Q&A with Emma Scott

[Mandie]

What inspired you to start writing? Was it always a goal, or did it just kind of happen randomly?

[Jannin (The Booknerd Dragon)]

Who's your most favorite character from all of your books????? :D

[Latifa]

What book was most challenging to write?

[Kairi]

In terms of looks, did you envision any model/actor/actress when writing your characters? Or did you just have a general description in mind?

[Emma]

Nicole wrote: "Hi Emma, Did you get Inspiration from someone to write your character Noah (Rush)?"

Hi Nicole,
No, I had no one in mind in particular, except the male model I used as his physical muse. I'm not sure where Noah came from, actually. I just tried to put myself in the shoes of someone who lost their sight (and I spent some time walking around with a blindfold on) and that's it. He practically wrote himself. :)
xo

[Emma]

Veronika's ReaderFeeder wrote: "Hi Emma, I love all of your books! :) I truly loved the comic book pages in Butterfly Project. Where did the idea come from and how did you find the graphic designer who vivified exactly your amazi..."

Hi Veronika!
Thank you! I actually had the idea for Mother, May I? long before TBP but I never did anything with it. When I came up with Zelda as a comic book artist, I found it almost uncanny how her story was able to be woven into the plot of MMI? I then contacted a friend of a friend how is a comic book artist and hired him to draw the panels. I felt like the book wouldn't be complete if they spent all this time talking about the graphic novel without ever seeing the actual work. I'm super happy with how it turned out.
xo

[Aleksandra Reads]

HI, Emma :)
If you coud spend one day with one of your characters, who would you pick and why?

[Emma]

Mandie wrote: "What inspired you to start writing? Was it always a goal, or did it just kind of happen randomly?"

Hi Mandie,
I think it was always there, something that I needed to do. Even though I went to college for something else entirely and held a bunch of unrelated jobs, I just kept doing it until I'd written enough that I thought I could make it official. ;)

xo

[Emma]

Jannin (The Booknerd Dragon) wrote: "Who's your most favorite character from all of your books????? :D"

Hi Jannin,
OMG that's like asking which child is my favorite, LOL But I do have favorites (with my book characters, not my children. ;)

I'd say Jonah Fletcher from Full Tilt is probably the most special to me. He seems to have touched more readers than any other, and for that I'm so grateful.

A VERY close second is Noah Lake from RUSH who is responsible for most of my readers finding me. Plus, I just love that grouchy boy.

On the h side I honestly can't pick a favorite. I think all of these women are strong in their own ways and they each embody a certain facet of myself. Picking one above the rest would just be weird. ;)

xo

[Emma]

Latifa wrote: "What book was most challenging to write?"

Hi Latifa,
Most challenging is almost a tie between How to Save a Life and All In. (I explain it better in an earlier question) but HTSAL was hard because I was stepping way outside of my own comfort zone, and All In was rough because it had to follow up (and do justice to Full Tilt and Jonah). That was nerve-wracking. But honestly, all of my books I try to make challenging so that I can improve in the craft with each one. I also figure that if it doesn't scare the crap out of my to write it, it's probably not worth writing.

xo

[Emma]

Naminé wrote: "In terms of looks, did you envision any model/actor/actress when writing your characters? Or did you just have a general description in mind?"

Hi Namine,
Yes! I have to have an actual representative from real life stand in for my characters, the H esp, or I can't write a word. I need that actual model or actor (or Pinterest hottie) in order to help visualize the characters, and oftentimes, how they look can add plot points I hadn't thought of before.

I have to add, tho, I LOVE seeing readers' casting of the books and who they envision as the characters. Love it, no matter how different theirs might be from mine.

Except for my mom. I describe Noah from RUSH as having short dark hair and hazel eyes and my mom INSISTS that he has longish blond hair (chin length) and blue eyes. That's just how she sees him and there's nothing I can do to change her mind. LOL

xo

[Emma]

Lex Reads wrote: "HI, Emma :)
If you coud spend one day with one of your characters, who would you pick and why?"


Hi Lex,
OMG that's tough! I think it'd be Jonah from Full Tilt. I'd ask him to make me a blown glass piece of art for me, and then apologize for how the novel ends, like, a thousand times.

xo

[Emma]

Quirks wrote: "@Emma Thanks! Will be reading RUSH very soon."


Thank you! Enjoy Noah. <3

[J.]

If you could be any book character for a day, who woud you choose and why? :)

[Emma]

J. wrote: "If you could be any book character for a day, who woud you choose and why? :)"

Hi J,
ANY book character? OMG...that's tough since so many book characters suffer terrible tragedies over the course of their novels, to bring them to (hopefully) a happy ending. I don't know that I'd have the endurance--esp not my own characters whom I put through the wringer.

I guess I'd have to go with Jo March from Little Women. She's a literary hero of mine, plus I'd be able to see what 1860's New England was like. I'd pick any day in which she hangs out with Laurie for obvious reasons. :P

xo

[Irma]

Hi Emma, I love your work and would like to know what was your hardest scene to write? Thank you!

[Emma]

Irma wrote: "Hi Emma, I love your work and would like to know what was your hardest scene to write? Thank you!"

Hi Irma,
Thank you!
The hardest scene to write was the scene in Full Tilt (view spoiler)[ in which Jonah and Kacey have their last moments together in the hospital. (hide spoiler)]

Oddly enough, several lines in that scene were written before ANYTHING else but when it came to actually finalizing that scene, it was hard to do. I saved it for last. Like George RR Martin who wrote his Red Wedding last, I wrote the rest of Full Tilt, including the epilogue, and then circled back to write that one. I loved Jonah too and really wondered if I was going to go through with it! But that's how the story had to be told.
xo

[Irma]

Emma wrote: "Irma wrote: "Hi Emma, I love your work and would like to know what was your hardest scene to write? Thank you!"

Hi Irma,
Thank you!
The hardest scene to write was the scene in Full Tilt [spoiler..."

Thank you so much, Emma. I'm loving the answer :) xx

[Hanne]

Hi! RUSH is one of my favorite books ever! It's one of the few books that have made me cried and I rarely cry.

What was the first idea you had about that book? And what was the first scene you wrote about this book?

[Emma]

Hanne wrote: "Hi! RUSH is one of my favorite books ever! It's one of the few books that have made me cried and I rarely cry.

What was the first idea you had about that book? And what was the first scene you wro..."

Hi Hanne!

RUSH came to me like a bolt of lightning. I was taking a run and all of a sudden these two characters (as yet nameless) started talking in my head. It was as if I were eavesdropping on a conversation. It was a bitter, angry man demanding a bunch of questions from a young woman, like the world's most uncomfortable job interview. And then he demanded to know what she looked like and I realized he was blind.

I ran home as fast as I could and wrote down what I heard and that first convo was how RUSH was born. <3
xo

[Ruth]

Hi Emma!
My question is simple what is your favorite ice cream flavor and do you share?
I love ya!!

[Emma]

Ruth wrote: "Hi Emma!
My question is simple what is your favorite ice cream flavor and do you share?
I love ya!! "

Hi Ruth!

My favorite ice cream is Cherry Garcia and yes, I totally share.**


**not a true statement

:P
xoxo!

[LuredByLiterature]

Hi Emma! I have a simple question too! Favorite place you have traveled!?

[Emma]

Heather wrote: "Hi Emma! I have a simple question too! Favorite place you have traveled!?"

Hi, Heather!
I'd say my favorite place--so far--is Venice, Italy. It really is like the postcards make it out to be. The fact that it's on the water, with gondolas and lights along the canals, and flowers and wine and food, and the incredible architecture. OMG, it's a romantic's fantasy come to life.
xo

[Emma]

Nicole wrote: "Hi Emma, Did you get Inspiration from someone to write your character Noah (Rush)?"

Hi Nicole,
No, Noah isn't based on anyone I know. I'm not sure where he came from, to be honest, LOL. As I said in an earlier question, RUSH began by me overhearing the initial interview between Noah and Charlotte in my mind on a run. When I realized he was blind and very bitter, the idea came to me that it must be because he not only missed his sight, but that which gave him joy in life must be tightly bound to it. That his eyes must have seen so much--all the countries of the world maybe--that to lose that was beyond horrific. And from that, came how? How would a world-traveler/photographer lose his sight, and that's when I knew he must have been a daredevil thrill-seeker, and that's how all the pieces just sort of fell into place.
xo

[Emma]

Veronika's ReaderFeeder wrote: "Hi Emma, I love all of your books! :) I truly loved the comic book pages in Butterfly Project. Where did the idea come from and how did you find the graphic designer who vivified exactly your amazi..."

Hi Veronika,
I actually had the idea for the graphic novel a long time ago, but never had the wherewithal to pursue it. (And I can't draw to save my life). But when the plot details of TBP were coming together, I realized that MMI? belonged to Zelda. I then thought it wouldn't make much sense to have her and Beckett talk so much about the graphic novel and not let the readers see it. I remembered a friend of a friend--Christopher Stewart of redacesmedia-- was a comic book artist and contacted him to see if he were willing. And he was. :)

I loved what he did and how it turned out, and I'm always happy to hear from readers that they enjoyed that aspect. I felt it was necessary and had never been done before. Who puts comic book pages in romance novels? LOL
xo