Q & A with Author Michelle Scott

Stage Fright
by Michelle Scott 

Published: July 24th 2013

Genre: Urban fantasy/paranormal

Book Description: Cassandra Jaber’s dream of acting becomes a nightmare when she blacks out on stage during a private audition. She awakes, sore and disoriented, with a three-hour hole in her memory and a crippling fear of the spotlight. Although she tries to piece her shattered life back together, she remains at the mercy of the dark secret locked away in her mind.

But when a mysterious man, who calls himself a guardian of the night, rescues her from a terrifying attacker, Cassandra’s eyes are opened to a fantastic world she never guessed existed. She soon realizes that her midnight rescuer holds the key to her salvation. And her heart.

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Q & A with Michelle Scott

Q: Tell us a little bit about Cassandra.
A: Well, really there's two Cassandras. The Cassie before the tragic audition was a carefree, funny, social person who was everyone's friend. She's genuine which makes people like her, and also *very* hardworking when it comes to theater. When she's working on a play, she's totally absorbed by the project no matter how small the part or ridiculous the script. After the terrifying event, Cassie's good humor and friendly nature get buried under layers of self-doubt, fear, and depression. There's still light burning in her heart, but a lot of times that light grows dim. However, she's struggling to overcome her tragedy and become the strong, independent woman she used to be.

Q: I love the cover of Stage Fright. Who designed the cover and what was that process like for you as the author?
A: I actually made the cover myself. I started with a general concept and focused it by looking through hundreds of clip art photos. It took hours to find just the right 'leading lady' for the cover. I like her because she resembles Cassie physically and because she has the look of an ingenue (a young, sweet actress). She's also obviously afraid. The figure lurking behind her is a sinister fiend who's made her life a living hell. Although, it's possible that you won't know who that man is until the last chapters of the book.

Q: In your opinion, what makes a good, strong female lead?
A: Confidence. Which is different from arrogance. Confidence says, "I accept myself and all my strengths and weaknesses. I know I need to improve on things, but at the same time, I'm capable." Arrogance says, "I'm better than you. You just haven't realized it yet." Also, a leading lady needs charisma, kindness, bravery, and loyalty. (Notice, I said nothing about looks...)

Q: I know Stage Fright is still newly released, but when can we expect book two in the Bit Parts series? Can you give us any clues as to what it is going to be about?
A: I've been thinking of the sequel from the moment I started the first book, lol. I'm already hard at work on it. Let's just say that there are more than one type of supernatural beings wandering the streets of Motown. And, no, I do not mean werewolves. Also, someone (or someones) will be unlucky in love. There's also a cadre of sweet, blue-haired older ladies from Florida who think Andrew's the bomb.

Q: What is the best advice you have been given?
A: Never let your aspirations for your writing career take over your life. Family and friends are too precious to neglect.

Q: If you could be on one reality TV show, what would it be?
A: Lol! I love reality TV. It's my secret indulgence. I guess that my adventurous side would make me pick The Amazing Race because I think my husband and I would do pretty well together, and we'd get to travel the world. But my rational side thinks I'd do better on something more sedate, like Four Houses (providing I ever had a house that would look good enough to be on a show like that.)

Q: What do you do to keep busy when you are not writing?
A: I read nonstop and belong to a terrific book club with my friends here in town. I volunteer quite a bit with my daughters' high school marching band because once a band geek always a band geek. I also garden, knit, and spend too much time on Pinterest looking up home design ideas.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: Currently, I'm reading a couple of books. One is for my book club, and it's called "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini.

About the Author: 
A native Michigander, Michelle has been a fiction junkie all of her life, but she didn't start writing until junior high. Over the next decade, she wrote many (really awful) poems, short stories, and limericks.

While earning her BA in psychology she met and married the guy of her dreams.

Currently, she teaches English at a community college in southeastern Michigan and lives with her husband and three terrific children, all of whom are addicted to fiction as much as she. 

You can contact her at mscott@mscottfiction.com or follow her on Twitter at urban_fae.