Interview with Crista McHugh

Blog Tour - Tangled Web by Crista McHugh

Interview with Crista McHugh:

1 - Have you always wanted to be a writer? If not, what did you want to be?

I’ve always wanted to do something artistic. I almost didn’t go to med school because I was offered a theater contract.

2- What inspired you to write the Tangled Web? 

A switch of the channel. I watching Stargate and changed the channel to a documentary on the emperors of Ancient Rome (I happened to catch them just as they were transitioning to the reign of Caligula). I thought it would be cool to create a world loosely based on Ancient Rome where an alien race with “magic” (technology) enslaved the sentient races, and thus, the Deizien Empire was born. Azurha had been a character that had been in the back of my mind for years, so this was the perfect world to place her in.

3 - What would you say is the hardest part of writting a book? 

The middle. I know how to open the book, and I know how I want it to end, but it’s all the little details and character growth in the middle I find challenging. I want a smooth journey from beginning to end, but I don’t want the reader to fall asleep.

4 - Who are some of your favorite authors? Why? 

I love reading Lisa Shearin because her voice – it’s very fun and snarky, balanced with touches of seriousness when needed. Shawntelle Madison is another author whose voice I love (and I love her OCD werewolf, Natalya). And I’m super-excited to read Alexis Morgan’s Warriors of the Mist series because I’m a fantasy nut and loved her Paladins series.  

5 - Is there anything else you would like your readers to know? 

I love hearing from them and have had some of the best discussion over characters and themes in my books. I’m always amazed at the things that resonate with them, be it a character or a scene or a message. I know that what I write is sometimes a bit out of the box, and I always appreciate readers who take a chance on my “odd” books.

Thank you, Crista!