by Indie Author, Zoe Winters! I so enjoyed this compilation of novellas that I approached Zoe about responding to a few interview questions and she was happy to oblige! So, with out further ado...~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hi Zoe! Thank you so much for taking some time to answer a few questions! It is an honour and a pleasure to have you here at the BookShelf!
What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?
The most challenging aspect is shutting out all the noise (mainly from the Internet) and focusing on the actual writing. The most rewarding aspect is when a fan sends me an email to tell me how much they loved something I wrote or how it helped them escape for a few hours from something crappy going on in their life.
Did anyone in your own life inspire your main characters?
That's hard to say. I don't think any character is entirely inspired by anyone I know. There may be some bits and pieces of people I know in various characters, but it's certainly not a conscious thing. My husband claims that the villains sound suspiciously like him when they speak. LOL.
How did you get the idea for Blood Lust?
Blood Lust
is an anthology of three novellas that introduces my Preternaturals series. Kept
was originally written as a contest entry for one of the epublishing houses that was looking for novellas about werecats. I got the idea of: "What if a witch's familiar wasn't a cat, but was instead a werecat?" Then I started thinking about them having magic blood used in spells and the idea spun from that. Claimed
, the second novella was an idea I got based on expanding on two minor characters that were introduced in Kept. Once I got that far, I thought it would be cool if I could come up with a third novella so I could combine them all into a print book. With Mated
I was able to come up with a way to tie Blood Lust to a novel I'd previously written (but haven't yet released; it's due out soon), called Save My Soul, about an incubus that is trapped in a house by a 50-yr-old curse.What is the most challenging aspect of being an Indie author? What are the most rewarding aspects?
The most challenging aspect is rising above people's preconceived notions. There are SO many really bad self-published books that it's very reasonable for readers to be wary. But at the same time, many of us just do not want to mess with the traditional way of publishing. Most publishing contracts just aren't all that attractive. And many publishers don't do very much to market authors who aren't already big names with big followings. The most rewarding aspect is maintaining creative control and being in charge of the whole project. There is a real sense of pride in bringing something into the world like this from start to finish. (I don't do "every" aspect myself... I get help for editing and cover art. But the buck still stops with me.)
How do you keep track of your world building?
I have a series bible. It's a big 3-ring notebook that contains multiple categories and sections that help me keep up with the mythology, who is in charge of what group as well as their political alliances and issues. There are sections for recurring characters and their physical attributes and character arcs. I also have places for back story that doesn't make it into the books but that informs the world and how it works.
What are some of your favorite literary works?
I don't really have favorite "literary works". I read what I write and what I enjoy. I don't "just" read paranormal romance, but it's what I primarily read. One of my favorite books ever is: "A Hunger Like No Other" by Kresley Cole. I've read it at least five times now. I also like the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward, though about halfway through the series she switches to writing more urban fantasy and I must admit that I really preferred the paranormal romance. It's harder for me to get into urban fantasy. Favorite authors include: Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Cynthia Eden, Kait Nolan, Susan Bischoff, M.T. Murphy, J.R. Ward, Charlaine Harris, and MaryJanice Davidson (the earlier Betsy books).
Please share with us what can we expect from you next? Will there be a sequel?
At this time, the plan is for everything I write under the Zoe Winters name to be part of one series. It's all one very large world with many different species. I just don't see the sense in having to do world building for a lot of different worlds. It makes more sense, and I think is overall more appealing to readers, to have everything happening in this same 'verse.
My next book will be Save My Soul, which I briefly mentioned earlier. I'm not yet prepared to give a lot of details on that, but it's in final editing stages right now and will delve more deeply into the incubus world. Cain, the incubus you met briefly in the third novella of Blood Lust
, is the villain of Save My Soul. He gets his own book later.Do you have any upcoming appearances? If so where can our readers find you?
I'm a bit of a hermit. I don't have anything planned at this time. That might change in the future, but as of right now if readers want to talk with me, the Internet is the best place to do it. I'm on Twitter as @zoewinters I'm on Facebook. I have a blog: http://zoewinters.wordpress.com I try to be very accessible/approachable to readers online and I love getting email.
Can you please share with us how old you were when you wrote your first story?
I don't remember how old I was when I wrote my first story, but I do know that I was in junior high when I wrote my first novel. I usually wrote during math, history, science... the boring stuff. LOL. I honestly don't know how I graduated high school. I spent most of my time in most of my classes daydreaming and writing fiction. Teachers told me I needed to pay attention to class work so I could get a degree and a job. As it turns out, I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, preparing for my vocation.
Besides being a writer, what other types of jobs have you held?
I've been a waitress, hotel night auditor, telemarketer, marketing assistant for a small publisher, wedding coordinator, toy store employee, fast food worker, office worker, and several other jobs I can't remember. LOL I had 33 jobs before I figured out I couldn't stand working for other people.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
I highly recommend subscribing to the newsletter. I realize many are hesitant to subscribe to author newsletters because it fills your inbox with tons of pointless emails, but I only send an email when I have a new release or a big contest, and never more than once per month, though it's more normal for newsletters to go out 4 times a year. The newsletter is the best way to stay plugged in and find out immediately when I have something new available. (Normally it's on sale in ebook initially as well, so that's another benefit.) To subscribe to the newsletter, click on the "contact me" link on my blog and follow the directions. (http://zoewinters.wordpress.com) If you haven't read any of my fiction, you can subscribe by clicking on the "Free Ebook: Kept" link and follow the directions to subscribe and get a complimentary digital copy of Kept
.Thank you Zoe! Your participation is greatly appreciated! Lol, Math, History and Science! I can't think of better classes to let your imagination run wild!...Otherwise, they would be way to boring!
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It's all about the blood...Comprised of three novellas (Available now individually at Amazon), Blood Lust
gives readers a snapshot look at the world of the Preternaturals Series. (Future installments of the series will be novels.)KEPT
(also available free, here):As a cat therian (shifter), Greta's blood is already sought after to enhance spells and potions, but due to a quirk of her birth, her blood is potent enough to kill for. When her tribe plans to sacrifice her, Greta must ally herself with Dayne, the dangerous local sorcerer, and the only person strong enough to protect her.
CLAIMED
:For a vampire, Anthony isn't a picky eater, but he's drawn to Charlee's blood more than any other. Like a fine wine saved for a special occasion, he's denied himself this pleasure. But one night, high from the potent magical blood of another, he claims his prize and loses control. Ashamed of almost killing the one woman who means anything to him, he wipes her memory of the event. When Charlee awakens with complete amnesia, Anthony is the only one who can clean up the mess he's made.
MATED
:Because of the vampiric blood that has run through her veins since birth, Jane has been a target for vampires who resent a human being "kindred." She's forced to disguise herself as a vampire groupie to appease them and safeguard her life. When she's abruptly given to Cole, the leader of the werewolf pack, to satisfy a gambling debt, she discovers the blood running through her veins has a far greater impact on her destiny than she ever imagined.
A Little About Zoe Winters
Zoe Winters is an independent paranormal romance author. Discovering a passion for both writing and publishing and wanting full creative control of her work, she decided to pursue both passions and publish independently.
Her fiction is both quirky and dark, heavy on the sarcasm with a rich undercurrent of angst. Her love scenes aren't overly graphic but she's been told by readers that the whole affair seemed much more graphic than it was.
Zoe's favorite colors are rainbow and clear. Just in case anyone asks.
Zoe's goal as a writer? "I want to write a book that makes you almost pee your pants because you don't want to put it down long enough to go to the bathroom. I want to write a book that you miss meals for. I want to write a book you miss bathing for. I want to grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page, where you crumble to the floor in a blissful heap, ask for a cigarette, and say: "Damn, was it good for you too," then tell 300 of your closest friends about it on Twitter."
Find Zoe on the Web
Author Website
TherianType.com
GoodReads
Winner chooses the books!
If you love paranormal romance, this is the contest for you!
Zoe is doing a Newsletter Subscription Drive to gear up for my holiday release of Save My Soul.
Details
Simply send a blank email to: newsletterdrive@gmail.com (And read the email you get back because you have to confirm your entry.)
You’ll be entered to win a grab bag of TEN paranormal romance books in paperback! The winner will select the books they want (must be available new on Amazon). Even though you get to pick the books if you win, they must be paranormal romance books. The reason is simple.Zoe wanta to keep this contest tightly focused because the point is to build her newsletter list with targeted readers in her actual demographic. Not random people who just want free stuff. Sorry random freebie hunters.
You might keep and read these books yourself, or give them as gifts for Christmas. If you’ve got a big TBR pile and not enough money to buy everything you want to read, this could be a great thing to win!
In addition to the ten paranormal romance books, the grand prize winner will also receive a signed print copy of my book, Blood Lust
, as well as a signed print copy of Save My Soul (as soon as it becomes available).
Reviews are written on a volunteer basis and are only the opinions of the individual review author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or views of the author, publisher, or public readers in general Copyright © YzhaBella's BookShelf 2010
