Please start by telling us a little about yourself (education,
jobs, significant other, children, pets, etc.)
I am married with a blended family
of five children. I’m in the Air Force, but have been approved for retirement
on 1 Aug, and am looking forward to being a full-time writer!
Tell us about your latest New Adult book and what inspired
you to write it.
21 Days is book 2 in the Time for
Love series, and will be released on June 2nd. The Time for Love series will
feature the same people, with each book focusing on a different couple’s
relationship, so they can be read as stand-alone novels. 21 Days is about TJ
and Sasha. Two sexy, single friends who have belonged to the same group of
friends for eight years. When TJ loses his job and apartment, Sasha offers to
put him up until he lands on his feet.
The New Adult genre is fairly new. What's your definition
of it? How does it differ from Young Adult or just regular Adult books?
New Adult is the period of life
when you are no longer a child, but not quite an adult. You get to make your
own decisions, but also are solely responsible for the consequences. The
pivotal years where you decide who you want to become and what you want to do
with your life.
Do you belong to any critique groups and/or do you have
other people read your work as you're writing it? Who's brutally honest and
who's a cheerleader? Which do you prefer?
I have a critique partner who
reads as I write, and offers feedback. I also have beta readers who read the
first draft. I like a little of both. I need people to be honest, because I
want to produce the best work possible, but it’s always nice to hear that
someone loves your book.
What are your all-time favorite authors/books?
These questions are always so
hard. I love so many authors and books, and it often depends on my mood. I love
Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Kristen Ashley, Kristen Proby, Samantha Young,
Raine Thomas, Tarryn Fisher, Madeline Sheehan, and Chelsea Fine to name a few.
My all time favorite books are Little Women and It.
Do you outline before you write or just dive head-first
into a manuscript? Do you maintain a schedule for writing, or is it
more haphazard?
I don’t outline, but I do have a book that I write notes, to
remind myself about characters and situations, and to jot down places I want
the book to go. I don’t have a schedule either. I write when I can, but I find
I get more done in the morning than at night.
Where do you do your
best writing? (Ex: desk in your office, public library, under a tree in the
park, in front of a Real Housewives
TV marathon, etc.) Do you like music or some other background noise, or do you
need quiet?
I have an office now (YAY), and I love writing in there. I
like quiet for the most part, but sometimes I leave music on in the next room,
so it isn’t distracting, but is there to help provide inspiration.
What are the best and worst parts of writing a book?
The last few chapters are usually
the best. I also love writing emotionally charged scenes. The worst for me is
usually the middle.
When you're driving
and you have a sudden, brilliant idea for the new manuscript you're working on,
what do you do? (Ex: pull over and fire up the laptop, keep driving while
scribbling on a McDonald's bag, tell Siri, etc.)
I’ve told Siri before, or I’ll jot it down when I get a
chance.
Imagine you have a whole day free for shopping. Where do
you go? (Mall, unique boutiques, flea market, antique shops, bookstore, home
improvement store, etc.)
Definitely a book store. A mall,
if it’s a good one.
What are the top 5
titles in your Netflix queue? (Be honest.) Or if you don't have a Netflix
queue, which books are on your bedside table? (Again, be honest.)
Netflix: 1. Premium Rush 2. The Perks of being a Wallflower
3. Dallas Buyers Club 4. American Hustle 5. The Wolf of Wallstreet.
Do you prefer to read
ebooks or print?
I read almost all on my Kindle lately, but I still enjoy a
paperback now and then.
Where is your favorite
place in the world?
Venice,
Italy.
Do you have any advice for people who want to write a book?
Do your research, get to know
others in the industry, and never give up.
Links!
Thanks so much for interviewing me!
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