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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Paranormal Guest Author: Melodie Campbell (Rowena Through the Wall)











Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Melodie Campbell!  Melodie is the author of Rowena Through the Wall.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Melodie:
  When I was 16.  I wrote a children's book, Horatio Hedgehog, which won an award and was displayed in the Toronto library.

I picked up writing in a big way in my 30s, when I become a humour columnist and starting writing stand-up for comedians.  Then short stories (30 published) and then finally a novel.  I have over 200 publications and have won 5 awards for fiction.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Melodie:
  Well, funny you would ask that!  I may have to turn in my crime writer stripes.  (I am the General Manager of Crime Writers of Canada.)

Charlaine Harris brought me to paranormal.  And Diana Gabaldon, and Susanna Kearsley, with Marianna.  I was a confirmed mystery reader, but a closet romantic suspense reader.  Mary Stewart's My Brother Michael is still the book I measure all others to.  Then I hit the wonderful world of combining suspense with paranormal, and I was hooked.  I love the freedom of something out of our world.  And while I want a romance in my stories, I crave a lot of plot.  Paranormal by its very nature delivers strong plots.

But to explain Rowena:  one day I was sitting at my desk, totally overwhelmed with work, family, and parental caregiving, and I thought - if I could walk through that wall over there into another world, I would do it.  That night, Rowena got her start.

I needed the wildest kind of escape from mother's palliative bedside.  Escape is what I hope to give readers.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Melodie:
  OH - no question - the talent of my heroine, Rowena!  The ability to communicate with animals.  I am animal-mad, and have some ability to calm dogs, horses and particularly donkeys.  But to be able to share thoughts with them - that would be my dream.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Melodie: 
I got my start writing comedy, so it was gratifying when one reviewer called Rowena Through the Wall "Hot and Hilarious!"  I wrote this novel as a fun escape novel for women.  I wanted it to be funny, sexy, with high adventure and romance - just what I needed for myself!  One reviewer called it "Jack Sparrow meets Stephanie Plum" - for me, that was humbling.

When Rowena walks through her classroom wall, she falls into an ancient world where the veneer of civilization is thin.  She has rollicking adventures, and then is forced to face reality when she goes back through the wall.  Inevitably, she is faced with a choice of what world to remain in.  Just like we all are, in a way.  We can have our fantasy worlds through reading, but we go back to our real lives after.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Melodie:
  Rowena - probably Penny from Big Bang Theory, because she could carry the comedy.  She has great comedic timing.  Another choice would be Gemma Arterton, or Tina Fey, if she were 10 years younger. But I would love to hear who readers would cast in this role.

Kendra - definitely Alice from Twilight!

Gareth would be Thor!

Thane would be Alcide from True Blood.

And Cedric....well, I see Cedric as Eric from True Blood.  Evil, but oh so darn attractive.  In fact, I am half in love with my villain.  I wonder if other readers will feel that way too.























Rowena Through the Wall by Melodie Campbell

“Is that a broadsword on your belt, or are you just glad to see me?”

When Rowena falls through her classroom wall and lands in an alternate world, she doesn't count on being kidnapped―not once, but twice. Unwanted husbands keep piling up, but that doesn't stop her from falling for the wrong brother. Good thing she has the ability to go back through the wall. Or can she?

Warning: This book is not a 'sweet' romance - it is a sexy, funny, rollicking adventure with a spunky heroine and the medieval 'men' of her dreams!



Thank you Melodie for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Melodie Campbell and her books, please visit her website.

Note: Melodie is offering a special discount for From the Shadows readers.   
Want a half price coupon for the ebook version of 'Rowena Through the Wall'? Leave a comment on this post, with your contact info!

6 comments:

  1. Hmmm Eric from True Blood as Cedric, interesting. I can see that, I love Eric, he's my favorite baddy and well Cedric, what can I say.
    Great interview ladies.

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  2. Loves, there is no doubt about it; I have fallen in love with my villain. In Cedric, I put every delicious bad boy trait from every bad boy I ever dated...you know...the ones you know you shouldn't go for, but which are so darned attractive. He gets big billing in Rowena and the Dark Lord.

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  3. Melodie,
    I would also love to be able to communicate with animals! (You can calm down a donkey - wow!)
    Penny from the Big Bang Theory is a great choice for an actress to play Rowena.
    I can't wait to read the paperback book - and the sequel.

    Lea Ellen {night owl in IL}

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  4. Rowena Through The Wall sounds like a fun read. I love Big Bang Theory. The actress who plays Penny is such a great physical comedian!
    jepebATverizonDOTnet

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  5. Lea Ellen - we contribute to a donkey rescue farm up here. Although I lived in cities, we had farms in the family, and I've always loved animals. I rode from a young age.
    And gee (haaaa) I really hope you like Rowena!

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  6. Jen, I have your email, and a coupon is on it's way to you! Thank you so much for commenting.

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