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Stacie Simpson
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[AOTM] - Author Interview with Stacie Simpson
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This was a great interview and I loved the points of view expressed. I totally agree on getting hooked on characters and needing to read more about them and so enjoying books in a series.Having read lots of fan fiction I found that where the points of view changed within the story it was simply stated at the start of the chaper or paragraph. I'm sure there may be a more elegant way but this was very practical and straightforward with no confusion (name POV) simple! :-)
Thank you Maria, for your kind words and for the suggestion. When it was first offered in a review I asked some of my friends what they thought about labeling the sections with names. A few of them thought it would be distracting and take away from the story. But now, as more and more readers comment that they too had difficulty keeping track of whose POV they were reading, I am reconsidering that as an option. I will most likely try it out with Solomon's story and then eventually modify the other two books with the new format.
Mod
I suggest you keep each POV shift in a separate chapter, LABEL that chapter, and then when you shift POV's, give a BRIEF recap of who that character is to remind the reader.
POV recap = person + place + problem
When you are done writing, do a special 'voice edit' where you read through all the chapters that are written in that character's POV in a single sitting (skipping other chapters). Give them unique personalities and traits, and make sure you are seeing the world through their eyes.
Thank you for the advice Anna. I will definitely consider that as an option :)
Having now read the book I can honestly say I had no trouble with the POV changes. To me, the characters were instantly recognisable and the opening sentence was enough to know who's view was the focus. There was only one chapter where I had to read a couple of lines further to be sure of the POV. I'm only a reader and not an author but I would hesitate to make any additions. Even the final couple of pages presented no problem with a complete POV switch.
Thank you Maria for your input. Being "only" a reader certainly makes it no less valuable.
We are privileged to interview Stacie Simpson, author of this month's INDIE PICK, Releasing the Dragon, to enhance your reading and enjoyment of the book. We hope the interview enlightens and entertains you, and feel free to drop questions or comments into the thread below.
And in case you forgot, the LoP Releasing the Dragon book discussion thread is HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Be epic!
MOD-Anna
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Below are the interview questions and my responses. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do or if you have any further questions.
Thanks again for featuring me and my books in your group.
Have a great weekend!
Kind regards,
Stacie
1. What books have most influenced your life?
I mostly read paranormal romance, urban fantasy and erotica - three genres that stimulate the imagination and often one's libido, but rarely offer life altering experiences. I read books to escape reality and live vicariously through the characters as their stories unfold. I prefer to read series because once I fall in love with a world and its characters I will undoubtedly want more. A few of my favorite series are Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews, The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward, The Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost, The Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh and The Midnight Breed by Lara Adrian.
2. How do you develop your plots and characters?
Honestly, I just make it up as I go along. I usually have two or three main scenes in mind but find myself wondering how to get from one to the next. Then I start writing and somehow I end up at the right place. Sometimes I have to backtrack a little and then move forward again, but so far my somewhat chaotic approach is working. As for the characters; they often do unexpected things and have a way of developing themselves. That might sound a little crazy to some readers, but I'm sure most writers would completely understand what I mean.
3. Tell us about your LoP book?
Releasing the Dragon is a fairy tale romance at its core. It's the story of Dragon and Serafina - A cursed dragon shifter and the beautiful young dancer destined to free his soul.
Donovan "Dragon" Drake is the leader of a supernatural race known as nightshifters. More than 400 years earlier, war and betrayal left them bound by an evil curse that will only end when the Phoenix Prophecy is fulfilled. When Serafina Leroux arrives at the Myths and Legends Casino Resort, Dragon immediately recognizes her as his mate and the woman destined to be the Phoenix. As she's drawn into his world, his enemies plot to destroy her before she can fulfill her destiny and release the dragon within his soul.
There's also a number of supporting characters including meddling psychics, deadly time demons and sex crazed fox shifters - all of which hopefully make Myths and Legends an interesting place for readers to visit.
4. What was the hardest part of writing this book?
For me, the hardest part of writing this or any book, is writing the book description - which you may have noticed from my response to question number three. I find it very difficult to summarize an entire novel with only a few sentences, but that's not even the hardest part. It's finding the balance between giving enough details to make readers curious without giving away too much of the story. I keep hoping it will get easier the more I do it, but so far I haven't had much luck with that.
5. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
Chapter eleven was my favorite chapter to write. Why? - because reading or writing the first time a couple comes together will always be my favorite part of any book. I just love the desperate need, the urgency and then finally, the satisfaction of release.
6. Did you learn anything from writing this book and what was it?
Prior to Releasing the Dragon I'd written a few poems, but nothing else that wasn't assigned by a teacher or professor. So when I sat down to write my first novel, it was an eye opening experience. I knew exactly how I wanted the book to begin. I could picture the dance club scene in my head. But still, it took me nearly thirty minutes to write the first sentence. Or at least to settle on a sentence that I wasn't going to delete, only to start over yet again.
Thankfully, most of the following sentences took a lot less time to write. But that first experience and many others like it, helped me see that having an idea and being able to not only articulate it, but to make it fit into a whole, is a lot harder than it looks. As a result, I find myself paying more attention to writing styles and techniques whenever I read anything. It helps me see what works and what does not work. And hopefully, that will make me a better writer as I move forward in my writing career.
7. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Releasing the Dragon is simply a romance story. There are no hidden messages for readers to take away. I just hope that everyone who reads it enjoys the story, and that warm feeling we all get when the characters we love finally get their happily ever after.
8. What are your future project(s)?
I am currently working on Tempting Magic: Myths and Legends, Book Three. As of today I have about 84,000 words written and will likely begin writing the final few chapters sometime this weekend. I hope to have it published by the end of April. Beyond that, I plan to write at least one more full length novel in the Myths and Legends series, plus two to four novellas.
I have a few ideas for another novel that may or may not turn into a series, but I try not to think about it too much because it distracts me from my current projects. If you'd like to take a peek, I published a free short story called A naughty Christmas Eve that features supporting characters from that world. The paranormal aspects of that story line are not evident in that first glimpse at Shawn and Ava, but I will eventually get around to reveling them. I recommend reading the "About this Story" section at the beginning of the book to understand where I eventually hope to go with that project.
9. If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?
I hit forty last year and I'm still asking myself what I want to be when I grow up. I took an administrative position about ten years ago because it was the perfect "Mom Job". They let me take off for field trips with the kids and never got upset when the school called and I had to leave early. The kids are grown now, but I'm still working at that same job. I guess writing is actually my attempt at finally having a career rather than just a job with a pay check.
10. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your LoP community members?
To all the community members who have thanked me for making Releasing the Dragon free I'd like to say - You're welcome! Your enthusiastic response was exactly what I was hoping for when I made that decision.
I'd also like to thank the Lovers of Paranormal community members for reading my books, and for their reviews. As an Indie Author with limited resources, I need all the help I can get. Good, bad or indifferent, reviews help me see what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong - which brings me to a problem several readers have pointed out.
I want all of you to know that I am considering different ways to address the confusion some readers experience when the point of view changes in my stories. If any of you would like to weigh in on this topic, I'd love to hear your thoughts.