Good day CTR readers! I’m so excited to be here sharing in the festivities of uniformed characters day. I’ll get to the whys surrounding that a bit later on today. For now I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Lila Munro, realmantica writer. Yes, I did say realmantica. That’s my style and my own unique word I coined to describe it. You see, I’m a stickler for correct facts and real issues and problems. In fact, I’ve been dubbed a conflict queen (well, there have been other words used, but they aren’t entirely appropriate for today’s venue *wink*). I’m not afraid to tackle the tough problems and I weave them into romance with an erotic twist. And how did I happen to come about writing this realmantica? Well, it started many years ago….
Like I’ve talked about many times on my own blog, I remember developing a passion for the written word long before I could actually read it. When I was three, I memorized the entire book The Little Red Hen and could recite it verbatim. In fact, my mother and I convinced a relative that I could in fact read at age three. Mom sat me down in my little wooden rocker with the book and I recited it word for word, turned the pages at the appropriate times, and made quite a show of the whole affair. Now, reading at three today isn’t that big of a deal, but remember—forty years ago, there was none of this fancy dancy Your Baby Can Read business or Hooked on Phonics. So, our ruse was considered quite a feat. It wasn’t long after that, once I was in elementary school and actually could read that I decided I was the next John Girl Walton and wanted a typewriter for Christmas. Now tell me, what kid wants that at age eight? Well, Santa delivered in the form of a tiny, blue toy typewriter complete with a ream of paper. I wore that thing out pecking away for hours on end. My next source of inspiration came in the form of one Mr. Trokey. He was my sixth grade creative writing teacher and the one that really planted the seed that would eventually blossom into Lila. I remember him putting me before the entire class to explain that I had a knack for driving a story line forward and that when I was rich and famous I owed him the first autographed copy. I really doubt at that time he imagined it might someday come in the form of an erotic romance novel. I’m not in paperback yet, but Mr. Trokey, where ever you are, when the time comes, I owe you one.
All through high school I dabbled in writing. Everything from poetry to short stories to “novels†to pieces for the yearbook. I did in fact toss an entire manuscript in the trash as I thought it was the most terrible thing I’d ever read. Looking back, it probably was. The first major I declared in college was journalism. I thought I wanted to be the next Walter Cronkite. Well, after a few days in a class designed for on air news announcing—I decided I didn’t like it in front of the camera, dropped the class and re-declared as an English major, in secondary education no less. What was I thinking? After my first practicum class, my professor Dr. Ellis scared the beejeezuz out of me and I changed majors yet again, but not before tossing another manuscript in the trash, as it was the most terrible thing I’d ever read. Ultimately, I ended up with a double bachelor’s in psychology and sociology and a secondary in English.
Through the years I never used my bachelor’s degree. I ended up being a Jill of all trades. I worked in fast food, retail, housekeeping, newspaper writing, and telemarketing and as a seamstress in a factory. Then one day, my knight in tarnished cammies showed up. My very own Marine and a fine specimen at that. He swept me off my feet, married me and less than a year later we moved to Okinawa, Japan. Wow! Talk about culture shock. Now what was I supposed to do with myself? Well, after a few months of playing around on the beaches, I went to work in banking—Jill was at it again. And so was her muse—Arwen began to talk to me while we were there. Not six weeks before we were supposed to rotate back stateside, I tossed yet another manuscript in the incinerator. It was the most terrible thing I’d ever read.
Thirteen years later. Yet another duty station and a couple more “trades†under Jill’s belt and two more certificates—one in Children’s Literature and one in Pharmacy Technology. To my dismay, there were no jobs to be had. With so much time on my hands and an empty nest, I cleaned house until there was none to clean anymore then began to read. Those tawdry romance novels I loved so much in my younger days. Well, I discovered, and much to my pleasure, they were a lot racier than I remembered them being. I also discovered the story lines and actual writing was the most terrible thing I’d ever read. The seed Mr. Trokey planted some thirty years ago burst open and a tiny shoot sprang forth. I asked my very own Marine how he felt about me trying my hand at this writing thing, and a year later I landed my first contract for The Executive Officer’s Wife. Since March of 2010, I’ve seen the publication of another novel, Bound By Trust, a short story, Destiny’s Fire, and I participated in an anthology, All I Want for Christmas is Redemption.
It’s been a wonderful year. I’ve learned so much and met some of the most incredible people. And the new year is looking to shape up to be just as incredible. Today I’ll be showcasing two of my upcoming works. The first is book one in a series about my husband’s home town. It’s entitled A Slower Lower Love and will be available through Rebel Ink Press January 18. The second is the first in a series of anthologies I’m writing with some pretty incredible writing partners whom you’ll also be hearing from today—Chris Craven, BethAnn Buehler, and JL Oiler. Force Recon: Beacon Bayou is slated to debut February 21, also through Rebel Ink Press. In the second book, we’ve enlisted the help of JA Lawson, a relative newcomer that we’re all thrilled to be working with.
I’d like to say thanks for joining me and all the other authors today. I hope you find your time well spent and enjoyable. For more information about me and my work please find me at www.lilamunro.weebly.com , or at my second home with the Wicked Muses at www.wickedmuses.webs.com , or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lila_Munro . Have a great time today everyone!
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