Midway, Briget

Novelspot is pleased to interview Bridget Midway, an up and coming, not to mention prolific new author.

Novelspot: What first got you started writing?

Bridget Midway: For as long as I can remember, I have always loved and respected the written word. I like the feeling of holding a book and how the words look on a page. Then when I started reading and got transferred into new and exciting worlds and situations, that was it for me. I wanted to have that kind of effect on readers. I wanted to be the one to introduce them to new characters. So I wrote my first story at 11 and I haven't stopped writing.

Novelspot: What kind of writer are you?

Bridget Midway: I used to be something we writers called a "pantser". That's a term for writers who write "by the seat of their pants." I don't know if it's age or wisdom (or maybe a combination of both) I no longer write that way for longer works, anything over 35,000 words. I have to sit down and do a chapter-by-chapter outline. I just note the big events I want to see in each chapter. It keeps me focused so I don't go off into too many tangents.

Novelspot: Do you get possessed by your characters?

Bridget Midway: There have been books where the characters have "spoken" to me very clearly, usually when I'm trying to sleep. All of the characters in Fascination Street, my full-length novel through Venus Press, all talked to me. That's the reason I decided to write 4 prequels for each of the couples on how they all fell in love and got to Fascination Street.

Novelspot: Do you plot carefully or write by the seat of your pants?

Bridget Midway: For works under 35,000 words, I'm a pantser. It just works easier that way because I'm only dealing with just a hero and a heroine and maybe one or two secondary characters. For longer works, like Fascination Street, Corporate Seduction through Midnight Showcase and That's What Friends Are For through Liquid Silver Books, I had to do a chapter-by-chapter outline.

Novelspot: What (if any) writing habits or quirks do you have?

Bridget Midway: I don't have any real habits or quirks. Usually when I sit down to write, I have to check all of my e-mails first. I don't want to miss anything. Sometimes if the inspiration isn't coming, I'll play this game I found on-line called Hexxagon. Actually I found it on a BDSM site, believe it or not. It's like playing Othello if anyone has ever played that. I've convinced myself that if I can beat the computer, then I'll have a great writing day. I guess you can call that a quirk.

Novelspot: Do you have a philosophy of reading/writing?

Bridget Midway: My philosophy for reading is to make sure you take quality time to do it. Don't feel rushed or get disturbed while you're doing it. Authors take a great deal of time composing these stories.

I guess the same philosophy could go to writing as well. Writing is truly a lonely endeavor. It's really not a team effort. So when I'm writing, I have to do it in silence and not be disturbed. I have my friends and family trained to leave me alone when my door is closed.

Novelspot: Who are your favorite authors and why? Any role models?

Bridget Midway: I cut my teeth, so to speak, on Jackie Collins. I remember reading The World Is Full of Married Men and loving it. I couldn't believe she was so brazen with her word choices and her subject matter. Mind you, I was only 12 or 13 at the time. I was just very tall for my age so looked older (in case you all were wondering how a pre-teen got a hold of Jackie Collins' books). She's still a favorite of mine. I'm always surprised when I go to conferences that writers don't talk about her being influential in our genre. I think she's the godmother of erotic romance.

I also like Judy Blume. I still remember very distinctly the opening scene of Wifey with the naked guy on a motorcycle wearing the American flag. You know if I can still remember something like that, the writing has to be good.

Those ladies were my role models. The authors I love now are L.A. Banks, Jennifer Crusie, Angela Knight and Laura Bacchi.

Novelspot: What is the best writing advice you ever got? What (writing) advice do you give others?

Bridget Midway: The best writing advice I ever got was from another writer. Felicia Mason once said that once you finish one book, don't sit back and bask in that glory. Get going and start on the next book. If it wasn't for that advice, I wouldn't have had all of the work that I have published now get published. I had so much stock work, I had it submitted to several publishers at once.

The one piece of writing advice I give has less to do with writing and more to do with publishing. I always tell writers to look over contracts carefully. Getting an editor to say, "Yes, we want your work." is wonderful. However, don't sell yourself short in order to be published. Some publishers bank on the fact that writers are willing to do anything, up to an including giving away their rights to their work, that they'll actually include that stipulation in their contracts. You worked hard to write that story. Let it work hard for you.

Novelspot: Has your writing evolved? Where do you see your writing going in the next ten years?

Bridget Midway: Oh yes! My writing has definitely evolved. I love writing contemporary works, whether it be romances or straight erotica. Recently I've started thinking of doing some historicals and time travel. My very first published work, Adam and E-V-E through Phaze was my first attempt at a futuristic story. And I followed up on that story with the sequel, C-A-I-N AND A-B-E-L. I never thought I would write another futuristic tale again. If you don't grow as a writer, your work starts to become stale. I don't want this to be routine for me. I want to be challenged and excited every time I sit down to write.

Novelspot: How do you jumpstart your writing?

Bridget Midway: As soon as I get some ideas about a story, I get excited about writing. Sometimes my publishers will post an internal open call submission, and those will get me going to write something new. I'm just thankful that the ideas still come.

Novelspot: Can you talk about your most recent publication?

Bridget Midway: Actually I had two books released back-to-back. Fascination Street, the book I mentioned above, is through Venus Press. This was one of those situations where a "call to authors" submission request jumpstarted my writing. I found an ad on Erotic Readers and Writers Association where a certain publisher wanted to see suburban erotica a la "Desperate Housewives". I had never seen the show and am probably the only person in the country who still hasn't. However, I knew how erotic suburban living can be. How many times have you wondered what goes on behind your neighbors' closed doors? So I thought about having a couple move to this neighborhood where everyone swings/swap partners. It was a difficult book to write but I am so glad I wrote it. And I have erotic romance author, Laura Bacchi, to thank for that. She encouraged me to finish the book when I didn't think readers would "get it".

My second release is Corporate Seduction through Midnight Showcase. This is the age-old tale of a boss-and-secretary story but with a BDSM twist. I wrote this because of a manager I used to work with in real life who irritated me one day. I just wanted to spank him. So I wrote a book where the heroine does just that.

Novelspot: What else do you have in the works?

Bridget Midway: I have a erotic romance suspense coming out through Ocean's Mist Press called Silly Fears. It deals with a woman who has a big fear of clowns. There's a little bit of intrigue in the story and voodoo is behind it all. Then I have some short works coming out through Midnight Showcase and Phaze. I already mentioned the sequel to Adam and E-V-E called C-A-I-N AND A-B-E-L that will be coming out also. And I'll be working on the 4 prequels to Fascination Street. I'm going to have a busy year!

Novelspot: Thanks for the interview! We'll be looking forward to hearing about Silly Fears and C-A-I-N AND A-B-E-L .

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