Junkyard Druid – An Interview with MD Massey

Today finds us chatting with MD Massey, the author of Junkyard Druid, Book 1 in the Colin McCool Paranormal Suspense Series!

 

Tell us something unexpected about yourself!

 

I was a professional martial arts instructor for 20 years, and I still train several times a week. Currently I'm working on improving my ground fighting skills.

 

What novels affected you the most growing up?

 

Tolkien's “The Hobbit” for one. That book introduced me to the world of fantasy fiction. I was also quite a fan of Terry Brooks' novels as well.

 

Where did the idea for your current book come from?

 

I wanted to write about druids that were less Dungeons & Dragons and more like the druids of legend. While historical druids were priests and clerics, if you look at the druids in the Irish myths they spent a lot of their time acting as kingmakers and influencing major events. They were more like Gandalf or Allanon than the glorified eco-warriors you see depicted in most modern fantasy fiction.

 

Do you think there's any way you could ever run out of ideas for books?

 

Never. Ideas are a dime a dozen. It's executing on them that's the real trick to being an author. I can come up with at least a handful of good novel ideas on any given day, but turning those ideas into compelling stories that feature believable characters who defy death time and again… that takes real skill. I don't know if I'm there yet, but I'm working on it.

 

What is your routine for writing and has this method changed over the span of your career?

 

I get up around 5 am and grab a cup of coffee, then I warm-up my writing muscles for an hour or so by writing non-fiction content. Newsletters, blog posts, etc. Then I eat breakfast, shower, and start writing fiction, usually until noon or one. After that I take a break, and I might write again later in the day if I'm in the mood. But mornings are always the most productive time for me to write.

 

How important is marketing and social media for you?

 

Very. The only authors who sell books without much marketing are those breakout black swans you hear about occasionally; Weir, Howey, Hocking. But even they have to work to keep their books in front of readers.

 

What advice would you have for other writers?

 

Write. Most writers I see online spend all their time talking about writing and publishing. Then they wonder why they aren't selling books. Well, you can't sell what you don't have. There aren't a lot of hard and fast rules for success in this industry, except that you should always be writing your next novel. I think that's the best advice any author can give or take.

 

What are you reading now?

 

“Appendix N: The Literary History of Dungeons & Dragons” by Jeffro Johnson, “Princess of Wands” by John Ringo (for the second time), and “Guerrilla Publishing” by Derek Murphy. But, Patricia Briggs' next novel in the Mercy Thompson series releases soon, so I'll probably drop everything when it hits my Kindle to read it straight through.

 

What's your next step?

 

I'm currently writing the third book in the Colin McCool Paranormal Suspense series, “Moonlight Druid.” I'm going to finish the first tetralogy in that series with a fourth novel, then I'll decide what to write after that. Probably more books about the Junkyard Druid, or a spin-off. It depends on what readers are asking for next.

 

Check out Junkyard Druid which is available here

 

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