1. What inspired you to start writing?
The main thing that inspired me to write was my basic love for books and the stories within. I’ve been an avid reader, of most genres, for my entire life. I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a book for a long time but didn’t believe that I had the capability to do such a monumental task. In my mind, writers were always god-like. I’d wonder how in the heck could they come up with such creative ideas and characters and then synthesize all of that information into a full, comprehensive story? It was just too amazing.
Then one night I had a dream. It was very vivid and when I woke up I knew it was a story that should be written down. So I got up and jotted down some notes then went back to sleep and that was that. The next day that dream haunted me. I knew it should be a book but doubted that I could do it. After that dream came another dream and another. Finally, I decided to stop doubting whether or not I could do it and made the decision to do it anyway then wait to see what happened. Six months later I wrote THE END and couldn’t believe I’d done it. Granted, it was a complete mess and needed rewritten and edited within an inch of its life, but by god it was a book!
It is an unbelievable feeling to sit back and look at the file, page upon page, that is YOUR novel. And yes, the first one is always an absolute mess. It gets better though, with the second!
2. Who is your favorite/most inspirational author?
I think anyone that tackles the task of writing a novel is inspirational. It takes dedication, perseverance, and the ability to work toward a long-term goal. There is nothing about writing or publishing a book that brings instant gratification.
Now to actually answer the question: I love Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER and Nora Robert’s career is impressive, to say the least. She writes romance novels but her stories cross-over into multiple genres and she’s very good at doing her research which adds a lot of dimension to her work.
It is a daunting task and I applaud anyone who achieves their dream.
3. Why did you decide to write Rogue Alliance?
This story and its characters came to me with one vivid scene. I was driving down the road on my way to who knows where when I suddenly pictured the male and female protagonist engaged in a very intense argument. I sensed how both characters were challenging one another and the deep tension that lay underneath the surface of their interaction. An entire book was born of that scene. I knew that Brennan was “vampire-esque” but I really didn’t want to do yet another vampire story. I wanted to do a whole new twist to an old tale and that’s when I brainstormed how he came to be.
As I reader, I never understood how even the fleeting characters in a novel have their own rich life with a descriptive background that only the author knows.
4. What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
That we all make mistakes, we all face challenges and go through times so dark that we feel we may never recover. Shyla and Brennan learn many lessons from one another but the main one is that we are not our pasts, we are not our mistakes. We can move beyond those and become the person we want to be.
A powerful lesson that everyone needs to learn.
5. What are your future plans as an author?
I plan to make this my career. By day I’m a registered nurse and I love it. I love caring for people who need it the most. I love giving them hope. It gives me joy to put a smile on their face or ease their pain even if it’s just a little. But my passion is writing. I’d love to fulfill that same sense of bringing love, laughter and maybe even healing, into someone’s life through my stories.
Probably the most virtuous ambition of any author.
6. What advice do you have for other authors?
Never. Give. Up.
Good advice. One thing a writer needs most is dedication.
7. If you could live inside any novel, which would you choose?
OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon.
I'm not familiar with that novel... [googling]... Ah, a time-travel romance where a woman has a duel love affair with a husband in one century and a lover in another. Not my particular cup of tea, but I do love time travel stories.
8. Why did you choose this genre for your novel?
It’s the genre that would give the story the most depth, the most life. This story truly does have a little bit of everything in it but it’s fairly dark and the suspense level is high, so criminal suspense is where it lives.
I can't wait to see what "a little bit of everything" turns out to be.
I hope to get a copy of Rogue Alliance soon. Keep an eye out for the book review!
Rogue Alliance:
Trying to escape a horrific past, Shyla has immersed herself in life as a tough cop in the bustle of LA. When the case of a lifetime takes her back to her hometown of Redding, she is thrown into a world of organized crime, deceit, and bitter reminders of her childhood. As Shyla’s path crosses that of Brennan, a troubled sidekick to the ringleader she’s intent on taking down, she discovers he has a past even darker than hers and she is forced to re-evaluate everything she believes about herself, her job, and what she knows about right and wrong. Can she face the demons of her upbringing and learn to trust again? Her life will depend on it. |