"Starlight" - Interview with Author Evie McGylnn

Evie McGynn is a new author who has always been an avid reader, mostly fantasy, science fiction and, of course, romance. After raising three children into adulthood, acquiring a master’s degree, and opening a counselling practice, she figured she didn’t have enough to do, so she decided to write books. Evie lives “down the shore” in New Jersey with her husband, her youngest son, his fiancée, and her goofy Rottweiler. Every summer she complains about “the bennies” coming down and snarling up the traffic, but she’s a Jersey Girl through and through.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Evie about her upcoming novel, Starlight and how she went from writing epic science-fiction to swoon-worthy contemporary romance.

What inspired you to start writing?

EM: Two things really. First, I have been writing for a very long time, just not published until last December. I was writing an epic fantasy series and was about to introduce a peripheral character into the main story. He was gay and I decided to write the backstory on how he met his partner. It turned into a full novel. While writing it, I started looking for gay romance novels because, at the time, I didn’t know if there were such things. That opened a whole new world to me. I started reading more M/M romance and finding authors that I loved. One day I thought, “Hey, I could write that,” but I didn’t have an idea of what I wanted to write at the time. The second part was the inspiration for my first novel. A friend of mine who is in recovery was telling me about a wedding he attended where he felt like he was the only person who wasn’t drinking. This sparked a story idea for me that grew into what became Moonlight, my first published novel.

What is your writing process like?

EM: Sigh. Well, I try to have something of an outline to start with. I like to at least know where the story is going. But the truth is I am definitely a pantser. I have a general idea of where I’m going and I know what certain things I’d like to happen within the story, but my characters tend to develop voices of their own and will more often than not go off script. Or, I’ll have this great idea of something that would be cool to happen to bring the two MCs together and it turns out that the MCs roll their eyes at me and go, “That’s really dumb. Why would we do that?” I work full-time as a mental health counsellor, so my writing time is limited. A lot of plotting and storytelling goes on in my head when I’m unable to take pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Most recently, I wrote a chapter that had an ending that was one of those “cool” ideas. I woke up at 6:00 in the morning and my brain said, “That ending is stupid. It doesn’t advance the plot at all. It’s going to stretch the ending to no purpose.” So I got out of bed and completely changed how the chapter ended. So yeah. Total pantser.

How do you approach writing your characters and bringing their relationships to life?

EM: My work as a counsellor really helps with that. I meet a lot of people from all walks of life and I love learning what makes people do the things they do. So, for me, a character’s backstory is vitally important because it is what drives them to do the things they do. When I’m writing a character doing something that seems out of character for them, there had better be a damn good reason they’re doing it, or it won’t work. As far as how the characters relate to each other, I have a lot of years under my belt and have been married twice, divorced once. I have raised three children into adulthood and all of this goes into what I know about people and relationships. I know what it’s like to love and lose love and to fall out of love.

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

EM: So, showing my age again, I went to middle school in the mid-1970s. At the time, the case of Karen Ann Quinlan was big news. She’d been in a vegetative state for years and her family was petitioning to take her off life support and allow her to die with dignity. I was in eighth grade so this was probably 1976 or 1977. We had a debate in social studies class and I was on the team that was for allowing them to take her off life support. It was a powerful lesson in the power of words and how they can shape people’s thoughts and opinions. Also J.R.R. Tolkien. Enough said.

What is the most challenging part of your artistic process?

EM: The number one challenge I have is finding time to write. I work full-time and often don’t get home until after 7:00. The other challenging part is when my characters won’t talk to me. I can’t just write things down randomly and hope they stick. I am a very deliberate writer (which makes my editor happy), but it makes for a slow process for me.

What do you hope readers take from your stories?

EM:I hope first of all that they find hope that love is out there for everyone. I am not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, but I am a staunch ally. I am what some would derisively call a social justice warrior. If that’s an insult, I’ll happily accept it. I will usually weave some social justice topic into my stories, and frankly, when you’re writing a queer story, you’d really better be all about social justice.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

EM: That all those stories in your head will someday be given life.

What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel?

EM: Off Balance by Jay Hogan. It’s the story of a ballet dancer who develops Meniere’s disease and has to give up his career and go back to his small hometown in New Zealand. You really feel the pain that the former dancer is going through as he tries to pick up the pieces of his life and find a new purpose for himself and accept that someone can love him as he is.

What would your advice be to any aspiring writers?

EM: Never be afraid to ask for help from other writers.

  What are you writing next?

EM: My second novel,  Starlight, is set to release on September 13th. After that, I will be writing the third and final book in Down the Shore series, Sunrise, which will have a bisexual awakening with a shy gentle giant and a femme and sassy hotel manager. By the way, all the stories are set on the Jersey Shore and most of the places mentioned in the books are real places. New Jersey is too small to insert any fictional towns. 😉

Preorder Starlight here:

Liam

I joined Doctors Without Borders to help save lives and almost lost my own. The only reason I’m alive is because of Marco D’Angelo. My journey to full recovery isn’t smooth, but I’m determined to get stronger and continue to help others in need. When an opportunity arises to help Marco and his team, I grab it with both hands. I’d like to grab Marco with both hands, but he’s put up a wall between us that seems insurmountable. I’m not sure if I’ll break through his wall or break my own heart.

Marco

I left the Navy SEALs to start my life with the man I loved. But he was taken from me in the most brutal way imaginable. Now it’s strictly hookups for me. I am not going through that pain ever again. Liam is a complication I can’t afford. He smart and sassy. He challenges me at every turn and manages to make me smile when no else has been able to. And even though I push him away, I can’t seem to walk away.

Author Links for Evie McGlynn

Facebook Group | Instagram| Website | Bookbub|

Thank you again to Evie for a wonderful interview. You can grab a copy of Moonlight on Amazon and Starlight will be hitting bookshelves on 13/09/2023!