A big old welcome to author Lynette Sofras for doing an interview with me! Check it out. She's also doing a giveaway for one lucky commenter, so make sure you leave one!
The Interview:
Did you always want to be a writer? If not, then what?
Always a writer - I never had any other aspirations. I wanted to be a top journalist who would effortlessly churn out best-selling novels during the evenings and weekends.
Do your readers contact you? If so, what do they say?
Not often, though I'm always delighted to hear from them. When they do, they're usually incredibly kind and flattering, which is wonderful. But I learn so much more when they're critical and tell me if something disappointed them (the way a character acted or developed, for example).
For aspiring writers, what three pieces of good advice would you give them?
Never give up or be discouraged by failure or negative comments, but at the same time be prepared to listen and learn from criticism. Find like-minded people outside your normal social/family circle who are interested in what you have to offer (I'd recommend Wattpad, especially for younger writers). Create a special space and time in your life conducive to creativity.
Do you have a favorite of your own books?
I jokingly(?) call Unworkers my magnum opus. It's not yet published because it's so dear to my heart, I'm not sure I'm ready to let it go quite just yet. Maybe early next year.
How do you balance writing with your life?
Oh I don't. I'm an all or nothing sort of person. When I'm writing, life goes on hold. I delay starting new books so that I can do a bit of life catch-up then.
How old were you when you wrote your first book and what was it about?
*Cringes with embarrassment* I was a young teenager, maybe fourteen or fifteen going through all the usual struggles and it was called Debbie be an Angel - about a young teenager of maybe fourteen or fifteen…you get the idea?
Where do your ideas come from?
Some have come to me as dream fragments, but some have developed from incidents in real life which I've looked at and thought "Well that went one (usually boring) way, but what if it had progressed in a completely different way?" The road accident at the start of Wishful Thinking, for example, is exactly what happened to me up until the appearance of the roadside rescue service. After that, I thought, what if my heroine didn't just continue on her journey. What if she met someone very special in unusual circumstances; where might that lead her?
Do you have a writing quirk?
If a character's name comes to me at the beginning of a story - especially if it was part of a dream - I feel quite superstitious about changing it, no matter how much I dislike it.
Pantser or Planner?
Oh, pantser, definitely. I used to believe you had to plan everything in minute detail (and as an English teacher, that's what I used to tell my students), but my best-selling title took me less than a month to write and I had no idea what was going to happen in the story from day to day as I sat writing it. I found the experience fascinating and thrilling, and felt I was on a similar journey to the reader, turning each page not knowing what would happen next or how it would all end.
Do you pick out dream casts for your books? If so, what's your favorite so far?
No I don't. I actually try to avoid that because I don't want to 'lead' readers and restrict their own imaginations. That's also why I don't like to use photos of people on the covers. That said, however, when I did The Next Big Thing on my blog, I was asked to pick a cast for In Loving Hate and I had great fun doing that. I remember 'discovering' Eduardo Verastegui to play Alex and Josh Hartnett to play his lawyer-cousin, Mark. Perfect!
What do you use to motivate yourself to keep writing through the tough spots?
Oh this is difficult and we all have those. I try to create a sense of order around me so I'll clear my clutter, tidy my desk etc. Chatting to some of the wonderful writing friends I've made online also helps.
Do you create a playlist for your works?
Do you mean music? No - there's so much already going on inside my head as I write that I think music might just distract me - and my characters. I want to be able to hear their voices clearly and make them as real as possible.
What is your current WIP about? (Possible title, characters, setting, etc.)
It's a speculative fiction called Killing Jenna Crane about a highly successful (but non-too-likeable) fiction writer who meets his ideal woman after treating his previous girlfriend rather badly. The past comes back to haunt him as he becomes more involved with Emily. She has no respect for his writing and wants him to kill off his eponymous heroine and focus on more serious stuff and he seems powerless to deny her anything. The more besotted he becomes with his new love, the more his life spirals out of control as guilt over his past begins to prey on his mind.
Share one sentence from your book, no explanations, just one sentence.
"The worst thing about living with a fiction writer is that reality can never measure up to the fantasy that's playing out inside your head."
Coke vs Pepsi?
Dr Pepper (Sorry but I much prefer it to those two!)
Chocolate vs Vanilla?
Vanilla
Cake vs Ice Cream?
Ice cream
Night owl or Early bird?
Night owl
Favorite genre to read?
Women's fiction
What was your favorite book as a child?
The Mill on the Floss
Do you think we dream in color or that we wake up and remember it in color?
I know I dream in colour - bright, vivid colours.
What's your favorite food?
Hot and sour soup
What type of food could you never live without?
Green vegetables
If you meet one person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Socrates - he was such a wise man.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you take with you (limit 4 items)?
The Complete Works of Jane Austen
My cat (to catch the spiders)
A computer with an endless power supply and internet access
A comb
Favorite show growing up?
Morecambe and Wise
If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
The ability to navigate time
What would your superhero name be?
Lyssa Lossehelin
What do you think the future will hold?
It's hard to look far into the future because times are so tough now, economically and politically, but I hope things will improve for everyone soon.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not, then what?
Always a writer - I never had any other aspirations. I wanted to be a top journalist who would effortlessly churn out best-selling novels during the evenings and weekends.
Do your readers contact you? If so, what do they say?
Not often, though I'm always delighted to hear from them. When they do, they're usually incredibly kind and flattering, which is wonderful. But I learn so much more when they're critical and tell me if something disappointed them (the way a character acted or developed, for example).
For aspiring writers, what three pieces of good advice would you give them?
Never give up or be discouraged by failure or negative comments, but at the same time be prepared to listen and learn from criticism. Find like-minded people outside your normal social/family circle who are interested in what you have to offer (I'd recommend Wattpad, especially for younger writers). Create a special space and time in your life conducive to creativity.
Do you have a favorite of your own books?
I jokingly(?) call Unworkers my magnum opus. It's not yet published because it's so dear to my heart, I'm not sure I'm ready to let it go quite just yet. Maybe early next year.
How do you balance writing with your life?
Oh I don't. I'm an all or nothing sort of person. When I'm writing, life goes on hold. I delay starting new books so that I can do a bit of life catch-up then.
How old were you when you wrote your first book and what was it about?
*Cringes with embarrassment* I was a young teenager, maybe fourteen or fifteen going through all the usual struggles and it was called Debbie be an Angel - about a young teenager of maybe fourteen or fifteen…you get the idea?
Where do your ideas come from?
Some have come to me as dream fragments, but some have developed from incidents in real life which I've looked at and thought "Well that went one (usually boring) way, but what if it had progressed in a completely different way?" The road accident at the start of Wishful Thinking, for example, is exactly what happened to me up until the appearance of the roadside rescue service. After that, I thought, what if my heroine didn't just continue on her journey. What if she met someone very special in unusual circumstances; where might that lead her?
Do you have a writing quirk?
If a character's name comes to me at the beginning of a story - especially if it was part of a dream - I feel quite superstitious about changing it, no matter how much I dislike it.
Pantser or Planner?
Oh, pantser, definitely. I used to believe you had to plan everything in minute detail (and as an English teacher, that's what I used to tell my students), but my best-selling title took me less than a month to write and I had no idea what was going to happen in the story from day to day as I sat writing it. I found the experience fascinating and thrilling, and felt I was on a similar journey to the reader, turning each page not knowing what would happen next or how it would all end.
Do you pick out dream casts for your books? If so, what's your favorite so far?
No I don't. I actually try to avoid that because I don't want to 'lead' readers and restrict their own imaginations. That's also why I don't like to use photos of people on the covers. That said, however, when I did The Next Big Thing on my blog, I was asked to pick a cast for In Loving Hate and I had great fun doing that. I remember 'discovering' Eduardo Verastegui to play Alex and Josh Hartnett to play his lawyer-cousin, Mark. Perfect!
What do you use to motivate yourself to keep writing through the tough spots?
Oh this is difficult and we all have those. I try to create a sense of order around me so I'll clear my clutter, tidy my desk etc. Chatting to some of the wonderful writing friends I've made online also helps.
Do you create a playlist for your works?
Do you mean music? No - there's so much already going on inside my head as I write that I think music might just distract me - and my characters. I want to be able to hear their voices clearly and make them as real as possible.
What is your current WIP about? (Possible title, characters, setting, etc.)
It's a speculative fiction called Killing Jenna Crane about a highly successful (but non-too-likeable) fiction writer who meets his ideal woman after treating his previous girlfriend rather badly. The past comes back to haunt him as he becomes more involved with Emily. She has no respect for his writing and wants him to kill off his eponymous heroine and focus on more serious stuff and he seems powerless to deny her anything. The more besotted he becomes with his new love, the more his life spirals out of control as guilt over his past begins to prey on his mind.
Share one sentence from your book, no explanations, just one sentence.
"The worst thing about living with a fiction writer is that reality can never measure up to the fantasy that's playing out inside your head."
Coke vs Pepsi?
Dr Pepper (Sorry but I much prefer it to those two!)
Chocolate vs Vanilla?
Vanilla
Cake vs Ice Cream?
Ice cream
Night owl or Early bird?
Night owl
Favorite genre to read?
Women's fiction
What was your favorite book as a child?
The Mill on the Floss
Do you think we dream in color or that we wake up and remember it in color?
I know I dream in colour - bright, vivid colours.
What's your favorite food?
Hot and sour soup
What type of food could you never live without?
Green vegetables
If you meet one person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Socrates - he was such a wise man.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you take with you (limit 4 items)?
The Complete Works of Jane Austen
My cat (to catch the spiders)
A computer with an endless power supply and internet access
A comb
Favorite show growing up?
Morecambe and Wise
If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
The ability to navigate time
What would your superhero name be?
Lyssa Lossehelin
What do you think the future will hold?
It's hard to look far into the future because times are so tough now, economically and politically, but I hope things will improve for everyone soon.
| | The Blurb: How far will the rich and powerful go in order to achieve their goals? That is the question Lyssa must decide when she finds herself caught between two formidable adversaries: powerful business tycoon and shipping magnate, Alex Andrakis and close childhood friend, ‘Dynamic’ Nell Winters, brewery heiress and prolific businesswoman. Following the failure of her marriage in Greece, Lyssa returns to her family home in London, to discover that her mother, a once-celebrated actress, is now facing crippling debts. When Lyssa begins to investigate these, she becomes embroiled in the intricate business dealings of Nell and her arch-rival Alex. Irresistibly drawn towards widower Alex and his unhappy young son, Lyssa begins to uncover some unexpected and disturbing facts. The more involved she becomes, the more shocking are the discoveries she makes. The conflicts culminate in a frightening battle for survival as Lyssa finds herself the prime target between the possessive Nell and obsessive Alex. With her loyalties deeply divided, can Lyssa make the right choice for everyone concerned? |
About the Author:
Until three years ago, Lynette was a busy English teacher, running her own department in a large comprehensive school just outside London. She gave up education to focus on her writing, thus fulfilling her lifelong dream. Her first novel, The Apple Tree, won the grand prize in Prism Book Groups' (formerly Inspired Romance) inaugural writing competition and this was subsequently published last December. Two further contemporary romances followed earlier this year (Wishful Thinking and Shopping for Love). In Loving Hate is her first romantic suspense, published in November 2012 by MuseItUp Publishing. She has also published a short sci-fi story, Surveillance, with her son as co-writer and has plans to release a psychological drama, Killing Jenna Crane this month.
Lynette lives with her family in an early Victorian cottage in a picturesque Surrey village and when not writing or reading, loves catching up with her friends, the cinema and theatre; dabbling with exotic cooking or trying to make her rather wild garden and the family's eccentric cat behave nicely.
Website: http://www.lynettesofras.com
Blog: http://manicscribbler.blogspot.com
Until three years ago, Lynette was a busy English teacher, running her own department in a large comprehensive school just outside London. She gave up education to focus on her writing, thus fulfilling her lifelong dream. Her first novel, The Apple Tree, won the grand prize in Prism Book Groups' (formerly Inspired Romance) inaugural writing competition and this was subsequently published last December. Two further contemporary romances followed earlier this year (Wishful Thinking and Shopping for Love). In Loving Hate is her first romantic suspense, published in November 2012 by MuseItUp Publishing. She has also published a short sci-fi story, Surveillance, with her son as co-writer and has plans to release a psychological drama, Killing Jenna Crane this month.
Lynette lives with her family in an early Victorian cottage in a picturesque Surrey village and when not writing or reading, loves catching up with her friends, the cinema and theatre; dabbling with exotic cooking or trying to make her rather wild garden and the family's eccentric cat behave nicely.
Website: http://www.lynettesofras.com
Blog: http://manicscribbler.blogspot.com
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