Okay ;) It's been a while since I sat in the interview room with authors ;) But then, as I promised during the A-Z challenge, here I am with an author - Rosalie Stanton...picking away at her brain in the name of a guest blog ;) hehe..and getting away with it too....
Hope y'all have fun reading about her....Go ahead!
1. What steered you towards romantic fiction? And where do you think your stories fit? (I know I'm sneaking in a second question here, but you can't blame me for curiosity...).
I’ve always been a sucker for romance, and while not all of my works fall under the following description, I also love infusing stories with a plot that could stand alone even if the romantic aspects were removed. But let’s face it: sex, love, relationships, and all the complications that arise within are an important part of everyday life.
Where my stories fit in romantic fiction depends heavily on the individual story. My novella, Possession, is much more sex-heavy than any of my other works, and likewise my least favorite. Don’t get me wrong: it was a blast to write, but I get really jazzed about stories with complicated plots or excessive world-building. Lost Wages of Sin and Ripples Through Time both include those elements. Overall, I consider myself an erotic paranormal romance author who dabbles in contemporary erotic romance from time to time.
2. Major milestones in your writing journey since the time you started writing? And what next?
Lost Wages of Sin was likely the largest milestone. I was in the middle of a huge writing drought when I began working on it, and I’m not sure what exactly lit a fire under my dormant muse, but I pumped it out in record time and completely fell in love with the world. I suppose the milestone itself would be reaching a place where I felt I could comfortably commit myself to a series. I definitely wouldn’t have been brave enough to do anything like this when I submitted my first novella for publication.
I have the next three to four books in the series planned, as well as a handful of other plot-bunnies that aren’t related to the series at all. The second book in the Sinners and Saints series is more than halfway complete, and it would be coming faster were I not working on another project simultaneously.
3. What are some of your writing tips and tricks?
I have a huge purse, and I carry in it my netbook, a notebook, a Kindle, and about a thousand pens. If I get an idea, I can write it down quickly. My netbook also allows me to write on the go, which is very handy. Otherwise, I get most of my writing done by setting small goals (usually in the form of a conservative word-count), and writing during my lunch break and before bed.
Over the years, I’ve become a lazy plotter. I used to rigidly outline every project, but now as long as I have a reasonable direction, I can wing it, or outline a specific chapter or scene when I get to that place in the manuscript. I don’t like pantsing it, though, and I somewhat envy those who write incredible novels and admit they didn’t have a word outlined before writing.
That being said, if your characters start talking to you, or talking fast to another character, the best thing to do is try and keep up and see where the conversation goes. Sometimes your characters have a better idea of what they want than you do, and damn, I love it when that happens.
4. What are some of the most important things you have learnt during the transition from writer to author?
Writing the book is the easiest part. I’ve worked harder on Lost Wages of Sin in the months after its completion than I did in getting the story on paper. I had this idea that once I published a manuscript, I just needed to sit back and see what happened. If you want people to buy your books, though, you need to give them a reason. A few good reviews won’t do much. Therefore, with Lost Wages of Sin, I started by talking about it on Twitter before I’d even finished it. I also released a few lines and snippets, and once it was accepted for publication, began leaking larger teasers and excerpts. I also did some pre-release giveaways and contacted as many book bloggers as possible—taking advice from a good friend of mine—to get the word out. I had bookmarks printed, a trailer made, financed putting the book in print, and if anything else comes up, I’ll likely do that as well.
And yes, it has paid off. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive thus far.
5. Last, but not the least.. Writing vs social networking. How do you find the perfect balance?
I blog every Monday on Romancing the Muses, which often leaves my personal blog neglected. I’m on Twitter quite a lot, but usually only at work, which allows for brief messages that don’t eat into my writing time. Thankfully, I have a job that allows for that.
About your latest book :
Ava should know. For nearly two thousand years, she’s worked for Lucifer himself, infecting the heart of man with greed wherever she goes. She wasn't prepared to fall in love, certainly not with an angel. And she definitely wasn't ready to experience her first broken heart after he breaks things off in the form of a Dear Jane letter.
Now Ava has a problem. Lucifer believes she might have shared some of Hell’s secrets with her former lover, and her siblings face the possibility of being out of a job due to her indiscretion. Ava flees to the American South, hoping to slip off the radar, and is met by a longtime friend, a vampire named Dante. Granted, Ava doesn’t know he has been in love with her for centuries, and doesn’t understand why he won’t leave her alone no matter what comes after her.
With Hell on her trail, Ava’s running short on friends. Meanwhile, she can’t ignore the suggestive looks Dante keeps sending her way. Something tells her it doesn’t take Hell to get things hot…
Read An Excerpt Here
Feel free to go ahead and stalk her at :
Last, but not the least..here's some more interesting bits about her ;)
1. What does your normal day look like? Add on question..How would your dream-perfect-day look like?
Normal day is get up, get ready, go to work, come home, shower, lather, rinse, repeat. A friend and I are trying to start a walking schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but the weather has not been accommodating. On the weekends, my husband and I shop, see movies, lounge, do whatever. A dream-perfect day would be spent in bed until around 8 or 9. I’d indulge in pasta for lunch with bread pudding for dessert, have plenty of time to write, and spend the night cuddled with my honey on the sofa.
2. How does your family/close friends feel about you as a writer? :)
My husband couldn’t be prouder, and my best friend is one of my crit partners. My mother, I recently discovered, reads and enjoys my work—which, admittedly, took some getting used to, seeing as I write quite a bit of sex. My aunt is an acclaimed author of young adult fiction and nonfiction, and I just gave her a copy of my work to read for the first time. Overall, everyone is incredibly supportive.
3. Have you ever infused some/any of your personal characteristics/traits in your heroines? If so, what are they?
I’m sure I have, but it’s never been a conscious effort.
4. Real life romantic moment(s)?
On our one-year anniversary, my husband said, “We’ve been around the sun together.” I melt just thinking about it.
5. A few words to everyone (readers or writers) out here ....
The best writers are avid readers, so if you want to improve your writing, read everything you can grab. Otherwise, eat your greens, cut out red meat, and be excellent to each other.
I hope you'll come by and say a hi to Rosalie, or praise me for my awesome questions. Either is fine ;) Hey, and don't forget to leave your email id for a chance to win the "Lost wages of Sin."
Contest runs until Sunday..Winners will be picked and posted on Monday.
And watch out for the coming weeks, as I bring a few more fab authors into the limelight ;)
