Straight Chatting from the Library: Mav Skye

Mav Skye has stopped in The Library as part of her virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mav will be awarding a $35 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner and a signed paperback copy of Supergirls (interntional) will be awarded to another randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW

What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

I was obsessed with Little Red Riding Hood. I made my grandma read it to me over and over and over. Grandma’s Little Red Riding Hood was no ordinary fairytale book. The illustrations were photographs of homemade dolls. The wolf had iron claws and teeth. And it was not a sanitized Disney tale, the storyline closely followed the Grimm Brother’s version, so it fascinated and scared me. I had a very troubled childhood with plenty of “wolves.” I loved that the logger, a random fellow, showed up to save Little Red. It gave me hope that someone would do the same for me. Unfortunately, that never happened. But I did have a grandmother who loved me very much, and ate jellybeans with me, like Little Red and her granny did in the story.

The book was made of cardboard pages. I still have remnants of it somewhere. It’s associated with scary moments from my past and still gives me the shivers to this day.

What are you reading right now?

Totalitarian Drone Groove REMIX by Jason Michel. It’s a strange novella written in psychedelic beats and dystopian imagery. I’m also reading: Exiles: An Outsider Anthology edited by Paul D. Brazill, The Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor, and The Horror Stories of Robert E Howard. Oh, and TS Elliot’s The Wastelands.

Obviously, I’m on a short story kick. This happens sometimes. I plan on starting King’s The Stand soon.

E-Reader or print? And why?

I hated the thought of E-Readers when they first came out. How could one ever, EVER replace the feel of paper in your hands, the comforting motion of turning pages. What started changing my mind was trying to hold Under the Dome above my head as I lay in bed. I like falling asleep with a good book, but not when the book weighs twelve pounds and I drop it on my nose. I’ve also developed carpal tunnel and holding heavy hardback books hurts. So, I saved up money from my short story sales and bought a kindle. Turns out, I love it. They are so light, and the tapping of a button is easier than turning pages. When you drop it on your face, it doesn’t hurt. Halleluiah! Now I read both. I don’t have preference. Except when reading larger books, I prefer the kindle.

Do you have any bad book habits?

You mean like underlining, dog-earing, using candy wrappers for bookmarks, allowing my kids (as toddlers) to use them for chewing toys and something to wipe their nose on and dropping them in the tub? No comment.

When do you do most of your reading?

I often fall asleep reading, which is a lovely way to relax, except I don’t always remember what I read the next night. Apparently, I sleep read, sometimes whole chapters, so I end up having to backtrack. I also enjoy hot baths and wine with a good book. Sadly, many books have ended their life in the tub before I get to read the ending. Drives me bonkers, but not bonkers enough to stop reading in the tub.

Do you loan your books?

Yeah, I have scattered them about the country, like little Johnny with his apple seeds. I love sharing my books, especially when someone actually reads one and we can talk about it. I have a basket with a tiny version of Treasure Island and A Tale of Two Cities. The books are hardbacks with red covers and gold lined pages. When little kids come over I give them the basket and they tote the books around to a corner where they think I can’t see them and secretly “read” the books. They pet the gold pages, slobber on the cover, babble to themselves what they think the book is about. It amuses me to pieces and I like to think I’m encouraging a lifelong love of reading, whether they realize it or not.

How do you keep your books organized?

I’m not an organized person, and I’ve moved like seven times in the last few years. So, they’ve mainly lived in boxes the last half-decade. Fortunately, where I am now, there is a huge bookcase built into the living room wall. I also have bookcases in the attic and my bedroom. Lots and lots of books. I’ve not organized my kindle, so they are randomly..uh…everywhere.

Re-reader or not?

Sometimes. I often think I will re-read something, but it doesn’t happen (a lot.) I tend to go back to poetry and short stories again and again, not so much novels.

What would make you not finish a book?

If the book starts getting boring I set it down. If the language is clunky and I can’t engage, I put it down. If I can’t understand who is saying what, I’ll pull out my hair. There’s this bizarre writing “rule” going around these days that says you are supposed to ditch all the dialogue tags. WTF? How am I supposed to know who is saying what? Dialogue is essential to moving a story. If I can’t tell who is who, there is no point in reading further. Drives me absolutely bonkers.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Not sure about 10 words, but I’ll haiku Supergirls:

Wretched creatures, we
may never see stars, but we
believe in the dream of them.

READ THE BLURB

Sisters Jenn and May have finally found their golden ticket out of the slums. Pervy sugar daddy, Frederick Bells, promises to be an easy score with a big payoff—millions are hidden within his mansion.

The plan is simple: tie up the pig, steal his cash, and skip town. But fate has a different plan, including a villain with a wicked imagination. The sisters resort to playing their childhood game SUPERGIRLS to battle their fears in Bell’s den of horrors.

Will the SUPERGIRLS find their prize or will their heads join the pile behind the black cellar door?

READ AN EXCERPT

May’s naked legs quiver. She brings the knife around and holds it with two hands over Piggy’s bulging belly. “Can’t we just off him, like, you know, in the movies. Then we can search the house? I can help you look?”

I dump out another drawer. “No, May, we can’t just off him like in the movies. You aren’t a killer and neither am I.” I stop and look at her. She looks away from me, then glances down at the kitchen knife. Maybe giving it to her was not such a hot idea.

She growls, “You don’t know what he did to me. Maybe I am a killer.”

I slam a drawer. “It’s almost over now. I’ll be able to take care of you. Neither of us will ever have to--”

“He’s a pig,” whispers May, her frail body wavering in the firelight. “An ugly pink pig. And I think the pig needs to be butchered.” The black silk floats from May’s shoulder and lands on Piggy’s face. It makes his throat more prominent. Great rolls of red pink flesh mound up and blubber out.

“Piggy, piggy,” says May, her face changes, hardens. She lifts the knife to stab.

I jump out from behind the desk and snatch the knife. “May!”

She looks at me startled, then back down to the squirming body on the floor. “Oh,” she says and shrugs like it was a joke.

I recognize the look on her face, the illness coming on. She calls it Letting Go. I call it psychosis. Welcome to hell.

MEET THE AUTHOR

When Mav Skye isn't turning innocent characters into axe murderers, refinishing old furniture, chasing around her spring ducklings, or reading the latest horror novel, she's editing at the almighty Pulp Metal Magazine.

She adores puppies, pirates, skulls, red hots, Tarantino movies and yes, Godzilla.

Especially Godzilla.

She is the author of Supergirls and The Undistilled Sky. Look for her wicked horror romance, Wanted:Single Rose, this fall and the second book in the Supergirls series, Night without Stars, early 2015.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Supergirls is available in print or ebook at: Payhip (50% discount at Payhip if you "share" the book), Amazon US, and Amazon UK.

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