May Spolight with Miss Mae
Tell us about Lula Thomas aka Miss Mae.
About myself? Oh, dear. I’m as boring as mud, but since you asked, here goes: I’m a stay-at-home wife and mother (although my only child is now married and on her own..boo hoo). Hubby and I are the proud adoptive parents of two orphaned mixed breed dogs, and three weeks ago, another little baby strayed up to our yard. She was so scared and worried that our hearts bled for her. Now we have the excitement of instead of the two o’clock feedings, the two o’clock outings wake us up during the nights. But, she’s worth it!
I’m a southern gal. Though I originally hail from the Appalachain mountains of East Tennessee, I now reside in northern Georgia. That Appalachain line still runs through here though,and we have a lovely range to view right outside our front door! Gorgeous!
If you could be one of your characters – Who would you choose? And why?
Hmm, one of my characters. Well, I’d suppose I’d have to be Dorcy Edwards, the heroine in “See No Evil, My Pretty Lady”. And why? Because she catches the unpatched eye and attentions of the hunky hero, Gareth Davenport. She had quite an adventure in my story and, although it was terrifying for her, it certainly wasn’t boring!
Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?
I’ve belonged to a couple of groups. In 2006, a published author I met online invited me to critique with her and she set up a small group. She, myself, and another author joined. The three of us critted over a major manuscript I had written. Through the both of them, I learned a lot and will always be grateful for their help and input. However, personal life intruded and that small group fell by the wayside. I tried to get a small group going myself, but once again things came up (the bad economy didn’t help either, when one poor lass had to forego the internet) However, through my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, I met a fantastic lady who lives in England and she graciously agreed to become my critique partner. I enjoy the one-on-one closeness of this relationship much more than a “group”. Sometimes too many differing opinions can “spoil the soup” as the saying goes.
In 5 years, where do you see yourself, in general and in your writing career?
God willing, I hope to see myself in five years with a number of published books. I also write freelance articles and I’d like to see more accomplished in that area.
What is your favorite reading and writing genre?
Mystery (I love Sherlock Holmes!), romantic suspense, some fantasy (as The Hobbit). I find myself writing more on the mystery side of the story with a splash of romance added as opposed to writing romance and then spicing it with a hint of mystery!
What would you like to share about yourself that many people wouldn’t know?
My tagline is, “Pure Southern Genteel”. I chose that to convey the message that my stories will always be rated G, appropriate for women and young girls of all ages. So, mothers, don’t fear about withholding my books from your daughters, please!
What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?
I haven’t reached the “greatest” yet. I’ll let you know when that happens…LOL..
What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?
My website is http://www.missmaesite.com and my blog is http://missmaesite.blogspot.com
My email is itshere@inbox.com
Thank you for the interview!