Rogue Skies: Meet the Authors

Missy De Graff

1. Tell us a little about yourself. 

Hi, I'm Missy! I'm so excited to be here, thank you so much to the Rogue Skies Box Set for having me. A little bit about me...I have a degree in Criminal Justice, a career in Program Management, and I dabble in herbalism. I live in a little slice of heaven at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with a pond, an heirloom apple orchard, and we had a honeybee hives (unfortunately we lost our hives last season, but hopefully we will have more hives again in the future). We have a Mountain Cur (dog), two indoor cats, and eight barn cats. I enjoy a variety of activities, which obviously include reading, writing, and daydreaming. I enjoy weaving together fantasy worlds of romance and intrigue, mixed with paranormal elements, suspenseful storylines, and addicting characters. But a perfect day to me is spending time with my family, laughing and enjoying the little things in life.

2. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

I was telling a good friend of mine of an idea I had about the creation of vampires. And she was like "OOOOOO, YES! You need to write a book about it!" And, that's the first time I ever actually thought about writing a book. From that time on, anytime I had the spark of an idea however big or small, I'd write it down.

3. Have events or people in your life ever inspired scenes or characters in any of your books? 

Well, since I write about fantasy and paranormal creatures–no. Real-life people, nor events have inspired my scenes or characters, lol. But, the emotional responses to situations I put my characters through, may have been influenced by real life.

4. What is your favorite under-appreciated novel? 

That is a hard one. I have several favorite books that are by indie authors and are under-appreciated. I guess the first one that comes to mind is the Sweet Series by Bailey Ardisone. (If you haven't read it and you enjoy Elves, you should totally check it out!)

5. What is your favorite/most frustrating part of the writing or publishing process? 

My favorite process is the brainstorming, plotting, and outlining. I love throwing curve balls at my characters and seeing what they do with it. The most frustrating parts are the never-ending rounds of revising and editing!

6. Do you have a favorite scene in the last book you wrote? 

Tell us about it. I can't say too much about it without giving away spoilers, so I'll just say this...my favorite scene is when the big bad Alpha drops his shield and we see his vulnerability.

7. What's something you had to edit out of your last book? 

I tend to write on the shorter side vs the longer side. While most Authors need to cut down their word count after their first draft, I need to bump it up. I like action. So, during my first draft I often skip through the finer details and write only the action and dialogue parts. So, during the first round of revision I need to add all the detail. And as far as editing...there are a few words and phrases I tend to use a lot that need to be edited out, such as: smirks, snarl, flaring nostrils, and clenched jaw to name just a few.

8. What are you currently working on? 

Well, I'm currently working on a few different projects. I'm drafting out the remaining five (5) books in the REALM OF THE FIRE FAE series. I'm also working on another Fae project, and then a Super Secret project. And, lastly, I'm finishing up the (hopeful) final round of revisions for the second book of my THE RAVEN CHRONICLES series.

9. Do you have a day job, or are you a full-time writer? What is your day job? Has it helped your writing? 

I do have a day job. I am a Program Manager for a government contractor. (Though, I'm hoping one day to be a full-time writer. I love playing in my imagination!) I do think being a Program Manager has helped with my organizational skills when it comes to organizing the details of my novels, creating a "series bible", etc. I also believe that it's helped with proficient time management. Being an author isn't just about writing. There is a lot more that goes into building your career, such as marketing, socializing with other authors, interaction with fans, etc. And, it all takes up a lot of time.

10. What kind of books do you read in your free time? 

I read an assortment of books to include YA, NA, and Adult. I love the fantasy genre, which include all of its sub-genres, I also enjoy Historical Fiction, and of course select Romance sub-genres, especially Paranormal Romance.

11. Do you have a favorite book quote? 

"Real or not real?"

12. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? 

Reach for the stars, but also keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Believe in yourself and just keep reading and writing. The more you read and write, the better you'll get. And most importantly...Never give up!!!

I'm excited to introduce you to my new novella!!! FIRE GLASS is the first book in The Realm of the Fire Fae series. The series will walk the line between an urban fantasy and fantasy romance; and it will appeal to the older YA and Adult crowds. 

...it all started with a Fae Princess and ends with the ultimate assassin...

FIRE GLASS is 1 of 25 stories in the ROGUE SKIES limited edition collection, PRE-ORDER today for only $0.99!!! 

https://books2read.com/rogueskies (clickable link in comments) 

Every pre-order will receive an exclusive collection of 18+ stories for FREE!!! 

https://www.subscribepage.com/rogueskiesfreegift (clickable link in the comments)

Connection with Missy (clickable links in the comments below)

Everywhere you can find me on social media (and the links) are in the comments below! Feel free to follow me on all your favorite sites! (I often share different things on different sites, so you don't want to miss anything!)