Ask the Author: R.M. Stock
Answered Questions (8)
R.M. Stock
I just downloaded Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, and Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh. I'm maybe halfway through A Court of Wings & Ruin by Sarah J. Maas right now. I've got Caraval to finish, and The Soul Summoner is also in the queue. I'd love to find some fun, light summer romance to read as well. Open to suggestions!
R.M. Stock
Wow, I'm not entirely sure how to answer this one, because there are so many fictional couples that I have adored.
Ron and Hermione? I love Hermione's mind and strong will, and I honestly love the purity with which Ron's cluelessness was written.
Celaena and Chaol or Aelin and Rowan? Celaena has been through a lot, and I love the love/hate of her relationship with Chaol. I still ship them, even though I also love the high-powered, hot-headed Aelin and the slow development of love and respect with Rowan. Maybe she could have them both? ;-)
Hazel and Augustus? Hazel is really lovely, and Augustus adds a vibrancy to her that is really beautiful. Real tears every time I read that book.
Karou and Akiva? This book was amazingly bright and visual and creative, as were the two protagonists. Nothing to do but fall in love with them both.
Jace and Clary? The first three books are where I love these two, most. After that, the attempts to keep them apart get a little ridiculous. But the ache I felt through those first three books felt like a real extension of the characters, and the moment when he truly admits to her his feelings...argh! I loved it. I can still feel it, and it's been years since I read it. (PS I hate the TV show!)
Grace and Sam? Another beautifully developed story full of ache and longing and hope and not-perfect characters.
Magnus and Alec? What's not to love about a warrior with a chip on his shoulder falling in love with a very old warlock?
Bella and Edward? Roll your eyes. Go ahead. Okay - so while I think there are some serious issues with the writing and the fact that Edward is controlling and stalker-ish...I still could not put these books down. Also - Bella does annoy me with the negative self-talk and low self-esteem and lack of spine, but there are other moments when she shows spunk and courage...and book Edward comes off as very hot and very tortured.
Too many to list, honestly. I'm sure I could think of more.
Here's what I love: I love strong females who don't spend a lot of time questioning their self worth. I love sexy male characters with a hint of danger. I love depth and flaws. I'd love to see more same-sex relationships in mainstream fiction, particularly for young and new adults. I'd like to add more same-sex couples to my list. (Maybe I'm reading the wrong books? Though I do try to keep up with David Levithan as much as I can, as I think he's the strongest voice in that vein right now.)
I can't pick just one couple, but I look forward to adding more to my list! Thanks for the question.
Ron and Hermione? I love Hermione's mind and strong will, and I honestly love the purity with which Ron's cluelessness was written.
Celaena and Chaol or Aelin and Rowan? Celaena has been through a lot, and I love the love/hate of her relationship with Chaol. I still ship them, even though I also love the high-powered, hot-headed Aelin and the slow development of love and respect with Rowan. Maybe she could have them both? ;-)
Hazel and Augustus? Hazel is really lovely, and Augustus adds a vibrancy to her that is really beautiful. Real tears every time I read that book.
Karou and Akiva? This book was amazingly bright and visual and creative, as were the two protagonists. Nothing to do but fall in love with them both.
Jace and Clary? The first three books are where I love these two, most. After that, the attempts to keep them apart get a little ridiculous. But the ache I felt through those first three books felt like a real extension of the characters, and the moment when he truly admits to her his feelings...argh! I loved it. I can still feel it, and it's been years since I read it. (PS I hate the TV show!)
Grace and Sam? Another beautifully developed story full of ache and longing and hope and not-perfect characters.
Magnus and Alec? What's not to love about a warrior with a chip on his shoulder falling in love with a very old warlock?
Bella and Edward? Roll your eyes. Go ahead. Okay - so while I think there are some serious issues with the writing and the fact that Edward is controlling and stalker-ish...I still could not put these books down. Also - Bella does annoy me with the negative self-talk and low self-esteem and lack of spine, but there are other moments when she shows spunk and courage...and book Edward comes off as very hot and very tortured.
Too many to list, honestly. I'm sure I could think of more.
Here's what I love: I love strong females who don't spend a lot of time questioning their self worth. I love sexy male characters with a hint of danger. I love depth and flaws. I'd love to see more same-sex relationships in mainstream fiction, particularly for young and new adults. I'd like to add more same-sex couples to my list. (Maybe I'm reading the wrong books? Though I do try to keep up with David Levithan as much as I can, as I think he's the strongest voice in that vein right now.)
I can't pick just one couple, but I look forward to adding more to my list! Thanks for the question.
R.M. Stock
I go find something else to do. I read, or I go back and edit things I've already started. Sometimes I take a run or do a workout and while I'm doing that, I mull over whatever it is that has me stuck. Sometimes I put it away for a long time. But eventually, sometimes randomly, the answer eventually comes.
R.M. Stock
I've always loved getting lost in a good book, and writing gives me an opportunity to create worlds in which I can get lost. It's a really fulfilling hobby - and when I allow myself the time to write, I'm honestly a better person to be around.
R.M. Stock
Read a lot, write often. Be open to feedback. Build up a good network of beta readers who will cheer you on and ask you hard questions about the decisions you're making. But at the end of the day - go with your gut. You're the writer - you're in charge of taking your story where it's meant to go. Readers will either go there with you or they won't, but if you feel good about your story, then put it out there and be proud of it.
R.M. Stock
Right now I continue to edit LEO & LILY for it's March 31 release date. It is book 1 in a two-book series, so I will start editing book 2 soon.
I'm also editing a YA fantasy novel, a couple of romance novellas, and have various other projects in the works.
I'm also editing a YA fantasy novel, a couple of romance novellas, and have various other projects in the works.
R.M. Stock
I'm kind of random about inspiration. Some of the things I've written are straight out of my weird dreams. Sometimes I get an image or a passage of words that I just obsess over. Sometimes a bit of music will fill me up and overflow onto the page. Sometimes I'm not inspired at all. I try to make time for it, coax it, and feed it as much as I can, though.
R.M. Stock
LEO & LILY comes out March 31, but I've been working on it for quite a few years. The story started with Leo. I just had this vision of a golden-haired, gorgeous guy with a shiner and a missing tooth walking down the streets of mid-summer Manhattan. I wanted to get to know that guy, so I built him a backstory, from which I wrote the story.
Also - it feels important to share that when I started this story, there weren't a lot of LGBT characters in the YA/NA supernatural/fantasy space. The gay characters were almost never protagonists, and I just felt like, "Why can't this kid save the world while he's figuring out his sexual orientation?" Leo coming to terms with who he is - as a human, as a brother, as a son, as a friend, and as a lover - is really important to the storyline. I thank people like Cassandra Clare and V.E. Schwab, who have written some awesome, complicated LGBT characters.
Also - it feels important to share that when I started this story, there weren't a lot of LGBT characters in the YA/NA supernatural/fantasy space. The gay characters were almost never protagonists, and I just felt like, "Why can't this kid save the world while he's figuring out his sexual orientation?" Leo coming to terms with who he is - as a human, as a brother, as a son, as a friend, and as a lover - is really important to the storyline. I thank people like Cassandra Clare and V.E. Schwab, who have written some awesome, complicated LGBT characters.
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