Writing life
There is a ton of stuff a newbie writer is supposed to be doing -- none of which includes the main thing (that would be writing). Feel free to give me advice on what is important and/or effective when it comes to promotion/marketing/advertising. I'm treading water in a big pond.
For your entertainment I'm posting practice chat questions feel free to add questions or your own - tell chat stories or anything at all.
1. Please tell us a little about your book or upcoming release.
The book is Dangerous Surrender a romantic suspense with erotic elements. It’s exactly the kind of book I love to read, a taut mystery combined with a tortured love story and erotic love scenes. The theme of the series is dangerous love. One man, one woman who are each other’s worst possible nightmare and at the same time the one and only person in the world for them.
2. Where do you come up with your ideas?
The swamp creature that lives deep inside sends letters to the surface now and then. If the dominatrix editor who lives in the surface of my head sees merit in the swamp creatures note then it becomes a story.
3. What are you working on now?
The next Dangerous book.
4. What is your favorite story (that you've written)?
This question is a bit like asking a mother which of her children she loves best. Naturally I love them all. But best? A tie between my first book, which will always hold a special place in my heart, and the current story.
5. How do you create your characters? Are they based on anyone?
The characters are both the best and worst of writing. They begin as foils for telling the story – almost like stick figures consisting of goals, motivations and conflicts. Little by little they grow layers, or I learn about their layers, until they are real and complex beings with their own contradictions, fears, and dreams. They aren’t based upon anyone real. Though I select pictures of actors or models, who help me keep their physical image firmly planted.
6. How do you come up with your titles?
A phrase from the story or that represents the story resonates in my head – these are always lines from the swamp creature.
7. Do you write to music or prefer silence?
I always have a playlist for every story – usually edited many times.
8. Do you put any of your own quirks/traits into your heroines?
Always at least one, it helps strengthen our connection but it’s up to me to find that trait or recognize it.
9. Do you tend to favor certain types of atmospheres/places during romantic scenes?
Choice of venue for all actions is determined by the characters and the story itself, they do take on a life of their own.
10. Do you find your heroines are a lot like you, not so much?
My heroines have parts of me in then, little parts and idealized parts but then you and I share every emotion and this is really the heart of characterization.
11. Do you think your heroes are someone you'd like to meet in real life?
Absolutely, but it would ruin my dreams of being prolific. Although they all are one women men – once they meet the right woman. Since I insure they meet her there’d be little point in meeting them in real life.
12. Do you torture your characters if you are having a bad day?
I torture my characters on good days. How else are they going to tell you a great story?
13. Do you tend to put private jokes or objects in your writing that only you and another person would get-but to everyone else it seems like nothing?
Only accidentally.
14. Do you ever write your pets into you novels or their traits?
Both.
15. If you had to be trapped with one of your heroes?
I’m so fickle – the answer would always be my most recent hero, today Samson (Sam) Moreno. But as irresistible as he is – I know he would spend all our time together talking about Anika so it wouldn’t be as much fun as it sounds.
16. Did you ever write a character that just ticked you off so much you started taking revenge on him as if he were real?
Strangely enough, no. Actually I’m in sympathy with all of my characters even the evil ones, because I understand why they act as they do. Even if I hate what they’re doing, I still feel empathy for them – I have to in order to write them well.
For your entertainment I'm posting practice chat questions feel free to add questions or your own - tell chat stories or anything at all.
1. Please tell us a little about your book or upcoming release.
The book is Dangerous Surrender a romantic suspense with erotic elements. It’s exactly the kind of book I love to read, a taut mystery combined with a tortured love story and erotic love scenes. The theme of the series is dangerous love. One man, one woman who are each other’s worst possible nightmare and at the same time the one and only person in the world for them.
2. Where do you come up with your ideas?
The swamp creature that lives deep inside sends letters to the surface now and then. If the dominatrix editor who lives in the surface of my head sees merit in the swamp creatures note then it becomes a story.
3. What are you working on now?
The next Dangerous book.
4. What is your favorite story (that you've written)?
This question is a bit like asking a mother which of her children she loves best. Naturally I love them all. But best? A tie between my first book, which will always hold a special place in my heart, and the current story.
5. How do you create your characters? Are they based on anyone?
The characters are both the best and worst of writing. They begin as foils for telling the story – almost like stick figures consisting of goals, motivations and conflicts. Little by little they grow layers, or I learn about their layers, until they are real and complex beings with their own contradictions, fears, and dreams. They aren’t based upon anyone real. Though I select pictures of actors or models, who help me keep their physical image firmly planted.
6. How do you come up with your titles?
A phrase from the story or that represents the story resonates in my head – these are always lines from the swamp creature.
7. Do you write to music or prefer silence?
I always have a playlist for every story – usually edited many times.
8. Do you put any of your own quirks/traits into your heroines?
Always at least one, it helps strengthen our connection but it’s up to me to find that trait or recognize it.
9. Do you tend to favor certain types of atmospheres/places during romantic scenes?
Choice of venue for all actions is determined by the characters and the story itself, they do take on a life of their own.
10. Do you find your heroines are a lot like you, not so much?
My heroines have parts of me in then, little parts and idealized parts but then you and I share every emotion and this is really the heart of characterization.
11. Do you think your heroes are someone you'd like to meet in real life?
Absolutely, but it would ruin my dreams of being prolific. Although they all are one women men – once they meet the right woman. Since I insure they meet her there’d be little point in meeting them in real life.
12. Do you torture your characters if you are having a bad day?
I torture my characters on good days. How else are they going to tell you a great story?
13. Do you tend to put private jokes or objects in your writing that only you and another person would get-but to everyone else it seems like nothing?
Only accidentally.
14. Do you ever write your pets into you novels or their traits?
Both.
15. If you had to be trapped with one of your heroes?
I’m so fickle – the answer would always be my most recent hero, today Samson (Sam) Moreno. But as irresistible as he is – I know he would spend all our time together talking about Anika so it wouldn’t be as much fun as it sounds.
16. Did you ever write a character that just ticked you off so much you started taking revenge on him as if he were real?
Strangely enough, no. Actually I’m in sympathy with all of my characters even the evil ones, because I understand why they act as they do. Even if I hate what they’re doing, I still feel empathy for them – I have to in order to write them well.
posted by Evanne Lorraine at 11:32 AM
3 Comments:
still no regular blog access . . .
Great interview, Evanne! I enjoyed reading it. But what hard questions! I don't think I could answer half of them.
Lori, you could answer everything except you're busy with day job, dh, ds and writing your third Blaze! Woo hoo!
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