Meet Monique Mulligan, author

Monique Mulligan is the author of The Point of Love, which will be released as a novelette this weekend. The story, which first appeared in Serenity Press’s Rocky Romance anthology, has gorgeous coastal settings and laugh-out-loud antics, and is like a sweet breath of fresh air for the romantic’s soul. You can buy it here or at Amazon.

What are you working on now? Describe it in 15-20 words or less.

I’m working on a full length contemporary fiction novel about a couple trying to make a fresh start. It’s… emotional!

Where did your desire to write come from?

I’ve always loved words, as a reader and a writer. I love crafting them into something beautiful.

What do you think about the phrase ‘write what you know’?

Write what you know is a great starting point, but it can be limiting. As writers, we have to transcend our own comfort zones and experience to explore topics, emotions and situations more deeply.

What’s the hardest thing about writing?

Finding time. I try to make time every day, but life has a way of happening around me. So, when I have that window, I seize it!

What would you like your Facebook Page status to say in 2018?

“I went looking for my dreams outside of myself and discovered, it’s not what the world holds for you, it’s what you bring to it.” ― L.M. Montgomery

PS. I wrote another book. Buy it!

Or something like that…

What inspires you in life?

As a writer, I’m inspired by people, situations, and “what ifs”. I love exploring how people handle (or might handle) different life experiences, digging deep into complex emotions. Sometimes it’s about trying to understand why people behave the way they do.

I’m also inspired by my family – Andrew, my male hero in The Point of Love shares the same middle name as my wonderful husband (Lexie, his love interest, got her name from my middle name); My Silly Mum (my upcoming picture book) was inspired by my boys and my own mother.

In life, my family, friends, books, nature and art (in many forms) all inspire me. I love beautiful things.

What is your favourite quote?

It changes regularly, depending on the mood I’m in. Today I like this one by Paolo Coelho: “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

What is the best book-to-movie you’ve ever seen, and why? And the worst?

I’ve always had a soft spot for Chocolat and I watch it at least once a year. Not sure if it’s the chocolate, the French setting, or Johnny Depp as Roux that wins me over. The Princess Bride always makes me laugh – such great casting and killer lines. The worst … I didn’t like the first Twilight movie at all.

What’s the last thing that made you laugh?

A little child visited my work today and was playing ‘hide and seek’. He covered his eyes, stood in full view of everyone, including the seeker (his aunt), and yelled ‘Coo-ee’. I think his logic was that if he couldn’t see, no one could see him.

In a letter to your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give?

Don’t be so tough on yourself … be kind to yourself. And stop saying “I want to be a writer”. Be one!