Take a minute to get to know Vee before you check out her newest novel, Wound of the Wolf, now available on Amazon. Happy release day, Vee!
How long have you been a writer?
I’ve been publishing since 2021—doing NaNoWriMo since 2013—but I’ve always enjoyed storytelling, whether I was writing it down or just having a pretend conversation as a fictional character like we did in the neighbor’s backyard playing Star Trek.
What inspired you to write Wound of the Wolf and/or the Sterling Moon series?
The Sterling Moon series focuses more on the wolf shifters. One with the Wolf, the first book in the series, introduces the Kincaid family and the Lycans of NYC. I lived in NYC in the 90s and loved my time there, but with Wound I wanted to take a character out of NYC and, like me, bring them across the US to the Pacific Northwest. Portland is my second favorite city next to NYC, so it was fun to craft a story that takes place in two of my favorite spots.
What appeals to you about writing paranormal romance?
I love urban fantasy, the idea of “our world” plus magic and creatures. I also love romance and crave it in everything I read or watch.
How do you find the time to write? What does your writing process look like?
I work a “regular” job and write or work on my author business before my day job, on my lunch break, when I get home at night, and on the weekends. I’m a “pantser,” so I rarely know a lot of the details of a story when I start. I operate like a driver on a foggy night—I can see what’s in front of me but not much beyond it. I enjoy writing first person for the immediacy of it. Neil Gaiman compared writing in first person to acting, stating that you have to get into the character’s head more. I studied theater in college so “acting” the characters as I write them appeals to me.
Is any character in Wound of the Wolf particularly near and dear to your heart?
I could sound like a loving parent and say I love them all equally … and that’s pretty true. However, my next story centers on Alaric Vincent, the vampire in Wound, and that says a lot. Other than Alaric, I adored writing Nate’s two kids, Chris and Ben. It was my first time writing kids on the page and it was a blast. AND I love my Kincaid men, so Nate and his brother Jenson are always high on my list.
Who’s your favorite author right now?
It may sound strange since I’ve only read one of her books, but Ophelia Bell’s Scion of Chaos was my favorite recent read. Plus, Ophelia is in my author circles and I adore her.
What’s your favorite book of all time?
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg is a book that has stuck with me over the years. I used part of it as inspiration for One with the Wolf, when Gia and Jenson get stuck in a blackout inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It also inspired my infatuation with NYC and that museum (in the book, the kids run away to NYC, hide out in the Met, and solve a mystery). Although I can craft a list of favorites, few books have stuck with me like that one. The book was a gift to me when I was a kid from the woman whose last name I chose as my pen name. Mary Paxton Keeley was a family friend who was also journalist, author, and amazing historical figure in my home state of Missouri.
For more about Vee and her upcoming projects, check out her website, https://veepaxton.com.