Ghost of a Chance by McKenna Dean Blog Tour

At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?

I’ve always been a storyteller. I wrote and illustrated my own stories as a child, and wrote fanfiction before I even knew what it was. I had a running serial about a bunch of horse-crazy girls that solved mysteries on the side that I kept in a spiral bound notebook—I had a waiting list among my classmates for the next installment. But being a published writer always seemed outside my reach, so when I graduated from high school, I stopped writing and focused on my career. Many years later, I discovered online fanfiction archives and began writing again. I finally got up the nerve to submit an original story for publication, and was stunned when it was accepted. I wrote a little of everything: contemporaries, historical romance, paranormals, M/M romance… after a while, I realized I had no recognizable brand. I decided to start fresh with a new pen name and limit myself to one genre: paranormal romance.

What do you do when a new idea jumps out at you while you’re still working on a book? Do you chase the squirrel (aka “UP syndrome”) or do you finish your current project first?

Oh, at the 2/3 mark of every story, I’m CONVINCED it’s the worst thing I’ve ever written and that I should simply quit. One year I bailed on four separate stories because of this—starting a new one instead of working through the problems on the existing one. That wasted time frustrates me now. I am pretty strict about choosing one story and following it through to the end these days. On rare occasions, I’ll let a story sit for a time while I work on something else, but if I’m tempted by new characters/lines/scenes I’ll jot the gist of what is pulling me away down in a little notebook and then set it aside until I finish the project I’m working on. Usually the desire to work on something else is my subconscious mind’s way of saying, “Darn it, this got hard. Let’s start something new!” So it is actually an indication that I’m getting close to the hard part and I need to stick it out.

Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot and plan, or is your writing more organic?

I’m definitely more of a panster than a plotter, though the longer I do this, the more plotting/outlining I do. To me, too much outlining is a story-killer—I feel as though I’ve already written it and it no longer interests me. At the same time, when you’re working on series that have an overarching plot, you need to do some planning in advance. I love it when stories surprise me and characters take me in unexpected directions, which is why I’m resistant to plotting. But I’m planning a new series and I’ve been filling a notebook with ideas and character profiles—a first for me—and I’m more excited about it than I’ve been about anything in a long time, so here’s to adaptability!

Tell us what you enjoy most about writing paranormal romance.

I love the world-building. I enjoy how the genre lends itself to political and social commentary. After a lifetime of working with animals in some capacity or another, I like being able to use my experiences to create realistic shifter interactions. The genre just has so many possibilities and that is always appealing to a storyteller!

What have you found to be most challenging about writing in paranormal romance?

There are some tropes and formulas that I’m not overly keen on—such as the antagonistic alpha male or the fact characters are fated mates causing them to lose all self-control. I’m a big fan of the slow burn and I love watching characters learn all about each other as they fall in love. At the same time, I enjoy turning tropes on their head and giving them my own twist, so I think paranormal romance is a good fit for my type of storytelling.

Do you identify with your main character or did you create a character that is your opposite?

Most of my characters contain some elements of myself in them but in Ghost of a Chance, Sarah Atwell is someone I identify with very much—from her fangirl background, to her love of vintage clothing, to her difficult relationship with her mother. To my surprise, this actually made her harder to write than I expected. Mostly when I needed her to act differently from how I would handle the same situation. At one point she was being all noble and saying she was ‘fine’ when she clearly was not—and while that is just how I would behave, it doesn’t make for interesting reading!

Describe Ghost of a Chance in 10 words or less for people who are just learning about it.

Fangirl meets Lone Wolf to battle outside forces for inheritance. Hah! I managed it in 10 words. That’s pretty good for me. I tend to be Wordy McWord.

Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?

I like strong heroines, but not all my heroines start in a place of strength. I enjoy the process of having a character work their way toward self-acceptance, so even if they don’t begin in a place of power, they usually end at one. I think the best heroes further that process.

What is your favorite line from your book?

Her parents always made her feel like a faded flower pressed in someone else’s journal.

What is your take on book boyfriends? Do they actually exist? Or do they set the bar for “real life men” impossibly high?

We often joke about book boyfriends, and I can certainly say that I imprinted at an early age on one of the dashing heroes I’d read about as a pre-teen as the ideal man, whether or not I realized it at the time. On some level, it is fair to say that fictional heroes set the bar pretty high—perhaps unrealistically so. But I think when we strip away some of the superficial characteristics of these heroes—wealth, social ranking, impressive physique—we’re often left with core values that resonate with us. I doubt most of us are holding out for someone who resembles our heroes, but when we run across someone who embodies those same values, oh man, do we click. That’s why I think it’s important that we depict strong, healthy relationships in our stories. Why our characters should communicate with one another, and respect each other as people. To me, the best relationship isn’t one where the hero ‘completes’ the heroine, but one in which the two of them bring out the best in each other—where they are better together than apart.

Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How did you deal with it?

One year I tried my hand at NaNoWriMo, and the core concept behind it—write a set amount every day without editing what you’ve written—is the very antithesis of my writing process. I tend to edit as I go, re-reading previous material and enhancing themes or subplots as they become apparent to me. Attempting NaNo completely stymied me for the longest time. I’ve learned since then to accept that my process is my own. That doesn’t mean I’m not always trying to improve my craft or try new things, but it does mean I’m much quicker to let it go if something isn’t working for me.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Time permitting, I enjoy hiking with the dogs, horseback riding, photography, and singing. Let’s not forget reading! My favorite way to spend an afternoon is to curl up on the couch with the animals, a hot cup of tea, and a good book. I think it’s important to do other creative things besides writing—creativity is healthiest when it is fed a varied diet. The hard part is finding the time and energy for everything I want to do.

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