Red Adept Editing

Meet Michelle Muto

What drew you Red Adept Editing?

A fellow author raved about Red Adept, so I checked them out. Not only are the prices fair, I like that there are multiple editors and proofreaders, and the wait times are reasonable. I’ve used Red Adept for all my indie titles and couldn’t be happier.

 

You’ve worked with several Red Adept editors and proofreaders. What did you enjoy most about the process?

What I enjoy most about working with the team at Red Adept is that everything is explained —from what to expect with services and timeframes—to questions on style or grammar. Everyone I’ve dealt with is friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive.

 

Are your books standalones, or do they need to be read in order?

Except for The Haunting Season and the sequel, Diary of the Damend, all my books are standalones. I don’t write cliffhangers, so even if a reader picked up Diary of the Damned before reading The Haunting Season, I think they’d be fine.

 

Do you ever get more attached to some of your characters more than others?

Definitely. I’m very attached to Ivy and the gang from The Book of Lost Souls. I had a lot of fun writing that book.

And the two who have the most special place in my heart are Becca and Colt from the novella Touch in the book Nature’s Fifth Season. I have a few street team members who haven’t quite forgiven me for their story.

 

Do you see yourself writing in another genre one day?

Definitely! I’ve written young adult, new adult, urban fantasy, and horror. While writing anything to do with the supernatural has been a favorite, I’ve always wanted to write a straight-up thriller. Both The Book of Lost Souls and Diary of the Damned are already mysteries at heart. Plus, my mom was a big fan of mysteries and passed that love along to me—especially Hitchcock—so writing a thriller feels like a natural progression.

 

What part of self-publishing do you enjoy the most?

Anything after the first draft. While my brethren seem to love first drafts, they’re always the hardest for me. I actually like the revision process. Weird, right?

 

We’ve heard you have a good sense of humor. What kinds of things tickle your funny bone?

I’m not sure. I think it’s more situational humor than a particular joke. I love finding humor in everyday life. Some of my favorite comedians are Betty White, George Carlin, and Steven Wright. Movie one-liners are often my favorites, and I also enjoy the wry, dark humor on the show Supernatural.

You have some amazing covers. Who does your cover work?

Sam Tarode did the honor of creating the cover for The Book of Lost Souls. Sam creates covers for a few large publishers and is also a fellow author.

The amazing Claudia McKinney of PhatPuppy Art did the cover for Don’t Fear the Reaper. Claudia’s daughter is the girl on the cover.

Okay Creations and the marketing team at my traditional publisher, Skyscape, created the cover for The Haunting Season.

Skyscape hired Cliff Neilsen of The Mortal Instraments fame to create the cover for Of Shadow & Stone. Cliff hangs his hat over at Shannon and Associates.

Steven Novak created the covers for both Nature’s Fifth Season and Diary of the Damned.

 

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I’m a nature lover and dog fanatic, so I spend a lot of time with my dog, Ronan. He’s a hiking machine, given the opportunity.

I enjoy photography, especially nature shots, animals, old graveyards, or urban decay. And aside from my love of books, I enjoy fiddling with technology. I’m Nerd Girl!

According to my husband, I’m also guilty of watching too many home improvement shows and far too much ID TV, a combination he says is a bit unnerving. LOL!

 

What advice would you give to a new author?

Read and write as much as you can. It’s what every author will tell new writers, but it’s still the best advice out there.

While writing, steer clear of social media as much as possible. Find ways to focus on the positives while writing. Avoid anything you feel brings negativity to your day. A sense of happiness is beneficial in fostering creativity and confidence.

Also, don’t research how to publish and market a book without actually having written a book. You can’t sell or market what you haven’t written. Work on the craft first.

 

Where can readers find you?

They can sign up for my newsletter at http://smarturl.it/MMuto-News

Amazon profile page: http://smarturl.it/MM-Amazon

Website: MichelleMuto.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/MMuto-FB

Twitter:  http://smarturl.it/MMuto-Twitter

Google+ http://smarturl.it/MMuto-GPlus

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