Romance Weekly

"Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions in the comment box."

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Welcome to my wee slice of Romance Weekly. Here are my responses to this week's jackpot questions:

 

What is your writing process like?

Truthfully, it's organized chaos.  It also changes with each book because I evolve as a writer with each book. I'm still very much in learning mode as an author of fiction. I've been a writer all my life, and an avid reader of novels, but those don't necessarily translate whole-cloth to the craft of fiction-writing. At present, my process starts with a rough idea. I sit down with index cards and try to work out the goals, motivations, and conflicts for the central characters and a rough idea of plot. I then try to rough out a map of the scenes. Once I start writing, things tend to change. New ideas come to me or I find something didn't work and needs to be rethought. Now, thankfully, I have a wonderful critique partner in Sarah Hegger, who busts my buns when my characters behave inconsistently or my writing doesn't delve deep enough into POV. She sees the forest when I'm lost in the trees and it's enormously helpful! Thanks Sarah, for all your help.

Do you listen to music to enhance your writing?

The short answer is, I don't. Well, I did listen to some Scottish Christmas music (you haven't lived until you've heard traditional caroles on the bagpipe, lol) in the background while I was writing during the holidays, but nothing specifically to inspire my creative muse. I prefer silence when I write. I am, however, deeply moved by music in general. I play the viola (badly and hardly ever anymore) and was a freelance rock journalist once upon a time. Perhaps I should listen to music next time I get stuck for a scene idea. 

What two songs best describe your overall body of work?

At this point in time, my "body of work" consists of three completed manuscripts (under contract but not yet published) and two works in progress. All but one are paranormal romances. The other is a political thriller. When I asked my one beta reader who's read all of my finished books if she saw a common thread among them, she said, yes, all my characters have demons to fight. Not real demons, mind, but the internal kind that get in our way. So, for that reason, I'd have to choose  "Demons" by Imagine Dragons. For the second song, I'd pick either "Losing My Religion" by REM or one of three by The Police: "Every Little Thing She Does," "Every Breath You Take," or "King of Pain." Yeah, my characters suffer a lot of angst. Can't imagine where they get that from, lol.

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Now, enough about me. Time to head around the circle and see what my fellow romance authors have to say in response to the same three questions, starting with Carrie Elks.