Interview with romance author Molly V. Lovell
Posted: September 1, 2017 Filed under: Author Profile, Books, Fiction, Full Moon Bites, Interview, romance | Tags: A Sibling's Dilemma, Author Interview, Molly V. Lovell, Romanace 2 Comments
Molly: In my opinion (and it may just be me), having lots of interesting and unique characters makes a story read better. A genre convention for romance novels is that there needs to be a happy ending. No happy ending=no romance novel. This is good, in a way, because people look to romance novels for a fun, happy, read—it’s the hallmark of the genre. But, the downside to that is that you know how the book ends before you pick it up. When you have multiple couples, it adds a little mystery to it. Who’s going to end up with who? Are both couples going to be together at the end? There’s going to be a happy ending somehow, but you don’t know what that happy ending is.
Kaye: You are a law student by day and novelist by night. What’s the trick to juggling two careers at the same time?
Molly: Honestly? As long as I budget my time, it’s okay. I spend about 40-50 hours a week doing legal work and about 40 hours a week writing and promoting my books. An 80/90-hour work week is very manageable, especially when you’re doing something that you love. I’m fortunate enough to have two jobs that I’m very passionate about. In a way, having two very separate and distinct careers is easier than having just one—I never get bored. When I tire of legal stuff, I write. When I get writers block, I hit the books again. My husband and I don’t have any children, which makes things easier too. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting other romance novelists who work, write, and have kids. I don’t know how they do it because that’s like having three jobs. I just have two.
Kaye: What’s something most readers would never guess about you?
Molly: I’m actually an only child. You’d think that someone who wrote a book called A Sibling’s Dilemma would be tripping over siblings, but it’s just me. I’m fortunate enough to have three life-long friends that I would call my sisters though. (They’re nothing like Cassie and Ellie, for the record.)
Kaye: What time of day do you prefer to do your writing? Why?
Molly: I like to write whenever I can. Usually “whenever I can” turns into the evening because of law school. I also do this really weird thing where I like to write with the TV on in the background. (I measure my stories through how many series I blow through on Netflix. If you’re curious, this book took me the entirety of X-Files, most of Pretty Little Liars, and a boat load of one-season Netflix original series to write.) It’s nice because I can write while I’m hanging out with my husband; I’ll take breaks every so often and we’ll chit-chat and stuff. Writing’s always a fun time for me. Whenever I’m not out with friends or doing law school stuff, I write (and watch TV.)
Kaye: Which author, dead or alive, would you love to have lunch with?
Molly: Okay, I’m going to have to say Ernest Hemingway for this one. I’m not a huge fan of Hemingway’s books. I mean, they’re great and all, but there are other authors that I like more. Hemingway’s an interesting guy though. You can only talk about books with someone for so long—that would get old after about fifteen minutes. Hemingway’s done all sorts of interesting stuff. He was an ambulance driver during WWI, lead a group of French Militia against the Nazis, stole a urinal from his favorite bar, survived a ton of weird illnesses, lived through two plane crashes, and was kind of a spy at one point for the KGB. (Well, the KGB part is kind of sketchy, but it was the 1940’s…) Hemingway even has his own hamburger recipe. Who else does that? No one. We could go to bars and eat hamburgers. It would be great.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer for you?
Molly: The biggest challenge is that, with being a writer, you need to wear many hats: it’s sort of like being a small business owner. Writing itself isn’t too hard though. My other career, law, can be a bit more challenging at times. I spent a great deal of time clerking at prosecution offices and that’s way more taxing—especially because I did a lot of stuff with sex offense and domestic violence. It can get emotionally hard at times, but also rewarding. I’ve done jobs that are physically demanding too; I worked night shift McDonalds during college. That was hard. Really hard. I guess, in comparison, writing’s not that challenging—even with all the ‘hat wearing’ involved. I don’t have to stay up until five A.M. dealing with angry customers looking for their cheeseburgers.
Kaye: If writing suddenly made you rich and famous, what would you do?
Molly: I wouldn’t change my day-to-day life, actually. I would still finish my JD and I would still go into criminal law because I believe in what I do. We need good prosecutors and good public defenders. Even if I were a multi-millionaire, my day-to-day life would be the same. I would, however, do something really nice for my parents. Buy them a fancy mansion or something like that. I would definitely go on an awesome vacation with them too. (They just took me to Bermuda, so it’s fresh on my mind.) They’ve done so much for me and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. Being an only child, I feel like I’m closer to my parents than most people. They’re my best friends too. I would do something nice for them. In addition, none of the people I care about would want for anything. I guess that’s what everyone dreams of if they become rich—doing nice things for the people they love. I’d probably give most of the money away. I have simple tastes. I mean, my favorite food is McNuggets. You don’t need to be rich and famous to eat McNuggets, hang out with friends, and write on your couch. My husband has simple tastes too.
Kaye: When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Molly: I used to love to write as a kid. My best friend and I were big nerds and we would write all the time. We made up really elaborate fantasy stories. Mine was called Unakarie’s Tail (because I didn’t know the difference between “tale” and “tail” as a kid) and hers was called Magic Factor. We would obsess over our books and stay up late drawing our characters and writing cross over stories. I wrote like, a hundred pages. For a ten-year-old, that was like writing War and Peace. Then, being a nerd and all, I transitioned to fanfiction. I stopped writing for a bit when I went to college, but then about a year ago I realized how much I loved to write and picked it up again. I started writing my own story with my own characters and it’s so much fun. This time I managed to not have any typos in my title, so that’s progress.
Kaye: How would you describe yourself in three words?
Molly: Friendly, off-beat, tenacious.
Kaye: What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given?
Molly: My mother, the wisest woman that I know, told me not to care about what other people think. If you live your life beholden to the opinions of others, you can never be the best version of yourself.
Kaye: Is there anything unique or unusual about your writing process?
Molly: I don’t really think that there’s anything unique to my writing process, other than I write my drafts while I watch television.
Kaye: Is there another book in store from Molly V. Lovell in the future?
Molly: Actually, yes, there will be. For the last several months, I’ve been working on a trilogy of books. I want to finish all three books before I submit them for publication. So far, I wrote 150,000 words and I’m almost done with the series. Then, I need to polish it up; that’s going to take a while. But, by this time next year, I’m hoping to have those three books out. The characters have pretty different personalities than the ones in A Sibling’s Dilemma and it’s written in first-person instead of third-person. The stories chronicle a hot-headed attorney and her rambunctious teenage intern, who happens to be the boss’s daughter. Together, through a very strange series of events, they take on the mob, a stalker, and a bunch of other things.
I want to thank Molly for joining us today on Writing to be Read and sharing a little about herself and her book. A Sibling’s Dilemma is available in ebook format or paperback on Amazon, so be sure to get your copy today.
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Interview with Author Kasi Blake
Posted: August 21, 2017 Filed under: Author Profile, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Interview, Speculative Fiction, Writing | Tags: Author Interview, Dark Fantasy, Kasi Blake, shape shifters, Speculative Fiction, vampires, werewolves, witches Leave a comment
I’m pleased to welcome speculative fiction author Kasi Blake to Writing to be Read today. Kasi likes to write about vampires and werewolves and witches, oh my! I invited Kasi to join us today because she’s doing something different with her 4-Ever Hunted series, which encourages reader participation. I thought was kind of clever, and I asked her to share her creative marketing idea with us. But first, lets learn a little about Kasi and her books.
Kaye: When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Kasi: When I was 12. I read The Outsiders in class and then started a short story. It slowly progressed from there.
Kaye: You have three series out. Would you like to tell us a little about each one?
Kasi: The Rule series is basically a YA Urban Fantasy series about a vampire boy who goes legit. Meaning, he turns mortal through a freak event and loses the fangs. This is great for Jack, because he hated being a vampire. He just wants to be normal, but then he falls for a werewolf hunter and discovers his true destiny.
The Witch-Game books are about teen girls with powers. They use them to play games at school beginning with one called Crushed. They enchant boys and compel them to do their bidding. Witch Hunt is more like hide-n-seek for witches. They both have romance and a bit of mystery.
Bait starts off the Order of the Spirit Realm series. The titles are a little strange here: Bait, Hunter, Warrior, Legend. These are the ranks the students at Van Helsing’s school receive as they work their way up the hunting ladder. Bay-Lee is his daughter, but she doesn’t get special treatment. In fact, the gorgeous hunter assigned to be her mentor hates her on sight. This series is set in New Zealand and has all the action, sweet romance, and monsters you could possibly hope for.
Kaye: In 4-Ever Hunted, you’re offering your readers a say in how the series turns out. This is a cool and unique thing to do in your writing. Would you like to tell us how that works?
Kasi: After you read 4-Ever Hunted, there is a link at the end explaining that you can choose Dani or Scarlet as his love interest. Read the book and at the end, there is a link to click on, which takes you to my 4-Ever Hunted Facebook page, where you can vote for the girl you’d like to see him end up with at the end of the series. This book is free with Kindle Unlimited, so no purchase is necessary to vote, but you do need to read the story.
Also, feel free to post and try to sway people to your side in the comments. You can change your vote until voting closes after I begin to write book three. Majority rules. I like both girls, so I know how to make either relationship work, depending on who is picked. Trick will wind up falling in love with and sharing a romance (not to mention action-packed adventure) in book three and four. Think of it as team Edward or team Jacob, with the readers in control. It’s all up to you, the readers.
Kaye: Legend is your most recent release. Would you like to tell us a little about that?
Kasi: Legend is the final book in the Order of the Spirit Realm series and wraps up life at Van Helsing’s school for Bay-Lee, Nick, Mike, and the rest of the young hunters. Monsters from the other realm have found a way to blow the doorway between them wide open. It’s all-out war. Who will win? Who will survive?
Kaye: What are you working on now? What can we expect in the future from Kasi Blake?
Kasi: I am currently writing 4-Ever Cursed, book two in the 4-Ever Hunted series. I plan to do all four books in a row, if possible. Then, I have an exciting fairy tale series like none other coming your way. Cursed by a Grimm is a dark fairy tale about a fading faerie realm, the wicked Ivory Queen who will do anything to stay in power, and a strange creature hiding in the shadows. The Grimm will either help Shayne save the realm and find true love. Or he will lead her down the wrong path and destroy everything.
Kaye: How do you decide the titles for your books? Where does the title come in the process for you?
Kasi: The titles come from the books themselves. I usually don’t name them until the book is either done or the entire outline is at least finished. Vampires Rule is something Cowboy says to Jack all the time. He loves being a vampire; Jack loathes it. Then it goes from there. Werewolves Rule and so on. Crushed and Witch Hunt are named after the games the witches play. Bait, as I already said, was named after the ranks the hunters get.
4-Ever Hunted is unusual because it comes from the fact that Cowboy and Summer want a fourth for their group. Cowboy is obsessed with having four members. They make the mistake of setting their sights on a hunter though. The question is, will Trick become the thing he hates most in order to save his own life?
Kaye: Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?
Kasi: Plotter. I feel like I need a map so I know where I’ll end up. I don’t understand pantsers. I would get lost without my map. Although, the outline does change several times during the process as I write. I leave room for character growth. Sometimes they do things that surprise me and turn my outline upside-down.
Kaye: You write about vampires and werewolves and shape shifters. What kind of research do you find yourself doing for your stories?
Kasi: I only research creatures that are new to me. Most of the mythology I make up so that it will be new and fresh like how vampires and werewolves were created by a faerie.
Kaye: What do you do for cover art? DIY, or hired out, or cookie cutter prefab?
Kasi: I started off doing them on my own, and they were not that great. Crushed and Witch Hunt were published by Clean Teen Publishing, so the covers were created by the awesome Marya Heidel. The Bait series and the vampire series were done by a woman just starting out in the business. I don’t even think she does it anymore. The awesome 4-Ever Hunted books are all by a great artist I found on Fiverr. Off the top of my head, I don’t remember her name, but she is listed at the front of the book as the designer.
Kaye: You have a blog, Supernatural Slant. How did that start?
Kasi: They say all authors need a blog, so this started off as a blog about writing, but I am obsessed with the show Supernatural. So, it went off more in that direction. I still blog about my books, sometimes books I like, but the blog is about Supernatural, the show, and shows like it now more than anything else.
Kaye: What time of day do you prefer to do your writing?
Kasi: I like to write late at night and early in the morning because there are no distractions then. I’m not getting phone calls, and people aren’t asking me to do favors for them or help them out or just wanting to talk. Plus, it is so peaceful when others are asleep.
Kaye: Besides writing, what are your favorite things to do?
Kasi: Reading, shopping, hanging with friends, and I love all my animals. I live on a farm, so taking care of them and watching them do silly things is always entertaining.
Kaye: Which author, dead or alive, would you love to have lunch with?
Kasi: I guess I would have to say JK Rowling, because I really want to know what it feels like to have your world made not only in movies but also in a theme park. I’d never want to go home.
Kaye: My final question is one you may get asked a lot because of your Rule series, but you had to know it was coming. Who does actually rule, vampires or werewolves?
Kasi: I go back and forth on this. Sometimes I like vampires better, and sometimes I prefer werewolves. It depends on which character I’m writing at the time.
I want to thank Kasi Blake for joining us today, sharing about her books and letting us get to know her. If you want to know more about Kasi or her books, you can check out her website, or her author page on either Amazon or Goodreads.
Next week there won’t be a Monday post because I’m being interviewed on Authors Talk About It and I’ll be promoting that. Then, on Monday, September 4th, we’ll be treated to an excerpt form author Scerina Elizabeth, before delving into my seven part series Book Marketing – What Works? on Monday September 11th. So don’t miss it, on Writing to be Read.
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Interview with Author Kristy Centeno
Posted: July 17, 2017 Filed under: Author Profile, Books, Fiction, Full Moon Bites, Interview, Paranormal, romance, Writing, Young Adult | Tags: Author Interview, Books, Deliverance, Kristy Centeno, Novel, Paranormal Romance, Writing, Young Adult Fiction 3 Comments
Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with author Kristy Centeno, who recently had her latest YA/NA paranormal romance released, Deliverance. In addition to being the author of the Secrets of the Moon saga and Keeper Witches series, and now, Deliverance, Kristy is a wife and mother to five children, and she holds down a day job, as well. This interview will kick off her book blog tour for the book with Full Moon Bites author promotions, so let’s give her a good send off.
Kaye: Your most recent paranormal romance released is Deliverance, and I hear it has received some great reviews. Would you like to tell us a little about it?
Kristy: Deliverance depicts the story of a young man who has been imprisoned in an Institute his entire life. Created in a lab, he has no clues as to what he is. Only that he’s not human. Tired of a life of suffering, he escapes to seek the assistance of a man that can help permanently free him and the other prisoners from his creator’s clutches. To do so, he requires the assistance of a young woman—one that will come to challenge everything he believed his enemies to be.
Deliverance delves into the paranormal, with a hint of romance, and some mystery thrown in as well. It took me a year to complete this project and enjoyed every minute of the process. Tiger wasn’t an easy character to develop as he isn’t quite your average hero. He’s both fierce and vulnerable. Strong yet weak. A potential killer yet innocent. As readers go through the story, they’ll better understand what I mean.
Kaye: Deliverance is listed under both YA and NA paranormal romance. Would you talk a little about what the difference in these two genre categories are?
Kristy: Young adult is basically geared more toward the teenage audience with coming of age scenarios that help shape the young character’s future, personality, or outlook in life. The main characters are usually in their teens, experiencing, learning, experimenting things for the first time.
New Adult, however, portrays characters that are a bit older and perhaps, a tad more mature. Think college age adults who undergo a series of scenarios that might have more of an impact on their lives than it would a younger person. They might have to deal with things that might not be an issue for someone in their teens.
Kaye: You are currently working on a sequel to Deliverance. Any hints as to what might be in store for your readers there?
Kristy: There is a bit more background story for some of the main characters as well as information on how the Legion works. It gives some insight on what Gerard’s next plans for the main characters were. And, of course, another mystery unfolds. One that will flip Tiger and Kristina’s worlds upside down.
Kaye: You have a large family, including five children. What are your secrets for juggling writing with family?
Kristy: Between my day job and my five children, finding time to write isn’t always easy. To be honest, even when I find time, I struggle between heading off to bed early to get some rest or get the next chapter completed. My days are full, but I try to make the best of what time I do have.
Most days, I get some writing done after the kiddies head off to bed. It’s nice and quiet. Not having anyone vying for my attention provides me with at least one to two hours of uninterrupted writing.
Basically, the way I work around my schedule is by tending to the kids first, house second, and then my writing. If the kids need something or the house is unorganized I can’t concentrate on my writing either so when I sit down to write, no matter what time of the day it is, I have to make sure that my to-do list is complete. Then and only then can I devote my full attention to those that live in my head.
Kaye: What is the one thing you hope to teach your children?
Kristy: There’s so much I wish to teach my children that I could go on forever naming each. But one thing that’s important for me is that they learn how to love themselves first and everyone else second. With so many issues about body shaming and public ridicule for being different, I don’t want my kiddies to feel as if they have to be like everyone else just to fit in the crowd. I always tell them that it’s okay to be different and there’s nothing wrong with being a little weird.
Kaye: You have two blogs dedicated to author promotions and writing. Would you like to tell us how they came about and what one might find there? How do you come up with enough content to keep them both active?
Kristy: When I was first published, I realized right away that one of the most difficult things to do as an author was, and still is, promoting. I had to develop an online presence and that took time. Fortunately for me, I found a network of authors that were willing to lend a hand when it came to promoting my work, offering advice, and some constructive criticism when needed.
While I was establishing an online presence, I found many new authors that like me, struggled to promote their work and would benefit from the same kind of help I received when I first got started. Thus, the idea was born to create not one but two blogs where I could assist anyone that needed it.
It didn’t take long at all for my inbox to start to fill up with requests from authors all over the States, Canada, and even the UK. I keep a calendar to track which author I’m hosting on what day due to the sheer volume of requests. Many of the authors I’ve worked with over the years also help cross promote my work on their sites/blogs, which is fantastic. Plus, I get to learn about new authors and their fabulous work that I’d probably have a difficult time locating if I didn’t hear from them directly.
Now, I also host blog tours for various book blogging companies as well. It’s something that I’ve come to enjoy over the years and continue to do as a hobby.
Kaye: What’s something most readers would never guess about you?
Kristy: I’m a bit of an introvert. Most people don’t believe this because I’m generally outgoing. Though at first I’m a bit shy, once I’m comfortable with someone I tend to talk a lot more and joke around. But I prefer the comfort of my own home as opposed to going out.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer?
Kristy: Aside from getting published and struggling with promoting your work once it’s published, I’d say one huge challenge is overcoming the dreaded writer’s block.
Kaye: Would you share the story of your own publishing journey?
Kristy: My story isn’t that different from most authors. At least, I don’t think. I must have queried close to thirty agencies that first year, receiving nothing but rejection after rejection. It was very disappointing, not to mention it really made me suffer through periods where I had serious self-doubt about my work and myself as a writer.
I didn’t understand that even if your first manuscript isn’t the best, you tend to improve overtime. I wasn’t in that state of mind though. I considered quitting before I even got started. That was until I heard a positive response from a publisher that was interested in reading the full manuscript of the first book I ever submitted.
They decided to pass, but that rejection ended up helping so much. When they got back to me, they were kind enough to say where my strengths lay and where and what I needed to improve. I took their advice to heart and worked on my manuscript some more. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it read a lot better. When I submitted it again to another publisher, I was once more asked for a full manuscript. Three months later I was offered a contract. I was elated!
From there it has been easier but I’m still learning. I’m sure there’s still so much room for growth and I don’t mind. I love evolving my skills and developing my voice as I go along. With every publisher and every editor I work with, I learn something new. I learn where I have to improve and what areas I should focus on. It’s a never-ending cycle but one I don’t mind repeating.
Kaye: What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given?
Kristy: “No matter how hard life knocks you down, you better get right back up again and plow through. Life will never stop trying to knock you off your feet so don’t ever stop getting right back up again.”
Kaye: You are fortunate enough to have found a publisher for your books. How much non-writing work, (marketing & promotion, illustrations & book covers, etc…), do you do yourself for your books?
Kristy: Fortunately, the book covers are taken care of by the publisher. However, I do most of the marketing for my book. I organized takeovers, hire book blog companies, spread the word via social media, send emails, etc.
One of my publishers does quite a bit in terms of spreading the word about our books. They have put our books in local libraries, they send out newsletters with interviews, guest posts, etc. and we occasionally do author takeovers and Facebook events as well.
Kaye: What strategies and promotional tools work best to sell books for you, as far as marketing goes?
Kristy: It’s hit or miss with marketing to be honest. I have found that when I book a tour via a book blogging company, some will do extremely well and I immediately see an increase in sales. While there are other times when there’s barely a difference. However, I’ve found that when I do character interviews, guest posts, or giveaways my book does well and there’s a lot of online activity, which is great.
I prefer to schedule release tour weeks in advance to get the release off to a good start. Usually, this is when I see the most impact when it comes to sells as well as reviews. Giveaways do very well too so I have tend to partake in them more and more nowadays than I used to. Especially if I’m giving out a signed copy of one of my books. People respond positively to that.
I want to thank Kristy for joining us here, on Writing to be Read, and for sharing a little bit about herself and her paranormal romance, Deliverance. You can purchase Deliverance on Amazon, iTunes, B&N, Inktera, and Createspace.
To find out more about Kristy, or her books:
Her Website: https://booksbycenteno.com/
Blog: http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kristy-Centeno/e/B00BR7KQ4U
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6580510.Kristy_Centeno
Or check her out on social media:
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Interview with “The Best Seller”author Dina Rae
Posted: July 10, 2017 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Full Moon Bites, Interview, Science Fiction, Thriller, Writing | Tags: Author Interview, Conspiracy, Dina Rae, Science Fiction, The Best Seller, Thriller Leave a comment
Today, we have with us, the science fiction author of the conspiracy thriller, The Best Seller, Dina Rae. She’s tried both the traditional publishing and self-publishing routes, and her latest novel, The Best Seller, was recently released by Solstice Publishing. With this interview, we kick off her book blog tour with Full Moon Bites author promotions.
Kaye: Your latest science fiction conspiracy thriller, The Best Seller: Book 1 of 2 was recently released. It is the tale of a writer’s dream come true, turned nightmare. Would you like to talk about that? Tell us what it’s all about.
Dina: I thought it would be interesting to write about a Stephen King-like author who doesn’t write his work, but records it from extraterrestrials. I once listened to a podcast that talked about automatic writing that comes from the Akashic record and thought it would play well in a novel. Of course, the author doesn’t live happily ever after. That would make for a short, boring book. There’s a reason for it as you read on. My next novel, The Sequel, gets more into it.
Kaye: You’re a wife and mother in addition to being a writer. What are your secrets for juggling writing with family?
Dina: I also work full-time as a teacher and coach, so yes, it’s a lot to juggle! I bring a notebook with me at all times. When I am waiting at the dentist, it’s time to write; when I am waiting for noodles to boil, it’s time to write; when I am at a choir concert or softball game; it’s time to write… You can always find time to do the things you love to do. I wish I was that determined when it comes to working out! I have found that the most productive people on the planet are the ones who have no time. Ask the busiest person you know to do something and it’s done!
Kaye: What is the one thing you hope to teach your children?
Dina: Great question! I want them to be good people, but also know that it is okay to mess up. It’s okay to take a risk and fail. Learning from mistakes is not just a lesson, but a way to live your life. I want them to understand the value of a dollar. So many young people start out their lives in massive debt from college. Life’s expenses cause more debt. My college-aged daughters decided to attend junior college and work as a way to keep expenses down. They might just graduate debt free. They both have friends who already are in massive debt and have yet to graduate.
Kaye: Your books are filled with conspiracies and intrigue. A lot of your books don’t fit neatly into a genre category or subcategory. How do you describe your books?
Dina: I love a good conspiracy-left-wing, right-wing, alien, HAARP, contrails, 911, apocalypse, bring it on! All of my books take kernels of popular conspiracies and then build stories around them. The Best Seller delves into how the government not only knows about extraterrestrials, but partners up with them to maintain power. Of course, a humongous conspiracy always has a few that go rogue which messes up the plan. I also take the Roswell incident and fill in the blanks about how our government found a spaceship and aliens in New Mexico back in 1947. In The Sequel, The Best Seller’s second volume, there is a great deal of conspiracy about Hitler and his Nazis.
Kaye: You do a lot of research in order to write about things you haven’t ever seen and places you’ve never been? What are some of the strangest things you’ve ever had to research for your books?
Dina: In The Sequel, I spent a great deal of time researching races of aliens. David Icke’s name popped a few million times. Very, very strange. He believes a Reptillian race lives on earth among us. They shapeshift into key figures of the elite circle. These Reptillians prepare for New World Order. I loved it! He is very sincere in his beliefs as are the many who follow him.
Kaye: Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?
Dina: I am a total pantser for the first half of the book. I start plotting later on, and then go back to change everything! I tend to work better without an outline.
Kaye: You’ve made some pretty awesome book trailers, which do a good job of capturing readers’ attention, but how effective have they been as far as selling books goes?
Dina: Thanks so much! The truth is the trailers do not generate a lot of hits. They are something that I will keep doing anyway. I think that I get most of my sales from interviews of bloggers and radio hosts. I also will have selling spurts after a great review from a review blog.
Kaye: If writing suddenly made you rich and famous, what would you do?
Dina: I would love to find out! I have everything that I want in a middle-class capacity. Extra money would mean lots of traveling.
Kaye: What’s the most fun part of writing a novel? What’s the least fun part?
Dina: Most fun-I oddly love to research. I also love putting the pieces together for the story-it’s like a puzzle. Yes, I am a geek! Least fun-editing and constantly promoting.
Kaye: What did your road to publication look like? How did you get to where you are today?
Dina: My first book was The Last Degree. My publisher was not entirely on the up and up. I didn’t know any better. I pulled the manuscript and canceled the contract. The book is now up on Amazon as self-published. My second book and third books, Halo of the Damned and Halo of the Nephilim, had much smoother rides. They were published by Damnation Books. They recently sold the business to another publisher, Caliburn Books. The Best Seller was picked up by Solstice Publishing and they have been great. The got back to me right away after my query. I signed and then they gave me a cover. While it was being edited, I started promoting the book.
My advice to new writers is this-check out Preditors and Editors. They keep tabs on the publishing world. Also know that not everyone is legit.
Kaye: Is there anything unique or unusual about your writing process?
Dina: Not really, but I do like to write longhand. I like to buy cool looking journals to write in.
Kaye: What is the strangest inspiration for a story you’ve ever had?
Dina: It’s certainly not an original idea, but genetic modifications, cloning, CRISP-R, and gene therapy scare the hell out of me. Fear of the future inspires me. I don’t see the progress, I see the pitfalls.
Kaye: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Dina: I love to play tennis and walk my two dogs. My husband and I also love to go to flea markets for fun.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer for you?
Dina: There are so many challenges. Advertising is so expensive. Authors have to be more creative in their promotions. There is a lot of trial and error.
Kaye: If you could have lunch with any author, alive or dead, who would it be? Why?
Dina: Jesus Christ/God because I believe they wrote the Bible. Meeting them would mean I made it into Heaven. On a less divine note, I would love to talk to Shakespeare (or Queen Elizabeth as some conspiracy theories claim is the real author of all of those plays). I want to know how it feels to have so many of your phrases used in today’s language. I would want to know how he feels about modern literature.
Thanks so much for interviewing me! Great questions!
I want to thank you, Dina, for sharing with myself and my readers a small glimpse into your life and your writing. I’m sure The Best Seller will be… a best seller, and I’m pleased to be able to help kick off your tour.
You can follow Dina here:
@haloofthedamned
Blog: http://www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30286767-the-best-seller
See Her Book Trailers Here:
The Best Seller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQER8wJmaf8
The Last Degree: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkbg6Yy8UKU
Halo of the Damned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p89LXZNxOs
Dina is also hosting a give away for 2 signed paperbacks of The Best Seller, and 2 Amazon $10.00 gift cards. You can enter the give away here:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/873c06d2357/?
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Interview with Author Amy Cecil
Posted: June 26, 2017 Filed under: Author Profile, Fiction, Interview, romance, Self-Publishing, Writing | Tags: Amy Cecil, Author Interview, Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Ice on Fire, romance, Writing Leave a comment
I’m happy today to be interviewing Amy Cecil, author of the Knights of Silence MC romance series, as a part of her blog tour surrounding the release of Book 2 in the series, Ice on Fire. (See my four quill review of Ice on Fire.) Amy is married, and she and her husband have three dogs and a horse. She is also the self-published author of four novels. She writes both historical and contemporary romance.
Kaye: Your new release, Ice on Fire, is the second book in your Knights of Silence MC Would you like to tell us about the contemporary romance series, and how Ice on Fire fits into it?
Amy: The Knights of Silence MC series is my pride and joy. It is my first attempt to write my own characters, develop them and subsequently fall in love with them. And, it’s in a genre that is totally different than what I started in. It has been a challenge for me and the result is a product that is all my own. That makes me a very proud writer. The series right now is going to consist of four books, but who knows, that may change. Ice, the first in the series was published in September. I am currently working on book 3 in the series, Celtic Dragon, and I am hoping on a spring 2018 release.
Kaye: You wrote your first novel in thirty days and went on to be a two time NaNoWriMo winner, in 2015 and 2016, where contestants are challenged to write a novel in a month’s time. What is the secret to writing a novel length work in thirty days?
Amy: NaNoWriMo requires 50,000 words in 30 days to win. That’s seems pretty tough to do, but if you break it down, it’s not so bad. I divide the 50,000 by 30 and come up with my daily goal. It’s 1,666 words a day. Doesn’t sound so overwhelming when you break it down. And then the hard part is to adhere to that goal. Some days I will write more, other days I will write less, but by the 15th of the month, you can bet I will make sure there is 25,000 words written and that I am on track. And then periodically throughout the month, I make sure I am still on track. NaNoWriMo does this for you and it is really helpful.
Kaye: Today many independent or small press authors are using what are called street teams to spread the word about their books. Could you explain what your street team does and how you go about building a street team?
Amy: When I first started writing, I never knew what a street team was, until my PA’s Alicia Freeman and Michelle Cates told me I needed one. These girls are amazing and built my team to over 400 members in just a few months. This is where I can talk with my fans and actually let them share in the writing process. They have not only shared my books and teasers, they have contributed in many ways to my books. They are a great group to bounce ideas off of and they are always there to support me when I am doing an author takeover event. I’d be lost without them.
Kaye: What are some of the differences between writing historical romance and contemporary romance?
Amy: From a writer’s perspective, the biggest difference is how they talk. Historical romance is more formal, more polite. Things are very proper and liberties are not common. Contemporary is more relaxed and casual. They are less formal in the way they speak and you can use contractions. That’s a big no no in historical writing. Also, you can take liberties with your characters that you would normally have to be careful within a historical romance. Because I write Jane Austen Fan Fiction, I have to be conscious of keeping my characters the way Jane Austen created them.
Kaye: What do you see as the pros and cons of independent, or self-publishing?
Amy: When I first started writing, I went the traditional route. I sent my manuscript to several publishers and of course, was turned down by all of them. Discouraged, but not ready to give up, I learned that I could self-publish. Since then, I have self-published four novels. I’m not sure what I would do now if a publisher wanted to publish one of my books. I really like the freedom I have to write what I want and when I want. I have no deadlines. The hardest part of self-publishing and requires the most amount of work is PR. Getting your name out there is difficult if you don’t have a publishing house or an agent behind you. But I have found two great PA’s, Alicia Freeman and Michelle Cates. They not only help me promote my works on social media, they all put together an amazing street team for me.
Kaye: Where does the title come in the writing process for you? How do you decide the titles for your books?
Amy: My titles usually come first. I don’t have any special formula to specific way I do. Some just come to me, some have been suggested by friends and the latest one, Ice on Fire came from my husband.
Kaye: What’s the most fun part of writing a novel? What’s the least fun part?
Amy: I would have to say that my favorite part of writing a novel is coming up with the initial story line. Creating the characters and just watching it all play out. My least favorite part is the editing. I know, it has to be done. But it is always a struggle for me. Luckily, I have an amazing editor Carl Augsburger of Creative Digital Studios who makes this process a little less agonizing for me.
Kaye: What’s your favorite way to get exercise?
Amy: I walk my dogs – I have three of them.
Kaye: Besides writing, what are your favorite things to do?
Amy: My husband is in the Air Force, so I spend a lot of time at home alone. I work full-time for a home improvement company. Also, I have three rescue dogs and a horse that keep me busy. I enjoy other creative hobbies as well like painting and basket weaving.
Kaye: Where do you get your cover art?
Amy: Ellie Augsburger of Creative Digital Studios designs my covers. We use stock photos and get most of them from Adobe Stock. I’m not sure what other resources she uses.
Kaye: What’s your favorite social media site for promotion? Why?
Amy: I guess I would have to say Facebook. I use it the most because I am most familiar with it. I really want to expand my social media reach, but I guess that will come with time.
Kaye: What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given?
Amy: “Write your own.” These were the exact words from my best friend who encouraged me to write my own story. I’m so glad I took her advice.
Kaye: What time of day do you prefer to do your writing?
Amy: I really don’t have a specific time of day to write. Usually it seems to be when the ideas hit me. I don’t write everyday, but that doesn’t mean I am not working on my books. I spend a lot of time doing research.
I want to thank Amy for joining us here, on Writing to be Read, and sharing some interesting facts about herself and her writing. You can find each of Amy Cecil’s books here:
getBook.at/ICEonFIREbyAmyCecil
getBook.at/ARoyalDispositionbyAmyCecil
getBook.at/RelentlessConsiderationsbyAmyCecil
Follow Amy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoramycecil
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/authoramycecil
Twitter: https://twitter.com/acecil65
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/amycecil
Website: http://acecil65.wix.com/amycecil
Learn more about Amy’s Amazing Street Girls:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/201903646918497/
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