Interview with L P Maxa

Welcome, today we are talking with L.P. Maxa! I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy writing schedule to answer a few questions.

First, I think it’s important for readers to get a little insight on an author that they don’t necessarily get from your professional bio. You’d be surprised at what readers connect to, and sometimes the simplest ‘I can relate to that’ grabs their interest where nothing else can. Don’t answer anything you feel uncomfortable with.

Can you share a little something about L.P. Maxa that’s not mentioned in your bio on your website?

I saw two ghosts when I was a little girl. My husband doesn’t believe me, but I totally did. My friend and I were in a cemetery and I saw a lady in like Victorian garb and a little boy in a sailor suit. I wasn’t scared, but I’ll never forget it.

What are your favorite:

Animal – Dogs, hands down. I have three rescue babies and I adore them. They’re crazy, but their mine.

Food – Mexican food is the go to fav for my family. But really, I love food in general. Cheeseburgers and chocolate chip cookies are my downfall.

Movie – Boondock Saints, with Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery. I also love any and all campy horror flicks, the ones from the 70’s and 80’s are my jam.

TV show – Currently I am liking Animal Kingdom, I know it’s kinda twisted, but I like it. I was a huge SOA fan and Animal Kingdom is a little bit like that. Big Walking Dead fan {have you noticed my Norman Reedus crush?} I am enjoying Fear the Waking Dead as well. I make my husband watch Vampire Diaries and the Originals with me.

Actor – Norman Reedus, Taylor Kitsch, Charlie Hunnam…you mean based on my crushes right?

Singer – I go old school most of the way; Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Aerosmith, Steve Miller Band. But I’ve been listening to Bon Iver on Pandora while I write and I am obsessed with Miranda Lambert {have y’all heard Vice?!} and Kacey Musgraves.

Author – I had a huge infatuation with Edgar Allen Poe when I was younger. Currently I so many favorite authors and extremely talented friends who are authors… It’s just too many to name.

What are your pet peeves?

This is a tough one. Hmmm…I really can’t stand people who like to one up other people. Like, my cat had six kittens. Oh, my cat had kittens but she had twelve. It’s always the one uppers who have also experienced every single thing you have. It’s irritating and no one believes you, so…yeah.

Who is your hero?

Moms. All my mom friends, all the moms in my life. Mommin’ ain’t easy. I have a four year old and she can be so…sassy. She’s going through this stage where she questions every decision I make. So really just a hats off to all the good, kind, patient moms out there. You’re doing great, pour yourself a glass of wine.

Give us one thing on your bucket list.

Ireland. I really want to go to Ireland and be surrounded by people with Irish accents. I’d also REALLY like to be on the Talking Dead, the Walking Dead after show. Preferably on a night when Reedus is there too. So just to one day famous enough for that to happen.

What would readers find surprising about you?

Huh, I don’t know how to answer that. I would assume that not much about me would surprise them. I’m not all that secretive. Let’s see, we are currently in the middle of the adoption process. I bite my nails, unless I have an event coming up. In that case I stop a couple of weeks before. I have BAD air plane anxiety. I was on the jump rope team in elementary school. And my favorite song to rap is None of Your Business by Salt-Pepa.

If you could go to heaven, who would you visit?

My husband had this really amazing cousin that died way too young. It’s really hard to even believe it happened. I’d go hang with him for a bit. And then my husband’s dad, I never got to meet him.

Any bad habits?

Biting my nails. Cussing like a mob boss. Sugar being my drug of choice. And sometimes I go waaaaay too long without washing my hair {I love ball caps}.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

So this is a funny story about my sister and I in church, but if you’ve never listened to Dane Cook’s stand up you won’t get it. We were raised Catholic and a few years ago we were at mass with our parents. We were kneeling on the little pull out knee cushion and the priest was saying his part before communion and my sister was whispering lines from Dane Cook’s bit. I tried so hard to keep a straight face and then she did the part where he mines ringing the bell. And I lost it. My mom was so mad at us for cracking up during mass. It’s super disrespectful, but we still laugh about it. My sister is my best friend in this whole world. A lot of my funniest moments are with her.

Now that our readers know a little bit more about L.P. Maxa, let’s get down to the business of your Devil’s Share Series with Borough’s Publishing Group. With four books in the series, Play Dirty, Play Fair, Play Nice, Play Softly, how did you decide on the topics and titles?

The idea for the Devil’s Share Series came from a really good friend of mine and her younger brother. He was in a band and she was so darn proud of him. That was the opening of Play Nice. The titles themselves stemmed off Play Nice, which to be honest I can’t remember how I came up with. The stories wrote themselves once the characters were born. I don’t typically have a direction until after they are all in motion.

You must be pretty excited at the rave reviews you’ve received on Amazon for the Devil’s Share Series, had you known that you were going to write a series when you first began?

Yes the reviews have been really spectacular, I am so grateful to anyone that has taken the time to write one. I did know that it would be a four book series when I started. It’s been so well received though that my publisher has added two extra books.

Are you planning on writing more in this series?

I just completed book five {Play Hard, Luke’s HEA) and there is one more due out the end of this year.

Please tell us a little bit about each book in the Devil’s Share Series.

Play Nice is the love story between Dash and Lexi. They have to deal with some pretty funny drama along the way but then Lexi ends up getting injured towards the end of the book.

Play Dirty is Smith’s HEA with Dylan. His family is really abusive and he has a lot of emotional baggage.

Play Fair is Jacks and Bryan (Dylan’s younger sister). Jacks discovers he has a child, so their HEA really focuses on that.

Play Softly is a fun novella centered around the birth of Dash and Lexi’s baby. There is a lot in that one about Lexi’s past with Luke, who is the drummer of the Devil’s Share.

Play Hard will be Luke’s HEA.

What was your hardest challenge writing this series?

I’ve never written with a deadline before, with people waiting on me to finish. That was a challenge. I’ve always just kind of wrote when I felt the urge to do so. It was definitely a learning experience. I tend to procrastinate.

What in your opinion makes good chemistry between your leading characters?

Dialogue and humor! I love to read people’s interactions, their conversations. I think it is such a great way to show the bond between characters. In real life no one hears our inner monologues, so I try to limit those in my novels.

Any other works in progress?

The last book in the Devil’s Share Series is number one priority. But I also have a novel titled Happy Place under contract with Borough’s as well. It’s about a girl who sleeps with her brother’s best friend and then their life together a year later.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

If you want to be a writer, the best advice I can give you is to write. Journal, blog, jot down story ideas. Anytime you get the urge to get your thoughts on paper then do it. Hone your craft any chance you get.