Interview with Peggy McDaniel McCombs

It’s time to meet another author. Today we are with Peggy McDaniel McCombs! You may know her for her Jake/Bella stories or because of her sweet reviews/comments.

I met her a long time ago in Jacob Black n' Pack's site but I wanted to find out more about her, so with no further introduction, here's all about Peggy...

Q: Hi, Peggy! Let’s get this started, shall we? How did you end up in the world of fanfiction?

A: Actually, it was after reading the Twilight saga, I was on the internet and I found this site that featured stories written by amateur writers. And found one for Twilight so I started reading them, and I was hooked. That was almost four years ago and I’m still hooked.

I wondered, as many probably do, if I could write something so I tried my hand at it, and finished a story, but I was afraid to post it, thinking other readers would think I sucked at it. But another writer edged me on and so I bit my bottom lip and posted it, and found out it wasn’t that bad, but that’s also when I found out about betas and I was in dire need of one…lol.

Q: So you write stories, mainly wolf pack stories but you also have some Jasper stories. Who's your favorite character?

A: Jake would have to be number one, I like him mostly because I think he got the raw end of the deal in the Twilight series, and it doesn’t help the fact he’s adorable and he’s a beautiful bronze skin hunk. My kids think I’m sick and a cradle robber, but I tell them, hey, it doesn’t hurt to look, right? Hehehe.

And Paul, because he’s a bad boy and all us ladies like those bad boys…right? Hehehe. And the fact he’s another hunk as well.

I also like Jasper, for almost the same reasons as Paul, only he’s cooler about it…lol.

Q: Those are really good choises! Those three are some sexy men! *laughs* You just mentioned your kids, does your family and friends know you write fanfiction?

A: Oh yeah, they think I’m nuts…hehehe. They think if I’m going to write I should do something more productive. But I love it, and I’ve meet so many awesome people while doing it. Not only that, but I’ve learned so much about writing since I’ve started writing fanfic stories.

Q: You have many stories posted. How do you come up with your story lines?

A: It kind of just comes to me at times, I always have a pen and note pad in my purse when I’m away from the house, and when something hits me I write it down. Or I could be listening to some music, or someone will be telling me about something and wham... I can be anywhere really, or doing anything, and it hits me and I write it in my note pad until I can get to my computer. Once I start to write, it’s like it almost writes itself, it just starts to flow.

Q: So the muse comes to you whenever she wants, you take notes and then what? Do you plan an outline or do you start writing as it comes to you?
A: Sometimes I do, like the one I’m writing right now, I was stumped in the beginning, but I wrote out some dialogue that I wanted to put into the story at a later time, so I sat and typed it all out, and it gave me the edge I needed to get started again. I’ve done this a few times with different stories, but not always.

Q: That's fantastic, share some of that with me! *lol* So you're a mom, how do you find time to write?

A: All my kids are grown now, and I’m divorced so I don’t have a man yelling at me to do something, so I have all the time in the world to write, in between cleaning the house, cooking or doing things with my kids of course.

Q: I don't know if it ever happened to you, but how do you find inspiration when the ideas just won't flow?

A: I’m one of the lucky ones, I don’t get writer's block very often, but when I do I usually talk to my beta, Maria Vilson, the woman is a genus.

She has helped me so many times it's unreal. She throws me a few ideas, and I go from there. She always seems to send me something that sparks my muse, and I’m off and running again…lol.

Q: Betas and pre-readers can make a difference in the writing! I'm taking note of this! Now, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to start writing?
A: I’d say to not be afraid to write a story and put it out there, I know it’s scary your first time letting so many people read what you’ve written, but it doesn’t hurt to try. There’s always someone out there that will help you with it if you only ask. Always at least try, I’m glad I did.

Q: Earlier you mentioned you started posting your stories in a site. Which sites do you usually visit? And have you been part of any site?

A: I guess I’d have to say that I have two, for two reasons. Fanfic.net, for when I just want to read, and nothing else. And then, Tricky Raven, because I can interact with other writers and readers.

Yes, I was one of the admins. as a greeter on Easy as Breathing when it was up, but the owner closed it after a while.

Q: There's a lot going on in those two sites, and too many good stories to read. Do you have any favorites? And what do you read outside fanfiction?

A: I love reading and I belong to this site where I can download books for hardly nothing, some I even get for free, it’s on Amazon, and I get daily picks on books I love to read.

And as for my favorite fanfic… Oh God, there’re so many fanfic stories that I love, I’d be here forever picking them. I love reading any of the wolf stories, and there are those vampire one, minus Edward, and Alice, not to disrespect those of you who like those characters, but I don’t enjoy reading about them unless they are the villains, lol. But if I had to choose, I’d have to start with: His Girl by Iamtwilightobsessed-MP or You are mine, Isabella Swan Forever by LilyAurora , Jagged Edges Heal by twifantasyfan, Gods and Wolves by bmitw. God, I could go on forever…lol.

Q: You just mentioned a lot of stories. Now, what about yours? If you had to choose one of them, which of your stories are you most proud of?

A: I have a one shot I did called Story Time, it’s a Jake and Bella pairing, where Jake tells his son a bed time story that isn’t fit for young ears, lol… that I’m kind of proud of.

And I’m very proud of the last one that I’ve been posting. I’m getting quite a few reviews from that one. I’m almost finished posting it, it’s called: From Hell to Heaven, it’s a Sam and Bella story.

There’s another one that I wrote a while back called Myths and Legend – a Bella Swan story – that one has a lot of twists and turns in it, and its paring is Jake and Bella as well.

Q: What’s next for you? Are you working on anything right now you would like to tell us about?

A: Yes, as I said before I’m writing another story as we speak, it’s called: Not With Her, it’s a Bella and Paul pairing, and I’m almost finished with it. If any of you know my writing, you know I never post until I have the story completely written out. I hope you give it a look once I’ve started posting it and let me know what you think.

Q: You have many fanfiction stories. Are you writing or have you wirtten any original work?

A: Yes, I’m writing, I guess you’d call it another world story. I’m taking my time with it, it doesn’t even have a name yet…lol…right now I’m calling it Raven, but I’ll change it when it’s done. I’ve also written a pirate story called the Black Swan and before you ask, no…it’s not a twilight story…far from it. Actually a friend of mine dared me to write it a few years ago. She wanted to see if I could write something other than fanfiction. lol…The funny part about it was that I put her and another one of my friends in it, they thought it was great.

Q: How long have you been writing your own stories?

A: Oh gosh…three or four years now, I know it’s not as long as some of you out there have been writing, but you have to start somewhere, right? Anyway as I said, I’m taking my time with it, but I’m constantly writing down dialogues for it all the time.

Q: Have you thought about self publishing?

A: Yes, but I just haven’t worked up the nerve to do it though…lol. I know practice what you preach, but I’ll get there.

Q: Take your time with it! Once it's ready you'll be able to publish it! Okay, let's do a couple more questions about you to start wrapping the interview. Ready? Do you support any other fandoms apart from Twilight?

A: Twilight mostly. I’ve read others like Phantom of the Opera, Hunger Games, and The Mortal Instrument. But I'm mostly stuck with Twilight.

Q: Last one, something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

A: Umm…I’m older than most of the people on the sites think, and no, I won’t tell how old I am, only that I started young…lol. I’m the mother of four grown kids three girls two of which are twins and then there’s my son, and I’m a grandmother to twelve, six boys and six girls, that’s sure to shock a few readers…lol. And if I’m not eating, cleaning or sleeping, I’m on my computer. Pretty dull, huh? I also like playing games on Big Fish as well.

Q: You're a grandma! I didn't see that one coming! You have a such a young spirit I would have never guessed! You certainly know how to surprise me! *laughs* Peggy, thanks so much for sharing all your thoughts with me! It was great to find out more about you as a person and as a writer! Thanks! I'll be waiting for news about that original piece you're writing!


Check her stories out and leave her some love!

You can find Peggy on:

FFnet | FFT | Tricky Raven | Tumblr | TWCS | Twitter