When
did you start writing?
I
suppose the truth is that I enjoyed writing at a really young age. It wasn’t
until my early twenties when I began writing novel-length works. When I
realized that I had the passion and the discipline, that’s when I took my hobby
of writing a lot more seriously.
What
makes you want to write?
There
are just some stories that beg to be written. Writing is an art to be
respected, and it is a craft that requires so much practice and work that I
used to question whether it was worth it. It didn’t take long to realize that
it gave me so much pleasure. And I began to see that I wasn’t just writing for
myself but for others, it gave me a kind of responsibility that I couldn’t
neglect. I’m at the point where people are asking me to finish and
telling me they can’t wait to read my next book. I feel their hunger and
empathize because I know what it’s like to be a reader who just can’t wait for
my favorite author’s next book!
Do
you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it?
Writer’s
block happens mostly when I’m fatigued. And I get fatigued because I have a full-time
job and too many social activities and responsibilities. The key is finding
balance. So I’ve stuck to a calendar where I know what to expect every week and
carve out time devoted to writing.
I
also don’t limit myself to my laptop (because sometimes the pressure of seeing
a blank page and the blinking cursor gives me writer’s block), so I write whole
scenes and chapters and then transcribe them into my Scrivener file, taking
advantage of editing and enhancing the chapter while I do so.
Do
you have a special way of going about writing?
See
my answer above. I like toggling between working on my laptop and writing in a
notebook. The latter is slower, but when I’m blocked, it’s been the best way to
get unblocked. Scrivener has been a blessing, it’s allowed me to expand the
world without fear of losing track of things. It’s an index right there in your
file!
What
are your hobbies?
Hobbies?
What’s that? Haha! There are no time for hobbies unfortunately. My full-time
job is demanding with travel and events. My boyfriend and I love photography,
working out, taking long walks around the neighborhood, playing with my cat,
watching movies, and reading. When I have downtime, my priority is writing. It
is never far from my mind!
How
did you choose the character names for Violet Storm?
The
protagonist, Aeva, is actually the name of my cousin. I love the way her name
is spelled, the capital A followed by a lower case e. I’ve chosen
a lot of names for aesthetic reasons and how well I feel it defines the
character’s “look.” Ruven was another name I stumbled on in my career, the name
of this bright, young Stanford kid whose eyes were mesmerizing. I don’t think
he’ll ever read the book, but if he does, I thank him for the inspiration!
Do
you have any works in progress?
I’m
hoping to have Crimson Earth (Modi Book #2) available next year in 2015. But
the novel I’m working hard to finish right now is Snow Dolls which will precede
Crimson Earth and is a completely different trilogy.
I
know what you’re thinking… "Wait, you’re working on another series?” I know it’s
crazy! But I’m in love with both of these series and I want to give my readers
the chance to fall in love with them too.
Who
is your favourite character in Violet Storm?
Aeva
is my favorite character. She’s the one I devoted the most time in developing,
growing, and defining.
How
did you get the idea for Violet Storm?
Violet Storm was created from my love of
post-apocalyptic worlds combined with superheroes. Visually, I was inspired by
movies like The Road and Book of Eli. Conceptually, there was inspiration drawn
from iRobot and yes, Hunger Games. Modi’s aren’t robots nor are they cyborgs
really, they don’t have traditional mechanical parts or any form of programming
to function. I wanted to create a different kind of
technologically/artificially advanced human.
What
was your favourite part of writing Violet Storm?
My
favorite parts of the book are the action scenes. Probably where I spent the
most time. Action scenes are tough, it has a very different pace and it needs
to be done right so that the reader can take a breath every now and then and be
able to dive right back into the scene.
What
are you currently reading?
I
just bought The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks at his book signing in San Francisco.
I’m a big fan of his!
What
is your favourite book?
This
is a tough one. I read and enjoy almost every genre. When I was much younger, I
used to devour historical romance novels like they were candy, then I moved on
to urban fantasy, chick lit, young adult, and epic and contemporary fantasy.
I
have too many favorite books to even begin to list. But let’s just say the one
that’s been the most inspiring in both world building and writing skill is
Brent Week’s Night Angel Trilogy. Good stuff.
Who
is your favourite author?
Hah!
I guess I answered that above. But another of my favorite authors is Karen
Marie Moning, author of the Highlander Series and the Fever Series. She is
amazing.
What
is your favourite film?
Hands
down it’s Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen. I
named my cat after Fitzwilliam Darcy.
What
is your favourite TV show?
Ooh,
I have many. Here are some of my guilty pleasures: Game of Thrones, Revenge,
Teen Wolf, Vampire Diaries, and The Secret Circle (I can’t believe they ended
after the 1st season!).
Quick-fire
questions:
Chocolate
or ice cream?
Definitely
Chocolate!
Paperback
or ebook? Paperback
Dogs
or cats? Cats
Go
out or stay in? Stay
In
Summer
or winter? What
about fall? I LOVE fall!
