Behind The Scenes With: Photographer and Debut Author Aimee Laine

Self-Publishing: The Power of FREE Behind The Scenes With: Journalist, A...

Behind The Scenes With: Photographer and Debut Author Aimee Laine

Attention all romance readers! Remember this name – Aimee Laine. She's an up-and-comer author, and oh by the way, a pretty fantastic photographer too! I had a chance to catch up with Aimee and ask her a few questions about life, writing and her new book Little White Lies (Mimics of Rune).

Q. Your first novel, Little White Lies (Mimics of Rune), debuted in June of this year… First of all, can you tell me a little about the book?

The book is about a Mimic (shapeshifter) who is and has been in love with a man for all of HIS life … not hers. She's a LOT older than him and when I say a lot, I mean centuries, vs. decades. Ultimately, she's given him up a number of times for various reasons and in the end all the little lies she's told herself to keep herself from running after him for a fourth time, become that 'proverbial' water under the bridge when someone else takes control of the situation and puts the two characters back together. Luckily, that time, it sticks and we get to see what happens to get them to their Happily Ever After.

Q. Little White Lies is a paranormal romance – where did the story inspiration come from?

I had this notion one day: What if I could be other people. And there inlies the creation of the Mimic. How Mimics work though because a very complicated piece of science I had to completely make up. So for Little White Lies purposes, I focused only on what they can do (not HOW they do it). And that was a lot of fun.

Q. Do you have aspirations to write in any other genres? If so, what?

I don't really. I love romance. I love taking two people and putting them together to see what happens. I love the paranormal because I want forces that are not our own doing to bring in the conflict. I'm not a big fan of 'ooh, I can't like you because you might not like me' … I want conflict like 'I can't love you because if I did you'd be saddled with me for the rest of your life and at 18, that's just not the right (moral/ethical) thing to do' and years of conflict are then created.

Q. What was your experience with the publishing process? How did you feel when it was finally finished and published for all the world to see?

Having a finished book in my hand after all the editing, reading, editing more and reading more was like opening presents on Christmas morning.

Q. Tell me about the book cover… Did you design it yourself, or have any creative input?

Creative input. As a professional photographer, I had certain ideas and people have asked me if I shot the photo. No, I didn't. Wish I did, that's for sure.

Q. How did your family and friends react to the news of your published novel? Are they supportive?

My family is extremely supportive. Writing is also my day job (but in a very different way). So getting Little White Lies out into the hands of a reader audience was like the icing on the cake of a well-built career.

Q. What kind of reaction have you gotten from your readers?

Very positive reaction. I've been thrilled with the reviews. I write very differently than most people … especially romance writers. I don't give 'stuff' away. You have to read every paragraph to know what's going on. Skimmers that don't take in the details will miss stuff and there, I believe, is where the only negativity comes in. I have no problem with it though. Not all books will reach all readers and I truly do understand that.

Q. Do you have any other favorite authors? Contemporary and from years-gone-by?

I read the big romance names — Nora Roberts and her alter-ego JD Robb. But I also read 'lesser known' (isn't that true of everyone that isn't Ms. Robert?) authors like Sharon McCrumb (not romance), Maeve Binchy, Judy Blume — my bookshelf is a mish-mash of books and names.

Q. What are your favorite books?

If it's romantic and mysterious, that's what I want. That's probably why I've read every one of the JD Robb series.

Q. Real books or e-reader?

eReader.

Q. Okay, now give me the deets on the real Aimee Laine… Do you have another job besides writing?

Yup. But I 'write' there, too. I manage a group of writers in fact — a group of instructional design writers who's entire purpose is to train people using electronic or instructor-led training media.

Q. Can you tell us anything about the family? Pets?

Pets = 1 cat. One solid black cat. I have no qualms about superstitions. I have walked under ladders, spilled salt, broken mirrors. It happens. I don't worry about them and my black cat is awesome. As for family, the one little tidbit that most people don't know about me is that I met my husband when I was 14 (he was 17). We started dating a few weeks into band camp (so yes, the "Remember, that time in band camp…?" is applicable to me). We never once broke up. We married when I hit the big 2-0 and have now been married 17 years. Now you see why I love romance?

Q. Favorite food? Do you like to cook?

I HATE (with a passion) to cook. If pizza were calorie and guilt-free, I'd eat it all day long.

Q. What do you do for fun in your free time? Any interesting hobbies?

Well, I LOVE to read. Yep. I do. And I love to walk on my treadmill, so normally, I do the two together. I also love photography (as seen by the fact I am a professional photographer as well).

Q. Where and when do you write? Is it hard to find time to write? Your preference – music blaring, or absolute quiet?

I can write in any situation. Loud or quiet. I can get more done when its quiet, but if loud is all I get (I do have 3 kids, so loud is usually what I get), then I can deal with it. I write before work, at lunch, after work … I give myself 1 hour every day to write and fit in editing and whatnot around that.

Q. At what age did you start writing? Did you always want to be a writer?

35. 2 years ago – May 2009 is when I 'just wrote a novel'. No one will ever see that novel, but I wrote it. Definitely did not always want to be a writer. Now it's about all I want to do though.

Q. So what can we expect next from you? Is there another book on the horizon?

Well … Hide & Seek, Book 1 in the Games of Zeus series comes out in March 2012. I've also just finished Surrender (Book 2 in the Mimics of Rune series) and will start editing that. I also have a YA novel I'm hoping to get some traction with for next year.

Q. Do you have any advice for writers, young and old alike?

Practice, practice, practice. As I wrote 'The End' to Surrender on August 19th, that put me over the 1,000,000 word mark. I want every word I put out there be have been my best effort and in those 1,000,000 words, I know there is some bad writing … bad storytelling … bad 'stuff' … so now that I have my voice and style set, I can go back and work on those 'older' stories (if they are worth it). So that's what I say to new writers. Practice for a while before you jump into publishing or try to get something published.

Thanks, Aimee, for taking the time to share with us!