CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS with the Naughty Ninjas: Lily Malone

What is your background with regard to writing?
I spent years writing as a journalist, and then editing wine industry magazines, and then real estate magazines. So property & wine pretty much sums me up.

When did you first begin writing with a view of embarking on a career as a published author?
After I tried my hand at colour-field painting and my year-old son put a golf club through my canvas.

What is your writing routine?
I wish I could write in the morning, but with my world the way it is (kids/school/work) when I’m on a writing binge, it is usually after the kids are asleep. So about 8pm through to 11. But I haven’t been writing since late last year when I was plowing through final edits on Fairway To Heaven. Once I get going I’m very disciplined, but I struggle with procrastination and right now, I am neglecting my WIP at every opportunity.

Favourite snack whilst writing?
Nope. I need my fingers to type and I don’t like having a greasy keyboard. I don’t usually snack and write.

If you weren’t writing, what would you be doing?
I would love to be on a yacht in the Greek Islands, diving into the water when it gets hot, fishing off the side the rest of the time, a glass of bubbles close by, and an internet radio connection so I could listen to the cricket.

What do you find easiest to write? And, the hardest?
I like writing dialogue. Hardest to write is probably the ‘saggy middle’.

Tell us about the first book you wrote:
That’s the book I’m trying to rewrite again now. Initially it was called Fringe Benefits. Now it’s called His Brand Of Business. It’s a boss/employee book which is going to have a reunion romance and possibly a marriage of convenience. About the only trope it doesn’t have is secret baby, but I’m working on that.

One thing you’d like readers to know about the romance genre…
It’s damn hard to write it well, and there are a heck of a lot of brilliant Australian authors kicking goals with their romance writing every day. I take my beanie off to them.

Ten quickies:

Milk or dark chocolate? Milk.

Red, white, bubbly? All three. Too much of a good thing is never enough.

Salty or sweet? Salty. Chips. Chips. Chips before chocolate.

Beach or mountains? Sand dunes (beachy mountains)

Give or receive? If it’s tennis, I usually will choose to receive.

Facebook or Twitter? Lately, Twitter, but I’m happy on both.

Romance or erotica (for reading and/or writing)? I like my romance on the steamy side, rather than sweet. But steamy romance probably works better for me than erotica anyways.

Dog or cat? The dog we once had ate cats for breakfast. I keep saying to hubby I’d like a cat and he just grunts at me.

Summer or winter? Definitely summer.

Star-gazing or storm-watching? I would love to live in Darwin during the wet season build-up, just to watch the lightning.

Meet Lily online:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
GoodReads