Meet Some UtopYA2015 Lovelies (Unofficial) : Misty Provencher

Please welcome the next guest in my Meet Some UtopYA2015 Lovelies (Unofficial) series. I knew Misty Provencher online and always admired her makeup skills (seriously, she creates artwork on her face). When she said to buy a certain product (Milk crayon for eye shadow), I ran out and bought it. And, yes, I love it.

Then, at UtopYA, she and her lovely husband sat down and had breakfast with Jo Michaels and me. I felt like I was sitting with old friends.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today.

MP: Seriously, Tia? I couldn’t be more tickled to be here! Thanks for having me over to your space, chica!

Absolutely! I love the cover for The Dimension Thieves series, and I have Episode 1 in my TBR list. This is a series of serial shorts releasing once a month from January through December 2015. Guess I need to get caught up. Why did you decide to publish the series this way, and did you write them all at once?

MP: Have I told you how much I love you?  Thanks for having the Thieves on your TBR and I hope they steal your heart and your breath away.  Let’s see... I decided to publish them this way because I’m utterly insane. Hee hee. Well, actually, I liked the idea of a once-a-month serial because I like to try everything at least once, and I thought that since they are each their own little story, set into one bigger story that ties the whole fandangle together, I hoped people would enjoy the format.  

Fortunately and unfortunately, I did not write them all at once, but I plotted the ever-lovin’ snot out of them. I know every move, every sneeze, and it just has to go from copious notes and brain matter to electronic file. :D  

The unfortunate part of not having them all written ahead came when a relative had some health issues that threw my precariously balanced summer into a bit of chaos. So, the monthly releases for the second half of the series have become one big release of July, August & September episodes at the end of this month. Thank goodness my readers are a dedicated bunch of understanding bibliophiles! Shout out to the reader lovelies: LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Please, please, please can you share a teaser from the latest episode?

MP:  Hmmm…okay!  This is from Episode Nine (September) when Force, the captain of the dimension jumping ship, takes Sterling--the duplicate of Force’s droned ‘girlfriend’ Meadow--to meet Meadow, who has been deactivated and is lying in one of the cells (a hold) reserved for the captain’s precious cargo.   

***

Force stopped outside Meadow’s hold door. “Are you ready for this?”

It was a simple question, but it started a quiver in Sterling’s legs that turned to a tremor even as she nodded.  She thought Force would give her a pep talk, or assure her it was going to be fine, but instead, he turned away and opened the door.

He walked in ahead of Sterling, but peeking out from behind him, she could see the body stretched out on the bed that extended from the wall.  She stopped just inside, Force closing the door behind her, the waft of air running up her back like a final breath.

An itch climbed into her as she looked at the crown of a familiar head. She’d studied enough pictures of herself, during her vain teen years, to know what she looked like from different angles. She stared at Meadow--in every way her exact likeness--laid out on the bed, immobile.

“Is she alive?” Sterling asked, but even as she said it, the itch intensified. She craved to surround Meadow’s motionless neck with her fingers. She yearned to squeeze until she could feel her own fingertips touch through the middle of Meadow’s flesh. She drew back in horror.

“Do you want to kill her?” Force asked softly. It was a bizarre question, but so deadly accurate, it was as if he’d read her mind.

“Yes,” Sterling said.  “But she’s me.”

“You’re a duplicate of her,” he said. It probably wasn’t supposed to sound like it did, but it made Sterling feel as though she’d been wiped down with a dirty towel. A duplicate. It sounded worthless.  

“I won’t hurt her,” Sterling said through clenched teeth, but she dug her nails into her palms to remind herself and to stop herself from lunging at Meadow. But she could feel herself losing hold of her own resolve, the desire to kill ripping out her thinly-tacked will power like a carpenter’s claw bar.

Force saw it too. He turned and jerked the door open, taking hold of Sterling’s upper arm with a firm grip. “Let’s go.”

Sterling ground her teeth, but she let Force drag her into the hall. It was the only way to escape without committing murder. The itch scoured her like steel wool, every nerve raw, and her yearning to destroy Meadow so very, very real. She couldn’t control herself as she kicked out one leg and wedged her foot in the door as Force tried to shut it.

“Help me,” she pleaded.  

With one firm yank, Force shoved Sterling backward. She lost her balance, stumbled and fell against the wall across from Meadow’s hold. Force slammed the door shut, locking it behind him, and turned back to Sterling, who sat crumpled on the floor, panting like a wild animal.  She wiped the sweat from her upper lip.  

“Thank you,” she said.

Okay, that's it! The Dimension Thieves just moved up in my TBR pile! I know you write both young adult and new adult novels. What do you like about each?

MP: It’s the Gump factor...writing is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get, but it’s always going to be something good. I love the discovery of romance in young adult and, even though I cared for high school about as much as the next girl, it’s more fun now to go back and reimagine it. Especially when I can throw in some fantastical situations into it.

New Adult is such a cool playground right now. You’ve got the beauty of youth in your little novel-creating lab beaker to start. Then you pour off the age restrictions on language, maybe slop in a good shot of sexuality if it calls for it. Then you press your thumb over the top and shake it up. AND...BOOM! New Adult novels are YA novels on steroids with maybe a little acid throw in, to eat away at your conscience.

Can I just hear an AMEN? I love your obvious love of both genres. So, like I said in your introduction, you create art with your face paint. When did you start doing this?

MP:  It started when I was attending the launch of one of Leah Clifford’s novels. She was having a steampunk themed launch and I thought it’d be fun. I got some awesome steampunkery boots and bought a semi-steampunkish dress, but it wasn’t enough. While Googling for how to remedy this, a picture of a chick with face paint popped up in my search.  I thought, why not? And that was my first foray.  

When I was invited to Utopia, I was nervous as all get out. The face painting had just happened to be fun, and I had posted some pics of it online that had gotten a lot of response.  When people started asking if I was going to do it at Utopia, I thought, sure, why not? And that’s how it all started.

Here’s an extra weird thing: I usually never wear make-up at all in every day life. I’m actually allergic to most of it. My eyes swell up after a while and my face will itch, but I love doing it for Utopia because it’s fun and people get a kick out of it.  

Creativity clearly runs in your family, because your daughter has a Facebook page (Little Rocker Chick Art) where she features drawings and character sketches. Could you share a picture of her artwork with us? When did she start expressing herself this way?

MP: My parents (Syd’s grandparents) are both artsy, so when Sydney started drawing, I didn’t think anything of it--that’s just what kids do, right? But she’s got that passion that become obvious really quickly, and she got very serious about it in fifth or sixth grade. There are sketches EVERYWHERE--her room is the typical teenager’s nest, except that her’s is padded with awesome art. She throws away garbage bags full of stuff she doesn’t like, and I’m constantly saving stuff from the trash because I love it.  

She blows us away with all her creative talents--from blasting our neighbors with heavy metal serenades from her electric guitar (hence the name, Little Rocker Chick) to her writing (several of her teachers have told us she’s gifted) to her drawings that she’s constantly commissioned to do...we’re absolutely inspired by her!

Wow! Those are amazing. Talent clearly runs in your family. So, what’s up next after The Dimension Thieves series is completed?

MP: I’ve got a lot of ideas for 2016, but I haven’t really decided for sure what I’ll be doing. I know I’ve got a book for the Utopia collection slated--a revolution themed story, to match the Utopia 2016 theme. That’s going to be fun. And then, there are two books that I’ve written and would like to revise and publish, one that I just plain need to finish, and then there is always that magic that happens on the fly and I get whisked away by something new and shiny...so there’s that.

Oooh. I can't wait for the Utopia collection. Fun! I've asked each of my lovely interview participants... what's your favorite inspirational quote? Why?

MP: Roosevelt was asked how he managed to have such successful children.  He said something along the lines of, “You figure out what they want to do and then you help them do it.”  I think that applies to everything.  Figure out what you want to do, what the people around you want to do, and help yourself and help them achieve.  I love the idea of a loving, understanding, and generous planet.

What do you think makes UtopYA, renamed Utopia for its fifth year in 2016, so special?

MP: It’s always about the people. I’ve met some of the best people on Earth there--authors, readers, and bloggers who have become my best friends, confidants, and trusted circle of giggles. The spirit of ‘lift while you climb’, which Janet spoke of that first year I attended, is so inspiring and beautiful, I think about it all the time. Where can I help? What can I do to be of use?  

People who HELP other people? Yes please, all day long, thank you. That’s my planet!

Mine, too! I found this awesome UtopYA2015 picture I wanted to share of you with CJ Pinard and BJ Sheldon. That's a whole lot of awesome in one picture!

✮✮✮✮✮ Quick Answers ✮✮✮✮✮ 

Last Movie you Saw:  Pitch Perfect 2

Comedy, Romance, Drama, or Horror? Comedy and Romance all day long!

Last book you Read:  Tall, Tatted & Tempting by Tammy Falkner-  whew! (Get your fan out!)

First Job: I used to drag a wagon around my neighborhood and sell cupcakes.  

Gift cards or Cash? Doesn’t matter.  Gifts are beautiful things, no matter how they come.

Favorite Vacation Spot: Home, with my family curled up all around me.  

More about Misty

Misty Provencher is a prolific author, long-term wife and mama. The second two are a bit more recent, but Provencher’s writing roots date back to the hieroglyphics she left in her mother’s womb.

While Provencher can ride a motorcycle, knows how to Karate chop, and has learned enough French, Spanish, and Sign Language to get herself slapped, Misty’s life is dedicated to connecting with the people who cross her path. She is totally enchanted with them and spends her days trying to translate the soul bouquets of her everyday muses into words.

Misty Provencher writes for teens, new adults and adults.  Her genres include: fantasy, paranormal, Sci-Fi, contemporary romance, and erotica.  A little something for everyone.

Misty Provencher lives in the Mitten. Knock on her internet blog door at mistyprovencherauthor.com.

Aside from the contact form, other options for keeping in touch include: Misty Provencher’s Books on Facebook, mistyprovencher on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Goodreads, LinkedIn, Tsu, G+, and wherever coffee is sold.  To get an email whenever the author releases a new title, sign up for the VIP newsletter by clicking this link (opens a secure signup form in a new window).

Please visit often for more UtopYA2015 Lovelies (Unofficial) interviews, 

and check out the announcement post to see

the schedule and links to past interviews.