Author Interview with Sparking Citrus

Last month Rosalynn, who runs Sparkling Citrus asked me if I'd like to do an author interview and a character interview. She also did a rec of Coffee and Cigarettes. I said sure, why not. Yeah, it's shameless self promotion, but whatever, you have to put yourself out there sometimes.

So, anyways, that being said, this is the interview.


1. I saw in the A/N of chapter 1 that this started as a one shot as original fiction? Why did you decide to continue it?
It did start as an original story, and with each chapter has continued to be an original story. I post two versions of it. One with my original characters and one with Paul and Leah. I decided to continue because I felt like there was more there, a story that needed to be explored and told. On the original side, there was a lot of feedback and people wanted to know what happened next, so I kept going.

2. Do you have any desired to be published?

I do want to be published, but I don’t feel like the stories I have to tell are very good, or original. I’m a big scaredy cat and will probably never even attempt it.

3. How did you find Twilight?

Back when Myspace was cool, they had lists of the top 100 hottest books at the moment. Twilight was one of them. I saw the cover and read the short description they had, and I wanted to read it. Little did I know how irrevocably it would change my life.

4. How did you get into Fanfiction?

It started with the ever popular fic by Psymom, Stranger Than Fiction. Everybody was talking about it; raving about it. I jumped aboard the band wagon and read along. After I finished reading it, I read a few more and thought, Hey, I can do that. At the time, I was going through some stuff and feeling downright depressed about my own writing. I figured, I’d write one story and see how it turned out. I never expected anyone to read it, but they did. And as they say, it was all downhill from there. Lol.

5. What made you decide to be on the pro-wolf side of the fandom?

When I started writing, it felt like the fandom was flooded with Edward and Bella or Jasper and Bella stories. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it wasn’t really something I wanted to read. I wanted to read about Jake and Bella. When I decided what to write, I wrote what I wanted to read, what I wished more people (at the time) wrote.

6.  What is your favorite canon fic?

It’s a tie between Wide Awake and Master of the Universe.

7.  What is your favorite non-canon fic?

Second Chances by AugustBlack.

8. Is Capeside a real town or molded after a real town?

Capeside is a fictional town modeled after the very real town of Seaside, Oregon. Some real places of Seaside are in Coffee and Cigarettes.

9. What made you decide to have be the town for the heartbroken?

It seems like whenever you have a broken heart, everyone around you is happy and all too ready to tell you that everything will be okay, that it will work out, that one day you’ll be happy again. No one wants to hear that when they’re suffering. They want someone to sympathize, or even empathize with what they’re going through, to tell them, “You know, that really freaking sucks. Want me to kick the bastard in the nuts for you next time I see him?” After my ex and I split, my sister didn’t tell me it would be okay, that I would be fine. She offered to drag his stuff into the street, set it on fire, then mail it to him with a note that said, “Happy anniversary, shit head.” That made me feel so much better than hearing that I would be fine. In a way, a town for the heartbroken was what Leah needed because it brought her to Paul.

10. How would you deal with a broken heart?

Get really, really drunk, watch sappy chick flicks and cry until I was numb. It sounds pathetic, but it’s what I did, last time I had my heart broken. Then I tossed out everything that reminded me of him and left town. Then one day I found that it didn’t hurt so bad, and eventually it didn’t hurt at all.

11 Do you have plans for more fics?

I always have plans for more fics. Whether they work out or not is a different story. But I do have a few ideas rolling around in my noggin.

12 Of all your fics, which is your favorite?

Full Circle. Writing that fic took soo much out of me, emotionally, but it was worth it. Taking the characters from teenagers in Disenchanted and throwing them into the situations they went through was challenging, but so worth it.

13. If you could give one piece of advice to new authors, what would it be?

Write what you know and be yourself. Don’t give in to what other people want. There are going to be people out there who don’t like what you are doing and they’re going to tell you. Take it with a grain of salt and keep on trucking. For every one person who wants to break you down, there will be ten more willing to build you back up. Don’t forget that this is your story. You imagined it, you own it. Don’t be afraid of that.

JBNP January Author's Interview with yours truly

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Meet twilightsgrace23 and leave her some love :-)


Here are twilightsgrace23's Stories:
108.9
Pictures of You
Disenchanted
Full Circle
Unattached
The Ties That Bind
Wanderlust

You know it....the banners and links are at the end :-)

Let's do it!

Please Meet twilightsgrace23 aka Nikki

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself:

Let’s see, I’m a mommy, I have an eight year old little girl who is team Jacob,  I’m a photographer (I work for Olan Mills portrait studio), I run an online shop (on a site similar to Etsy) I make these little crocheted headbands and hair clips. I grew up in New Jersey, moved to Virginia Beach in 1996, and lived there for almost ten years. Joined the Navy, did that for a little while. I currently live in Jacksonville, Florida. I hate it here, lol, it’s too hot.

A photographer? That sounds like a fun job! And I would love to check your website out! I have personally ordered several items from Etsy, so I would be happy to check yours out as well. Right folks? J HaHa, I heard some rumors of very humid heat there in Florida, which would be so bad for my hair, I am sure! Thanks for sharing some of your RL with us.aHa

It’s an…interesting job. Some days are better than others, but most of the time it’s interesting. Never the same thing two days in a row. I love Etsy, I just don’t like the fact that you have to pay to post stuff, so for right now, I’m sticking to an alternate site (until I can get some online sales..lol, my co-workers have single handedly kept me going) http://tworedbird.bigcartel.com/ Yup, the heat here is ridiculous, very humid, totally trashes the hair. Thank God for Ganier sleek & shine. Works wonders battling the humidity and frizz.


2.  Let’s hear Twilight now, how did you first get into the saga? When was the first time you read it? And which book is your favorite and why?

How did I first get into Twilight? Remember MySpace (lol), well they had a book list of “must read books” and Twilight was one of them. The cover was what made me want to read it. I spent months trying to find it, was told by the librarian and my local library I was “too old to read it.” I finally found the audio book version and listened to it while I was working out at the gym. This was back in late 2007, early 2008. I think my favorite book of the series is either Eclipse or the first half of Breaking Dawn. Eclipse because of the mystery surrounding who broke into her room, and why, then the whole tent-Jacob-Bella kiss scene. Breaking Dawn because (despite what everybody else thought) the whole making love in the ocean mystery deal that SM wrote was perfect. Some people have a hard time writing lemons (I’m one of them) and in my opinion, she left it open to the reader’s interpretation/imagination.

Just to double check, you did read the actual books, right? or just the Audio books? OMG, how weird is that MySpace is indeed almost from the past, haha Yeah, I was also told before that I am ‘too old’ for the book…..HA!!! I think not! You said you have a hard time writing lemons, I can respect that, but I am sure you enjoy reading them, right? I sure as heck do *grins wide*

I did read them, and re-read them. My husband fed my addiction and bought me the hardback editions for my birthday and our anniversary. I agree…you are NEVER too old for sparkly vampires and sexy werewolves. I do have a hard time writing lemons, but I sure do like reading them. Lol, to each his own. Some people can do it easy peasy and some can’t.

Amen Sister!



3. Did you see the movies? If so, what are your thoughts?

I have seen all of the movies. I think that each one was better than the last. Twilight was awesome until New Moon came out. *Swoon* half-naked wolfs, ‘nuff said. Lol.

Yup! Gosh, I remember when the entire movie theater was screaming simultaneously when the pack appeared for the very first time, I will never forget that J

4. When did you become “Wolf”?

I became wolf when New Moon came out. The part near the end, when Bella runs off to save Edward and Jake asks her to stay, for him. Gah, damn near broke my heart. From that moment on, I was team Jacob.

Yes, that was a very heart-breaking scene, nearly killed me! Dumb Bella *grumble*

I know right, *grumble, grumble*


5. Do you have a favorite Wolf?
I think out of all the wolves, Paul and Sam are my favorites and I have no idea why. Okay, well maybe Paul because he’s such a bad ass, Sam because he’s such a softie and a sweetie and the way he loves Emily is so achingly beautiful.

WootWoot!


6. Which pairing (s) to you prefer writing about and why?

I prefer writing Jacob and Bella because they are (in a way) such vague characters that it’s easy to stick them into any situation and have it work. Not only that, but I feel like Jake should have had his chance with Bella, and not that shoddy half-assed chance she gave him in Eclipse, a real, honest to god chance. Even if it’s not in a tradition story setting.

Another pairing I’d love to write would be Paul and Leah and I have no idea why. I think there’s enough fire between the two of them to make one hell of story; I’m just not sure how well that pairing would be received.

Oh, I would defiantly read a Pau/Leah pairing! You should give it a shot for sure!

I might have to do that. It would be….interesting. lol..


7. What are some of your favorite stories in fanfiction and why?

Okay, please don’t shoot me, but I absolutely loooove Master of the Universe by Snowqueens Icedragon, and Wide Awake by AngstGoddess003. They are both Edward/Bella stories and so damn intriguing…gah, whattya want from me. Master of the Universe was the most shocking, and jaw dropping, seat gripping, WTF? Kind of story that I’ve ever read and she’s got the most wicked awesome playlist for her chapters, it makes me jealous. Wide Awake, what can I say, at the time, everyone was reading it and I wanted to be cool. I never realized it would take over my life (I was literally reading chapters on my phone while waiting for my daughter’s second grade play to begin.)

*DIES*

No, I have heard these to be excellent fanfiction, and there is nothing wrong with reading them, I was just never interested in reading them personally, but I know several people who have and praised them highly. Do you have any favorite Wolf stories?

Second Chances by AugustBlack is one of my favorites.
Different Moon by summerleigh81
My Personal Sun by FreaKiki
I know I’m probably forgetting some, but off the top of my head those are my favorite three.


8. Tell us a little bit about the evolution of your very first story. What was the starting ‘trigger’ for you to start writing it?

My first story starts out with a very tortured Jacob and a very unhappy, somewhat weak Bella. the attraction is there, but he is so miserable and self-loathing that he doesn’t feel like he deserves to be loved. Bella is so comfortable with her position in life that she turns a blind eye to all the crap Edward – her longtime boyfriend – is putting her through. As the chapters go on, Bella and Jacob change each other, she makes him open up about his past, and she gains courage from him.

The starting trigger for Pictures of You was, surprisingly, an Elton John song. I was listening to the radio and it came on, and at the time, I was sitting at the kitchen table making a grocery list, which very quickly turned into the first chapter of Pictures of You.

Aww, yes, this is a very good song. Grocery list and fanfiction, yup a good match! I love it Nikki! That is wayyyy cute.

I know, right. It was like, eggs, milk, bread, one afternoon a sulking, smoking hot Jacob Black skulks across his studio, grumbling under his breath….lol.



9. What would you tell a reader who has not read your story(ies) yet, and what would you say to get them interested in reading them?  

I would probably tell them to read the first chapter, and see if it catches their attention. I know that not everyone likes the same things, or certain writing styles, I can respect that. But honestly, I don’t know what I would say to get them interested. Probably just, “Hey I wrote a story, wanna check it out?” lame, I know.

Not lame at all babe! I can tell you have a lot of love for the words you put down, and yes I think everybody should give it a shot for sure!


10. What is your favorite kind of reader? How important are reviews to you and your motivation to continue on?

Hmm, my favorite kind of reader. I like the readers who have been with me since the beginning and have stuck with me through every story, no matter how sad or jacked up the plot was. I like the readers who aren’t afraid to tell me what they really think. I mean, I love all my readers, but the ones who are like, "dude, wtf? That didn’t make sense,” or “dude, you totally screwed that up.” They rock. And reviews. I have a love/hate relationship with reviews. I love hearing from people, I love the feedback. I feel bad though, because I don’t have a lot of time to reply to the reviews and I wish I did. As for the motivational factor, they do motivate me. Not because I'm an attention whore or whatever, but because it’s kind of gnarly to see people’s reactions.

HaHa, surely nobody ever said to you “dude WTF” nah, you are too good!

Oh you’d be surprised at some of the reviews I have received. There was one reader who left such a nasty review, I literally cried. I mean, I appreciate the honesty, but there is a fine line between honesty and nastiness. She told me that I disappointed her when I killed Jake in Full Circle and wrote Bella & Embry back together. She said she’d never read another one of my stories again. It was upsetting, but you know, you win some, you lose some.

Well, you know you are right, and I am sorry you cried. Some people are just dumb that’s all!


11. Do you always reply back to your readers commenting on the reviews they left for you?

No. *sad face* I don’t have a lot of time to reply. I wish I could, but with my job and my commute, it leaves little time. I’m better at getting back to people on Jacob Black & Pack, but FF, not so much. Not because I like JBNP better, it’s just easier.

Awwww, it is hard at times, no question honey! OK, I am happily taking a spanking by claiming JBNP is waaaaaay cooler than FF, so there :-)

Woot!


12. Of course I want to hear your thoughts about SM Imprinting and fanfiction imprinting. Please don’t hold back.

I like the idea of imprinting; it’s kind of like love at first sight – on crack. I don’t think I’ve ever read any fanfiction imprinting stories so I don’t have any thoughts on that part, but SM, well, I think she hit the nail on the head. Love so powerful and eternal that it changes not only the wolfs life, but the lives of those around them – even if it’s in a bad way – well, it’s real. I like the realness, the idea that love, while the most powerful emotion, is not always pretty, not always perfect. People get hurt, hearts get broken. Broken hearts are mended. It’s beautiful.

Thanks for your honest opinion on Imprinting! You are one of very few people who like SM’s imprinting as far as I ever heard. I wish I could love it too, but…..well I’ll leave it as that.

Aww…why don’t you like her version of imprinting?

I see your point darling, and it could have been much more honest and beautiful if SM only would have done it right. I think it was wrong that Quil imprinted on a toddler and please, why did she do to Jake what she did? A half Vamp BABY!!!


13. What else do you do in your free time?

I crochet. Like a little old lady. I watch TV and crochet. Or I play tennis on the Wii. Or I get my ass kicked at Monopoly by an 8 year old. And I surf the net for random and obscure music, lol. No really, I do.

How neat! What do you crochet mostly? I can imagine it to be pretty relaxing, why you actually create something beautiful! Good for you!

Flowers, lol. I have this strange obsession with making flowers. Most of the time though, I make scarves and hats, which is weird because I live in Florida – where its warm – and we don’t need them. Lol.

HA! I love those little head-bands on your site, really cute.


Random Questions:

What is your favorite Movie:  (500) Days of Summer

What is your favorite food:     Chinese food. Yum. General Tso’s chicken is to die for.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?     London. Hands down. I went there back in 2003; it was the most beautiful city ever. The food was delicious, the architecture, the accent. It was the best place I’ve ever visited.

Who is your favorite Book Author:    James Patterson

What is your guilty Pleasure: hmm…wow…I really have no idea...I don’t have guilty pleasures...unless you count screaming Halestorm at the top of my lungs while doing 80 mph down the interstate


Here you got it! That was real fun huh?!