‘An Interview With L.J. Sealey’

I got the chance to answer some questions for Dan Burton over on his blog. Here is the full interview post. Hope you enjoy…

Interview

What made you want to be an author?

To be honest it wasn’t something I thought about doing until about 6 or 7 years ago even though I’ve been an avid reader for a long time. After a job change, I suddenly had some spare time on my hands and from nowhere this idea for a story kept niggling at me. I couldn’t ignore it anymore and sat down in front of my laptop and before I knew it, the little idea had suddenly grown into something that I just had to write. And that was it. I was hooked.

Who are your main inspirations and why?

In the literary world I would find it hard to pick one person. The likes of Jeaniene Frost, J.R. Ward and Lara Adrian are inspirational to me in the sense that I love to read their books and their writing has influenced me in many ways. There are also many indie authors who have influenced me; S.L. Jennings being one of them. Seeing her journey, and others, and how possible it is to get your own book out there has been really encouraging.

Aside from writing what are your other interests?

I work with my husband now and then. He is a singer and gigs around the country and when he performs with his live band I sing backup vocals. So I enjoy singing. And I also have a book blog which keeps me busy. I love to write about the books I love.

How did the idea for your debut novel ‘Awaken’ and the ‘Divine Hunter Series’ itself come around?

I was actually writing something completely different and for some reason this character kept popping into my head. It wasn’t anyone I could add to my current novel but he just wouldn’t go away. So, I was curious about him and decided to let him talk to me. I put the novel I was writing on hold and it went from there. Turned out Michael Warden had a story to tell.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and why?

There are a few I would love to meet: Jeaniene Frost, author of the Night Huntress series, because she is one of my favourite authors, and S.L. Jennings because I’ve spoken to her on Facebook and she sounds like fun.

Have you or do you suffer from writer’s block? How do you overcome it if so?

Unfortunately yes. As I’m sure most writers have at some point. If it happens I usually take a break from writing and have a read of a good book or do something else and come back to it. It usually really helps.

How have you found being an author so far?

I truly love it. There hasn’t been anything before it that has made me feel so accomplished. It’s been hard at times, writer’s block etc, but mostly it’s been a hugely enjoyable experience and I hope to be writing for a long time.

What challenges have you faced during your writing career?

Honestly? My biggest challenge so far has probably been the very first time I sat in front of my laptop to write for the first time. Because it wasn’t anything I’d really done before, apart from in high school, looking at the blank page in front of me felt like I was about to climb a mountain. But I proved to myself that mountains are possible to climb with the right equipment and plenty of coffee!

Which 3 books would you recommend and why?

Selfishly I would first recommend mine, Awaken, because I think you’ll love it (Sorry, had to get that in). I just read a great contemporary romance, Fear of Falling by S.L. Jennings. She’s a fairly new indie author and has had great success with her books, particularly this one. It’s a very moving story and I loved it. And then I would recommend Halfway to The Grave by Jeaniene Frost. This is book 1 in her Night Huntress series and I was hooked from the first page to the last and to every book she’s written since.

Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Cat and Bones from the Night Huntress series (I know. I have a lot of love for these books). Cat is a great female lead. She is strong, and knows exactly what she wants. She’s got a great sense of humour and can kick ass. If I could ever be a character from a book it would be her. Bones is all alpha, super sexy, witty and British. But Giovanni Vecchio from the Elemental Mysteries series by Elizabeth Hunter is a close third. I could go on…