I've had a busy day today, so I'm late with this blog post. Sorry.
A couple of weeks ago, I featured another book by Holley. Today I have an interview with this wickedly funny wench.
A couple of weeks ago, I featured another book by Holley. Today I have an interview with this wickedly funny wench.
Your upcoming release is ‘Love By Premonition’. Can you describe this book for us?
LbP is what I like to call a “rural fantasy romance.” That’s sort of like an urban fantasy, but my heroine isn’t a bad-ass who wears leather everything and brandishes shiny guns. She wears ratty flip-flops and does most of her grocery shopping in her grandmother’s pantry. She always pays her rent late, but doesn’t get too much flak about it because it’s a small town and her landlord knows she’ll make good on it eventually. (Probably.)
The story is single-title length at around 80,000 words and told in first person point-of-view from the female main character’s perspective. Marcia is a reluctant psychic who does freelance consulting for the police. She’s a bit of a hippie and definitely not a people person. A certain detective finds her crankiness charming, however. (There’s someone for everyone, right?)
There are a few different interwoven plots in the book – the major one being the romance between Marcia and the smooth-talking Scotsman, the second one being the case Marcia helps solve, and the third being Marcia coming to terms with her psychicness.
LbP is what I like to call a “rural fantasy romance.” That’s sort of like an urban fantasy, but my heroine isn’t a bad-ass who wears leather everything and brandishes shiny guns. She wears ratty flip-flops and does most of her grocery shopping in her grandmother’s pantry. She always pays her rent late, but doesn’t get too much flak about it because it’s a small town and her landlord knows she’ll make good on it eventually. (Probably.)
The story is single-title length at around 80,000 words and told in first person point-of-view from the female main character’s perspective. Marcia is a reluctant psychic who does freelance consulting for the police. She’s a bit of a hippie and definitely not a people person. A certain detective finds her crankiness charming, however. (There’s someone for everyone, right?)
There are a few different interwoven plots in the book – the major one being the romance between Marcia and the smooth-talking Scotsman, the second one being the case Marcia helps solve, and the third being Marcia coming to terms with her psychicness.
Please tell us a little about your road to publication.
It took me a while to settle into writing in this style/genre. I started writing sci-fi and “dark” paranormal stories, went to women’s fiction from there, segued into chick-lit for a while, and finally settled in romance. Romance is where I found my footing. I guess I’m a happily-ever-after writer. Wish I’d known that sooner!
You have a great sense of humour and love adding humour to your stories. Is it easy adding humorous elements to your work?
Adding the humor is easy. Editing it so it’s actually digestible is excruciating! I can never tell what jokes will go over peoples’ heads, especially since I make use of local color and colloquialisms to give my characters flavors. Southern Americans have some really confounding idioms! Having an editor from a different part of the country helps me cull out the dialog that won’t universally fly. I’ve gotten a few comment bubbles from editors asking “What do you mean here?!” Rather than try to plead my case, I just try a different joke. Most of my jokes are observational humor, although if I can squeeze in a dirty double entendre, I’ll do it.
It took me a while to settle into writing in this style/genre. I started writing sci-fi and “dark” paranormal stories, went to women’s fiction from there, segued into chick-lit for a while, and finally settled in romance. Romance is where I found my footing. I guess I’m a happily-ever-after writer. Wish I’d known that sooner!
You have a great sense of humour and love adding humour to your stories. Is it easy adding humorous elements to your work?
Adding the humor is easy. Editing it so it’s actually digestible is excruciating! I can never tell what jokes will go over peoples’ heads, especially since I make use of local color and colloquialisms to give my characters flavors. Southern Americans have some really confounding idioms! Having an editor from a different part of the country helps me cull out the dialog that won’t universally fly. I’ve gotten a few comment bubbles from editors asking “What do you mean here?!” Rather than try to plead my case, I just try a different joke. Most of my jokes are observational humor, although if I can squeeze in a dirty double entendre, I’ll do it.
Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in between?
For the most part, I’m a pantser. When I have an idea for a book, I may do a very loose synopsis/overview type thing that tells me who the characters are and what obstacle they have keeping them apart, but beyond that…I never know how the characters will get from Point A to Point Z until I get into the guts of the story. My first drafts are…interesting.
What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Holley Trent?
Guh. I’m working on so many things and they’re all in different stages. The first book of my cambion series starts this summer (it’s called Demon in Waiting). I’ve got a contemporary called Saint and Scholar releasing in July, and an erotic contemporary coming in October titled Calculated Exposure.
Love by Premonition has a spin-off in the works, but I had to take a break from that book. Those characters are absolutely nutty and I’m trying to find the right blend of comedy and sexiness. That’s hard for a first-person book. I don’t want readers to hate the narrator.
What is your favourite part of the process of writing?
Layering in characters’ back-stories and personality quirks. That usually happens in the second draft.
What are you currently reading?
Can’t say! I’m doing contest judging.
For the most part, I’m a pantser. When I have an idea for a book, I may do a very loose synopsis/overview type thing that tells me who the characters are and what obstacle they have keeping them apart, but beyond that…I never know how the characters will get from Point A to Point Z until I get into the guts of the story. My first drafts are…interesting.
What are you working on now? And what’s in the near future for Holley Trent?
Guh. I’m working on so many things and they’re all in different stages. The first book of my cambion series starts this summer (it’s called Demon in Waiting). I’ve got a contemporary called Saint and Scholar releasing in July, and an erotic contemporary coming in October titled Calculated Exposure.
Love by Premonition has a spin-off in the works, but I had to take a break from that book. Those characters are absolutely nutty and I’m trying to find the right blend of comedy and sexiness. That’s hard for a first-person book. I don’t want readers to hate the narrator.
What is your favourite part of the process of writing?
Layering in characters’ back-stories and personality quirks. That usually happens in the second draft.
What are you currently reading?
Can’t say! I’m doing contest judging.
~~~
Thanks, Holley!
Love By Premonition is due for release from Musa Publishing later in the month.
~yia~
6 comments:
Great interview, ladies! I know what you mean about finding your writer's voice in a genre, Holley. I started with paranormal romance! Cheers and best wishes on your upcoming release!
Great interview and cover!Congrats on the new novel, Holley. I already love your heroine and can relate to shopping in grandma's pantry.
That pantry-shopping thing may or may not have been something I used to do to my grandmother.
*whistles innocently*
Entertaining, as always. Your productivity is intimidating and they all sound like winners. So glad you settled on romance! I'm a gotta-have-at-least-an-HFN-ending reader.
Rhea, I always say writing is cheaper than therapy. I guess I need a lot of therapy. ;)
Thanks everyone popping in.
LOL, Holley - that innocent whistling doesn't convince anyone.
Post a Comment