BookView Review

Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.

Recently, we talked to Margot Keene about her writing and soon-to-be released novel, Maverick Key: Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key Series Book 1), a tense, emotionally layered story of grief, romance, and mystery beneath the waves of coastal Florida (read the review here).

Did you base your characters on real people?

None of my characters is based entirely on a real person, but I did draw inspiration from some real people. For example, Scott shares personality traits with my husband. But my hubby is no cave diver!

What was the most difficult thing about writing your debut novel?

Avoiding burnout during the revision process. I had to write in focused spurts and then stop away from the manuscript for at least a week or two between revisions. I was never completely satisfied and kept revising, but eventually I had to put the pen down and put a fork in it.

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

I think anyone who wants to be a writer should be. Don’t worry about what others think, just write. I do believe writing is more authentic when you’re honest with your emotions.

What were your favorite childhood books?

My grandparents on both my mom’s and my dad’s side gifted me with lots and lots of books. I remember my favorites being a box set of adventure classics, formatted for children, which included Treasure Island, The Count of Monte Cristo, Swiss Family Robinson, and a collection of Nancy Drew mysteries. I think this early love of reading inspired me to become a lifelong reader and dream of writing stories of my own.

What’s more important: characters or plot?

I think characters are most important because they should be well fleshed out and drive the plot for readers to connect to the story. You ultimately need the plot to be interesting, though.

Are you a feeler or a thinker?

I’m equally both, but I listen to my feeler side more. Take that as you will!

Tell us a little about how this story first came to be. Did it start with an image, a voice, a concept, a dilemma, or something else?

I knew I wanted one of the characters to be a cave diver. One of my first ideas for a book (Over twenty years ago!) was to write a book with a plot line that included cave diving. I’m not a diver and don’t have any family or friends who are cave divers, but what they do has always fascinated me. There are few fictional stories that explore diving at all, let alone cave diving. I hope more people are inspired to write about it so I can read those stories!

Which scene or chapter in the book is your favorite? Why?

My favorite scenes are the ones where Maddie has to use the skills she learned. It was important to me that she have an active role in her survival.

Which scene was most difficult to write? Why?

The diving scenes. They are the most physical and I’ve never done it myself. I watched a lot of diving videos to try to get visuals and Q&A from real divers. I wanted to take some dive lessons to really get the experience, but unfortunately, I wasn’t brave enough.  

What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

Positivity and hope. The main characters are both dealing with the loss of the most important people in their lives. It was important to me to write the story in a way that honored their grief in a realistic way that wouldn’t overtake the story. I wanted the plot and character growth to be uplifting and believable in how it handled second chances.

How did you decide on this title?

This is a fun one. In revisions, my story changed quite a bit, and the setting took on a more prominent role, almost becoming a character itself. I brainstormed the place “Maverick Key”. Originally, the book title was Hearts on the Line and at some point it became apparent the right name for the novel was Maverick Key, with Hearst on the Line the subtitle for book one.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on book two in The Maverick Key Series!

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