time to understand that each scene is a microcosm of the plot...with its own inciting incident, GMC, rising action, and black moment. And to understand that each scene must lead inexorably to the next.

My first two books (the ones that will never see the light of day) had a lot of scenes that didn’t really go anywhere — sluggish, boring scenes. To make matters worse, the books as a whole were sort of scatter shoot. I think that’s because I didn’t understand scene and sequel. 

In order to get a better grasp on how scenes work, I spent a lot of time watching and dissecting movies. I looked at how all the scenes in the movie fit together, how each scene builds to a climax and leads into the next. But sequel is a lot harder to “see” in movies. So I’ve spent a lot of time studying how other writers handle sequel. I think scene and sequel is something I’m still trying to master. It’s crucial to the pacing of a story. If you get it wrong, the whole books feels “off.”

Q: What piece of advice do you often hear given to writers that makes you want to scream because you disagree with it?

A: “Send your manuscript in.” In this industry, there’s a lot of pressure to submit. It’s well-meant advice. We all know talented writers who have been working on the same book for years. Those people do need to be encouraged to send their books in.

But for every one person like that, I’m convinced there are at least a dozen people who have just finished their first book, have gone to a conference and been told to submit their book. So they do. I think instead, we should encourage people to wait a month or two, to let the book settle a little. This industry isn’t going anywhere. It will still be here in two or three (even six) months. So give yourself plenty of time. There’s no rush.

Q: If you could change one thing about the publishing business, what would it be?

A: This can be a frustrating business because there are so many things you can’t control. You can’t control when the editor will read your work or the mood she’ll be in she reads it. You can’t control when your books will be released or what your covers will look like. So, a part of me would like to change that...would like to put me in total control. But that’s not realistic. Besides, a lot of the things I can’t control are things I shouldn’t have control over. For example I have no experience marketing a book or designing a cover. So ultimately, I have to trust that the people who do have control over those things are experienced enough to do their jobs well. I have to concentrate my energy on the things I can control...writing a book I’m proud of.

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Check out Emily's terribly attractive homepage at http://www.emilymckay.com/index.htm 

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