Interview with Monique Domovitch - Author of Scorpio Rising

Today we hear from Monique Domovitch, author of Scorpio Rising:

1. Tell me a bit about yourself and what made you get into writing.

 Writing is what I’ve wanted to do my entire life, but I kept putting it off for just a little while longer—until my children were self sufficient, until I had a less demanding career, until I could afford to retire. I finally came to the point, at the age of fifty-five, when I decided that if didn’t do this now, I never would. I felt that writing was what I was born to do, and to not do it would be to ignore my reason for being. You know that old question, ‘On your deathbed, what will you regret not doing?’ Well, for me the answer was, writing. So writing wasn’t really a decision so much as a necessity. 

2. How long did it take you to write Scorpio Rising?

I wrote Scorpio Rising years ago, when my children were still young. I would get up at five o’clock in the morning and write until my children got up for school. And then at the end of the day, when they were back in bed, I’d write until midnight or so. I did this in spurts of a few weeks on and then a few weeks off for two years. I remember the night I typed the words ‘The End’. I sat staring at those words and crying for the longest time. Come to think of it, I might have been crying from shear exhaustion. J  

3. Tell us a bit about Scorpio Rising and your inspiration for the book?

Scorpio Rising is the story of two people, both driven by their personal demons, the man’s for wealth and power and the woman’s for love. Their story is told in two books, Scorpio Rising being their early years—their rising years. And yes, the male protagonist is a Scorpio. The inspiration came from all around me. So many of my girlfriends were going through divorces and heartbreak, often after sacrificing their own careers for the betterment of their husband’s. It is such a universal story. 

4. What are your favourite books?

My favourite books…oh, gosh. Every time I am asked that question I give a different answer. I loved The Poisonwood Bible, Kane and Abel, Peyton Place, Gone With The Wind and, yes, Harry Potter. I love books that entertain, that keep me turning the pages, whatever the genre.

5. What do you like to do outside of writing?

Let’s see…outside of writing, I usually think about my last scene, my next scene, my next book, or of taking a break…which I rarely do. No, no, I’m not that bad. I am also a hobby beekeeper. My first hive, in my backyard, produced about forty pounds of honey this fall. We had a honey-harvesting party, after which I had sticky floors for weeks. Next year I hope to have about six hives, but not in the city—in the country. And the harvesting? Outdoors.

6. What are you currently working on?

I am almost finished writing the first of three murder-mysteries I’m contracted to do for Penguin. I write these under a pen name, Carol Ann Martin. After this, I’ll take a couple of days off and then work on finishing a novel I started last January. And then I’ll be jumping into number two for Penguin. I’ve never been so busy and I couldn’t be happier.