Interviews
The first interview for Bella Notte!
Ok readers. So the first interview done regarding Bella Notte and me was done by Danielle Bianchini from the Fantasy/Vampire/Romance Book Club... There are some links at the bottom to check out their stuff! It is an awesome group and they are all about books like mine so perhaps you'd like to join!
Here's the interview:
1. First of all, would you like to let everyone know what Bella Notte is about?
Bella Notte is a YA supernatural vampire romance. Now I'm not talking about a cheesy Buffy the vampire slayer falls for Angel the vampire or the not cheesy at all relationship between Bella and Edward. My story is different. All of my main characters start out as human in the beginning of this book. They go through a "change" and they become vampires/werewolves. But besides dealing with all of this vampire/werewolf stuff, they still have to deal with everyday teenage stuff and some stuff that most teens don't have to deal with. No spoilers for you!
2. How did you come up with the idea for Bella Notte?
I've always loved vampires, and when I say love, what I mean is that they are my obsession! When the genre began to open up more for writers, I decided that my story wasn't out there and that it needed to be told. It still isn't out there. So I took my undying love for vampires and wrote the book I wanted to read.
3. When did you first start writing?
I've always written and told stories, apparently as that is what all my friends have been saying now that I wrote a book. As for Bella Notte, it took me about a year and a half to get it done, but that doesn't include the 9 months that I was pregnant with my son and on bed rest- like serious lay down all the time bed rest.
4. What did you find was the most difficult part of writing the book?
Everything! My characters had really strong voices in my head, but they had no names, no homes, nothing! It was difficult to come up with the histories for so many people and then I went and threw in mythological stuff too (sorry to those creatures that really do exist)... it just made it even harder!
5. Would you say the story revolves more around the world of the supernatural or around the relationship between the characters? I guess what I mean is, is it more of an action story or a romance?
I would have to say that it is a romance, as it is a love triangle. But the self-discovery within the supernatural is also important, but I think that it will be more present in the next book, can't for say for sure as it is still floating around in my head... but the love stuff will be there too.
6. On your web site you say that your "vampires are different from the everyday type." How are they different?
Well, when I started mapping out Bella Notte, I made a list that I had everyone contribute to as for the stereotypical traits of vampires and werewolves. Then I hand picked the traits for my creatures. I chose the things that I thought would be necessary for my characters to deal with the things that they will face... so you won't find any Draculas or sparkly vampires here.
7. Do you believe in any kind of supernatural beings in real life?
Now you're going to think I'm insane. I have to admit that I do believe in all supernatural beings. I believe in vampires, werewolves, ghosts, the monster in my closet and under my bed. I know, it sounds completely nutty. But I think that it helps make my writing unique, as I write stuff that I believe could really be out there.
8. Are you planning on making Bella Notte into a series?
Of course! There will be four books! The title translations are Beautiful Night (book 1), Beautiful life (book2), beautiful sadness (book 3), and beautiful death (book 4). I've already written out the prologues for all four books and you can find the first two on the site. I wanted to post the other two but there are too many spoilers in them, so they will just have to wait! And I've begun writing the beginning of Bella Vita (Beautiful Life).
9. I know you find it helpful to have conversations with your characters so, if Emma (the main character) could say one last thing to readers of her story, what would it be?
Dang that's a hard one. I think that she would probably let them know that this is not the last they will hear from her and OMG can it get any worse?
Again, feel free to check them out at:
http://littlevampireplace.blogspot.com
The Communtiy for the Club
http://littlevampireplace.ning.com
The Club Fan Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fantasy-Vampire-Romance-Book-Club/34292072154
The Club MySpace address
http://www.myspace.com/littlevampireplace
The same day I had the second interview for Bella Notte! Can you believe it?
My dear interested readers (that's you! :P), in the same day of the first interview I got a request for a second one, I couldn't believe it. I, of course, agreed to it. The interview was done by Mariah Ellis of Writeslot's Weblog, at the end you guys can find a link to her site as well. You should check it out, she is also a writer and has been known to post up some of her stuff as well!
Here is this interview:
1.Where did you first get the idea for Bella Notte?
Bella Notte came from my long obsession with vampires and my love of the supernatural genre. I wish that I had an exact moment where I was like 'I know what I'll write about,' but unfortunately, I'm just not that organized. It developed and grew into what it is today. It started with me writing what I knew about Emma Hutchinson and Michael O'Shanold down on paper from their perspective. I guess that was my warm up. After I wrote that I out, the dream came and I built on to it from there. There is a whole section that is part of the book, I think it's now chapter 4, 5, and 6 (originally it was just a really LONG chapter 4) that wouldn't even be there if I hadn't had to take a break while I was on strict lay down all the time bed rest while I was pregnant with my son. So it was an organic process that grew... but it started with my characters.
2. When did you start writing?
I've always written and told stories, I also used to write poetry- one day I hope to get my memorial book of poems for my sister published, but I have to finish it first. My friends have just recently thought to inform me that I was always an awesome story teller so it's no wonder that I wrote a book- I was clearly not aware of this! LOL. As
for Bella Notte, I started writing it around May of 2007, and finished it after my son was born.
3. When was it that you thought, "I should try and get this published!"?
I think from the very beginning I had hoped that I could get it published. But it wasn't until I had finished it and let my fiance and best friend read it and they loved it! That was when I thought maybe other people would actually like to read it too. Now let's just hope it gets published! :P
4. How did you come up with the names for your books?
Well, Bella Notte- meaning beautiful night, is actually a name taken from the story itself. It is the name of a club. Once I wrote out the part where I named the club, I knew that was what I was going to call the book. As for the others, once I decided on Bella Notte, I knew I was going to be writing the story as a series so I needed something
that would go together, so I thought about what each book might have in it and decided on the names. So you have Bella Vita (Book 2, which I am currently working on) which means Beautiful Life, Bella Tristezza (Book 3, which I have the prologue done for) which means Beautiful Sadness, and Bella Morte (Book 4, I also have this prologue done as well) meaning Beautiful Death. Each title has to do with something in the book, but maybe not what the reader expects at first, so please don't think that the titles give away anything to the storyline- they are merely a taste of what is to come. :)
5. You say that you have conversations with the main character of Bella Notte, Emma Hutchinson. What do you two talk about?
Besides her waking me up during the middle of the night to tell me something else I have to include in the books? She gives me her opinions about stuff, or I'll try and consider what she would think about something I'm going to buy or do. It is by far the strangest way to live in one's own head that I think I've ever heard of. I am not crazy in any sense, but I do hear voices. I don't just hear Emma's, but she is the closest one to me- my friends tell me that she talks and acts like I do, go figure. I hear all of my characters and it can be quite crowded sometimes. The worst is when I'm in one of my graduate classes and I'm trying to focus on what is being said when they pop up and start talking about what I should be writing down. That's when I have to pull out my little composition book I carry around for the book I'm working on and I have to write- if only to get them to shut up! I probably sounds like I'm ready to be carted off to the looney bin, but that is part of being a writer- you have to have a connection to your characters.
6. Are you a fan of any of the other vampire books out there?
Heck yeah! I love them all! I've read so many. Vampires are my obsession, did I mention that already? I've been reading about them forever- long before the genre became what it is today. My bookcases, yes plural, are filled with this stuff. I think right now the ones I am keeping up with are: The Twilight Saga, Vampire Academy, Vampire
Kisses, The House of Night, Vampirates, Blue Bloods, I know there are other ones, but I just can't think of them. It is hard trying to fit in extra reading on top of my grad school homework, baby time, writing, and trying to keep my house stuff up- but somehow I manage! :P
7. Why do you think that everybody is so in to vampires?
I think that Meyer's books have done a great job of getting people to notice vampires. She is the current Anne Rice of our time. I think that people have always had a thing for them, but right now it is blown way up. The vampire allure is something that is a very powerful thing, and it connects back to the idea of the unknown- you're either
drawn to it or you fear it. Either case, it holds something for you that could easily suck you in and never let you back... just look at me!
8. What were some of your favorite books/authors growing up?
I wish that I could say that I was an avid reader when I was a kid. But the cold truth is that I HATED reading, I was slow at it and being called on in class was the worst thing that could happen to me. I had no confidence and it was hard for me. It wasn't until I was an older teen that I found the Harry Potter books, by then the first three were in paperback, that I started reading. They were my starting point and from there I read anything I could. In fact, in my storage unit I have a HUGE box filled with used books I bought that are all the classics that I never read when I was a kid, so one day when I have time I am going to have lots of fun reading them. (Just as a sidenote, and something I totally forgot when I did the interview, before Harry Potter found me the only books I would read were Nora Roberts book and Erotica, go figure!)
9. What was your dream job when you were little?
I wanted to be a paleontologist! I love dinosaurs. But when I started college it was impossible to find an undergraduate vertebrate paleontology program so I had to go with Anthropology instead, and that's what I did. So now I am working toward my degree in Archaeology so I can be the next Indiana Jones!
10. Do you have any advice for wannabe authors?
The most important thing to do is not give up. No matter what people say to you, and sometimes it will be horrible things, do not give up. When you finish your book and you send out query letters, do not let the rejections you get make you feel bad. It is all a matter of opinion, and as long as you believe your work is worth something, then
it matters! Your story should be told, so don't give up!
11. What do you think of penguins taking over the world?
Will they all have happy feet? I think that people should look out for the dancing penguins first... they might be cute and all but you know they are planning on taking things over as soon as we let our guard down!
Please check out her site at:
www.writesalot.wordpress.com
Interview with Marya from Looking Glass Review
Hey Bella Notte fans, so I today I did an interview with Marya from the Looking Glass Review! Let me tell you they have an interesting little site there and everyone should check it out. The links will be at the end of the interview as always.
1. You are the first person I know of who has created a website for a book that has yet to be published. Why did you do this?
Well, it's a marketing tacit. I was hoping that if I could get a fan base before my book was published, then a publisher would want it even more. I can't tell you if it worked or not because I've only sent it to one publishing house since I got my site up and running, and I'm waiting to hear anything from them before I continue on my path to get Bella Notte published.
2. What kind of reception has your website and your book idea received?
Would you be surprised if I told you that I have fans? My site gets hits everyday, and the most surprising thing is that after the USA the next biggest hitter on it is Poland! I've gotten emails from teens to adults, male and female alike, about how they want it published and filled with support. I've even gotten some that are worried that as
cool as my book is that it won't get picked up because of Meyer's current popularity. I have people coming to me for advice and everything. So, I'd say that both have been received awesomely!
3. Where did you get the idea for your book?
I wish I had some great story about how the book came to me, but like I've said before, I don't. It was an organic process that grew. I started Bella Notte almost 2 years ago, and at that point I just had the dream. I tried to map out the story, but I've found out that I'm not too good at staying on track with those. So I made a map of the town, I scheduled my characters' classes, I decided little details that I'd want to put in once I got to the part where they could fit and then I wrote. Unfortunately, I had to take a break while I was pregnant with my son because I was put on strict bed rest and writing on my laptop wasn't very easy- not that my best friend and sister did both offer to write for me. But because of that rest a whole part of the book came into being- it wouldn't be there if I hadn't taken some time away from my characters.
4. Have you started on the second book in your series yet?
Yes, and let me tell you, it isn't easy. I'm having trouble remembering all the fine details from the first one, and I feel a little like I should be waiting to see if Bella Notte gets picked up. But it doesn't stop my mind from coming up with more things to write down, and it sure as heck wouldn't stop my characters from making me crazy!
5. Why do you think vampire stories have become the rage in the last few years?
I think many things have contributed this. But in the YA genre, I'd have to say that Meyer's book Twilight started it all. Her books opened this genre up- she's like the J.K. Rowling of YA vampire books. Besides her, I think that people need what vampires have to offer in their lives right now, they are the unknown- something that makes them both hard and easy to write about. Adults want some of that in their lives, they want to feel the mystery of what isn't certain and maybe some of the sexiness of vampires. For YA readers, vampires are outcasts, they don't fit and they're awkward- something every teenager knows. Vampires are the type of characters that can shift into what you need them to be at that very moment- it's their nature to survive, and that they are doing with this current lust for them.
6. Why do you do when you are not writing and trying to sell your book?
I am a mother and a graduate student. When I'm not writing or trying to get Bella Notte out there, I am taking care of my son, Brody, or I am working on my every growing pile of homework. And secretly thinking up more things for Bella Vita and the books to come.
7. Were you a big reader when you were a teen, and if so what did you like to read?
I didn't really like reading until I was an older teen. When I did read it was Nora Roberts books and erotica (I don't even know why- I was always giggling through it). When I hit my later teen years I found Harry Potter, but this was when the first three books were in paperback and in a set, so it was awhile after they had come out and that was what got me started. After that, I read everything I could.
8. Do you have other books ideas in addition to your teen vampire stories?
After I complete the four books for this series, I have some ideas for a demon hunter book (maybe a series as well), but it isn't really shaped at this point. I'm also writing a children's book with an archaeologist as the main character, but I'm not sure on that... it's just an idea.
Take a minute and check out the Looking Glass Review site as well as Marya's Blog! Many thanks to Marya!
Website: www.lookingglassreview.com
Blog: http://lookingglassreview.blogspot.com/
Interview with Jessy from a fashion blog called nocliches.com!
Jessy: What is a typical outfit for Emma?
Jesse: A typical outfit for Emma, well, that would depend on the occasion and her mood. If it's say a school day then she would wear a pleated plaid skirt (color would definitely depend on mood), along with either a corset top of simple design- no frills or over the top-ness, or a t-shirt with something catchy on it (like the saying on the warning I bite shirt), her combat boots would be a must! She'd also wear fishnets and take a hoodie for the morning chill. However, if she was, let's say, trying to learn a new skill (something dealt with more in the second book) then she'd wear comfy cropped yoga pants, a large hoodie, and a wife beater tank top (again color depending on mood), and of course she'd sport some chucks.
My Interpretation of Emma's Typical School Outfit
I couldn't find a plaid pleated skirt so I used leather. =D
Jessy: What is Emma wearing this evening?
Jesse: Tonight Emma is clubbing it at Bella Notte so she's wearing a blazing red corset top with black embroidery of a tribal design (a copy of one of Dominic's tattoos actually), it's a short sleeved one, with tank straps. Her pants are tight leather, not the shiny kind, but the one that clearly has been worn to a comfortable dull. There is nothing special about the pants- no defining marks other than they look good on her. Her shoes are an impractically tall stiletto in a similar leather, the buckles have small skulls and cross bones on them.
My Interpretation
I couldn't find a blazing red corset top with black embroidery of a tribal design so I used plain ol' black. =D
Jessy: If you could describe Emma's style in one word what would it be?
Jesse: Different. I know that sounds like a cop out but it isn't. Emma is different from everything but has a bit of everything going on when the need be. She can be the beautiful prom queen, or the dark gothling, or the nerdy computer loving dork, she has the ability and knowledge to fit in anywhere... but she chooses to be different.
Jessy: When you were a teen, was your style similar to Emma's or was it the complete opposite?
Jesse:When I was a teen? Hee hee, you'd think that was so long ago the way that question goes. I wish my style was like Emma's. She's more like my dream style. Mom was deadset against me dressing in things from Hot Topic and such.. no matter how much I wanted to. I got to where my Dickies and chucks and wife beaters and my rainbow suspenders only when I went to see bands. So Emma's style comes from my inner fashion guru... the one that still depeserately wants me to dress that way... only now I'm a mom and can't!
Jessy: Does your current style influence Emma's?
Jesse:Not in the least. I don't ever get to fuss over myself because I'm always fussing over Brody (my son), and even if I wanted to, I'm still working on fitting back into my smaller sizes.. the ones that I'd rather wear instead of the comfy cropped yoga pants and big shirts!!! One day..
Jessy: Is Emma's style influenced by traumatic events, like say I don't know, turning into a vampire?
Jesse:I think that Emma's style isn't effected by the vampire thing.. it's just something that is apart of her- rather I think that not having her parents around as much while she was growing up did effect her style, she got to create her own because of her lack of true parental influence. That's not saying that she is a complete mess... but she is unique. And definitely not the way her mother and grandmother think she should be!
Jessy: Since I didn't really ask you anything that told anything about the book here's one question that's completely book related-
Does Emma get with a hot vampire guy?
Jesse: Well, Emma meets a steller vampire guy, an interesting werewolf, and in the first chapter of the second book another steamy vampire that could easily send teen girls everywhere into a frenzy! But to know who she ends up.. well, it hasn't been written yet, so I can't tell you! ;)
