Mike Woody - Romance and YA Author

Mike Woody

Romance and YA Author

      We're pleased to introduce this week's author who's been writing for a long time. Mike has a degree in Creative Writing from Wright State University. Since 2007 he's been a reporter for a number of small town newspapers, specializing in human interest stories. However, he never lost the desire to complete a novel. A life long resident of Dayton, Ohio, he says that will probably never change. Not that he absolutely loves it here, but he hates moving.

     Grab your coffee and sit back to enjoy our chat with Mike and thank you all for stopping in. When you're done, please hop over to Mike's blog and take a peek at what he's done over there!

Reader’s Haven: Mike, welcome to our haven here on the net. Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.

Mike: I’m 35 and from Dayton, Ohio. I am a hopeless romantic; am a fan of pro wrestling and have a collection of celebrity autographs including Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore.

Reader’s Haven: We could name a few wrestlers, being a fan ourselves! What made you want to become a writer?

Mike: I’ve wanted to be a writer since the sixth grade when the class would love for me to read my stories written in class. I was picked on a lot in school and that was the only time I felt accepted by my peers. So in a way I guess I still use writing as a way to gain acceptance.

Reader’s Haven: Do you write under a pen name?

Mike: Not yet, if I write any erotica, which I’m considering, I think I will. Of course with the name Woody, I’m perfect for that genre.

Reader’s Haven: What type of hero or heroine do you like best?

Mike: Those that are common, blue collar type people who have a happy ending.

Reader’s Haven: How many plots do you include in one of your books?

Mike: My full length books are all still WIP’s but I like to have at least two plots, but everything gets linked together by the end. Hopefully the reader will be kept guessing about how they are connected.

Reader’s Haven: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Mike: Wasting to much time on Facebook. I need to be more strict on myself and actually do the writing rather than just think about. I don’t always know where the time goes but the days seem to get gone before I can get done what I had planned.

Reader’s Haven: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Mike: Well, my first and so far only released, ‘Twisted Hearts Tales,’ is a collection of four short stories and they are all about relationships that take some dark and unexpected turns. A common theme is the never ending pursuit to find true love.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Mike: I am VERY slow. Which I also need to drastically improve on. I have stories that I’ve been working on for more than 10 years. Granted there are long breaks in between times I touch them as I go back and forth between projects. Three of the four stories in ‘Twisted Harts Tales’ I wrote while in college and I graduated in 2004.

Reader’s Haven: Do you have to be alone to write?

Mike: Don’t know if I have to be, but I almost always am.

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Mike: Naming characters is always a chore for me. I don’t really have any process rather than just trying to find a name that a relative or friend doesn’t have so they can’t say it’s supposed to be them.

Reader’s Haven: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Mike: That’s a tough one, I think at times it kind of goes both ways. I usually picture the character from the start but it becomes more clear as I write.

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Mike: Locations aren’t typically central to the plot and could be anywhere in the U.S. I just name a state for ID purposes.

Synopsis: Enjoy four stories of romance in which the path towards love is filled with twists and turns…An awkward teen gets caught up in the fantasy of an online love affair which he wants to delete. One woman’s heart will stop at nothing to win the affection of her dream man, who is married to her sister. More than the waves are turbulent when an engaged couple go sailing with an old friend. And a teen makes the ultimate sacrifice to earn a young beauties attention.

The short story ‘Delete My Heart,’ is very true to my life. It is based on an online relationship that I was drawn into. It ended in tragedy, honestly it possibly could, might have been fatal. The wonder still lingers within me.



Here’s an excerpt:

It didn’t take long to become an addict. Every free moment I had I spent online with K. Through our highs and lows we were always there for each other to share a laugh, provide a shoulder to cry on, or just enjoy the comfort of each other’s company. My world had become a much brighter place since meeting K and the knowledge she was locked in my heart gave me a new and inspired life. I was no longer forced to walk the twisted path of life alone. I had K at my side.

I served a purpose, my companionship and feelings for her during the hardest part of her life allowed her to survive and greet each day. And from that dependence a wonderful thing happened, I was in love.

This woman who I’d never seen or even talked to voice to voice was engraved on my heart and soul. She was always on my mind and I was miserable whenever we were apart.

She filled my life with such joy and hope that I wondered why all the men in Illinois weren’t lined up at her door awaiting the ’K Experience.’

K: You know Shane, before meeting you, I never wanted to be involved with another man.

Waffle Boy: Why?

I was shocked by the revelation.

K: I’ve only been in love once before and it broke my heart. I never want to go through that again. I told you, I lose everyone I care about.


Waffle Boy: What happened?

K: *Crying* It was terrible, we were engaged and I caught him in bed with another woman.

Waffle Boy: I’m so sorry.

K: I never thought I could ever trust another man, but you’re special.

Waffle Boy: What a bastard. I don’t know how anyone could ever do that to you. Consider yourself lucky, you deserve much better.

K: I think fate brought you and I together. At a time when I most needed a friend, you appeared and became so much more to me. You’ve taught me how to love again. I believe we were meant to be.

My heart fluttering, there was nothing I wished for more than to be able to reach out and hold her in my arms for real and feel her body against mine.

Overcome with sincere emotion, a tear fell from my eye.

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