1 . On a scale of one to ten, rank your current level of insanity–where ten is belongs-in-lunatic-asylum insane–and tell us why.

Oh, I think I mostly hang out at the 6-7 level. With two kids, a husband, and a menagerie of pets, I have a lot going on in my life. Add to that a full-time job, a part-time freelancing gig, and the desire to really do nothing but write books 24/7, I do feel insane sometimes. Oh, and the fact that I’ve got to fit booksignings, promo, etc., in for the next few months at least, I’m thinking I’ll probably be edging up that scale on occasion!

2. On your bio, you said that “my penmanship earned me D’s.” Is that still true? *g* Admit it! And are you mad about pens, like so many writers are?

I’m sorry to say, my penmanship, were it to be judged now would probably earn me a big fat F. See, there weren’t computers when I was a kid, so I at least practiced my handwriting a lot. Now, I’m lucky if I can read my grocery list it’s so bad! Is it possible to have cursive dyslexia? I’m forever transposing letters or leaving letters out. I should have been a doctor…I’d be an excellent prescription-writer! Oh, and I’m not much of a pen person…but I’m like a drug addict in an office supply store–post-its, flags, notebooks, oh, my! What is it about those places??

3. You took a break from writing after a rejection. What drove you back to writing?

I find that I just can’t not write. And my husband says I’m happier when I’m writing. It’s not that I don’t procrastinate and take more than my share of breaks, but it just doesn’t last. A character starts to speak to me, or a story idea, and then I remember how much I want to see my books on the shelves along with the other authors I’ve loved so much over the years.

4. Blogging as your character has become quite the trend. There’s the Magical Minxes, where Richelle Mead’s Georgina, Caitlin Kittredge’s Luna and Jackie Kessler’s Jezebel blog, for instance. At Affaire de Coeur, Venus will soon be a columnist. What’s it like writing as Venus outside of the book?

It’s very strange, actually! Writing a character in the context of a book with a set plot and places to go and things to accomplish is much easier. Writing as Venus in a sort of free-for-all situation is much more difficult. But I think I will enjoy it. It’s forced me to go back and re-read some of VENUS ENVY and remember how much I enjoyed the characters, for one thing. Venus is really hysterical, and I think she’ll translate well into an advice columnist…after all, she loves nothing more than to tell people what to do!

5. Everybody is trying to branch into young-adult fiction. What’s the appeal of writing YA for you? I bet Darling Daughter thinks it’s too cool!

My reason for writing YA is that it fits my voice. I love writing in the first person point of view in that silly, snarky voice made so popular with chick lit. This translates really well into YA. The other thing is that the last few years, the YA market has boomed, and there are some fantastic books out there! My daughter actually reads more adult fiction at this point in her life, while I’m having a blast going back and reading more YA than I probably did even as a kid myself. I really hope to break into that genre some day soon.

6. Does Venus’s temperament in Venus draw from any particular mythos or story about her? Did you do a great deal of research for Venus Envy?

You know, I really didn’t do much research, and I don’t think there was anything in particular that helped me develop her personality. In truth, I came up with the title first (because I am typically a complete failure at titles) and then asked myself, “Who is Venus and why would someone envy her?” Originally, the story was that the heroine of the story envied Venus for her beauty and confidence with men. That completely changed during the writing of the book, but I’m not going to spoil it by telling you how it changed. I did read a few stories about Aphrodite and the other gods and goddesses before and during the writing. What struck my most was how dysfunctional they all were! They all slept around, even the supposed “goddess of love.” Even though she was married, it seemed as though even Aphrodite didn’t find the real “True Love” that we romance writers write about. I found their dysfunction very funny actually and from that blossomed the idea of the goddess of love being disciplined (for transgressions still only hinted at in this first book of a hopeful trilogy), and being forced to devote all her time to helping humans find True Love. As a character, Venus really grew throughout my writing of the book. She became much deeper than I had originallly intended.

7. What’s up next for you?

I’m always working on the next book, of course. Hopefully, VENUS Book II will be in the works sometime soon. Anyone interested can keep an eye on my website (www.shannonmckelden.com) or my blog (www.shannonmckelden.blogspot.com) to keep up to date on any news I have. I also have a newsletter you can sign up for. Check out my website for more info.

Thanks Shannon! Venus Envy should be in a bookstore near you!