The Calm After The Storm Blog Tour Author Interview: @MyaOMalley #TheCalmAfterTheStorm #BlogTour #GiveAway

Tell us about a little bit about yourself

I was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where I currently live with my husband,

daughter and three step-daughters. I have a boxer named Destiny and a ragdoll cat named

Colby. I earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading

and literacy. I work full time as a special education teacher and enjoy making a difference in the

lives of my students.

My passion is writing, I’ve been creating stories and poetry since I was a young child. I spend my

free time reading just about anything I can get my hands on.  I’m a romantic at heart and love

to create stories with unforgettable characters. I like to travel and have visited several

Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and Costa Rica. I’m currently working on her sixth novel.


What inspired you to write “The Calm After The Storm”?

I chose this setting during the actual aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. My family and

I were without power for close to two weeks and I started to see utility workers

from down south on the roads helping to restore power. A story started to take

shape in my mind.

How did you come up with the title?

My main characters, Emma and Jake both had stormy pasts, issues that kept them

from moving forward with relationships. When they met each other, they were

battling the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. What came after the storm? My hope

was to have both characters set aside their stormy pasts.

Was “The Calm After the Storm” based on any realistic events? If so, how?

Yes, it was based on the setting of Hurricane Sandy and the aftermath of the

storm. The characters in my story, however, are purely fictional.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It depends. This one took me about a year from start to finish, some other ones

have taken longer and some have taken much shorter periods of time. It varies

depending upon the length of story and the amount of time I can dedicate to my

writing.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

The hardest part of writing this story had to be creating the characters of Ginny

and Hank. (Jake’s ex-wife and her new boyfriend) These characters were flawed

and suffered emotionally. I like to create likeable characters, these were the

villains and it was harder to connect with them. That being said, in the end, many

people shared their feelings about these characters, so I guess I succeeded with

my goal.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Again, I find it much easier to create likeable characters, so it’s the villains that I

tend to struggle with.

What are your favorite things about Jake and Emma as individuals and as a 

couple?

Some favorite things about this couple is the fact that they have such a

connection and that they are both willing to put their own needs to the side. I

love the fact that have strong family values.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned that sometimes good can come from a tough situation. I learned that

people can come together to help each other and form new friendships during

times of hardship.

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to take with them when 

the read “The Calm After The Storm”?

I believe that true love can conquer the darkest storm, a message I tried to

convey in my story.

you can also get the books here

Amazon & Goodreads