Interview with Merrill Gemus

As we patiently wait for Merrill’s The New Hunt, the sequel of the Bitten Series, we thought it would be fun to treat her readers with a brief interview to get to know her better:

TP: What is your e-reading device of choice?
MG: Oh, that’s a tough one! I don’t think I have a preference but I do have two Kobo e-readers: the first generation and the Kobo Glo. However, I’ve started re-reading physical books and I’ve fallen in love all over again. I like taking advantage of book sales and participating in book exchanges.

TP: When did you first start writing?
MG: Around 8 years old, I started writing daily in my diary. I began writing short stories in high school, but in 2005 I started to get more serious with the craft and wrote my first novella, Bitten, in 2011.

TP: What motivated you to become an indie author?download (1)

MG: I always loved to write and adored reciting wild stories to my younger sister. But thanks to today’s web platforms and technologies, I am able to share those stories to a bigger audience. When I first downloaded an eBook on Smashwords, I became quickly aware that there was a vast world of indie writers sharing their work and ideas. That was inspiring and exciting to me!

I began reading up on self-publishing and the rest is history!


TP: What are you working on next?
MG: I’m currently drafting the outline for the sequel of the Bitten Series. In this series, the readers will better understand of the vampire’s realm and its history. We will delve deeper into Gabriel Harlan’s issues, Pamela will face new challenges as a mortal, Trish’s condition will be revealed, Ally and Benedict will focus their energies to bring down the Verdon clan, Zola will emerge from the shadows and the Verdons, well, they will have an interesting fight on their hands.

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TP: Who are your favorite authors?
MG:
  • Stephen King, especially after reading The Dark Towers series.
  • Sharon Kay Penman, Here Be Dragons is still one of my favorites.
  • Lois Lowry, The Giver was one of those books that impacted me as a child.
  • J.K. Rowling, the imaginary world of Harry Potter is magic in itself. Beautiful person in real life, too.

This is not an exhaustive list! 🙂


TP: What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

MG: My stories and readers; I am very apologetic for how long it has taken me to finish Book 3.  I’ve received so many emails from readers expressing their love for the series and have been waiting for the third installment.

Again, my apologies to the fans! It does encourage me to finish these books when I receive their emails.


TP: Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?pencil-1486278_1920

MG: Yes, I remember a story I wrote in grade one. It was about an alien that became my pet. We had a few adventures together and at one point, I wake up and believe the saga was all a dream. Little did I know, my pet alien was hiding under the bed.

Silly, eh? But that was it, and I even made a cover for it! I still have it somewhere in my house…


TP: What do your fans mean to you?

MG: They mean lot to me, and without the many fans who reached out and encouraged me to finished Unbroken, I’m not sure where I would be. Hearing how my stories have entertained so many readers has gotten me out of bed and working overtime to complete the Bitten Series.

I sincerely thank each and every reader that took the time to write to me.

It still means a lot.
Thank you,
Merrill Gemus

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