Getting to Know YouStart by telling us a little about yourself. Who is Debbie Mumford? Where are you from?

DLM: I’m the youngest (and only girl) of six siblings, born and raised in Kansas and Oklahoma. I’m also a mother of three, two of whom happen to be twins.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

DLM: In all honesty, I wanted to be a mother when I grew up. Sounds strange, but that truly was my heart’s desire. My mom was the greatest, and I wanted to be just like her. Of course, I also wanted to be either an astronaut or a marine biologist…

What authors inspire you?

DLM: Oh! Do I get extra credit for using the rest of the interview to talk about this subject? Seriously, I can think of several layers of writers who have been important to me. The foundational ones-those whose tales turned me into a compulsive reader-were Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Madeleine L’Engle, and Arthur C. Clarke. (I still remember choosing “Podkayne of Mars” by Heinlein from the school library when I was about ten.)

Later loves were J.R.R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony, and Ursula K. LeGuin. Now days, I’m entranced by George R.R. Martin, Diana Gabaldon, Jim Butcher, J.K. Rowling, Nora Roberts, and Linda Howard.

Do you have a favorite book or series?

DLM: I think that would have to be McCaffrey’s Pern series. I wanted to immigrate to Pern. Instead, I discovered my own world of dragons.

When you’re not writing, do you have any hobbies or interests?

DLM: I love to quilt. I’ve made everything from bed quilts to art pieces designed for gallery display. Before I settled down to write, I taught quilting.

About Your Books

Tell us more about your latest release. What’s it about and what inspired you to write it?

DLM: My most recent release is Dragons’ Choice: Sorcha’s Children Book 1. It continues the story begun in Sorcha’s Heart…the little story that kept on going! Sorcha began as a 5,000 word short story written for the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest. It made it to the quarter finals, but didn’t have the *oomph* to make it to the finish.

I discovered the *oomph* when I expanded it into a novella and contracted it to Freya’s Bower. They liked it well enough to offer me a contract for two additional novels to follow it. Dragons’ Choice is the first of those novels.

As a way of introduction, let me give you the blurbs for both Sorcha’s Heart and Dragons’ Choice.

Sorcha’s Heart:

A legendary relic, a dragon-wrought amulet, the Heart of Fire may be the salvation of her people, and Sorcha is willing to pay any price to obtain it, but when she discovers the price is the loss of her humanity, she learns caution too late. Only a hero can save her, and he isn’t human.

Dragons’ Choice:

Sorcha and Caedyrn’s love has created a new breed of beings. Neither wholly dragon nor fully human, Sorcha’s children shapeshift at will. The six fledglings have been raised as dragons, but the time has come to explore their human heritage. Aislinn and Taran are the first to leave the ice aerie for the world of men.

Aislinn discovers the lure of sexuality amidst the intrigues of King Leofric’s court, while Taran learns the source of his debilitating malady. The siblings confront danger and prejudice among their mother’s kin and discover love along the way. But love creates dilemmas: To live within the ice aerie with their dragon kin, or live amongst humans? Aislinn and Taran must make their choice.

I was absolutely thrilled when Dragons’ Choice was named Best Fantasy / SciFi / Futuristic Romance of 2007 in Ecataromance’s Readers Poll!

What’s coming out next from you? Our readers will want to mark their calendars!

DLM: I have stories in two anthologies coming out this year: Star Stepping from Wild Child Publishing and A Cup of Comfort for Families Touched by Alzheimer’s from Adams Media. In addition, I’m currently working on Dragons’ Flight: Sorcha’s Children Book 2.

Do you come up with your characters first or the plot of the story?

DLM: Usually the characters since most of my stories are character driven. Occasionally, a phrase or a picture will spark a story.

My first e-book, Glass Magic, was a Freya’s Bower Bites offering, meaning it consisted of two related short stories. Those stories centered on a faery who had been imprisoned in a pane of antique Irish glass….That concept emerged on a cold winter day when the glass in the front door at my office fogged up. You could actually read a sign that had been removed a decade before. The phrase “ghost in the glass” popped into my mind and simmered until I wrote those stories for Freya’s Bower

Do you believe characters find you? Do they have names when you “meet” them? If not, how do you pick the names?

DLM: Often they don’t have names until I go in search of them. One of my favorite sources for names is Behind The Name dot com. I love that site.

I will say that my characters often take over the story and direct its flow. I’ll write up a brief outline of where I think it’s going, but when I start writing, I often discover that my characters have a much better grasp on the outcome than I do *lol*

Do you have a favorite book or one that’s closest to your heart that you’ve written?

DLM: At this point, I’d have to say Sorcha’s Heart. I love that story, and I love the additional characters it has brought to life.

Random Questions

If you were stuck on an island, what 3 things would you take with you?

DLM: OMG! Could I have electricity? I hate writing by hand and I’m not sure I could survive without my laptop…or at least my Alphasmart…Okay. Seriously now, I can answer this question. I’d want a copy of the Bible - for meditation and because it contains such a diverse range of literature, a good, sharp knife, and a parachute - the material is tough, lightweight and large enough to be infinitely useful.

Give us 5 words that describe you.

DLM: Smart. Resourceful. Determined. Imaginative. Caring.

What’s your favorite movie? Actor? Actress?

DLM: I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. His team did such a phenomenal job of bringing Tolkien’s work to life.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

DLM: My heritage is Celtic, specifically Scots. I long to visit Scotland. There are faeries and dragons and water horses there who are calling me…

Do you have a beverage of choice? Something you can’t write without?

DLM: Nope. When I’m writing, I forget the physical world exists.

Do you write to music or the TV?

DLM: No. I prefer a quiet setting. I don’t mind music if it’s instrumental, but lyrics pull me out of my work and into the song.
What’s your favorite holiday and why?

DLM: I love Christmas! I’m a traditional sort and all the decorations have memories attached. It’s a very sentimental season for me, and I’ve been blessed with memories I cherish.

Do you have any advice to new writers?

DLM: Find a critique group. Not just any critique group, but one that has published authors in regular attendance.

The first thing I wrote was a 100,000 word novel. I had an idea; I was an intelligent woman with a computer; what more did I need? Uhh…Knowledge about craft!

I sent that ill-fated novel out to countless editors and agents, and received an equal number of form rejections which told me nothing about what I’d done wrong. Frustration reigned until I discovered my critique group. I can honestly say they taught me my craft.

Develop a thick skin and rejoice when your stories are shredded. It’s the fastest way to learn. I read lots of articles on craft, but until my own work was dissected and the errors pointed out, I really didn’t understand what was being said. Thank heavens for patient mentors.

How can readers get in contact with you?

DLM: Readers can discover more about me at my website www.debbiemumford.com which includes contact information. In addition, I have a “no chat” newsletter group where readers can keep up with my recent news: groups.yahoo.com/group/debbie_mumford/

Is there anything we didn’t cover that you’d like to mention?

DLM: Well, now that you mention it, I do have an alter-ego I’d like to plug. Deb Logan writes Young Adult and children’s fantasy. I have a couple of titles available from The Wild Rose Press in their Climbing Rose line, and I’m currently shopping a YA novel tentatively titled Faery Unexpected. Visit Deb at www.debloganwrites.com

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