About Us: Rachel Lyndhurst

It’s great to be here on The Hot Pink Typewriter as a brand new contributor from the UK, and now it’s my turn to sink into The Hot Seat and answer a few probing questions. Here we go ...

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

I was very flattered to be asked if I’d like to contribute to The Hot Pink Typewriter by Victoria James, who I ‘met’ through Entangled Publishing.  I’d been enjoying reading the blog for a while anyway and Victoria is SO nice, it was a no-brainer. I’m so happy to be part of something that has so many talented authors contributing. And it has such a cool name!  

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write contemporary category-length romances, because that’s what I read mostly and it’s the genre I feel most comfortable with right now. I quite often find myself drawn to wanting to write something historical, but I don’t think I’m experienced enough yet to get everything right with the core romance and also get the historical facts spot on as well. It would seriously lengthen the time it would take to write and time isn’t on my side as it is!  So for now it’s ‘write what you know’ with lots of superyachts, billionaires and glittering lifestyles. Maybe someday I’ll throw caution to the wind and write that sexy 1920s flapper story though … 

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

Not consciously, I spent my childhood wanting to be many things, including a Concorde pilot. My great grandmother taught me to read before I’d even started school, so I think my love of all things bookish started then. I was a voracious reader but I think the writing bug was there somewhere all along even if I didn’t realise it. I wrote silly stories including my friends and our imaginary adventures in the Maggot Club (don’t ask!), and angsty teenage poems ridiculing boys that I fancied rotten. In my twenties the boring old office job improved when a subversive Viz-style comic came into being – it featured a character that looked like my boss quite heavily. I left that job soon after … During a decade working in as an accountant, I began to think how wonderful it would be to become an author instead. Haven’t I been lucky?!

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what, if any, were the drawbacks?

They did in that I entered a number of them along the way, but none of the entries came to anything in the contests. However, after one of the Mills & Boon annual competitions  I was asked to submit something fresh and was sent a signed compliment slip for my next submission. Those were the days before you could send you submission in by email! I wrote the whole book in seven weeks and they hated it, frankly. Undeterred (after excessive weeping and bouts of self-pity), I wrote another book following their guidelines closely and got a generic rejection a long, long time later. That last book had quite a journey itself in the end, but Entangled Publishing turned it into a bestseller: Kidnapped by the Greek Billionaire.

So, I’d say contests are a great way to motivate yourself into actually getting the words down and submitting, but I found them a huge distraction.  I’m easily drawn into obsessions, and contests consume me for the entire duration.  In retrospect if I’d spent the time writing and submitting that I did on checking forums, scouring for news and reading endless commentary on the entire process, I’d have a lot more books published by now.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

I’m only at the beginning, but my confidence is growing now that I've had three books published in the last year. I can’t be a total fluke – I can write!

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

Now that’s a toughie. There’s not a definitive hero for me, but he’s got to be an alpha male. This means he’s in a position powerful enough to take charge of a situation if necessary and do the right thing. He will be honorable and decent, and for this reason I will allow him the odd moment to be grumpy and even a bit of a jerk, but he always redeems himself.  He must be ridiculously good looking. He will never have a full bushy beard, roll his own cigarettes, or live off welfare.

My perfect heroine must be likeable and have some gumption about her. She won’t be treated like a doormat and it would take a lot to make her cry. She needs to be independent in all respects and isn't afraid to say what she thinks. She is also kind, honest, loyal and hardworking. She will have a vulnerability of some sort though, she’s only human!

What does HEA mean to you?

It means two people  finally recognise that they’re in love and fully intend to spend the rest of their lives together. Obstacles to their happiness have been swept aside and all the nasties they've encountered on their journey to this point have been overcome. Marriage and procreation optional. 

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

So many places. An overheard conversation, news article, photograph, lyric from a song, a vivid dream … Too many places to mention really.

Name your five favorite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how.

The Magic Faraway tree and Famous Five books by Enid Blyton (I’ll count that as two books but there were tons of them!). I devoured these as a child – a proper torch under the bed clothes obsession.  Not only did these books inspire many outdoor adventures in real life, they kicked off a lifelong appreciation of books and love of reading. My own children love them too

.

Reading 1984 by George Orwell changed the way I looked at the world forever.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.  I read this when it was first published and I was a pseudy teenager . You just had to, because everybody else was reading it. It taught me that life is too short to spend reading something that you neither enjoy or understand. Perhaps I should give it another go? Nah!

The Sound of Music . How perfect is this film? Romance between a nun and a count, snowy mountains, evil Nazis, evil new ‘stepmother’  and it’s based on a true story! I still know all the words to all the songs and watch it every time it’s on the telly. It brings back so many happy childhood memories (I’m sure it was on every Christmas when I was growing up). Lovely.

Monty Python's Life of Brian. Possibly a controversial choice but, for me, this is one of the funniest films EVER. And laughing is good for you.

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

The promotion side of writing is the most challenging for me. I enjoy it and I know it’s an essential part of the job, but it’s extremely time consuming. The most rewarding thing is when people get in touch and say how much they enjoyed reading my book – that’s simply brilliant.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Leave your ego at the door.

What are your hopes and aspirations for your career?

Lots and lots more books being published, please! And enough royalties to by a villa in Amalfi. :0)

Want to know more? Then please feel free to leave a question in the comments section or visit my website and blog at my website and blog. I love to chat, so don’t be shy!

Thanks once again for visiting The Hot Pink Typewriter today. :0)

About Us: Tina Vaughn

Have you enjoyed getting to know the ladies of The Hot Pink Typewriter a little better? I know I have...except, now it's my turn in The Hot Seat, and I'm a little nervous. *gulp* So pull up a chair, grab some coffee or a cocktail, and let's chat. Just in case you need some incentive, I may mention Damon Salvatore and Daryl Dixon somewhere in this post. ; )

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

Natalie Charles and Olivia Miles approached me (first through Twitter and subsequently emails) about this idea they had for a group blog. I was immediately excited to be included in this lovely group of talented authors I admire and respect. I also loved the idea of sharing our ups and downs, knowledge and experience and creating an atmosphere where we could meet and make new friends who enjoy reading and/or writing romance as much as we do.

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write steamy contemporary novellas and category-length romances, though I read across the romance sub-genres. I think I gravitate toward contemporary because of my years as a newspaper editor, where I focused on current events and pop culture. I just have to know what's going on now!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

 

I did. Some of my earliest memories are of reading fairy tales. But, while other girls my age pretended to be princesses, I wanted to be Lois Lane. I remember poking the lenses out of an old pair of sunglasses, wearing them and scribbling in a little notebook, then writing my stories on my Winnie the Pooh typewriter. Seriously, I was three or four at the time. I also had a weird obsession with red lipstick, but that's for a different blog post, I think.

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what, if any, were the drawbacks?

Yes. No Sweeter Love was actually published as the result of a contest. I didn't win, but the editor who was judging requested my manuscript. I also met a lot of my writing friends (The Hot Pink Typewriter ladies included) through online contests. Personally, I've not experienced any drawbacks with contests, but then again, I've never approached a writing contest as if it's a competition. Does that make sense? I can imagine contests being very frustrating if your only goal is to win – and then you don't. As long as a writer thinks of the contest as a learning experience and chance to network with other like-minded writers, then I don't see a drawback.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

 I'm still writing. Still submitting. Still sitting on pins and needles and obsessively checking my email inbox. Writing and publishing is such an exciting journey. I'm enjoying the ride.

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

I don't know why I think this is the hardest question. Ugh. I guess some of the basic must-haves for a perfect hero (at least for me) are strength, intelligence, wit and humor. Actually, those same characteristics apply to my heroines, as well. Together, I think they should bring out the worst and best in each other. Other than that, I just try to write characters that I can picture myself hanging out with. If I don't like them, who will?

What does HEA mean to you?

It means the hero and heroine are in love and will be together forever. I need more than the words “I love you,” though. When I'm reading, I need to feel that the relationship has been twisted, tormented and tested – that it went though an emotional zombie apocalypse and survived.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

All around me. People, articles, conversations I overhear, beautiful scenery, etc. You name it. A great story can be found anywhere you look.

Name your five favorite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how.

Pride & Prejudice

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, feminism, challenge to social conventions, a forbidden attraction, the crazy Bennet family and Pemberly. *sigh* What's not to love?

Jane Eyre

It's such a dark and passionate novel, and so progressive for its time. The push and pull of morality and sexuality, combined with the themes of gender and societal norms and expectations fascinates me. Every time I read Jane Eyre I feel like I'm reading it for the first time.

Gone With the Wind

I watched the movie before I read the book, and when it ended, I think I actually yelled at the television screen. I could not believe that Rhett and Scarlett did not get their happily ever after. I think I was severely traumatized and this could be the main reason I write HEA romance. I love the book, as well. There's a part where Rhett compliments Scarlett's eyes by comparing them to fish in fishbowls. I still die laughing every time I read that.

The Vampire Diaries

Teenage angst. Vampires. Love triangle. These books, but especially the television show, pushes all my hot buttons. Also, I have an unhealthy, and sometimes debilitating crush, on Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore. Make of that what you will.

The Walking Dead

This is probably my favorite television show. Aside from the fact that I'm equal parts scared to death and fascinated by zombies, this is one of the best-written shows I've ever watched. Want a crash course in character development? Take a day or two to watch the series and take particular note of Daryl Dixon's character arc. I. Love. Him.

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

 

I'm a perfectionist. I also edit as I write. This really slows down the writing process for me and can be very frustrating. I also go through bouts of my writing is crap, though I try to keep myself out of the doldrums for any length of time, usually by enjoying a cocktail or two, eating some chocolate or reading a great book. There's nothing like a little break to get your creative juices flowing again.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Prove you were there.”
When I was first starting out as a journalist, one of my first assignments was to cover a high-profile murder trial, and I was scared. While writing my article, I double-checked all the legal terms and quotes. I meticulously fact-checked every piece of information I used in my story, then I submitted it to my editor. She said: “this is great, but (oh, the evil but) you need to prove you were there.”
Huh?
“You could've written this from your desk,” she explained. “Show me you were in that courtroom.” And then I understood. I'd gotten so caught up in the black and white of the facts that I'd neglected the color. What were people actually doing in that packed courtroom that day? That little piece of advice always pops into my head when I'm writing. Have I set the scene? Have I used all five senses? Are the descriptions vivid and accurate?

What are your hopes and aspirations for your career?

The world is full of dark and depressing news. Fear and hate and worry. I want a reader to get lost in one of my books, forget their fears and worries for a little while, and smile.

Thanks so much for joining me.

Questions? Fire away.

I look forward to chatting with you.

About Us: Olivia Miles

Hello and welcome to the next installment of our About Us series. I'm in the Hot Seat today and I'm shedding a little light on my experiences, so thanks for stopping by!

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

It started out as an idea between Natalie and me, and as we started more seriously discussing it, we got Victoria involved. Together, we thought of a few others we wanted to include with the specific goal of creating a diverse group of writers at various stages in their careers, who write different sub-genres of romance, and thus a blog was born. 

I’ve always been impressed by how supportive and close-knit the romance writing community is, especially when writing is such a solitary activity, and I was excited to have an outlet to get more involved with other writers.

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write contemporary romances and my first book will be released through Harlequin Special Edition. I love that this genre allows me to write about fresh, modern, strong heroines in "this could happen to me" situations.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

Always, and I think that's why I am still pinching myself that I actually fulfilled my dream. I can't say what prompted this other than the simple fact that I just always loved books and I wanted to have one of my own. I would always ask to go to the bookstore instead of the toy store, and we have pictures of me ripping open Christmas presents, clearly freaking out over a copy of Ramona Quimby, Age 8. (Like, screaming with joy.) I was writing stories as soon as I could hold a pencil, but I also liked the idea of having an actual book. I can remember writing stories and then binding them into some crude book form at an early age. It was always important to me to have that end product. I just loved books. I still do :-)

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what if any were the drawbacks?

Yes. The first book I sold (working title of ‘Twas the Week Before Christmas) was the winner of Harlequin Special Edition’s Happy Holidays First Chapter Contest. The contest win led to a full request and shortly thereafter, The Call. I knew as soon as that contest popped up that I had a story for it, but I entered with the hope of getting my work seen, so the outcome of the contest was very surprising. It was the first contest I ever entered, and I never expected to win.  

I also entered last year’s New Voices and SYTYCW contests, though I had to pull out of SYTYCW as I sold my other manuscript in the midst of the contest. Both experiences were very motivating and forced me to finish and polish a manuscript. There is also a great sense of camaraderie with some of these larger contests. I met many wonderful writers and friends through both contests, including dear friend and HPT sister, Victoria.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

I am currently learning the ropes of being a contracted author. I had always thought that once you sold a book, the journey was over. Now I am realizing that it is truly just beginning. I reached my lifelong goal, and now the real work begins.

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

I like my heroes to have a bit of an edge. I have always had a personal weakness for bad boys, and my dating history is living proof! There’s something about the transformation of a hero that gets me every time. 

I also like a really strong, modern heroine. I tend to write heroines who are down to earth, perhaps even slightly self-deprecating, women who I would be friends with in real life, and women who know what they want from their life - and that extends beyond landing a man. My heroines have dreams and goals, and they don’t toss them aside when the hero comes knocking. My heroines hold their own. They can take or leave a hero who is behaving badly, and maybe that’s a little incentive for him to try and step it up a bit and win her over.

What does HEA mean to you?

I like a satisfying ending in any book I read, and to me that usually requires characters to get what they deserve or to reach a realistic conclusion to the situation they created. In romance, the ending is obviously a happy one, and as a writer of romance, I feel it is my responsibility to make sure my characters are on a path that would make them deserving and capable of resolving their issues with themselves and each other so that they achieve everlasting love in a believable way. 

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Whenever I brainstorm a new project, I start with the characters, and so I think it is fair to say that they inspire me and guide the story. I take time in creating the hero and heroine, as well as side characters, and I think about their pasts, their interactions, and their personalities. From there I start asking myself how my characters would behave in different situations, and it tends to start falling into place. Often times a secondary character will inspire me enough to consider a spin-off story, as well.

Name your five favorite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how.  

* Everwood. This show inspired me to write small town romances, with characters who all know one another, and a storyline that feeds off those interactions. I love the sense of community and the dynamics between the characters. There is a great sense of place which I strive to achieve in my own work.  

* Richard Yates. While not a fan of the HEA, I am forever impressed with his impeccable ability to capture the complications of human relationships, and his brave showing of raw emotion.  

* General Hospital. This is a true guilty pleasure, and I do not miss an episode. Ever. What I love about this show is that I never have to part with my favorite characters, and many have been with me since I was a toddler. It’s always sad to part with characters at the end of a book or movie, but with GH, I never have to. (I mean, even if they die, they usually find a way back eventually…)  

* Other favorite authors include: Joyce Carol Oates, Elinor Lipman, Tom Perrotta, Nicholas Coleridge, Marian Keyes, Zoe Heller, Rona Jaffe, and Maeve Binchy.

* For movies, I am a Woody Allen and Hitchcock fan, and I love mini-series, particularly North and South and Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea. I love romantic comedies: Anything from Nora Ephron is a huge hit with me. Same goes for Nancy Myers. 

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

I have always struggled with my own inner critic, and this extends beyond my writing, but can of course be crippling for a writer if you do not overcome it. Taking constructive criticism was therefore difficult at first given that I am so self-critical to begin with, but I’ve learned to embrace feedback because it always makes the final outcome stronger. I’m a bit of a perfectionist - maybe more of a control freak, actually - so it is easy to get caught up in everything I should have done better, but I am trying not to sweat the small stuff, not to be so hard on myself, and to just focus on putting out the best book I can each time. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

 "If you don't have dreams, they can't come true." My dad has always said this to me. If you want something badly enough, you just push through the tough times.What's the alternative? To give up?

What are your hopes and aspirations for your career?

For now, I am taking things as they come and enjoying every step of the journey. I’d like to see my career grow and advance, and I am constantly focused on moving things forward, but I am taking it one day at a time, as the saying goes…

Thanks so much for visiting with me! If you want to learn more about me, feel free to visit my website: www.oliviamiles.net.

About Us: Lindsay J. Pryor

Welcome to the next instalment of our ‘About Us’ series. This week it’s me squinting under the interrogatory Hot Seat light. Deep breath and here we go… 

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

I received an invitation from Natalie Charles. She and Olivia had come up with the idea of doing a group blog and they wanted to represent a range of romance writers and sub-genres. I got to know Natalie after New Voices closed and we stayed in touch. Becoming part of a group blog was the perfect opportunity for me to make a commitment to ensure I kept myself ‘out there’. It’s also a great forum to promote other writers, share writing experiences and stay connected with the wider romance community.

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write under the broad sub-genre of paranormal romance. The current series of books I’ve written (the Blackthorn series) are dark and intense urban vampire thrillers. I love the creativity the paranormal genre allows. You make your own rules and your own possibilities. I’ve always been a huge fan of paranormal/sci-fi/horror so it was inevitable I’d write for the genre.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

Absolutely. I’ve always had a need to write. It was never an active decision. I think if you’re instinctively a writer, you automatically find yourself spending more of your free time on that than anything else. I resolved I wanted to be a professional author when I was 11 or 12 years old and

subsequently requested a typewriter for my 13^th birthday. I was 19 when I started thumbing through The Writers’ Handbook. I experimented for several years with everything from scriptwriting to children’s stories to adult horror. I wrote my first paranormal romance when I was 17 because I couldn’t find those stories on shelves back then. I guess I always knew the direction I was going to take, even if it didn’t widely exist at the time.

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what if any were the drawbacks?

Apart from a couple of generic short story competitions a few years ago, New Voices is the only writing competition I’ve entered. I was fortunate to get into the Top 4 in 2010 and then repeat it in 2011.

I entered the first time to test if I had what it took to write romance. I’d been working on developing ideas for my Blackthorn series for several years in between writing outside of the romance genre. I was seriously worried my writing would be too dark and, as the competition editors described it, “edgy and quirky” to appeal to enough people to get the votes I needed in a competition like New Voices, but I was hoping I’d at least get some feedback. I was blown away by the response I got – not only the first time around but also to repeat it the second time. Doing well confirmed there was a place for me in the romance genre.

The other benefit was gaining the confidence to talk to other writers. Until then, I’d always felt really isolated because I didn’t belong to a writing group or forum or have critique partners etc. I was overwhelmed by how supportive the romance community is. I can’t imagine being without my writing friends now.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

With my voice not right for Nocturne, who I’d targeted through New Voices, I polished Blood Roses and Beguiling The Enemy (though it now has a new title!) and started subbing elsewhere. While waiting for responses from the two publishers I’d subbed to, I was contacted by another publisher who requested to see both manuscripts (which shows how important it is to get yourself out there and make yourself contactable). I was subsequently offered a three-book deal. There’s been a huge amount happening in the background but, all being well, I’m due to sign any day now. I’m incredibly excited and thrilled that this fantastic publisher not only wants my stories, but also wants to develop me as an author.

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

I like heroes in dire need of redemption. I like them to have their goodness buried deep under a mass of darkness that the heroine has to work her way through. I like it when doing the right thing doesn’t come easy, especially when it involves self-sacrifice that will make them vulnerable. I like a hero who has travelled a hard road and survived. Love doesn’t come easy to them so it makes it all the more intense when it happens. When my heroes fall in love, they fall deep.

I like my heroine’s traits to complement and also conflict with those of the hero. I like her to be able to hold her own despite her vulnerability. I like her to know her own mind. She’s empathetic, intelligent and resilient. She has to be the latter because I have a habit of putting my heroines in the middle of their worst nightmare and they have to be able to come out fighting!

I enjoy creating a set-up of forbidden love, so I know I’ve got the perfect match if, against the odds, my hero and heroine develop a respect for each other. The physical attraction should be natural and unavoidable, but I think love should be earned and the best thing about writing romance is taking the hero and heroine on that journey.

What does HEA mean to you?

HEA means being tried and tested, to have struggled and found every reason not to be together and have emerged from that deeply in love. From then on, whatever happens along the way, that path has been forged and it’ll always be there for the hero and heroine to find their way back to it if they ever get tested again.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

All over the place. I’m a human sponge. Quite often though I just sit down with a pencil and paper and have a line of thought that starts with: How can I make this really, really bad for my hero and heroine…

Name your five favourite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how.

Only five? Heck…

• The Lost Boys – This is still my favourite vampire film ever (closely followed by Daybreakers). When those urban vampires hit my screen, I was hooked. It got me seeing the potential of the genre in a whole new way.  

• The Alien Quadrilogy – Ellen Ripley is the ultimate omega female for me (I’m not sure that’s a real term). What I love about her is that she doesn’t start as the heroine but grows and becomes it – albeit involuntarily. And the whole time she never loses sight of who she is. She’s strong, determined and never loses her compassion. She’s out to survive against all the odds.

• Wuthering Heights – Of all the classics, this is my favourite. Emily Bronte is right up there with Mary Shelley for me. I loved the fact Heathcliff wasn’t a traditional hero, almost an anti-hero, but how Emily justified the heroine falling for him to the point where the reader is rooting for their relationship is just incredible. His love for Catherine was intense, albeit destructive, and I adored their passion.

• Romancing The Stone – It’s my guilty pleasure. It’s just a great mix of adventure, comedy and romance.

• Snoopy’s Guide to the Writing Life - If you’ve never read it, you must. It’s a fantastically candid and funny view of writing life. I often flick when I feel down or frustrated. I love Snoopy anyway and always have. A cuddly Snoopy sits on my desk typing ‘It was a dark and stormy night…’ Says it all, I guess.

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

I really wish I didn’t lack so much confidence. I end up irritating myself. But I guess that comes from years of never asking anyone to read what I’ve written and instead filling my head with perfectionist ideals. My confidence nearly stopped me entering New Voices on both occasions. Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there and deal with the fall-out – by that I mean rejection. You have to thrive on what you do and love your stories because sometimes that’s the only reward you get. I also think it’s important to measure your success as a writer by how many times you get up, not how many times you fall.

People’s perceptions of me through my writing worried me for a very long time and really hindered my creativity. I didn’t work through that challenge on my own though. One of the last things my dad said to me before he passed away was to be who I want to be, not who everyone else wants me to be. Seeing how short and fragile life can be can be a heck of a wake-up call to stop trying to please everyone and accept who you are.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Apart from the one I’ve already mentioned (oops), it’s to write what you want to read. Be passionate about your story and write it the way only you can.

What are your hopes and aspirations for your writing career?

To be given the freedom to develop as an author by writing the books I want to write. I’d like to maintain my supporters as well as keeping the next generation of paranormal romance fans interested in the genre. In essence, I’d like to keep writing publishable paranormal romance for many years to come and encourage more British paranormal romance writers to get themselves out there.

About Us: Natalie Charles

It's almost October, so I thought I'd treat you to a Halloween picture. An oldie but goodie.

Welcome to the next installment of our 'About Us' series, where we expose ourselves in a strictly figurative sense. This week my blog sisters have put me in the Hot Seat, so while I'm squirming around and trying to come up with something clever to say, go ahead and help yourself to something chocolate. 

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

This site started as an email exchange between me and Olivia Miles. I think it was as simple as one of us saying, “We should start a group blog.” The idea eventually evolved, and our objective was to create a platform on which to showcase our fellow writers and discuss writing topics that we found interesting. We sought out talented romance writers from various sub-genres to reach a wide range of interests and to highlight different voices.

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write romantic suspense, and my books lean more toward mysteries. Basically I write the stories I enjoy reading! I love a good whodunit, one that gets my heart and mind racing. Maybe this sounds macabre, but I just think that most stories are better when there’s a dead body and a detective involved: the stakes are high and it’s a race against time to find the killer and restore order to the world. Add a hot hero who knows how to handle a gun and a tough-as-nails heroine who doesn’t take any crap, and I’m up way past my bedtime!

I also love to geek out on forensic science, so I find the research element endlessly fascinating. Then there’s the challenge of fitting a compelling romance into a satisfying suspense plot. It keeps me busy!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

I’m not sure there was ever a point at which I declared that I would be a fiction writer. Writing is something I’ve always done. I couldn’t not write. Well, maybe I could, but then a part of me would die.

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what if any were the drawbacks?

Yes! The only writing competition I’ve ever entered was Mills & Boon’s 2011 New Voices. It resulted in The Call, so I can’t complain.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

My book The Seven-Day Target is out now as part of the Mills & Boon Introduces anthology, along with books by Andrea Laurence and Soraya Lane. A different, extended version of The Seven-Day Target will be published in April, 2013 as part of the Harlequin Romantic Suspense line. I’m currently at work on my next project for HRS.

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

I love strong, sensitive heroes. They can be a little crabby, a little damaged, but they should always be gentlemen. The perfect heroine is smart and knows (or thinks she knows!) who she is. She doesn’t need a man to take care of her. I love a heroine who can hold her own. Both hero and heroine should be a little vulnerable, emotionally. They can’t fall in love if they are emotional fortresses.

Oh, and the ‘perfect’ hero and heroine should be imperfect. I like flaws.

What does HEA mean to you?

To me, the HEA is that point at which the reader knows that two people are in it forever, through thick and thin. We’ve seen them overcome all odds, and we know that they will never question their destiny again. It’s that moment when you sigh and know that even though you don’t know what lies ahead, you know they will get through it together.

It’s completely sappy and it makes my heart melt each and every time. Yes, I write about dead bodies, but I’m a sucker for a good romance in fiction and real life. There is nothing more beautiful than two people who commit their hearts to one another for a lifetime and see that commitment through. I cry at weddings. I’m a softie.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? 

I never write about real people, but I draw a lot of my inspiration from real life. The Seven-Day Target touches on a few personally painful topics. The mystery elements in the book(s) I’m working on now are inspired by real forensic cases that I’ve read about. Music is an endless source of inspiration, and I often try to capture the mood of a particular song in my writing.

Name your five favorite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how. 

This is a tough question! A confession: I’m not a movie person. Will you settle for television series? I’m going to skip my childhood favorites and go directly to adult favorites, which seem more relevant. Also, I’m going to cheat and name a few authors instead of books.

1. Breaking Bad (television series) – Okay, the series isn’t finished yet, but the writing! Oh, the writing! Brilliant, layered, heart-pounding writing. My favorite show of all time, followed by The Wire and The Sopranos.

2. Margaret Atwood – I don’t know that I read her as much as I wander through her literary gardens, hovering over beautiful phrases. The Blind Assassin is a favorite.

3. The Brothers Karamazov – I own two different translations and I once read it while on vacation in Mexico. It appeals to the part of me that’s always in a state of existential crisis.

4. Shakespeare – He was one of the great romance writers, and As You Like It is a particular favorite.

5. A Fish Called Wanda – All right, one movie. I don’t know that it’s influenced me, but it makes me laugh.

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

I struggle with writing with abandon. I have a very critical internal editor who has strong opinions—it’s all part of my perfectionist tendencies. I find it’s best to keep going and to not re-read my work on most days. If I re-read, I start to get hung up on criticism.

I'm also not a very fast writer. I can write quickly, and I had to after winning New Voices, but I don't feel comfortable working that way. Consequently, my shitty first drafts end up being fairly polished.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Live with urgency.” I think of it every time I’m tempted to put something off until tomorrow, or I find myself getting bogged down in negativity or irrelevant concerns.

What are your hopes and aspirations for your career?

My only aspiration right now is to write another book. When I finish that one, my aspiration will be to write another one. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

About Us: Jennifer Faye

Nope that’s not me, not even on my worst bad hair day. LOL. But my very furry kitty loves when I show her off. When I get a real photo of myself I’ll post it. Promise.

 

 

About Us: Jennifer Faye

Hi everyone! Looks like I’m next up in this series about us interviews--featuring the ladies of The Hot Pink Typewriter! So grab your favorite blend of caffeine and have a seat while I tell you a little about myself and my writing journey. And make sure you stop back next Friday for another installment by another Hot Pink lady.

 

How and why did you get involved with The Hot Pink Typewriter?

I knew some of the ladies from M&B New Voices and the harlequin.com boards. But it was Victoria James, who is a fellow SYTYCW finalist, who invited me to be a part of this exciting new blog. Since I had yet to venture into having a blog of my own, having no idea what I would have to say *G*, I was thrilled to share a blog with a bunch of wonderful writers from different backgrounds.

 

What sub-genre of romance do you write and why?

I write Contemporary series romance that contain a rollercoaster of emotions and a feel good ending. I remember picking up my very first Harlequin when I was a teenager. It was a sunny afternoon and I was with my friends checking out a sidewalk sale in town where there were boxes upon boxes of books. I remember buying a Harlequin with the pretty purple cover. Couldn’t tell you who wrote it or its title. But once I read it, I was hooked.

 

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What prompted this interest?

In short—YEP! I wasn’t even in school when I knew that I would one day write a book. I grew up watching The Waltons and learned that John Boy had to have a typewriter if he wanted to be published. So my big item on my list for Santa that year was a typewriter (yep, I was so young I still believed in Santa). And I got it. I was thrilled. It was gray and had white keys. And I started typing poetry. You know… Roses are red, Violets are blue… I didn’t have a clue how to form a story. That came later in elementary school where I devoured books. And who read the most books for those Read-a-thon’s. Yep, that was me. LOL.

 

Did contests play a role in your writing journey? If so, in what ways did you find them beneficial? And what if any were the drawbacks?

Contests most certainly played a role in my writing journey. *G* All you have to do is look at my website to see that for a while I was focusing on contests where the final judge was an editor I was interested in. I learned a lot from those contests and from the judges who volunteered their time. But in the end, the most important thing I learned was to trust my gut.

The contests that were my favorite were the ones sponsored by Harlequin / Mills & Boon, from editor pitches to Fast Tracks to New Voices and SYTYCW. Each played an important role in my journey as did the fabulous people I met along the way.

What point are you currently at in your writing journey?

Every day I get a step closer to my dream of being published. *G* I have some stuff in the works. *VBG*

 

Describe what makes a perfect hero for you. And what makes a perfect heroine?

Okay, so whoever made up these questions isn’t about to leave us off easy, huh? J

I love a tough but wounded hero with a crusty shell that my equally strong, feisty heroine must break through to find his soft/tender center.

I enjoy throwing these two flawed characters together and watching them learn from the other how to trust, forgive, or whatever is holding them back from their HEA.

 

What does HEA mean to you?

Is it just me or are these questions getting harder as I go on? LOL.

Let’s see, what does HEA mean to me? Hmm…I guess the best way to describe it is that my hero and heroine must grow throughout their journey, overcoming and learning from each obstacle.

Their HEA is being able to take a risk on love and in return be loved for who they are on the inside.

 

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Everywhere.

I’ve literally been playing the “What if” game my entire life. You wouldn’t believe some of the scenarios I’ve concocted. It’s amazing what your imagination is capable of if you let it loose. By writing, I seem to tame its tendency to meander. *G*

 

Name your five favorite movies/books, or those that have influenced you the most and how.

1.      The Waltons (TV series)-As I said earlier, this is what first gave me the idea of being a writer as a very young child. In fact, looking back it surprises me that at that tender age I knew what would make me happy. Life is truly amazing.

2.      Gone with the Wind (movie)-This was my first exposure to romance. My mother was horrified that at seven or eight I was totally enthralled with the movie. I refused to go to bed on time. I just had to watch Scarlet and Rhett. He was the dreamiest.

3.      Harlequin’s-As I said earlier, this was my first exposure to romance books (my mother had no idea. LOL) I can still vaguely see the purple cover and I’m betting if I saw it again, I’d recognize it. After that I was addicted.

4.      Kathleen Woodiwiss books-I devoured her books in high school. I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning turning page after page. I couldn’t get enough. And even though I had to be out the door at 6:30 in the morning to catch the bus, I just had to get to the end. Boy was it hard staying awake for class. LOL.

5.      Johanna Lindsey books-She is another author I’ve followed since I was a teenager. Those rakes took my breath away and had me riveted to the page. When I reached the end I was so bummed. It was like I’d lost some good friends. *G*

Tell us about your greatest writing challenges and how you work through them.

Setbacks and rejections have been the biggest challenge. Each one makes me pause and say, “Am I good enough?”

Last year was my toughest writing year…ever. It seemed like everything I wrote or touched was wrong. I was very, very frustrated. But my very dear friend, Michelle Styles (HQ Historical author), reminded me that the important thing wasn’t the “R” or the contest rejects but what I did with my writing afterward. So I kept going.

I decided that if I never got published I would still write. I love it. I would be lost without it.

And if the worst happened and my treasures never made it in the world, I figured some day when I’m gone from this world my kids and grandkids might get a kick out of my ms’s.

So quitting has never really been an option (even if I’ve threatened it from time to time. *G*). It’s a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and to keep going. Sometimes you have to slow down and catch your breath but you can never ever stop.

 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Almost at the end and someone throws in another toughie. J

I’ve been given so many wonderful bits of advice that I don’t know how to narrow it down to the “best”. Hang on I’m thinking…

-          Keep it simple and go deep

It’s one of my favorites, although I have many. I have a tendency to unnecessarily complicate my stories and insert threads that distract instead of deepening the core conflict. So I have to think before I add something: “Is it necessary? Does it add depth to the central story?”

What are your hopes and aspirations for your career?

I hope that I keep writing stories until I’m so old that my arthritic fingers can no longer punch a keyboard… but then I’ll buy some voice-activated software. *G*

So I guess I hope to write the rest of my life and entertain my readers by tugging on their heartstrings before giving them a happy sigh as the H/h achieve their HEA. What could be better than bringing a smile to a reader’s lips?