The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Ash Night. She is a writer of Young Adult Paranormal Romance. Her latest work Embracing Shadows is the first in the Embracing Shadows series.
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I always thought I’d end up in Neverland with Peter Pan, and when that didn’t happen, I made my own version of Neverland and just never stopped. I love camping and love walking in the woods, especially in the fall. I grew up outside a small town in Wisconsin. I’m the oldest of four kids and I started writing when I was eleven.
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest book is about love coming in more than one form.
What do you have coming out in the future?
I have the sequel to Embracing Shadows coming out early next year and a short story about my favorite orange-haired vampire. I also plan to work on a few random projects as well.
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Embracing Shadows is a series. My first novel, Juliet’s Lullaby, is a stand-alone told from Topaz’s POV but is sort of a spin-off of Embracing Shadows.
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
My first experience with romance was watching English-dubbed anime (Japanese cartoons with English-speaking voice actors). When I was young, I watched an anime called Rurouni Kenshin. I had a huge crush on the main male character and was envious of how sweet he was with the main female character. Since then, I still love sappy anime romances, but I’ve become more realistic. My brand of romance is special because, although my vampires are from the days of when men controlled their women, most of them believe in change and are willing to be considerate of what the opposite gender wants. I also believe in females who can hold a scene on their own and not have to always depend on a guy.
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
I’m hoping to branch out a bit and write other types of romances, other than paranormal, but I think I’ll stick to romance.
I always thought I’d end up in Neverland with Peter Pan, and when that didn’t happen, I made my own version of Neverland and just never stopped. I love camping and love walking in the woods, especially in the fall. I grew up outside a small town in Wisconsin. I’m the oldest of four kids and I started writing when I was eleven.
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest book is about love coming in more than one form.
What do you have coming out in the future?
I have the sequel to Embracing Shadows coming out early next year and a short story about my favorite orange-haired vampire. I also plan to work on a few random projects as well.
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Embracing Shadows is a series. My first novel, Juliet’s Lullaby, is a stand-alone told from Topaz’s POV but is sort of a spin-off of Embracing Shadows.
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
My first experience with romance was watching English-dubbed anime (Japanese cartoons with English-speaking voice actors). When I was young, I watched an anime called Rurouni Kenshin. I had a huge crush on the main male character and was envious of how sweet he was with the main female character. Since then, I still love sappy anime romances, but I’ve become more realistic. My brand of romance is special because, although my vampires are from the days of when men controlled their women, most of them believe in change and are willing to be considerate of what the opposite gender wants. I also believe in females who can hold a scene on their own and not have to always depend on a guy.
Is romance the only genre that you write in or do you write in other genres? If so what other genres do you write in?
I’m hoping to branch out a bit and write other types of romances, other than paranormal, but I think I’ll stick to romance.
When I was ten, my dad died. Rather than deal with my horrified screaming, my mom had me committed. After she let me out, the nightmares got worse. The day I met him the nightmares stopped. What will I do now that he’s gone?
She knows now. She wants to be with me. Is it right? No. She deserves better. I love her. I just can’t be human for her.
Erin Sapphire hasn’t always been a happy, go-lucky teen. Five years ago, she was in a mental hospital after losing her dad. After her mom let her come home, her mind was in a constant fog thanks to all the medication she was prescribed. Until she meets the handsome, soft-spoken Aubrey Asher. Now a junior in high school, she and Aubrey are best friends. As they grow closer, Aubrey gives in to desire and shows Erin his spine-chilling world of blood and secrets. Despite her knowing, he knows he’ll have to leave soon. Is Erin finally strong enough to handle her nightmares on her own? Will Aubrey be able to sacrifice her happiness to keep her safe?
She knows now. She wants to be with me. Is it right? No. She deserves better. I love her. I just can’t be human for her.
Erin Sapphire hasn’t always been a happy, go-lucky teen. Five years ago, she was in a mental hospital after losing her dad. After her mom let her come home, her mind was in a constant fog thanks to all the medication she was prescribed. Until she meets the handsome, soft-spoken Aubrey Asher. Now a junior in high school, she and Aubrey are best friends. As they grow closer, Aubrey gives in to desire and shows Erin his spine-chilling world of blood and secrets. Despite her knowing, he knows he’ll have to leave soon. Is Erin finally strong enough to handle her nightmares on her own? Will Aubrey be able to sacrifice her happiness to keep her safe?
What authors inspire your writing?
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes was a big influence on me. She even inspired my pen name. I even got the chance to tell her on Facebook how much she inspired me and it was wonderful being able to actually tell her how much she helped me grow as a writer.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I share my love of anime with my little sister Brooke so we can waste an entire day watching our favorite anime, One Piece. I’m very family-oriented. On the weekends, I’m usually babysitting at least one of my ten cousins. I also have an extensive movie collection, including seasons of my favorite shows. I love to go camping. I love everything about nature. I also love video games, especially RPGs.
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
When I was fourteen, I had a teacher who believed in my writing. She also knew I had trouble in a class due to my mild Cerebral Palsy (trouble with fine motor skills) so she changed my schedule so I would have forty-five minutes free every day instead of having to take that class. I used that time to research how to get published. At that time, I used to think the only way of getting published was to get an agent.
I wrote to agents and got a handful of rejection letters. A few didn’t even write back. By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I was getting frustrated. In my mind, I was supposed to be famous by now with everyone reading my writing. Through my author page on Facebook I was introduced to some very nice authors who were self-published and they seemed very happy.
Now, right I am. I believe I made the right decision. Sure, being an indie author has its drawbacks. I have to do all the promotion myself. I have to do all the editing or pay a pretty penny for someone to do it for me. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I love being able to have control of what covers go on my books. I love that I can schedule my own time instead of being told where I’m going next. Most of all, I love being able to have time to interact with my readers and other authors. The community is so welcoming. I love being surrounded by such positive people, and, to me, that outweighs every single drawback.
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
The Den of Shadows series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is one of my favorites. One story in the series, specifically Demon in my View, is very special to me because it had a very profound effect on me. I love the writing style, the characters, the setting. Her vampires had a unique human-like quality to them that I loved. Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, and the Vampire Diaries series are also some of my favorites.
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
I would have Kelan Lutz play my character Aubrey Asher because I loved his performance as Emmett Cullen. Robert Pattinson would be great to act as Topaz Tylers because I think he could pull off Topaz’s goofy personality while perfectly portraying his darker moments. Ian Somerhalder would be absolutely perfect for playing Alex Asher because Alex and Damon Salvatore have similar personality traits.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Editing. I hate it. I also hate that once I start, I have a hard time stopping until I’m finished. I noticed I tend to be a little crabby during this time so, if I’m editing, there better be a good reason for someone to interrupt.
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
I have three I could not possibly choose between. My characters Aubrey Asher, Alex Asher, and Topaz Tylers are my favorites. They’ve been with me almost my entire life. I love them equally, but for different reasons.
What is your preferred writing environment?
I love writing in my living room, but I can really write anywhere as long as it’s quiet or if I have music.
How would you describe your writing style?
My writing is character-driven and most of my characters have an internal problem that the other main character tries to help fix.
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I have used outlines twice in my life and twice I stopped and just started writing. I’m a very hands-on person. If I have a character pop into my head, I want that character to talk and the fastest way is to sit in front of a blank word document, turn the music up loud, and just get lost in it. It’s the most powerful feeling in the world.
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I knew the day I handed my sixth grade teacher one of my stories after class, as I did every other day, and she asked, “Have you ever thought of publishing your stories?” At that moment, my life changed forever.
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
My advice would be to write whenever you can, even if it’s only a few minutes a day. A novel happens one sentence at a time. Even if it takes your whole life to write it, a novel is something to be proud of. It’s also one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had.
Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
I would love for people to ask me about the little things about my characters like their favorite food or the type of music they dislike. When I was first starting out as a writer, I used to fill out character sheets and always had so much fun answering the questions like, “what would be in your character’s fridge right now?”, or “what would your character serve on a first date?”, etc. I love to imagine what my characters would be doing on a typical Tuesday afternoon. Of course, it wouldn’t be much fun for my reader to read about that, but it’s fun to think about.
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes was a big influence on me. She even inspired my pen name. I even got the chance to tell her on Facebook how much she inspired me and it was wonderful being able to actually tell her how much she helped me grow as a writer.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I share my love of anime with my little sister Brooke so we can waste an entire day watching our favorite anime, One Piece. I’m very family-oriented. On the weekends, I’m usually babysitting at least one of my ten cousins. I also have an extensive movie collection, including seasons of my favorite shows. I love to go camping. I love everything about nature. I also love video games, especially RPGs.
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
When I was fourteen, I had a teacher who believed in my writing. She also knew I had trouble in a class due to my mild Cerebral Palsy (trouble with fine motor skills) so she changed my schedule so I would have forty-five minutes free every day instead of having to take that class. I used that time to research how to get published. At that time, I used to think the only way of getting published was to get an agent.
I wrote to agents and got a handful of rejection letters. A few didn’t even write back. By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I was getting frustrated. In my mind, I was supposed to be famous by now with everyone reading my writing. Through my author page on Facebook I was introduced to some very nice authors who were self-published and they seemed very happy.
Now, right I am. I believe I made the right decision. Sure, being an indie author has its drawbacks. I have to do all the promotion myself. I have to do all the editing or pay a pretty penny for someone to do it for me. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I love being able to have control of what covers go on my books. I love that I can schedule my own time instead of being told where I’m going next. Most of all, I love being able to have time to interact with my readers and other authors. The community is so welcoming. I love being surrounded by such positive people, and, to me, that outweighs every single drawback.
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
The Den of Shadows series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is one of my favorites. One story in the series, specifically Demon in my View, is very special to me because it had a very profound effect on me. I love the writing style, the characters, the setting. Her vampires had a unique human-like quality to them that I loved. Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, and the Vampire Diaries series are also some of my favorites.
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
I would have Kelan Lutz play my character Aubrey Asher because I loved his performance as Emmett Cullen. Robert Pattinson would be great to act as Topaz Tylers because I think he could pull off Topaz’s goofy personality while perfectly portraying his darker moments. Ian Somerhalder would be absolutely perfect for playing Alex Asher because Alex and Damon Salvatore have similar personality traits.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Editing. I hate it. I also hate that once I start, I have a hard time stopping until I’m finished. I noticed I tend to be a little crabby during this time so, if I’m editing, there better be a good reason for someone to interrupt.
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
I have three I could not possibly choose between. My characters Aubrey Asher, Alex Asher, and Topaz Tylers are my favorites. They’ve been with me almost my entire life. I love them equally, but for different reasons.
What is your preferred writing environment?
I love writing in my living room, but I can really write anywhere as long as it’s quiet or if I have music.
How would you describe your writing style?
My writing is character-driven and most of my characters have an internal problem that the other main character tries to help fix.
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I have used outlines twice in my life and twice I stopped and just started writing. I’m a very hands-on person. If I have a character pop into my head, I want that character to talk and the fastest way is to sit in front of a blank word document, turn the music up loud, and just get lost in it. It’s the most powerful feeling in the world.
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
I knew the day I handed my sixth grade teacher one of my stories after class, as I did every other day, and she asked, “Have you ever thought of publishing your stories?” At that moment, my life changed forever.
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
My advice would be to write whenever you can, even if it’s only a few minutes a day. A novel happens one sentence at a time. Even if it takes your whole life to write it, a novel is something to be proud of. It’s also one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had.
Wild Card Question.
As an author, what is the one question that you wish people would ask you, but no one ever has and what would your answer be to that question?
I would love for people to ask me about the little things about my characters like their favorite food or the type of music they dislike. When I was first starting out as a writer, I used to fill out character sheets and always had so much fun answering the questions like, “what would be in your character’s fridge right now?”, or “what would your character serve on a first date?”, etc. I love to imagine what my characters would be doing on a typical Tuesday afternoon. Of course, it wouldn’t be much fun for my reader to read about that, but it’s fun to think about.
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