Deep Impact?

'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 us questions in the comment box.'

 

This week's questions come from Nina Mason and I have to tell you that deep questions like this are difficult for a fluff writer like me. I write erotica and romance, because I believe in love, happily ever after and a healthy sex life. My purpose is to write what moves me and hope I can entertain someone else at the same time.

How does your writing impact your inner life?
I find that since I started writing seriously, that I tend to think more about how my actions effect other people, and I wonder how other people feel about things and what drives them to act the way they do. I like to think this has led me to be a kinder person.

How do you hope your books affect your readers?
I hope they learn that love is never easy, that it takes work, but it is worth it. My work doesn't carry deep messages beyond the basics. Be kind to others, love others, love yourself, accept yourself for who you are, give people a chance, because their lives are hard too ... and advice like that. But mostly, I hope readers find a few hours pleasure when they read.

Has anyone ever told you your book changed their life? If so, how?
Nope. Never. But I had one beta reader tell me that Rekindled Fire hit too close to home. It reminded her of her own past and it really hurt to read it due to its accuracy. I did not relate the story to her past, but it saddened me that it hurt her to read it. (Watch for it on Amazon ... it goes on Kindle Countdown some time today ... steal of a deal)

Check out other authors' thoughts.... follow this blog hop around by starting with Carrie Elks http://carrieelks.com/blog

Hugs
Katie

At Long, Long, Long Last

Brace yourself. It has finally happened. I did it. I got off my butt and finished the re-proofing and editing for the paperback version of Rekindled Fire. Yes indeed everything has been sent away and it is available for purchase on Amazon and in the CreateSpace eStore. Eventually, it might actually appear in brick and mortar stores! I admit, I'm kind of excited for that! So, I am doing a wild and crazy happy dance!

 Now, get your butt out there and buy yourself a copy because this starving writer needs the money. (Joking, of course.)

Hugs
Katie

Writers Who Inspire

'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 us questions in the comment box.'

Before I begin with this week's questions, I'm going to start with a confession. Primarily, I read romance, and I read a fair bit of erotica. I read some Sci-fi, some fantasy, some history ... okay I read a bit of everything. My two favorite authors are not romance writers at all, although romance does feature in a lot of their work. (Funny, there is a bit of an erotic side to both as well.) I'm talking about Robert A. Heinlein and Anne McCaffrey. (I think I have every work they have published and each and every book is dog-eared and very-well read.)

Who is your favorite author other than yourself in your genre and why?

It feels like a cop-out to say I don't have a favorite author in my genre. I read an kind of romance I can get my hands on and typically I run in themes. I am currently on a cowboy theme. Reading book after book about cowboys. Before that it was military heroes. I think this is because what I read depends on my mood. If I had to pick a favorite author, it wouldn't be a romance author at all. It would be Robert A. Heinlein. I love his work because it features so man intelligent children being recognised for their gifts, and because all his stories have a fun element.

What is your favorite book by them and why?

Okay since I don't have a favorite romance author, I'm going to talk about Heinlein. (Yup, totally avoiding the question. *smirk*) I tend to read his work in batches, and almost always start with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. He covers so many life skills and is so anti-government interference, that I can't resist him.
     A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
     -Lazarus Long, Time Enough For Love (Written by Heinlein)

What about their style inspires your writing?

Again, I'm sticking with Heinlein. (Don't like it ... sue me.) I am inspired by the idea that he wrote a combination of what moved him, and what would sell. I completely adore his idea that writing is a dirty job best done in private. He says, “Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.” He also talks about writers being nasty beasts who should be avoided and left uninterrupted while they write. I completely and totally agree with that sentiment. I've lost track of how many times I have had to tell my husband and children to "Shut the hell up, I'm trying to write."


In addition to the thoughts above, it should be noted that I also love the work of Steena Holmes, Ayn Rand, Carly Phillips, Brenda Sinclair, Janet Evanovich, CJ Carmichael, Michelle Beattie, and ........  I try to read everything written by all my writing cohorts (especially those in my Calgary Romance Writer's of America Chapter.)   Since joining this blog hop, I have found about three two dozen novels and added them to my to-be-read pile. I can't wait to read some of these writers: Sarah Hegger, Rebekah R. Ganiere, Carrie Elks, Brenda Margriet, Susan Peterson Wisnewski, Kim Handysides and the rest of the fabulous authors in our Love-Write-Chat group. Clearly, I have no favorites.

So, leave me alone, I have hundreds, no thousands of books to read and I'm falling behind.

Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.

Robert A. Heinlein

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_a_heinlein_2.html#7GGSibosudrbxoAS.99

Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.

Robert A. Heinlein

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_a_heinlein_2.html#7GGSibosudrbxoAS.99

Now, it is time to hop along and find out what other authors have to say, and how they answer these questions by checking out our little blog hop. Click to find out what Victoria Barbour thinks. http://victoriabarbour.com/blog (I adore Victoria's work.)

You can follow the links at the end of her post and each subsequent post to discover what evil lurks in the hearts of writers. (Okay, I am joking about the evil .... mostly.)

Hugs
Katie

Recurring Themes, Inspiration, and Unruly Characters

'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 us questions in the comment box.'

 Do you have a recurring theme in your work, either intentional or unintentional? What is it and why do you think you chose that particular theme? I don't think I have a theme, yet. But when I look towards the stories floating around in my mind, or in the plotting stages, two things jump out at me. One, second time around ... missed chances. Two, older couples. Not old, per say, but forty-ish. Perhaps that is a reflection of my own ancient status. There is also a lot of passion, and strong men who will do anything for their women. (Oh wait, isn't that all romances?)

Do you carefully plot your stories, or do you plot as you write? Why do you think this particular ethos works for... you?  I am definitely part plotter, but I am mainly a pantser. As in fly by the seat of my pants. I create a rough plot and detailed character histories and then let the characters loose and follow where they go. Often, they take off in entirely different directions from what I had intended. I like to think that this is because the characters are so real that they refuse to act against their natures. More likely, it is an indication that I didn't plan as well as I thought I did. The worst case is a minor character in one novel who became so strong, he kept demanding more face time, so I had to cut him and set him aside for his own story.

Is there a particular genre (within romance) you could never write? Why? I have a million ideas rattling around in my head. Everything from sci-fi romance, futuristic, historic, time travel, contemporary, erotic romance ... and the list goes on. I think I could write just about any kind of romance. I don't read much in the shape-shifter lines, so they would be difficult to write, but with enough research, I could do it. I write the ideas that pop into my head, although typically they morph into something quite different from the original idea. I like to let the story, characters and ideas create themselves. With one exception ... I detest abuse of any kind, but have written about the results of such heinous acts. I have tried to read a novel about a woman who falls for the man who raped her, but it repulsed me, so I guess I would be unable/unwilling to write that type of story.

Interested in another author's take on these questions? Check out Dani Jace. She is a marvellous writer with her own unique perspective.  You can follow the links around our little loop of author friends and perhaps find yourself some new author to fall in love with.

Hugs
Katie