First up is an author who I absolutely love and adore, Wendi Zwaduk. You may also know her as Megan Slayer. I absolutely love her books, so I'm super excited to get the chance to share her newest book in the Clandestine Classics series, The Phantom of the Opera. I'm also excited to have her be my first guest poster! So without further ado, I give you Wendi Zwaduk!
A Name is a Name...Isn’t It?
I’d love to thank Sharing Links and Wisdom for having me here today. I love seeing new to me sites and this one looks like it should be a good time. Grin. The question I was posed was why I have two pen names? I’ve also been asked which name I started writing under first and which one I like better.
Well, let’s start with the first question. Why two names? I have two names because there were things I wanted to do with my writing that I couldn’t do with the name Wendi Zwaduk. Now, Wendi is my name. Megan is my pen name. Wendi tends to have more paranormal, contemporary and M/F with ménage stories. Megan has more M/M stories. But why have two names? I did a lot of research and a lot of observing. Many readers who will read an author have a hard time switching over to a genre or pairing they might not read otherwise. I didn’t want to turn people off with my writing, but I had these characters that needed to come out. They begged to have their stories told. I couldn’t tell them no. And initially, Megan’s stories were all M/M. Some who might read a M/F/M or a M/M/F ménage don’t always like to read M/M. I didn’t want to ruffle feathers, so I took a pen name. In the beginning, I hid the fact that Megan was me. For some reason, I felt I had to keep them separate. After a while, I realized that readers would read my work if they truly loved it. If they didn’t, then I had to work harder to show them why I might have their next favorite read. I set up my website so that when you click on www.wendizwaduk.com you’re given a choice – take the door leading to Megan’s work or go to Wendi’s. My picture is there so you know no matter what, they are both me. If I had it to do all over again, I might not have two names, but I love Megan so I’m cool with her being around.
I started writing as Wendi Zwaduk first. I knew I had stories to tell and so I did. Megan came out a little later. Her name comes from a very bad day where I managed to break a cell phone, a laptop, and I had thought I’d destroyed a washing machine. Yeah, not a great day. My BFF called me the slayer of laptops. Yeah, it was bad. Then I was asked to join a multi author site where most of the authors wrote under pen names. If I wanted to take part, I needed a pen name. So...Megan was born. I don’t regret having both names. Like I said, Megan has just as much fun, if not more.
Of my writing names, I don’t
have a favorite. As Wendi I get to tackle the contemporaries and characters
I’ve grown to love. As Megan, I can let my imagination go to as many pairings
and romance subgenres as I’d like. I call it a win-win. I get to do what I like
and everyone knows, whether it’s Wendi or Megan, they are both me.
Thanks for having me and the
challenging questions. I appreciate it and had fun. Now readers, what about
you? Will you follow an author no matter what name they write under or do you
need continuity? Let me know!
The Classics Exposed…
A chance sighting at the Opera, fated love, and three lives in turmoil.
A chance sighting at the Opera, fated love, and three lives in turmoil.
One man pledges to own her,
while another wants her heart. The Opera sets the stage for romance and
intrigue. In the catacombs below the building lives a man rife with sorrow and
passion. The Phantom. But he’s not content to live alone. He wants to possess
the one woman who can set him free.
His Christine.
Viscount Raoul de Chagny
doesn’t believe the rumours of a Ghost living below the Opera. He only has eyes
for Christine, his childhood friend and first love. Together they embark on a
sensual journey of discovery and fiery desire.
But she can only have one man.
Will love raise her up or tear their world apart?
EXCERPT:
“Fate links thee to me forever and a
day!”
The strains went through Raoul’s
heart. Struggling against the charm that seemed to deprive him of all his will
and all his energy and of almost all his lucidity at the moment when he needed
them most, he succeeded in drawing back the curtain that hid him and he walked
to where Christine stood. She herself was moving to the back of the room, the
whole wall of which was occupied by a great mirror that reflected her image,
but not his, for he was just behind her and entirely covered by her.
“Fate links thee to me forever and a
day!” She removed her gown and yanked her camisole over her head. She tugged at
the laces of her corset. The boned garment slid down her slender body and stood
at her feet.
“Fate links thee to me forever and a
day!” She shrugged out of her chemise. “To thee!”
Christine walked towards her image
in the glass and the image came towards her. The two Christines—the real one
and the reflection—ended by touching, and Raoul put out his arms to clasp the
two in one embrace. But by a sort of dazzling miracle that sent him staggering,
Raoul was suddenly flung back, while an icy blast swept over his face. He saw,
not two, but four, eight, twenty Christines spinning round him, laughing at him
and fleeing so swiftly that he could not touch one of them. At last, everything
stood still again, and he saw himself in the glass. But Christine had
disappeared.
BIO:
I
always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome
heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in
line. I earned a BA in education at Kent State University and currently hold a
Masters in Education with Nova Southeastern University.
I
love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my
menagerie of animals. I also write under
the pen name of Megan Slayer. I’m published with Total-E-Bound, Changeling
Press, Liquid Silver Books, Turquoise Morning Press and The Wild Rose Press.
Come join me for this fantastic journey!
If
you like my work, tell your friends and email me. I love hearing from readers!
LINKS:
Site: http://wendizwaduk.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendiZwaduk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wendi.zwaduk
On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/wendizwaduk/
On Google+ : https://plus.google.com/115637543946745656739/posts
On Romance Novel Center: http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/wendizwaduk
Thanks so much for stopping by Wendi, and don't forget to check out The Phantom of the Opera and others in the Clandestine Classics series!
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