Christmas has been a shitshow, an absolute shitshow. Instead of focusing on that, I'm going to answer some of the bookish questions I have been sent over the last couple of months. I have tried to choose questions that I get quite a lot.
What's your favourite genre to read or write?
I would have to stick with paranormal romance because nothing is impossible or too much. I write without limits; I wouldn't be able to do that if I wrote a romance based in a small town between two neighbours. I want to read about the impossible; I want to be taken away from reality for a little while.
I do love a forbidden romance- there's nothing quite like forbidden romance. My second series is centred around a forbidden romance. The tension, the small, seemingly innocent gestures, the stolen moments and the tiny details that make you smile. I cannot get enough of it. Trying to get two people to realise that they're being drawn together is the best; it's all about building the atmosphere. It's one of my favourite things to write.
Do you think your portrayal of alpha males demeans women? I'm totally here for it, by the way, but I'm just wondering if it ever runs through your mind.
No, it has never run through my mind. My female leads are little pieces of me, and the last thing I am is the dainty female who submits to a man. My female leads are badass, they may fall in love with alpha men, but they are powerful in their own right. My books are not for everyone, but I always promised myself that I'd write what I love. The stories are personal; they're as individual as the characters. The alpha males might come across as brutish, but they love their women; there's nothing sexier.
Are your characters based on real people?
Not intentionally, no. My female leads are little pieces of me. Luna was the young woman who needed a man to protect her from the world; she was damaged and needed the protection that a man offered her. I wouldn't say she was weak, but she was alone and needed people. Melody is flawed in every single way, but she is fiercely independent; she doesn't need a man to protect her from the world. The scars that she has are worn as body armour. She is bloody stubborn and pig-headed, just like me, and she doesn't have a filter when she speaks. The women carry pieces of my journey with them, and that's how I share the darkest parts of myself.
My first series could be a mirror image of my life in terms of characters; this was completely unintentional, though. Amon was the male who wrapped Luna in a bubble and tried to protect her from the world. Luna's Nan was my Nan; I had just lost her and missed her immensely. Az was the male best friend; my best friend was male and played the role of Az in my life.
Luna's Father reflected the state of my relationship with my own Father; betrayal, heartbreak and grief that comes from losing someone without them dying.
Violet is personal to me; she is my biggest what if.
Do you have a favourite character?
Violet will always be my favourite character in my first series; you'll understand this if you've read it.
Melody is my favourite character from my second series; she is perfectly imperfect. My favourite characters to read are flawed characters; I love the authenticity of a character with traits that makes them imperfect. Melody is like thistle; I read the story of the thistle at Edinburgh castle many years ago, and it stuck with me. Beautiful, but fierce.
Do you cry when you write?
I cry ALOT! I still cry when I read the ending of my first series, and I cried writing the end of book 1 of the Wanderer series. These characters are my creation; it breaks my heart when they hurt.
What are you writing at the moment?
I'm currently re-writing book 2 of the Wanderer series, but I'm also working on a couple of other things. I have a poetry book that is mentally exhausting; it's the poems I wrote at my lowest points. I also have a new series that has been niggling at me. I had the idea of the two main characters, Sage and Torrin, and their story has been growing. I have written half of their first book, but I'm sidelining it until the Wanderer series is complete. Melody and Roman deserve my attention right now.
How do you find writing with MS?
I have a few illnesses that impact my writing; I'm at the point where pain every day is normal. Pain in my hands is hard; my hands are how I tell my stories. Brain fog suckkkkkkkks so bad. Fatigue, recurring infections, depression from being stuck inside and isolated; these are just a few things that have become my new normal. It's hard, but it'd be harder to get people to understand. I feel like some people think I'm just an epic napper, and that may be true, but I also have a reason.
It makes some people uncomfortable when I share my struggles, but I really don't care- this is my life. I know that others have the same struggles, so I share my struggles for those people.
Will you ever stop writing?
Never. I have an old soul, and it has stories to tell.
Amon or Roman?
Roman. He is a little bit rougher around the edges.
I loved answering those and will always send responses to the questions asked through my website. I suck at technology, but I'm winging it!
I hope you have a fantastic New Year. Thank you so much for the support and friendship through 2021.
Stay safe, make memories and wear your bloody masks!
L
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