Aloha to Michael Schneider and THE DARKNESS OF PERFECTION

As I wrote on Monday, we are celebrating Book Blogger Appreciation Week!   It gives readers the opportunity to find new bloggers .... just as my blog gives you the opportunity to find new authors!  Today I welcome an author new to me, Michael Schneider.  From her bio,

Michael Schneider found her passion for writing in an unconventional way. Her daughter, after reading a story online, dared her to create an online work of fiction worth reading. Having always been a bit creative and not one to back down from any challenge her children posed, Michael accepted and discovered an enthusiasm for writing.


Michael, mother of three girls, has been married to her high school sweetheart for 28 years. A central Texas native, she lives in a small town outside of Austin with her husband, teenage daughter and two cats. They have two daughters who are grown and living in nearby cities. When she is not busy writing or balancing the role of wife and mother, Michael can be found quilting or gardening. She also enjoys watching science fiction movies and visiting area antique stores with her friends and family.

Photo by Tsuzuki26 

Kim:  What was the standard by which you wrote "an online work of fiction worthy reading"?

Michael:  When I started my first online story I didn’t have a standard. I’d say it was more a trial by fire learning what I can and can’t write and figuring out my style. I accepted the challenge to try writing from my daughter, but didn’t put much faith in my ability, so I wrote the most god-awful beginning I could think of hoping I’d prove I couldn’t do this. What I discovered instead is that I enjoyed writing. So I started a second story worthy of my daughter actually reading (she still to this day has never read the first story).

I’m an avid reader of historical romance and have only begun reading contemporary and paranormal romance in the last couple of years. When working out my style of writing I analyzed the characters of my favorite novels and figured out what I liked and didn’t like about them. I love alpha-male characters who have flaws and make mistakes, but in the end aren’t afraid to admit they’re wrong.

I love heroines who may be naïve or innocent in the beginning, but when faced with adversity learn to dig down deep within themselves to find the strength to overcome whatever life (or I) have thrown at them. They set in motion the change that ultimately sets them free.

I don’t believe in happy ending that seem too easy. It could be due to the fact that my husband has been disabled for the last fourteen years of our twenty-eight year marriage. Some days are a challenge to remind myself I still love this man. We have a running joke that keeps us going when things get hard. As long as he’s capable of making my coffee (he hates coffee, but makes the best ever) then I have a reason to keep him around and in return as long as I keep his tea pitcher filled he’ll keep me too.

So long story short – I guess my standard is I want a darker, more angsty story with challenges to overcome so that when the characters finally get their “happy ever after” the reader can breathe a sigh of relief and walk away feeling that they’ve earned it.

Austen at Night

Kim:  Austin - tell us your favorite sight, sound, and smell. 

Michael:  Austin is such an eclectic mix of every walk of life imaginable. We have the University of Texas, South by Southwest Music Festival, our state government, etc. Our motto is “Keep Austin Weird”. If I had to pinpoint the best part of living in Austin it would have to be Christmas. (I live for Black Friday!)

Austin puts on what’s called the Trail of Lights each year for the holidays. Businesses and organizations donate their time and efforts to setting up different holiday scenes along a walking trail at Zilker Park. It’s a great family outing complete with hot chocolate and a chance to sit on Santa’s lap at Santa’s Village. The evening ends at the large Christmas tree of lights watching children spin in circles under the lights until they’re so dizzy they fall down. It’s a magical time that always brings a smile to my face.

Hawaiian quilt pattern

Kim:  Quilting - what is your favorite stitch?  Gardening - what is your favorite thing to grow?   Favorite sci-fi movie?   Special find from recent trip to antique store?

Michael:  Quilting – I don’t have a favorite stitch or quilt block. Every quilt I’ve made has been a different block. I never do the same one twice. I do have a favorite fabric. It’s a piece I bought several years ago to use as the focal point in my daughter’s quilt when she was headed off to college. It’s in bright pinks, greens and blues and it has a coffee theme. I loved the fabric so much I made a quilt for myself with the scraps. I’m a big coffee drinker (with plenty of cream) so I love my coffee cup quilt. I still have a few scraps leftover that I’m determined to find a way to put into another quilt so I don’t waste them.

Gardening – I love antique roses, purple irises and white Shasta daisies. With the drought and heat we’ve had the last couple of years in Texas though I’ve lost most of my plants, four trees and my yard. I’ve already told everyone I want gift certificates for Christmas and my birthday to restart my yard next spring. It’s so bad, even my weeds died. My husband pointed out that it’ll be the perfect time to experiment with new things since my established beds are bare.

Favorite Sci-Fi – Favorite movie is Star Wars (the original 3) hands down. TV Series – the original Star Trek series and Babylon Five. My dream is to one day attend a Star Trek convention in costume! (that will be my mid-life crisis after my last child leaves home).

Best antique find – I collect a lot of different things around my house: depression glass, crank butter churns, aluminum ware, Franciscan Apple dishes, wheat patterned crockery, and plates and cake plates with painted flowers (mainly roses) in the center. I have one that I love with cutwork around the edge. This spring I found another with the same cutwork pattern. Needless to say I was thrilled!

Crank Butter Churn

Kim:  What inspired THE DARKNESS OF PERFECTION?

Michael:  My first on-line attempt at writing was a very dark story that involved abuse and redemption. It actually won several awards in the genre it was written for. When I was approached by my publisher to write, one of the things they wanted was a rework of that story in some form. I took the concept of my on-line work and spun it into a family that deals in human trafficking and focused on one girl as she fights to save herself. The novel will have a sequel as there wasn’t a way to finish the story to a HEA in just one book.

Kim:  What's next for Michael Schneider?   

Michael:  I’m working on a short story for a holiday compilation my publisher is putting out this winter and the sequel to Darkness. The epilogue in Darkness sets the stage for the sequel four years after the end. We’ll see the effect of decisions that were made and see where those decisions take Nicholas and Jayden.

I’m also working on a paranormal series set a couple of hundred years in the future. I’m really excited to start this series. It’s been sitting in the hopper for over a year. I’ve written so many notes for this series that the first book is practically writing itself before I’ve even started.

Mahalo, Michael, for joining us today at SOS Aloha!   In honor of your visit, I am giving away an ecopy of THE DARKNESS OF PERFECTION to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about quilting, gardening, antiquing ... or your favorite hobby.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3. Comments are open through Saturday, September 17, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 18.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii 

To learn more about Michael and her books, check out this link.