Author Spotlight MJ Greenway

Welcome to the Limitless Library Lounge where I interview fellow authors from Limitless Publishing. Today, I am chatting with MJ Greenway from Portland, Oregon.

Thanks for joining me, MJ.  Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. How long have you been publishing with Limitless? What titles have you published with them? Have you self-published any titles or published with another publisher? Please give details.

Dating Maggie is my debut contemporary romance. It was released in October 2015 by Limitless Publishing. Dating Maggie is the first novel I had written and was thrilled when I was offered a contract from Limitless.

How exciting. Can you tell us a little bit about your books — what genre you write, if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress.

In Dating Maggie, a struggling actress and dating vlogger meets a hot out-of-town rancher and he threatens to turn her five year plan upside down. Maggie lives in LA and Cliff lives in Oregon on his ranch. Geography and other love interests may keep them apart or they may find their way back to each other.

Sarah’s Second Chance is a women’s fiction/romantic mystery that I recently finished. Sarah is a grieving widow with a young son. After her husband dies mysteriously she will not give up trying to prove it was murder, not suicide. At the donut shop where she’s taken a job to make ends meet, she encounters Greyson. He’s a handsome black PI who helps Sarah find answers and hope. This story has recently been sent to publishers for consideration and I’m crossing my fingers and hoping to hear some good news soon.

That sounds great. Good luck with your second book.  Would you describe your goals as a writer to us. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

I like to think about one project at a time. If I think too far ahead, it overwhelms me. My broad goal as a writer is to entertain with humor and heart. I like to read feel good stories and I like to write them too. I keep a journal of all of my ideas and go back and see what really pulls at me and start writing an outline or a scene to see where things go.

I am currently talking with a writer friend about a novel we’d like to co-write. I’ve never co-written a novel but it sounds both exciting and scary. We are considering a contemporary romance or romantic suspense and may plot out a series. It’s still in the planning stages, so we’ll see what happens.

Nice plans. I know what you mean about becoming overwhelmed. It’s less stressful to deal with one project at a time.

What type of reader are you hoping to attract?  Who do you believe would be most interested in reading your books?

I imagine women who enjoy realistic, emotional characters and stories with a bit of humor are my target demographic.

That sounds like a wide audience.

What advice would you give other authors or those still trying to get published?

Don’t give up. Rejection stings but tenacity pays off eventually. Twitter contests are great. Writing and the road to publication can be lonely. Getting a support system of beta readers and cheerleaders has really helped me.

I agree with all of that.

What hobbies and interests do you have besides writing?

I enjoy baking, walks, reading and catching up with my gal pals.

Fun activities.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

At the moment, figuring out how to market my book without irritating people has been a challenge. Getting lost in a story and the feeling of creative accomplishment are the things I enjoy most about writing. Also, this probably sounds silly…but if I re-read a passage I’ve written and it makes me laugh, that’s probably the greatest thrill for me.

I like those answers. Marketing without annoying people with a hard sell is often a challenge for authors. I’ve laughed at my own writing too and also really enjoyed those “aha” moments when my character does something I don’t even expect or I add a twist that I’d never planned.

Can you  please list your social media links, website, blog, etc. so readers can connect with you.

Website: https://mjgreenway.blogspot.com

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ht8vg5b

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJGreenway

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormjgreenway

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8278532.MJ_Greenway

Wonderful. I enjoyed our chat, MJ. Best wishes with your writing, and good luck publishing your second novel.