Please tell us a little about yourself.
I started writing when I was 12, and my first novel was supposed to be like a book in the “Goosebumps” series. It was awful. The books I have out now were written after a lot of practice. I’m 26, and besides books, I like desserts, playing games, and dancing to music (mostly when I’m alone). I live in the city of Greensboro, NC.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Grim Crush is about seventeen-year-old Xia, who is a grim reaper and has three Rules of Reaping she has to follow. She’s not supposed to show herself to living humans, but one boy, a Native American named Shilah, can see her anyway. The two of them start to fall for each other, and that brings problems from Xia’s boss and father, the Angel of Death.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
The sequel to Grim Crush, which is currently titled Grim Fate. And then the third and final book in the series.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
A series called Grimly Ever After.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
Usually a book or movie has to have a bit of romance for me to love it. I especially like when two characters first fall in love, when they get those butterflies and dreamy looks in their eyes. It makes me swoon. But I like romance more when it’s mixed with something else to make it even more exciting, so that’s why I chose to write a paranormal romance series.
 
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 definitely write in other genres, mostly fantasy and science fiction. I also write a bit of mystery and thrillers.

Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Yes, sometimes. Mostly I try to put a bit of myself in my main characters, and if someone requests to have their name in one of my books, sometimes I do that too!
 
What authors inspire your writing?
J. K. Rowling, Christopher Paolini, and R. A. Salvatore
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
My experiences helped me learn what my characters would feel in certain situations. For example, I have gone through struggles with love, and I incorporated that in Grim Crush. I didn’t have any experience with affection from guys much in my teen years, so I know how my character, Xia, feels.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Watch TV shows like The Walking Dead, Supernatural, Game of Thrones, etc. I also like being outside, listening to music, playing games, and dancing sometimes.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
It was a struggle every step of the way. I wrote a few novels and sent them out to hundreds of agents. I kept getting rejected, even though they said my writing was good. So I tried publishing Grim Crush with a small press, but eventually they released me from my contract. Finally I decided to skip the middleman and get my work straight to the readers by self-publishing. And I’m getting great feedback!
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
Since the book is about a grim reaper, I wanted the word “grim” in the title. I went through several different words to go with it, and then I found one that made the book sound like the beginning of teenage love, which starts with a crush. Therefore, Grim Crush was born.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
Funny enough, I never read plain romance books. Fantasy is my favorite genre, but I LOVE books with a touch of romance in them. I read mostly YA.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I have online. There’s one I actively look at and participate in on Goodreads, called Support Indie Authors.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Getting stuck on a scene in my book and not knowing what should come next for my characters.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Writing action scenes! My hands just fly across the keyboard and my mind shuts out everything around me.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Xia, because I identify with her struggles of being devoid of love and affection, because I was too when I was a teen.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
Both. I have a vague outline in the beginning, but by the time I’m finished writing the story, it surprises me how different it is from the original outline.
 
With many publishing routes available today, which felt the most reliable to you when it came to the many choices?
Self-publishing. I have control of everything and I can choose when to get my books out to readers, instead of waiting years in-between books in my series.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
When I was sixteen, although I didn’t start working hard at making a career of it till I was eighteen. I thought if J. K. Rowling could become a billionaire writing books, I should at least be able to make a decent living from it!
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Follow your heart no matter what anyone else tells you. Do what you love, even if it’s a risk.
 
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?

Have I ever had an experience like the one in my book?
I experienced what I think was first love, but I was too shy to let the guy into my life and heart. And I never knew that feeling of affection and closeness with my first love, but if I had, it would’ve been new, scary, and very exciting. That’s how Xia feels when she first discovers affection with Shilah in Grim Crush.

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
Hello everyone! I’m Isabel Curtis, and I’m a 25 year old indie author. I started my writing career as a YA writer, but now I also write New Adult/Contemporary Romance books. I’ve spent my life mostly traveling, and reading, and during the past few years I’ve turned my passion for writing into an almost full-time job.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest book is called “Unexpected Love” and it’s the first installment in the “Unexpected” series. It’s a contemporary romance which features Olly, a college student, and Daniel, a lawyer: they fall (unexpectedly) in love but at some point life gets in the way and… you have to read the book to learn how it ends.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I have a few YA novels I plan on publishing in late 2016, yet right now I’m more focused on the new adult genre, so I’m writing a prequel and a sequel to the “Unexpected Love” book I published in September 2015. I also have a stand alone novel I plan on publishing in a year or so.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
The new adult contemporary romance book “Unexpected Love” is part of a series, called “Unexpected”, and I plan on having at least other four books in the series publishing within the next few months.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I started reading lots of contemporary romances a while ago and I’ve been intrigued by this genre and style ever since. I began thinking of a story line which fit perfectly in this genre and I thought I’d give it a try. I like to take on new adventures and challenges. I already have the whole “Unexpected” series sort of outlined (there will seven books in total) and a new series called “The Interpreter” which I hope to get started in 2016. Both series feature very interesting characters that I try develop in a clear and sincere way throughout the whole narration, and the readers can truly relate to some big life choices they make, and even though the good guy might sometimes, in the end, turn out to be not so good it’s pretty easy for the reader to identify himself/herself with the character… which makes it harder to hate him. My books are not just romantic stories, I try to given them a more meaningful message that can be passed on.
 
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?
No, I began my writing career as a young adult author and I have published a YA coming-of-age book called “Before Life Happened” which is part of the “Before” series. I plan on writing both genres for a very long time, since I have lots of stories ready to be written both in the YA and NA romance genre.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Actually, anything can sort of trigger my imagination and lead me to create characters/stories in my head: a movie, a song, a poem, a book, an image…. As soon as the slightest plot idea is growing in my mind I let my inspiration take over and before I know it the whole book is coming to life.
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
Sometimes I find myself writing about “personal” experiences (in terms of dialogues or scenarios or places) I’ve actually lived or that have really taken place, but that’s a very minor part that influences my writing. In most cases it’s just pure imagination.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I translate, I run a blog, I read, I market my books, I travel, I take my dog out for a walk, I do lots of things. But no matter what I do, I’m always thinking about writing.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
I decided to self-publish right away: I’ve never wasted my time looking for an agent or a publisher, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try that in the future. But I like the idea of self-publishing, doing your own marketing/promotion, choosing your own cover, having a closer relationship with the readers… It’s a pretty interesting world and I like it, plus it’s not that hard nowadays to self-publish (there are many platforms out there that make the process pretty smooth and easy). It’s all just a matter of marketing and promotion.
 
So once my first book was finished, I hired a professional proofreader and editor. In the mean time I created the book cover, I put online my author website, built a Facebook page and my twitter account along with some other social media networks to promote my books (ie. Goodreads) and within a month the book was available on most online stores. The initial promotion came from a Goodreads giveaway I started to promote the launch of my book, and the feedbacks were great!
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
Strangely enough, titles come pretty easy to me. The fil rouge of the “Unexpected” series is  - as you can imagine - having to face unexpected events. So in each book the protagonists find themselves experiencing surprising and unforeseen situations that lead to certain outcomes that they had not anticipated. “Unexpected Love” is all about Olly (the main character) who falls in love when she least expects it… but nothing ever goes the way we plan, after all. I’m enjoying writing this series because I get to create interesting plot twists which leave the reader always wondering what will happen next.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I’ve started reading lots of romance at the beginning of last year, and I really enjoy it. Although I am also a big fan of coming-of-age YA novels and the dystopian genre.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Writer’s Block, for sure. Sometimes I know what I want to write, I just seem to lack the words. I know where I want to go, but I don’t know how to get there and it gets frustrating. I find myself wasting so much time just staring at the blank page, writing then deleting, writing some more and then deleting again. It can go on for days.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
I guess the easy part for me, for now, has been never running out of ideas for a new story. I’ve heard about writers who at some point in their career are stuck because they don’t know what they are going to write next, or what they want to work on because they have no inspiration. Fortunately, I’m never out of inspiration and ideas so that makes it easier to start a new project right away as soon as I’m finished with one. I think it’s very important for a writer to write, write, and write. Either if it’s just a blog post or a short random chapter. As long as if you have your inspiration by your side, you’re doing well.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I don’t do the chapter-by-chapter outline strategy that some writers seem to love. I’ve tried that but it just isn’t for me. I usually just sit at my computer and let the words flow on their own. I might start a dialogue between two characters not having the slightest idea of where that’s going to take me, and I like it.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
It all began a few years ago, when I started have serious plot ideas for a book and I felt the need to start writing some scenes down. Then at some point I realized that my “ideas” could really turn into a full-length novel, so I said “why not?”. I started writing the whole book during my free evenings, and whenever I could take a break from my freelancing job (I used to be a full time translator). I felt like I had so much to say, and I decided that I didn’t want to keep it all to myself anymore.
 
 What is your favorite quote?
Oh, there are so many I’m having a hard time choosing just one. It depends I guess on my mood, but right now there’s a quote by Sophocles that’s popping into mind:
 
“I have no desire to suffer twice, in reality and then in retrospect."— Sophocles, Oedipus Rex
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
First of all, I’d say: read a lot. Read books from authors who write the same genre as you, books like the one you plan on writing, and even other types of books. Just read.
Get a website, a Goodreads page, a Twitter account and a Tumblr blog.
Then, DO hire a professional proofreader/editor to help you with any typos or grammar errors you might have missed, readers hate that kind of stuff and might influence their reviews.
But in the end the best advice I feel like giving is just this one: write, and do it for yourself. If you feel that’s your vocation, don’t give up. 

 
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?
 
Why did you decide to publish under a pen name?
 This is a pretty interesting question, I would sort of have to psychoanalyze myself and try to figure out why I don’t want people to know who is the real person behind the books I write. I’m about to give you a pretty complicated and messed up answer, so I apologize from the beginning if you won’t be able to follow my train of thought. Just know that it makes total sense to me.
 
Truth is, no one in my family knows about this passion of mine and when I started writing I never told anyone that this was what I really wanted to do. I guess time passed and it became harder to let them know about my “parallel life”. They just think I sit at my computer all day working… they just don’t really know what I work on. Creativity never really blossomed in my house, so I grew up believing that writing could never be regarded as a “job”.
 
Writing shows so much about the author: his/her most deepest thoughts, fears, ideas, personality… writers put so much meaning into their words that it makes them so raw and open, and vulnerable… and this scares me. If strangers read my thoughts, that’s okay because to them I’m just a writer, someone they do not know. When I read, I barely take into consideration the author, I care more about the characters and their story - and I guess my readers do the same with my books. But letting your friends and relatives read your mind through your writing gives them so much more insight on who you really are, and it gives them some kind of power over you that I do want them to have. I guess we could say that I don’t care what a stranger thinks about me, but I do care what those close to me think.
To my readers, I’m a writer.
To my family, I’m a person.
 
Plus, I like having a double life.
It makes my days so much more interesting.
 
Writing is my private world, and only those who do not know they are accessing it are welcome. 

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Faye Hall​. She is a writer of Historical Erotic Romance. Her latest work is Mistress of Purity.​

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I’m an Australian author of Historical erotic romances set in outback towns of Northern Australia between 1850 and 1898. 

Tell us about your latest book.
Mistress of Purity was released in August 2015.  The plot of the story tells about when Gareth obeyed his father’s widow’s request for him to return to Sarina to collect his inheritance.  Never could he have imagined he’d find her to be the same woman he’d loved so passionately a few weeks before.  The secrets that Gareth unveils upon returning to his late father’s estate become a near obsession to him, revealing to him not only the truth about Prue, but also the man his father had truly been.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
Passions in the Dust will be out in March 2016.  It’s about a wealthy station owner who orders a mail order bride only to find her to be the lover he had left back in England.  Together they are faced with cattle rustlers, scrub fires, poisoned cattle and a fiancé out for revenge.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Stand alone
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I write romances because I love a happy ending!  My own particular brand of romance is uniquely Australian, using actual historical place names and some of my own personal family history.  The romance is driven by suspense and mystery, as well as scandals and the occasional mention of remedies or legends belonging to the Australian Aboriginals.
 
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?
So far I only write romance

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Mostly the history of mine or my husband’s ancestors.
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Yes quite a few have been based on people I have known or am related to.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Usually just relaxing and spending time with my family.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
I was first published way back in 1996 just after I graduated High School, but the company went bankrupt.  I was then again offered a contract in 2008 but that company also went bust.  Red Sage Publishing contracted me in 2012 and I’ve been with them ever since, having just been offered a fifth contract.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I am currently a member of both the Romance Writers of America and Australia.

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Deborah Camp. She is a writer of Thriller/Suspense/Paranormal Romance and she has also write Western Historical Romances​. Her latest work is Through His Heart. The third novel in the Mind's Eye series.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Deborah Camp, author of more than 45 published novels, both contemporary and historical. My first book was published in 1979 by Simon & Shuster. I live in Oklahoma with my significant other and a bunch of sweet dogs.
I’m a charter member of the Romance Writers of America and I’m a member of The Authors Guild, Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc, and the Tulsa Night Writers.
When I’m not writing or reading, I’m usually volunteering with the Animal Rescue Foundation in Tulsa, rescuing pets from kill shelters and finding great new homes for them.
I’ve made my living as a writer my whole adult life, so I’m very blessed.

Tell us about your latest book.
My most current book is the third novel in my Mind’s Eye series, which features psychic detectives Trudy Tucker and Levi Wolfe. Each book is stand-alone as far as the mystery goes, but the relationship between Trudy and Levi continues to evolve throughout the series. THROUGH HIS HEART deals with the kidnapping of a child – a step-sister Levi has never met – and Trudy’s insistence in helping find the girl, even though it means dealing with Levi’s father, John Comfort. The Rev. Comfort is an evangelical TV minister who rejected Levi when he was a child, which threw Levi into a world of mental and physical torture. He hates his father and his father has no use for him, so being in the same town together is explosive for both of them.
Caught in this tangled web of deceit and hatred, Trudy and Levi try to find the girl using their psychic abilities while Levi tries not to spin out of control and into the emotionally charged chaos he’s tried so hard to avoid.

Levi and Trudy approach their work from different angles because Levi can commune with the deceased or victims of crimes and Trudy can get into the criminal’s mind and see what he sees, hear what he hears, etc. They make a formidable team.

What do you have coming out in the future?
My work-in-process is a western set in Texas, two years after the end of the Civil War. It’s a love story, dealing primarily with the aftermath of life after the war and the festering hatred, animosity, and fear most people struggled with at that time. It’s a story of redemption and how men and women deal differently with the trauma of war. Its scheduled release is in early 2016.
After that, I’ll write #4 in the Mind’s Eye series.
 
The Mind’s Eye series is different from most because it has something for everyone – romance, hot sex, suspense, danger, intrigue, and paranormal. I think I’m successful in weaving all those elements into each book. From the reviews I’ve received, readers are pleasantly surprised by how much they love the books and the series. Readers who generally don’t like to read paranormal books like them because they are more down to earth and they have complex and interesting main characters. Levi is smoking hot and Trudy is a strong woman who can handle all his complexities and hotness!
 
I focused on Levi in the first three books of the series. In the next three, I plan to focus more on Trudy and her own unique psychic talents. She’s new at the detective game and still struggling with how to use her gifts. She’s always been afraid of them and tried to deny them, but now she is attempting to embrace and control them.

Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
 My book is part of a series (The Mind's Eye series), but it is stand-alone in that a murder is solved in each one. The relationship between the characters continues throughout the series.

Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
 I write romances because that's what I like to read. My Mind's Eye series is a bit different because the psychic detectives work both "sides." She can see through the killer's eyes and he can commune with the deceased crime victims.
 
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 write romances, both contemporary and historical.

​Do you base your characters on real people?
I have done this. In the Mind’s Eye series, a character named Quintara is based on my writer mentor who ran a Writers Roundtable. She was quite a character and loved by many writers in Oklahoma. Mostly, my characters are a combination of people I’ve met or watched from a distance. Writers are observers.
 
What was your road to publishing like?
Although I have a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and I was a newspaper reporter for a few years, I knew that writing a mass market novel wasn’t the same thing. So, I took classes in novel writing at the local junior college and I joined local writing groups and critique groups. My first novel went through a critique group before I submitted it to a literary agent or a publisher. It was contracted by Simon & Shuster for their new romance line called Silhouette. Shortly after that, I signed with my first literary agent. I would say that my road to publishing was methodical and I approached it as a business I had to learn before I hung out shingle.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
I admire many authors and add new ones to the list every year. LaVyrle Spencer, Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, Janet Dailey, Mary Stewart, C.D. Reiss, E.L. James, and Abigail Barnette are a few that have influenced me as a writer and thrilled me as a reader.
 
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
The hardest part is after a book is written and I have to find ways to let readers know about it and get them to place reviews of it online! That never gets easier and it’s very time-consuming and expensive.
 
What is the easiest part?
Dreaming up the plot and creating the character profiles. That’s always fun.
 
What is my preferred writing environment?
I like to write at home. I carry my laptop all over the place and plop down and write.
 
What influences my writing?
I like to hang my plot on a lesson or moral judgment. I don’t want to pound readers over the head with it, but I expect them to “get it” by the end of the novel. In the Mind’s Eye series, the overall lesson is to not judge people prematurely or ignorantly. In the western I’m writing now the lesson is that hatred is learned and passed on. Humans are not born hating.
I’m influenced by the wonderful people around me – my friends and my lovely, gorgeous, sexy, very own hero. We’ve been together, off and on, since I was a senior in high school and he was an older, experienced, guy with a “bad boy” reputation.  We’re definitely “on” now, but we have a long-distance relationship. I live in Oklahoma and he lives in Connecticut. Thanks to flying, texting, e-mails, and phone calls, we make it work. We hardly ever go longer than two weeks without seeing each other.
 
Do you plot or go with the flow?
I used to plot, chapter by chapter, and sometimes I still do. However, with the Mind’s Eye series, I go with the flow. I know the mystery and how it will be resolved, but I don’t know all the subplots and key scenes. So far, it’s working for me on this series.
 
Advice for new writers:
I taught novel writing and romance writing for more than 20 years at a local college, so I think I can speak to this with some confidence. I’m proud to say that several of my students are published romance writers now.
Do your homework! Study the books you love to read as if they were textbooks. Underline sections you love and ask yourself why you love them, why they’re successful, what the author did to pull your heartstrings or make you gasp. Concentrate on a good plot and don’t rely on coincidences and contrived outcomes. The conflict has to be real and wrenching and both of your main characters should wish they could extricate themselves, but they can’t because of realistic and believable reasons. If it’s something that they could deal with in a conversation or by answering a few questions, then it’s not a good conflict. Too often, I see flimsy plots that rely on a misunderstanding that could be cleared up if the heroine or hero simply questioned the other person instead of flying off into a rage or pouting.
Hire a copy-editor and a proofer! Don’t rely on good friends or relatives to tell you they love your book and didn’t find anything wrong with it. Invest in a professional editor and proof reader. They are worth every cent you pay them! Listen to their advice – especially the editor. You don’t have to make every change suggested, but listen and compromise when possible.
When you’re just starting out, find a good critique group, preferably one that consists of both published and unpublished writers who are writing the in the same genre as you. Check with local writing groups for one. If you can’t find one, start your own! Again, you don’t have to take everyone’s advice, but if several people in the group have the same problem with something in your book, you need to change it. Don’t love your book so much that you think every word and every scene is necessary. Rewriting is where you find the real gold.
 
What is your favorite quote?
Don’t wait for your ship to come in. Swim for it!

The guest author for today on Interviews with Dante is Casey Lehman. He is a writer of Sci/Fi/Fantasy/Anthro Romance. His latest work A Second Chance, coauthored with Ronald Steven Lessiter, is the first book in the TalonFrye Chronicles.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am an avid dragon, anime romance fanfiction lover.  I suffer from aspergers, tourettes, depression, bipolar disorder and have slight PTSD from certain incidents in my past.  Although I am hesitant to spout the technicalities behind how this series began, I will say my co-author and I are still in the process of writing our series.  I feel D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) is a large inspiration for my work nowadays.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
The actual world in which The TalonFyre Chronicles, Book 1: A Second Chance, was originally based on the Legend of Spyro world, but I desired to pull this kind of idea and base it on Dungeons and Dragons instead.  In the the first book of the series, the odd and very dense 19-year old lava-blooded dragon mercenary known as TalonFyre meets a (seemingly)22-year old light dragon by the name of Flare.  Flare promptly  introduces him to his violence-loving, extremely tomboyish and exceptionally attractive 17-year old daughter, Hikari.  She almost instantly falls for him, despite his unromantic attitude and extreme unintelligence.  This book is about their struggles, the healing power of love, redemption, and the fact that you don’t have to be the same species to fall in love(see the two of the four side-characters, Ultimar and Mian).
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
The TalonFyre Chronicles, Books 2 and 3, The TalonFyre Epochs(a darker and more adult series taking place after the chronicles) and War of the Third Demon Parts 1, 2 and 3, the latter most being, the darker, complex-worded prequel to the series/history of the world in which The TalonFyre Chronicles takes place.  It will have multiple D&D-like qualities, a semi-large cast,  and may cause controversy due to the nature and traditions of said world.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
As stated before, both the Chronicles and the Epochs are part of the same series.  War of the Third Demon is a spinoff/prequel.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
It’s something that hasn’t been done that much before in an actual book series.  An anthro-romance novel about dragons.  What makes it truly interesting is that my aunt actually sometimes forgot they were dragons, but instead humans due to the fact that they have almost no bestial qualities in their personality whatsoever.  This, coupled with nearly zero instinct, causes it to be somewhat unique.  I hate to give spoilers, but later books will delve deep into interspecies romances as well.  Even with this, they are all still fully-sentient species.
 
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?
The TalonFyre Chronicles will mostly be romance, but will have multiple adventures qualities in later books.  War of the Third Demon will most likely be as follows - Part 1: Romance/ HurtComfort/Drama.  Part 2: Politics/Adventure/Romance/Drama/HurtComfort/War.  Part 3: War/Drama/Adventure/Romance/HurtComfort/Politics.

​From where do you draw your inspiration?
Originally Legend of Spyro/Animes.  Now it’s D&D/Animes/Dr. Who and multiple other series as well as my own imagination to be more original.
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
Some characters are based on myself/others as well as their situations, albeit sometimes mixed and/or exaggerated.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
Piers Anthony, J.R.R. Tolken, Emily Roddda, Clare Keating and multiple fanfiction writers
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Play video games, read fanfictions and watch anime
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
It was… interesting.  I was originally a fanfiction writer, but retired when I realized that it wasn’t something that could make money or a real impact on lives.  The TalonFyre Chronicles, although originally Spyro fanfiction, the world was completely revamped into a D&D-style with a multitude of species.  The Golems in War of the Third Demons will be basted of the personifications of different emotions/situations, etc. from mythology (I.E. Thanatos, Eros, Styx, Hypnos, Aergia and others)
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
The TalonFyre Chronicles seemed to the a basic yet efficient name for the series.  The subtitle “A Second Chance” is due to TalonFyre having the decision to either give up his mercenary past or continue on the road to the destruction of his body, mind, heart and soul.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
Romance above all.  I really don’t know why.  Maybe it’s because I was always more feminine than masculine.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
TalonFyre: J.S. Gilbert’s Sweet Tooth Voice from Twisted Metal without the distortion as per the desire of my co-author.
Hikari: Anna Kingsley
Flare: Chris Niosi
Angel: Rachael Lillis
Ultimar: Vic Mignogna
Mian: Imogen Fox

Have you joined any writer’s groups?
GoodReads and a few DeviantArt Groups
 
Have you won any awards for your writing?
No, and I don’t expect to yet.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
From a writer’s perspective, The TalonFyre Chronices would be translating the dialogue into a book format and coming up with the emotions behind the characters.  As for War of the Third Demon, that would be researching the effects of the characters’ traumas and mental problems.  From a mental perspective, any childbirth scenes.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
The TalonFyre Chronicles: Taking the dialogue into the story.  War of the Third Demon: Coming up with ideas for species.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Ultimar, because of his job, soft, kind heart, selflessness, and redemption story.
 
Who or what are your inspirations/influences?
Ronald Steven Lessiter, my co-author, Shalone Howard A.K.A. ShaloneSK on DeviantArt for the original designs of the dragon characters, Clare Keating A.K.A. echodusk on DeviantArt, Montecristo709 on fanfiction.net for his religious influences and ideas, animes/movies (mainly Shonen Jump, Monster Rancher and Studio Ghibli), multiple video games, Gary Gygax/Dave Arneson, Dragon City and other games like it, Dragon Heart, Legend of Spyro, Lord of The Rings and some histoical events
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
And here’s where my oddball personality comes out - FIND THE COMPUTER ROOM!!!
 
How would you describe your writing style?
The TalonFyre Chronicles is more common and laid back, while War of the Third Demon is complex-worded, semi-scientific, and makes elaborate comparatives.  Both have a very feminine style of writing, but the femininity is much more prominent War of the Third Demon.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
The dialogue for The TalonFyre Chronicles is pre-written, but for War of the Third Demon I have very few things pre-planned.  In short, for the latter I “go with the flow” more than a stereotypical laid-back surfer in a 90’s movie.
 
With many publishing routes available today, which felt the most reliable to you when it came to the many choices?
Amazon.  Echodusk told me it would be the best route to self-publish, and since she had published novella on there, I trusted her judgement.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
That’s a hard question.  In honesty I was always a good writer, but I stopped in high-school.  I think writing TalonFyre: Portrait of a Merc (the original fanficion.net version of The TalonFyre Chronicles) was actually something that got me back into writing.  It’s a passion now.
 
What is your favorite quote?
“Ultimate power ultimately corrupts”
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
If you want to write, I suggest you look at the more professionally-written books.  If you have no interest in original stories, go to fanfiction.net or DeviantArt and read some of the few well-written stories of your preffered fandom.  If you truly want original ideas, you may want to find a D&D group, as the games you play will give you an extreme amount of inspiration, especially if your DM(Dungeon Master) is creative enough to make his own storyline and possibly even classes/abilities.  In fact, you and your friends can actually make a book out of your game if this is the case - just give credit where credit is due.
 
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?
 
Do you think interspecies romances are wrong?
I am going to give an answer and then propose a series of questions - For my answer, I feel it depends if the species are both fully-sentient and the conditions of the romance.  Technically speaking, depending on the species it can be somewhat creepy.  However for my question we must ask ourselves this - what is the measure of man?  Do we consider “sentient” to be only applied to humans?  If so, is it because of ignorance, or is it because we have never met a specie with our reasoning and intelligence?  If we do, will be see it as “human” or “sentient” or will said ignorance blind us to the friendship or possibly loves that could come of accepting them into our fold?  If this world were to be populated with other sentient species, would it be for better or worse?  Would it cause humans to see that race is nothing but an illusion of physical traits?  I, for one, would welcome new sentient species into our world, providing they did not come to kill us, but rather live with us.  If they saw us as beneath them due to their power or technology, yet restrained themselves from doing horrible things due to it, I would see that as amazing restraint.  If even one saw that we are, in the end, equal, I would see that as amazing strength.  Who’s to say that any sentient species is better than another?  It would be the same as saying one race of humans is better, which is untrue, despite those who think otherwise.  In the end, are we not all mere “humans” of the same cosmos?

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.

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.

​The guest author for today on Interviews by Dante is Gabriel Constans. She is an author of Contemporary Erotic Romance. Her latest book is Loving Annalise.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
Raised in a lumber town in Northern California, where father worked in the mills for over 40 years. Mother worked as a bookkeeper, later remarried and took in 9 foster sisters and 1 foster brother. Biological sister lives and works in same town.
 
Been writing since first publishing an alternative newspaper in high school against the Viet Nam war, for civil rights and sex education, for which I was threatened with arrest. Am practicing parent for 5 adult children (2 adopted) and 4 grandchildren.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Loving Annalise is based on a true story for a woman I used to work with at hospice. She was kind enough to sit down with me for extensive periods of time and tell me about her life, which I then made into a fictional romance (keeping many of the actual events that took place).
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I’ve been teaching about mindfulness meditation and mental health for loss and trauma for almost 40 years, and will start to put together a book about it next year.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Loving Annalise is a stand-alone romance.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
Love and sex are two wonderfully pleasurable aspects of living. Loving Annalise is not only unique, because a lot of it is true, but also because it involves a lot of background and insight into the characters and how Annalise eventually has the courage to stand on her own and be the person she chooses.
 
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?
All of my romances, Loving Annalise, The Last Conception and Buddha’s Wife, have twists and turns that are not usually found in most romantic genres. I also write children’s fiction and non-fiction for adults, that include books about grief, loss and trauma, sexuality and smoothies. I also write screenplays.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
The primary inspiration for my stories come from personal and family experiences and people I admire, some publicly known and other’s close friends and role models (such as my Judo and Jiu-Jitsu teacher Prof. Jane Carr).
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
All the time. Observing people I’ve known in the past and present, and situations and families I’ve been involved in through work in hospice, hospital, coroner’s office, prisons, etc., are a big part of what brings my character’s to life and makes them realistic, flawed and believable.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
A variety of writer’s have, and do, inspire me. Bell Hooks, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, Isabelle Allende, Ruth Ozeki, Pat Conroy, Chitra Divakaruna, and Zora Neal Hurston are the first that come to mind.
 
How have your real life experiences influenced your writing?
I’ve been married three times, once when I was very young. Each marriage, and other relationships in-between, have influenced who I am and how I see the world. Each partnership provided emotional, physical and psychological experience that shaped who I am and how I write.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Some of the things I enjoy are film, reading, playing music, gardening and sculpting stone.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
Loving Annalise captures both the reality of other people wanting Annalise, as well as her learning to love herself.

A successful embryologist (Savarna) must make difficult and life-changing choices. Should she continue devoting her soul to work and party with her girlfriend Magdalena or settle down with Charlemagne (Charly) and have children? If she decides to have children, how and when will they start the process and what will it take to convince her conservative East Indian mother to stop trying to marry her off to a “good man”? If that isn’t enough pressure, throw in the bomb her parents plant when they tell her she MUST have a baby because she is the last in line of a great spiritual teacher who reportedly never had children.​

What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
Two of my favorite books are Their Eyes Were Watching God by Nora Zeal Hurston, and Communion by Bell Hooks. The first book is so amazing at portraying an individual, time and place, with which I would never have contact or knowledge, and bringing the character’s to such life, that they felt real. The second, taught me about myself and feminism, in ways I had not imagined.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
For Loving Annalise I’d like Yvonne Maria Schaefer to play Annalise. For The Last Conception, which I’ve written the screenplay for, I’d love to see Archie Punjabi play Savarna.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
The most difficult aspect of writing, for me, is editing, and knowing when enough is enough.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
The easiest aspect of writing is developing story ideas.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
One of my favorite character’s is Yasodhara, in Buddha’s Wife. She is left in the throes of grief, and learns how to not only survive and carry on, but also develops great insight and compassion for others.
 
What is your favorite quote?
“Life is what happens to you while your busy making other plans.” John Lennon
 
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

Nobody has ever asked whether writing has any personal, cultural or societal importance for living and if so, how?
Personally, writing helps me externalize what is going on in my head and heart and have a better perspective. Culturally, writing keeps our history alive and in the consciousness of the human race. Society uses writer’s for information, pleasure and escape; all of which have their place and time.​

​The guest author for today on Interviews by Dante is Libby Cole. She is an author of Contemporary Romance. Her latest book is Hawaiian Heartbreak. It is the first installment in the Hawaiian Heartbreak Trilogy. Libby prefers some anonymity as an author so there is no photo with this interview. ​

​Please tell us a little about yourself.
I was a journalist before I became frustrated with seemingly only bringing people bad news. I still believe it’s an important job, but decided that wasn’t the environment I wanted to be in every day. So I moved from being a romance fan, to a romance writer. Now I bring people happy ever afters, and hopefully an entertaining thrill along the way!
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Hawaiian Heartbreak is the first in a trilogy, about a holiday fling unexpectedly turning into so much more. Some of the reviewers have said the Hawaiian setting is like a character in itself, which is exactly what I wanted! Love and wanderlust all in one, but of course, with complications along the way.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
The rest of the trilogy, Hawaiian Healing, and Hawaiian Homecoming. Hawaiian Healing is almost ready to go to my editor now. I know that people need resolution, so I’m aiming to get all three out by January next year. No rest for the wicked!
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
Romance is what I love reading, and I really believe in writing what you love. It shows in your writing if you genuinely care about the story and the characters. My brand of romance is ever-changing, but currently it’s about rediscovering yourself, finding your place in the world and what you want from it. Falling in love with someone might be the catalyst for that, but rest assured, these are strong women in their own right!
 
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?
Only romance for now, although never say never. I’m enjoying getting to write in a longer form than when I was a journalist, and focus on happiness and new beginnings. In the future? Who knows.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
Anywhere and everywhere – a holiday, problems that a friend is dealing with, a movie. The important part is sitting down and not feeling too beholden to the original idea. Start with that grain of a story, then think, if that’s true, what else is true?
 
Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
To a certain extent. Jay in Hawaiian Heartbreak was originally based on a real life tour guide on a real life tour, but as I worked out the story, he took on a life of his own. Now he’s very far from that original tour guide. And much hotter!
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Going out with friends, going on a long walk, curling up with a good book. Anything to break the cycle of staring at my computer, and willing the story to come!
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
For me, I’m a control freak. I’d had enough of being bossed around by big companies, so I researched indie writing and went for it, without ever trying the traditional route. The biggest challenge was finding a good editor and cover designer. I had to trust them to help me put out something that was top quality. Being a control freak doesn’t mean I get to ignore constructive criticism!
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I knew the basics of my story, and I knew the first book was all about heartbreak. It percolated for a while, and I kept a list of maybes on the first page of the book. And then one morning I switched on my computer and I knew. Which makes it sound a bit magical, but believe me, there was a lot of thinking to get to that point!
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
Romance is definitely my preferred genre. You can find so many different stories within romance that there’s something great for any mood. But I also make sure I break out of my rut sometimes, read something new, give myself a fresh perspective on what makes good writing.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
Through Wordpress and Goodreads I’ve been lucky to meet some really wonderful writers. Every time I’m online someone’s offering some great advice, an insight, or even just talking about a struggle I hadn’t considered that now I can try to work out in advance. So nothing structured, but I really couldn’t go without my online author friends.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Whichever part I’m currently working on! When I’m writing that first draft, working out what’s next, I’m certain that’s the most difficult thing. When I’m on round five of editing, and I’m sick of reading the same words over and over, I think that’s the worst. Then when it’s ready for release and I’m waiting to see what readers make of it – that’s torture!
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Coming up with ideas. My ideas list is enormous, so I’ve certainly got plenty more books coming. Turning them into a proper book though, that takes time and sweat.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
Kitchen table, cat on my knee, and absolute silence all around me. If anyone else is home I can’t manage anything useful.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
I have a page of plot points when I start, a loose skeleton of things that will happen, character reactions, and the outcome. But I certainly don’t do a full chapter-by-chapter breakdown. I like to just get going and get it on the page.
 
With many publishing routes available today, which felt the most reliable to you when it came to the many choices?
For me, I’m currently an Amazon/CreateSpace loyalist. They know what an indie author needs in terms of promotion, their systems are user friendly, and they reward loyalty. As I continue, I may branch out, but that’s likely to be a few years from now. 
 
Wild Card Question.
Answering this question is not required, but I would really like to see what your answer is.
 
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 hear a lot of people say that love scenes in romance novels are unrealistic. And sure, some are. But I try to write things that are realistic – as long as you’re in the right hands! So I wish those people would ask me where I get THAT inspiration from. There are some great non-fiction books out there that will change your perspective. Start with I Love Female Orgasm, by Dorian Solot, Marshal Miller, and Shirley Chiang. It’s friendly, funny, and I guarantee you’ll learn something. 

​The guest author for today on Interviews by Dante is Tracey Clark. She is an author of Paranormal Romance. Her latest work is Shocking Finds. It is the first installment in the Finder’s Keepers series.

Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Tracey Clark, a born and bred Kentucky gal. I started writing a few years after I was diagnosed with MS, and my worlds quickly became my passion. My two pugs help keep me going and for down time I use art projects to refresh my mind.
 
Tell us about your latest book.
Shocking Finds (A Finder’s Keepers Novel) is my first publication, and will be released on oct 26. Paranormal Romance at it's finest. Follow Marin and the Fae entering her life. Betrayal, Fae assassins, steamy and undeniable lust … magic and the unknown.
 
What do you have coming out in the future?
I have two rough drafts for the Finder’s Keepers series that I will be editing, along with a few accompanying short stories.
 
Is your book a stand-alone or a series?
Shocking Finds is the first book in a series, but each book can be read as a stand alone. I want this world to grow with each novel with out any confusion should a reader start with book two or three, instead of one.
 
Why romance and what makes your particular brand of romance special?
I love the emotional content in a romance novel. The pull of seeking out that HEA. I will read anything from behind-closed-doors-lovin’ to in-your-face-gymnastic-worthy-passion. My brand of romance shows the doubts that can be felt, but the connection is impossible to dismiss. Plus ... Paranormal Romance allows for anything to happen. Which I love.
 
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 have yet to write anything that didn’t hold some form of passion. For the most part I stick to Paranormal Romance, but I started a contemporary romance rough draft. Still in the romance section but it is my first attempt at something other than paranormal.

​Do you ever base your characters on real people in your life?
I have yet to base any of my characters on real people. I have used a few of their last names, in a kind of shout out to those I love, but that is all for now.
 
What authors inspire your writing?
I have been inspired by many authors. I love the feel and build up in Karen Chance’s novels. Laurell K Hamilton and Lora Leigh are both steamier than I am so far, but they both have the ability to pull me into the story with the emotions jumping off the page. Shelly Laurenston/G. A. Aiken always manages to make me laugh out loud. I could go on for hours, but all the authors I fine inspiring have been from the romance genre. I actually have one favorite that didn’t come from the paranormal subgenre... Lorelei James and her cowboys novels.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love to paint, using oil paints. Really, art of any kind draws me. Other than that, I spend time with my two pugs.
 
What was your road to publishing like? Tell us about it.
Like a lot of other authors, there were a lot of query letters. And man do I suck at query letters. I was actually looking into self-publishing, even though I knew I needed someone to lead the way (I am still learning all the ropes) when I came across Gone Writing Publishing. They asked for a copy of the novel and a synopsis. Which I found a lot easier.
 
How did you come up with the title of your book?
I was actually planning to use Finder’s Keepers as the title, then I saw that Stephen King was coming out with a novel using the same. At first, I thought ... well crap... then I realized that Kind had done me a favor, though he will never know. I started looking for a new title and came up with Shocking Finds. My main character get an electrical power that she can’t control, and inadvertently shocks those around her when she loses her temper. Plus she works at Finder’s Keepers ... so Shocking Finds.
 
Do you read romance or do you prefer other genres?
I read at least thirty romance books each year, more depending on free time.
 
What is your absolute favorite book or books and why is it special to you?
I will always love Pride and Prejudice... a true classic. But my current favorite has to be the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance. I love her stories, but I’m really waiting to learn more about her Pritkin character. He is my favorite male lead.
 
What celebrity would you chose to play the main character(s) in the movie rendition of your book?
My main male character feel like the Fae version of an American Indian to me, but I can’t pinpoint one that is currently famous... so he will have to be an unknown. One of my male background characters feels close to the ‘Rock’ Johnson. And my Female main character would have to be that girl that played the Doctor’s daughter in one episode of Doctor Who.
 
Have you joined any writer’s groups?
I am a member of RWA, and always participate in the various NaNoWriMo groups. There area few other online groups that I like to visit, but those two are the main ones.
 
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Editing, editing, and more editing has to be the hardest part. There are so many edits, and something to do with my MS causes my mind to shut off after a few hours of edits, so this process is extremely long for me. That is part of the reason that I wrote about five rough drafts for various series, as well as a handful of short stories before I started trying to get published. I needed a cushion so that my readers won’t have too long to wait for book two and three.
 
What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?
Brainstorming comes really easy for me. I love doing it for new stories. Even if those stories are being written by my writing friends.
 
Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Makayla is my favorite. She doesn’t get too much screen time in Shocking Finds, but she will be one of the main character’s in book two.
 
What is your preferred writing environment?
I like to be comfortable when I write. Usually this happens in my lazy boy, in my office. Surrounded by my art and my pugs.
 
How would you describe your writing style?
I start out by writing story boards. For me, these are quick and extremely short snippets. He when here, she did this, oh look...a fight, they had sex, more fights, the cave contains, etc... then I sit down to write the first rough draft. This way I can get all my ideas down fast, and come back later.
 
Do you have a careful plan when plotting your stories or do you just go with the flow?
There is now plan when I write. I sit down, and it is all free flowing information. I write down what comes to me, and later I can decide or change that information. This works for me, and when I have a piece that I can’t use, I usually gets used somewhere else.
 
When did you know you truly wanted to give writing a shot?
About five hours after I got diagnosed with MS I knew that writing was the only thing that wanted to do. I also happened to be the only course of action that didn’t cause my MS to flare up. I started playing around with writing about three years after my diagnosis for a way to keep my mind occupied. Walking was hard to do, and television caused my head to hurt. So I told myself stories. Eventually I could write these stories out, but at first I could only do story boards. Writing was hard for me at that time, and most likely this need to keep my writing short started my writing style.
 
What is your favorite quote?
I love the first part of William Blake poem... ‘To See A World...’
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers and what is it?
Go out there and have fun with your writing, work hard, and support your fellow authors. We are a community and there is a lot of support and influence to be found. As well as the push we all need from time to time.