I have known the Australian author known in horror circles as H.M.C, for almost a decade online, though we have never met in person, and I have come to view her as something of a swiss-army-knife of authors, someone talented enough to not only turn their pen to more than one genre but to do it with an infuriating amount of skill.
She took a moment out of her exceedingly busy schedule to answer some questions for us.
Something Wicked This Way Comes - When did you know you wanted to be an author?
HMC - When a vanity publisher loved my work, and I didn't realise it was a vanity publisher (haha). Be careful with that one, Kids. In all seriousness, though, it was more like grade 2. I was also going to be a lawyer, and an architect. Obviously, I had high expectations.
I don't really tell people I'm an 'author', but I do say: I write.
SWTWC - Where are you from and where are you now?
HMC - At 14 I escaped my hometown in NSW to move to QLD, Australia. I never looked back. I had a super tough upbringing and moving away from that was a healing process. Mind you, everyone followed.
SWTWC - What has your life been like so far?
HMC - A messy, fantastic adventure. It's a bit of a beautiful yet heartbreaking thing, life ... isn't it?
SWTWC - What other jobs have you had?
HMC - Haha, literally a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker, except with the last one I made hats (Crocodile Dun Dee type hats in a factory). I'm also an excellent waitress, if I do say so myself.
I'm now a teacher of 15 years, and I run my own tuition centre for homeschoolers aged 4-17.
I'm also writing home-school lessons with a patented approach I've dubbed Modern Waldorf. It essentially infuses art, play, music and nature when dealing with the overly academic Australian Curriculum.
Also, I write.
SWTWC - Tell us about your personal favourite novel of yours. Brag a little
HMC - I think we love our novels in progress best, don't we?
My next one is about an elderly woman who can hear her dead husband. I love it because it's a redemption story - and those are always a winner if done properly.
It's currently with my first editor, so it's likely still shit, to be honest.
SWTWC - Does writing energize or exhaust you?
HMC - If it doesn't energise you, you should be paid a lot for whatever it is you're doing. Not always money. I mean, good parenting is exhausting, but you're rewarded with awesome humans in the end. I didn't really answer your question...
SWTWC - What are common traps for aspiring writers?
HMC - Vanity publishers pretending not to be vanity publishers, and thinking your novel is any good. Haha, sorry. Assume it needs work, then work on it. Hard. And with other people.
SWTWC - What is your writing Kryptonite?
HMC -Having children.
They need me.
They are my priority.
SWTWC - Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
HMC - Yes, when I had two children under 2.
SWTWC - Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
HMC - I have! HMC is for my darker work, Hayley Merelle for my children's novel, and HM Clearihan for my 'serious' work (articles etc.).
SWTWC - What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
HMC - Too many to count! They keep me in check. I've also got them to a really good place where they will tell me if I've done a good job or not. We all need people willing to call a spade a spade.
SWTWC - What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?
HMC -None. You have 30 pages to engage me. Ouch.
SWTWC - What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
HMC - When I wrote a note to my brother that said: 'leave me alone,' and he did.
SWTWC - What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel?
HMC - Jessica by Bryce Courteney.
SWTWC - As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
HMC - I have too many spirit animals, but mostly insects: butterflies, moths, snails and dragonflies.
SWTWC - How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
HMC - Currently zero. I'm psychotic and finish everything I start.
SWTWC - What does literary success look like to you?
HMC - Oh, nice question. I have no idea.
SWTWC - What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
HMC - It's constant. My favourite is human research, though. I'm always asking people odd questions, especially my cousin who is a Sydney cop. He's used to it.
SWTWC - What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
HMC - I'm a little androgynous, so it's not too tricky. Writing as an eighty-year old woman was harder. My Nan has promised to be a beta reader, thankfully. I think all beta readers should be the age and sex of the protagonist. That helps.
SWTWC - How do you select the names of your characters?
HMC - What seems randomly, but then I realise things like ... oops, that's my therapist's name.
SWTWC - Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
HMC - Yes. Stephen King gets shit reviews, and he's a God to me. I'm OK with 1 star reviews. I'm a work in progress. I personally think my novels are worth about 3 stars.
SWTWC - Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
HMC - Hmm no, but I will now!
SWTWC - What was your hardest scene to write?
HMC - That would be a spoiler for my next book.
SWTWC - Do you Google yourself?
HMC - Yes, when I had a website (now I just use Facebook), to see how my SEO was going. I might do it later. I'd honestly hate to be famous in any kind of big way. A 'kind of well-known writer' would suit me fine.
SWTWC - What is your favorite childhood book?
HMC - The Velveteen Rabbit. Forever.
SWTWC - What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
HMC - Time.
SWTWC - Does your family support your career as a writer?
HMC - Yes, absolutely. I don't think they have a choice. Families should always support other family when it's something they dream about.
SWTWC - How long on average does it take you to write a book?
HMC – 4 years.
SWTWC - Do you believe in writer’s block?
HMC - I think a story can sometimes come to a standstill. That's when I write poetry for a while instead!
SWTWC - What are you planning next?
HMC - I want to edit this book I'm on for a good while and make it spectacular. Maybe even a 4 star book.
You can find H.M.C’s novels, and those in her other pen names on Amazon. Amazon – https://www.amazon.co.uk/HMC/e/B00HHJLQXW?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HMCWrite/
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