Monique McDonell ~ About the Author

Posted August 22, 2019 by karenbaron in About the Author / 0 Comments

I hope you are enjoying the Oceanic Dreams books and my features of the eight romantic comedy writers.

Our seventh author is Monique McDonell.

I am continuing this month is filled with first reads and the next one is Monique McDonell’s Oceanic Dreams book, Shut Up and Dance with Me. And it seems that with every new author I just keep adding books to my TBR. I am thinking of starting with the Jewel Sisters Romances.

This new Oceanic Dreams series is about finding love on the Oceanic Aphrodite cruise ship or so the legend goes. I only have one book left in this series.

Ok, let’s meet Monique.

Tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?

I live in Sydney, by the beach. When I’m not writing you’ll find me by the ocean, or even when I am writing to be honest

What inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always written. Even as a child I wrote poetry and shorts stories. It’s part of who I am.

Who is your favorite author?

Well, that’s a hard one. My favorite book ever is Little Women. I like stories that make me smile.

What book are you currently reading?

I’m about to go on vacation. My kindle is loaded with romances and women’s fiction. I’m most looking forward to Kristan Higgins new book and I need to read Where the Crawdads Sing for book club next month.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I wouldn’t mind being able to time travel.

Who is your favorite superhero?

I’m not really into Super Heroes but I guess Wonder Woman.

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before (real or imaginary)?

The Greek Isles, thank you.

Are you a better baker or cook or take out connoisseur?

I love to bake and cook. I’m not much of one for take-out.

Which do you prefer?

Tea or coffee: coffee

Hot or cold: hot

Movie or book: book – do you even have to ask?

Coke or Pepsi: Coke

Writing/Books/Series

What do you love most about your writing process?

I love meeting new characters. It always feels like I’m making new friends.

Do you like music or silence?

Silence.

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

To be honest it depends on the story. Some are very much driven by the characters and some are very much as I picture them from start to finish. Sometimes I plot and sometimes I do not.

What is knocks you off your writing game?

Illness or my social life. I like my imaginary friends but I like my real friends too.

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences or purely all imagination?

There’s a little of me in all my books – especially my early ones. I have a character with a dog phobia, a character who worked in a small PR consultancy, a character who met her partner on a tropical island..all me! I love tennis and I have a tennis series. Some books, however, like Shut Up and Dance are pure imagination.

If you could spend time a character from your books whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?

Tricky question – I’m at over 25 books now. I love all my characters from my Upper Crust Series. I wouldn’t mind an invite to their weekly poker night.

What genres do you write?

I write chick lit, sweet romance, and inspirational fiction.

What made you and the other Oceanic Dreams authors choose the Oceanic Aphrodite as the setting of your story?

This was a group project where we threw around a few settings and settled on this one because it excited the most people. We liked the idea of concurrent stories with some recurring elements and a cruise ship seemed like a really fun place to make that happen – and we were right!

What project are you working on now?

I am actually working on a Christmas novella for an anthology right now.

Do you have any other books coming out this year?

Yes, I do, I’m part of another multi-author world called Cinnamon Bay and I’m releasing a Christmas novella for them as well as one for the Romancing the Holidays Christmas 2019 Box Set. Playing for Keeps, Book 3 in my Courtside Romance series will be out Dec 26.

If you would like to learn more about Monique McDonell and her books:

Monique McDonell’s Books

The seventh book in the Oceanic Dreams Series

Shut Up and Dance with Me by Monique McDonell

Publication Date: August 12, 2019
Genre: Romantic Comedy

As they set sail for madness and mayhem aboard Oceanic Aphrodite as Sandy and Danny stand up as witnesses to their friends second marriage. The maid of honor and best man can only agree on two things – this wedding is a bad idea and they can’t stand each other. A week on a cruise ship is a long time and hard though they try to avoid each other, the universe has other ideas. All aboard for a fun opposites-attract romance for lovers of cocktails, second chances and happily ever afters.