Six of A Story: Author Michelle Davidson Argyle and Monarch

Our author today on Six of A Story, is Michelle Davidson Argyle and having followed Michelle's Lady Glamis blog for quite awhile (having spent years in the world of theatre, when I first came across her blog, I immediately caught the reference to Macbeth and was intrigued), I was thrilled to interview her about her new release,
Monarch.
 Here is more about Michelle:
 Michelle is a mother, artist, and writer who lives in the Rocky Mountains with her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She writes contemporary, literary, and fantasy fiction. Michelle graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor's Degree in English/Creative Writing in 2002. Her short fiction has been published in the University of New Mexico's national literary journal, Scribendi, 2002, the Rose & Thorn Journal, 2010, Suspense Magazine, June 2011, and Stories for Sendai Anthology, 2011. She served as the editor-in-chief of Utah Valley University's literary magazine and has won awards for her short stories. She is also an editor/publisher of “The Literary Lab Presents…” series of anthologies.

Michelle believes imagination is the only rule in fiction. This is the foundation of her writing, and she plans to strengthen it with each and every story she writes. Her first traditionally published novel, Monarch, will be released September 2011 by Rhemalda Publishing.
Oh, and she likes peanut butter and tomato sandwiches. And cheese. Lots and lots of good cheese.
http://www.michelledavidsonargyle.com/
Monarch looked so fascinating, I wanted to know all about the characters and settings and events--there is even a seventh question-and I hope these great replies by Michelle, draws you in and gives you plenty of reasons to buy this book today.

1. How long has Nick been a CIA spy?  Is his wife's death the reason that he is leaving the CIA? 

Nick has been a CIA officer for most of his career, although he started out in the Army. He never actually leaves the CIA during the course of the novel, but he’s not quite sure if he’ll get fired when he discovers they are searching for him due to his being set up for a murder.  As for his wife’s death – she committed suicide (or he’s under the impression that she did so, and he might be right) because she never approved of his career choice in the beginning, and it eventually drove her away from him.

2. To have two daughters that resent what he's become, his career as a CIA agent must have started after the girls were of an age where they could really understand him.  How old are they now?  I'd peg them at mid to late teens which would result in Nick's CIA career being relatively short.  Is he resentful of having to drop his career?

Nick’s girls are well into their adulthood. Clara is in her mid-twenties, and Violet is entering her thirties. Clara is married, but Violet is still single. They grew up with a father who wasn’t home much because of his career, but he was sure to show his love to them. They resent what he has become because when they were teens, their mother committed suicide after which Nick became a different person, making choices they didn’t agree with.

3. If the U.S. has been hunting Ferreira for years, I wouldn't expect Nick's final case to be very quick unless he was doing a burn mission, which wouldn't make much sense.  So has he just promised to end his career once Ferreira is caught? 

Yes, Nick has agreed to try and find Ferreira as his last mission, and if he manages to do so he would then retire.

4. Nick does not seem to be a devoted family man.  Is Lilian a woman from long ago, or more recent?

In the past, Nick was very devoted to his wife and daughters, but after his wife’s death he pulled away from his daughters — mostly Violet because in a lot of ways he blames her for his wife’s death. This is one of the emotional issues he must deal with during the novel.  Seven years after the suicide, Nick meets Lilian and realizes the mistakes he has made in his choices. It is then that he starts to try and get closer to his daughters again and fix his mistakes. This does not truly happen until Monarch’s plot begins.

5. Is Ferreira based in the U.S. or does this story have a bit of international intrigue?

Ferreira is based in the Brazil, although nobody can find him there and it’s assumed he could be anywhere at any time. Monarch has a bit of international intrigue because some of it takes place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the Amazon.

6. Does the story parallel the Monarch butterfly's migration?

It does! Monarch follows the butterflies in many different ways. Part of the plot deals directly with the butterfly forgetting the past with the divorce of her ex-husband. This is where her character arc and true sense of growth in the story lies.monarch migration and the problems they are facing in becoming extinct. Part of the plot deals with the butterflies and how they must struggle to become such beautiful, strong creatures — just like the characters in the book.

7. Lilian Love owns a secluded Inn.  But, I don't think she is the damsel in distress type.  Am I right?

Lilian doesn’t think of herself as a damsel in distress, but in reality she does mirror that stereotype.  She’s a strong woman capable of running her own inn and taking charge of her own life; however, she does have issues with letting go of her son.

The blurb for MONARCH:

Nick’s life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness—a wife who committed suicide, and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the U.S. has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he’ll have the chance to start his life over again.

Just when Nick is on the brink of catching Ferreira, he’s framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He’s safe, but not for long…

A random comment will win a free copy of Monarch (in PDF, Kindle or EPUB versions) to qualify, you have to be a follower of Michelle's blog or have given this author a like on Facebook :o) Contest open until 12:00pm EST, September 13th 2011.
 Would you like to be interviewed for Six of A Story? Please send all requests to: apasuggestions@gmail.com