Meghan March is a USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including the “Dirty Billionaire Trilogy”. She loves writing fun stories about sassy heroines and enjoys connecting with her readers. When she’s not reading or writing, Meghan enjoys a variety of hobbies from traveling to drinking mojitos.
Her newest contemporary romance series “Real Duet” explores the relationships of characters featured in the popular “Dirty Billionaire Trilogy” and the “Dirty Girl Duet” series.
Rachel Moulden/IndieReader: What inspired you to become a writer? And how did you hone your craft?
Meghan March: I’ve been in love with the written word since I learned to read. I devoured everything I could get my hands on, and eventually decided I wanted to try my hand at writing, so I included writing a romance novel on my list of life goals for a seventh grade Language Arts project. It took me almost 20 years, but eventually I got around to making it happen when I was searching for a creative outlet while practicing corporate law. One thing I learned very quickly was that reading thousands of books doesn’t necessarily mean you know how to write one. I taught myself the building blocks of fiction by reading dozens of craft books over the two years it took me to complete my first novel. I made a ton of mistakes, and then learned how to fix them.
RM: Do you have a particular schedule or routine when it comes to writing your books?
MM: I call myself a binge writer, by which I mean I write my books in big chunks over a fairly short period of time. When I’m drafting, I usually start around six-thirty in the morning and write until I hit a big word goal, and then put it away for the rest of the day. Afternoons and evenings are usually spent in part plotting for the next morning’s writing session.
RM: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
MM: After I published my first book I realized that writing a few hundred words a day was not an option if I wanted to write many books. I became a lot more dedicated and diligent about making time in my schedule to get words on the page. As soon as I made it a priority in my life, I was able to write a lot more books in a shorter period of time.
RM: You’ve just released your second book in the “Real Duet” series. Can you tell us a little about the series and what readers can expect in the sequel?
MM: Real Good Love is the conclusion of Logan and Banner’s story, which began in Real Good Man. Logan and Banner both were introduced in previous books in the “Dirty” series (the “Dirty Billionaire Trilogy” and the “Dirty Girl Duet”), but the “Real Duet” may absolutely be read without reading those first. In Real Good Love, readers get another hefty dose of Banner’s laugh-out-loud humor and Logan’s alpha male sex appeal. I had a blast writing it, and I’m thrilled to see readers loving it as well.
RM: What does literary success look like to you based on your own career?
MM: Success is hard thing to measure for me because it’s a constantly changing target. I’ve been goal-setter from an early age, and I keep a list and check them off as I accomplish what I’ve set out to do. I also add more goals on a regular basis. Right now, I would say that literary success includes building devoted readership eager for the stories I have to tell.
RM: What do you think are some of the key elements of the contemporary romance that draw people in?
MM: I think the element of contemporary romance, and really all romance, that draws people in is the escape it offers. Losing yourself in a romance novel where you’re guaranteed (in most cases) a happily ever after, is one of the most stress-relieving things I’ve ever found. There’s a special kind of magic romance offers that I find to be missing in other fictional works.
RM: Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?
MM: That’s a tough question! It’s hard to decide which is my favorite, but Charlie Stone from Beneath This Mask will always be incredibly special to me. She was running away from her life, and when I wrote her, that was exactly what I wanted to do. By pouring that need and desire into her character, I created a world that ultimately provided me the means to leave the life I was living behind and start a new career as an author. In many ways, Charlie saved me.
RM: What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not writing?
MM: When I’m not writing, I love to read, preferably on a beach or near pool somewhere with a mojito close at hand. I also love to travel and explore new places. Exploration and new adventures refill my creative well, so I try to do it often.
RM: What are some of your favorite indie books/authors that would you recommend to other readers?
MM: I could go on for pages with this question, but I’ll give you some of my top reads from the last few months:
Retrieval and Transfer by Aly Martinez, Black Swan Affair by KL Kreig, Crown of Lies by Pepper Winters, Dark Notes by Pam Godwin, the “Royals” series by Erin Watt, Moonshot by Alessandra Torre, and anything by Mariana Zapata.