Today Elixir Bound is being featured on Juniper Grove, complete with a giveaway of the book. In the meantime, fellow Muse author Priscilla Brown is visiting all the way from across the world to discuss her humorous contemporary romance Nothing But Love (check out my Goodreads review).
Priscilla, what made you want to become a writer?
Encouraged initially by a wonderful English teacher in high school, I’ve always enjoyed language and playing with words.
What inspired you to write Nothing But Love?
A real-life couple’s unusual meeting circumstances stayed in my story bank, and this became the first scene in Nothing But Love. Also, for the main location I wanted to use an isolated weather-beaten setting.
At what moment did you truly begin to feel like an author?
Cheekily, when my first magazine article was published, long before I started to write fiction; this ‘author feeling’ suffered several dents until I received my first acceptance from MuseItUp.
What is your favorite part of the writing process? What is your least favorite part?
I would rather edit, self-edit and work with a publisher’s editor, than produce new text. My least favorite, as I believe applies to many authors, is the dreaded synopsis.
What is the single best piece of advice you have for aspiring authors?
Never bin any writing—characters, scraps of dialog, descriptions—and read through them when you’re stuck. One or more from this story bank may spark a new narrative or fit perfectly in an ms that’s giving you trouble.
What is next for you in your writing career?
Editing my next contracted ms for MuseItUp, and interrogating my story bank for the missing middle of a novel for which I’ve written the beginning and ending.
And here’s the fun part…below are three list of words from the magnetic refrigerator poetry set…please write up a little piece of poetry or prose from these words.
The brain attic was full with this ghost idea, page after page, for book use one day.
Nothing But Love blurb:
Being almost run over by Alistair is Cassandra’s introduction to life in the fun lane. Both fresh out of inappropriate relationships and jobs, each is novelty value for the other. But the exes are pulling tricks to be reinstated. So can Cassie’s passion for crafting silver jewelry and Al’s for woodcraft keep them fed? And is this fizzing too-much-too-soon chemistry suitable for the long haul?
Nothing But Love is available from the MuseItUp Publishing bookstore and Amazon.
About the Author:
Priscilla lives in regional New South Wales, Australia; her district is well-supplied with cafes in which she does much llistening, observing, scribbling and keeping up the caffeine.
Hi I am following you from Goodreads. I really like your blog. If you would like to follow back my link is kvlovesbooks.blogspot.co.uk thanks xx
Hi, Kirsty. Glad you found the blog. I’ll have to check out yours.
Lovely interview! Yes, editting is better than then initial writing. And thanks for the tip on looking at past ideas for current WIPS. Maybe it will get me past my new block 😉
Thanks, Tonja. I’m the exact opposite in that I love drafting and find revision/editing a bit painstaking. That was a great tidbit about looking at past ideas. Hope you get our of your block!
Thanks for the kind words, Tonja, and I hope you get over that wretched block soon. Best wishes Priscilla
Fun interview and love the sound of Nothing But Love 🙂 I must admit I’m the other way around though–I much prefer creating new text than editing it!
Nothing But Love is great! Like I mentioned earlier, I’m like you too where I love creating over editing.
Pleased you enjoyed the interview, Meradeth. When I’m struggling with a section of a story, I sometimes I envy people like you who prefer creating to editing! Best wishes.
Yes, starting with a blank page/screen is the hardest part of writing. And the synopsis is just as tough!
Ann, you are so right that the synopsis is so hard to write. Seems there are mixed opinions when it comes to writing vs. revising.
Thanks for your post, Ann, and I do agree with the tough synopsis. Sometimes I think I could write a whole chapter in the time it takes to draft a short synopsis! Good luck with that blank screen!
To anyone who went to check out Whimsically Yours and couldn’t find the interview…that’s posting next week! Sorry got my dates mixed up. Elixir Bound is being featured over at Juniper Grove today…with a giveaway! I’ve updated the post to reflect that. 🙂
Love the title. I like reading whimsy. I’m afraid I’m a ‘layer-er.’
lol, what a word. I stare at a blank screen with a story rolling around in the old noggin. I write a skimpy draft, and then I go back several times and layer. I layers actions, layer character depth and at time secenery. Yep, I’m a ‘layer-er.’
And I absolutely dislike writing a synopsis. Arrrgh, trying to fit the whole story onto one page. Impossible! At least for me. lol.
Hi Lorrie, thanks for your post. Enjoyed your description of a ‘layer-er’. We all work in different ways and yours sounds interesting and practical. Hope it’s going well for you.
I totally know what you mean by layer-er. Great term! I’m like that too, where I need to go in and add details once the first draft is written.