Author Interview: Maggie Blackbird

About the author:
An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

What inspires you to write romantic fiction?
I love exploring relationships between two people falling in love. Being a fan of character-driven romance books, this inspired me to start writing my own. Since I'm an Ojibway woman who grew up on the rez, and having worked fifteen years for an aboriginal organization that took me to more than thirty First Nations communities, I thought writing romance novels starring the Indigenous people of Canada was the perfect fit.

Tell us about how you write.
I keep a schedule. Mornings are when I'm most productive since I'm an early bird. Once I'm done my workout, which is great for getting the blood flowing and the muscles warm, I sit with my cup of decaf and begin writing. I use a timer, so I tackle my housework for about twenty minutes and then sprint for twenty minutes. I find this is the most efficient and productive process for me when I'm drafting. Editing, that's another golf game LOL.

Do you listen to or talk to to your characters?
No. They remain in my head and are only allowed to speak when I'm at the computer. But I do love daydreaming about them during my evening cardio workout for forty minutes. While I huff and puff, I have different playlists for the characters that makes cardio enjoyable.

What advice would you give other romance writers?
The best advice given to me–just write, whether the muse is present or not. It's what I do. One morning I had no desire to write a bedroom scene, but I wrote it because the timer was on, and that's what I do now–write for a living.

How did you decide how to publish your books?
I wanted to work with a publisher based in the country that I'm from. Being new to publishing, it was important I learn everything about the process of a book going into production, and the marketing afterwards. Because of taxes, I want to see how that's done, too.

What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I'm not one who thinks too far ahead. All I can say is I'm a person who can adapt very easily, so whatever route book publishing takes, I know I'll do my best to embrace the new direction.

Which romance sub-genere(s) fit your stories best?
Contemporary, erotic, LGBT, and historical.

My books are available in the following formats:
eBook, Print