So happy to introduce, Lillie J. Roberts.
What made you want to write?
I've always wanted to write. I used to make up stories to tell my little sisters and brother when we were small. Many nights were spent sitting on my bed, telling stories, and the tradition continued with my own children. I finally found time to do what I've always wanted when I broke my ankle. My doctor told me that I'd be off my feet for quite a while and to find a hobby that I enjoyed, he suggested reading. But, I've always loved to read and our library was running out of books (okay, it's a very small library), and I thought, why not try to write what I wanted to read? I started out writing flash fiction, a very short story that comes to a conclusion quickly. I entered a couple of contests and received an honorable mention, and that blew me away, I was competing with real published authors! From there, I decided to write a full length book and participated in my first NaNoWriMo. That first book will always be special, and one day, I may drag it back out and do a major rewrite, boy have I learned a lot since then.
How long have you been writing fiction?
Well, I've always written, always enjoyed storytelling. But after my injury, I seriously started to apply myself. It's been about five years now.
Do you write anything else?
I've had a blog for years, most of the blogging community know me as Tink from Tink's Place. I've written and posted many articles about things that draw me, I've thought about writing for an online magazine (an ezine) if I ever have the time. I started my blog to review the books that I love and still do, but it's turned into a much bigger venture than I thought it was going to be. I still get between thirty to fifty book review requests per month.
What is your preferred genre and why?
My preferred genre is paranormal romance, I've always loved it. I love all the creatures... vampires, were-creatures, monstrosities, but with real people living their lives. Why? I was one of those little girls who used to dream about what if it's really true?? Through my books, I make the worlds in my imagination come to life.
Where do you get ideas from regarding characters and / or plots?
I've been asked this before, and I wish I had a ready answer, but the truth is I write whatever pops into my head. I'm definitely a pantser and not a plotter. I'm drawn to strong characters, women / girls that don't have to rely on anyone else, guys who know what they want and aren't afraid to show a softer side, but they're rock hard too. I start with an idea, and go from there. I actually had a facebook / blogger friend who asked me, how do you do it? So, we started a discussion on facebook. I threw out an idea and wrote a tiny bit of a story in about five minutes that later turned into a full length novel which I completed during NaNoWriMo. I have to say it's completely different than it started out to be. I've competed in NaNoWriMo for the past four years.
What is your muse?
Hmmm.... my muse.... I have to say my muse is that part of me that keeps prodding me. Some days, whispering in my ear and other days, she dares me to try. On those days when it's a struggle, I write whatever I'm thinking about, even if it's nonsense, and that usually perks my muse up. When I have a story starting to take shape, I see how much of I can write in an hour, and sometimes that hour turns into three or four. I keep challenging myself, it works for me.
What other interests do you have that you would like to share with your audience?
I am totally and completely addicted to facebook, I started out with twitter when it first came on the scene, but facebook lets me connect with far away places as well as the people who I've come to call friends even if I've never actually met them in person. But, facebook is still a time suck, if I allowed myself to be drawn in, it can eat an entire day in what feels like a blink of an eye. I've gotten much better at controlling my habit.
What type of music do you like?
This is going to sound overused, but anything with a rockin beat, my favorites range from the Beatles, the Killers, Fallout Boy, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Elton John, Green Day, Queen, All Time Low and the list goes on and on.
Do you like to dance?
I love to dance! Can I do it? Not well, but I have a good time and I've never lacked partners. With my injured ankle, I can't do it anymore, but I still love it.
What other art forms are you interested in?
I draw, mostly abstracts, and love music. I love the impressionists. Someday, I'd like to write a screenplay for a movie.
What are some of your favorite movies or books?
My all time favorite book and movie is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, other favorite movies include Dirty Dancing, Oz, The Great and Powerful (and The Wizard of Oz, of course), Star Trek, and gosh, so many more. I'm a movie freak (I'd go all the time if a theater was closer to our home). Favorite books... Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison (the whole series actually), Hildie McQeen's The Protector Series, Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, Lynn Rush's Wasteland series, anything Dean Koontz... actually I'll read anything paranormal, urban fantasy, chiller and thriller, twisted fairytales along with most YA and NA, almost any genre. I know, I'm eclectic like that. :)
Is there anything else you would like your audience to know about you?
I'm the oldest of seven, I come from a huge extended family, and in our family, we include many of our friends.
What makes you special?
Nothing really, except for my fierce loyalty, the ability to realize my dreams, and the tenacity to never give them up.
What is your next book?
Soul Fire is the next book on my horizon! It's also my first YA novel and a NaNoWriMo manuscript. I can guarantee it won't be my last YA, I really enjoyed writing it.
Tell us about it.
Soul Fire tells Rena Langley's story.
Rena's always suffered from nightmares, but this summer, the nightmares are worse than ever before, monsters fill her dreams. Into her life walks Petrov DeForest, tall, dark, and oh so cute with amazing blue eyes, and he claims to know the reasons for the nightmares. Rena's destiny is as the Soul Seeker, an Earthbound soul to help the lost. The monsters from her nightmares are real, the Soul Eaters, they exist on the plane of Reflection, but have crossed to the Earthbound plane in a bid for her soul energy. They'd have a taste of her, and they're ready to take her again. But, she can bring an end to monsters, the Soul Eaters, if she can learn to control her ability, her Soul Fire. With the help of Petrov, her shepherd named Random, and detective Ben Foster, they seek out those who hope to take her and those close to her. Can they survive the monsters? Or will this lifetime end like so many have before?
Ciara Lake
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