author interview – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Indie Block Party – Post 4 – Interview my Neighbor

Published on August 22, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle11 Comments

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. Join us for the Indie Block Party to meet your writing “neighbors.”

Participants will have the opportunity to share a little about themselves and their writing, while getting to know the other like-minded crazies that make up the Indie Writing World.

Week 1
Day 1: Introduce Yourself
Day 2: Introduce your WIP
Day 3: Interview one of your Characters
Day 4: Interview one of your Neighbors (not your real neighbor…the one who signed up on the linkey after you 😉 )

Week 2
Day 5: What are you reading?
Day 6: Top 5 books
Day 7: Share your most helpful writing tips
Day 8: Share your most helpful social media & networking tips

Full instructions are available at The Peasants Revolt or Dawna Raver’s blog.

Give me a brief synopsis of the first story you ever wrote (in school, published or just for yourself)?Reporter Merah Slavings is stalking Business Tycoon Nicolas Masters. She wants to know all his dirty little secrets and not just because he is the man of her dreams. Merah doesn’t stumble into his deep dark past but into his arms… mortally wounded. To save her life Nicolas, a vampire, turns Merah and wants her to be his loving companion for all eternity. Merah’s life has turned upside down and eternity is a long time.

Nicholas has many secrets one is that he has been watching Merah Slavings for quite some time. He is hoping she is the one that he can trust with his deepest darkest secret, but first he is going to intrigue and romance her to sweep her off her feet. He has learned that taking your time to get what you want is part of the fun. Time he has plenty of. Fate intervenes and he runs out of time to woo her having to decide to turn her or let her die. Has Nicolas bitten off more than he can chew?

What books have most influenced your writing? Kim Harrisons the Hollows series, and Laurel K Hamilton’s Anita Blake and Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson. I’d love to roll all three up into my work!

What is the best writing advice you were given? Above all else write.

What are your top five favorite movies? That’s a tough one. Best friend’s Wedding, Sweet home Alabama, Van Helzing, Avatar and any western! I have a thing for cowboys.

Do movies influence your writing? No not really.

What is your favorite romantic moment in a film or a book? Gosh there’s too many to mention. I’m such a mushy romantic at heart. I loved when Jack Nicholas told Helen hunt you make me want to be a better man in as Good as it Gets.

Any tattoos? Nope

Pick one of your published works and give me a list of the steps involved in that project from idea to publication? I don’t have one completely polished yet. I just sent my first rounds of edits back to my editor on Love Bites. It has been quite a learning experience. I sure hope it’s polished soon!

For more information on Cathy Brockman, visit her blog cathybrockmanromances.wordpress.com.

His Allure, Her Passion – Get to Know Juliana

Published on February 27, 2013February 27, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle4 Comments

I met Juliana during JuNoWriMo last year and I was an instant fan. Hope you enjoy getting to know her, too.

Nicknames: Ju, Juli, Seca (which is a slang for someone too thin in Portuguese – I was too skinny when a teenager)

Where do you live: Connecticut

Your favorite dessert: hm, anything with hot fudge and ice cream

Your favorite TV series: TVD, Nikita, Arrow, and Beauty and the Beast. I CANNOT choose only one from these.

Last book you read: Breathe by Abbi Glines

Last movie you watched: The Expendables 2 (horrible! good for laughs though)

Last song (or album) you bought: Lucifer by SHINee (South Korean boy band)

A book/series you could read over and over again: I’m not big into re-reading but I would say any book/series by Richelle Mead

Coke or pepsi? Both

Day or night? Night, though, after becoming a mother, I had to force myself to become a day person 😉

Pen or pencil? Pencil

Summer or winter? Winter – I have super low blood pressure and faint a lot during the summer, so …

Cat or dog? Dog

Tea or coffee? Both

Plotter or pantser? I was half-half, but now I’m trying to become more of a plotter

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? I’ve been writing since I was 13yo, but it was only a hobby. It was around 2009 when I thought I could try this seriously, but I took it very slow in the beginning.

What are you working on now? I’m writing NA contemporary romance called Breaking the Reins and I’m plotting The Everlast #2 which is unnamed yet. And I will not mention how many ideas are swirling around my mind. Too distracting …

If you decided not to be a writer, what would your other dream job be? Why? Architect. I went to architecture school for 3 years. Loved it to death. Still do.

What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done in your life? Moved out of my parents’ house in a very small town when I was 16yo and went to live alone in a city with 1.5 million habitants.

Who is the one person that has singlehandedly inspired you the most in your life? My father. He and I always talked a lot, about everything, and he always pushed me to be a better person. Before I went to college (for Architecture, then Graphic Design), he told me I should do something where I could use my writing – he knew I was destined to be a writer, even when I didn’t.

What is one talent that you’re hopeless at, but you wish you had? Singing. And drawing. How I wish I could do both at least a little decently, but nah. I’m hopeless.

What is one trait or physical characteristic that you are proud of/love about yourself? Physical = my greens eyes. Trait = I always treat others as I would like to be treated. Respect is the law.

Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers? Don’t give up. Each word you put down, you’re improving your craft. Several known authors wrote lots of manuscripts before finding and agent/selling a book. Your time will come. You just have to keep at it.

Excerpt from His Allure, Her Passion

Dylan kissed Hayley, his lips moving slowly at first, afraid of getting her madder than she already was, afraid of falling under her spell more than he already had. But her scent burnt his nostrils and her sweet taste teased his mouth, and he lost it. His need grew, and he increased the speed and pressure of the kiss. Startling him, she matched his new rhythm, her soft lips moving along with his, her nails scratching the back of his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine, shaking his core. Wanting more of her, needing more of her, he slid his hands up her bare back, rubbed her silky skin, glued himself to her. He loved her skin on his, her warmth mingled with his.

Dylan could have kissed her forever, and he would have, weren’t it for Dorant.

“Perfect,” the photographer said, destroying the moment. “And that’s a wrap. We’re done here, people.”

The kiss slowed, their hands drew back, and finally Hayley pulled her head back, breaking the kiss, her wide eyes on his.

Damn, he missed her lips already.

“Hayley, I-”

She walked away without hearing him. Perhaps, it was for the best, since he wasn’t sure what to say. He felt he needed to say something, to fix them, to fix their relationship.

Hayley, on the other hand, didn’t seem eager to fix anything.