Welcome…well, me. What better way to get to know me than to let you ask me the questions?
I recently gave a shout out to my facebook crew, and they’re looking for some answers. Here goes…
When did you first realize that writing was what you wanted to do? (From Brenda C.)
I’d honestly finished In the Dark just for myself, but when my hubby encouraged me to submit my story, I was hooked.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? (From Amy K.)
It’s difficult because I don’t see them as anyone other than who they are. The closest for Faith would probably be Michelle Monaghan, so long as she portrays a sweet, strong, grown woman. Soren? Well, he’s a vampire, and he’s also his species version of a cop. How could he be anyone other than David Boreanaz?
Were you good at English? (from Amy K.)
Not at all! I got decent grades, but had no interest in the subject, and therefore never put forth a true effort.
How much research do you do? (From Amy K.)
I did do some research to know where vampire lore was the most saturated, but other than that, not much. The world my characters live in, for the most part, is within an underground city. It’s all in my head, and impossible to research.
I recently gave a shout out to my facebook crew, and they’re looking for some answers. Here goes…
When did you first realize that writing was what you wanted to do? (From Brenda C.)
I’d honestly finished In the Dark just for myself, but when my hubby encouraged me to submit my story, I was hooked.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? (From Amy K.)
It’s difficult because I don’t see them as anyone other than who they are. The closest for Faith would probably be Michelle Monaghan, so long as she portrays a sweet, strong, grown woman. Soren? Well, he’s a vampire, and he’s also his species version of a cop. How could he be anyone other than David Boreanaz?
Were you good at English? (from Amy K.)
Not at all! I got decent grades, but had no interest in the subject, and therefore never put forth a true effort.
How much research do you do? (From Amy K.)
I did do some research to know where vampire lore was the most saturated, but other than that, not much. The world my characters live in, for the most part, is within an underground city. It’s all in my head, and impossible to research.
Did someone or something inspire you to write? (From Brenda C.)
I was part of an online book club and someone started a thread called ‘pick a picture and write a scene’. I had no interest in participating because, well, I didn’t write. At all. With some gentle prodding, my book club friends encouraged me to give it a shot.
So Ms. Colly, how did you get the idea for your books? (From Sigrun O.)
The initial idea for this series was a complete accident. I’d picked my picture (same picture from the above question), and wanted badly to write about a pirate. I love pirates, but I couldn’t get a word out, until I realized the guy in the picture was not a pirate. He was a vampire. Once I’d figured that out, the story snowballed. From there, the many people that my vampire came in contact with all had their own path, and wanted their voices heard.
Do you worry people who read your books in decades to come won't understand your references to movies or shows ? (from Amy K.)
I hadn’t thought about it before. I did reference Peaches & Cream Barbie, and for those old enough to remember, they get an insta-image. Yes, I just gave away my age. Generations to come will recognize Barbie, but not the specific reference. Further down the road? Who knows? I don't usually understand the references thrown around today!
What do you think of 'book trailers'? (From Amy K.)
The concept is good, and I understand the marketing aspect, but I haven’t seen a good book trailer yet. If you’ve watched a decent one, send it my way. Seriously.
I was part of an online book club and someone started a thread called ‘pick a picture and write a scene’. I had no interest in participating because, well, I didn’t write. At all. With some gentle prodding, my book club friends encouraged me to give it a shot.
So Ms. Colly, how did you get the idea for your books? (From Sigrun O.)
The initial idea for this series was a complete accident. I’d picked my picture (same picture from the above question), and wanted badly to write about a pirate. I love pirates, but I couldn’t get a word out, until I realized the guy in the picture was not a pirate. He was a vampire. Once I’d figured that out, the story snowballed. From there, the many people that my vampire came in contact with all had their own path, and wanted their voices heard.
Do you worry people who read your books in decades to come won't understand your references to movies or shows ? (from Amy K.)
I hadn’t thought about it before. I did reference Peaches & Cream Barbie, and for those old enough to remember, they get an insta-image. Yes, I just gave away my age. Generations to come will recognize Barbie, but not the specific reference. Further down the road? Who knows? I don't usually understand the references thrown around today!
What do you think of 'book trailers'? (From Amy K.)
The concept is good, and I understand the marketing aspect, but I haven’t seen a good book trailer yet. If you’ve watched a decent one, send it my way. Seriously.
What was your first romance novel? Did it change you as a reader? (From Jenn B)
Wow, that’s digging back some years. I don’t remember the exact first one, only that mom hid a handful of Zebra romances under the bed. The only one I remember impacting me was The Pirate’s Captive by Dana Ransom. A pirate with a secret identity plotting revenge on the fiancé of the woman he loves? That is my kind of story. After that, I was always waiting for other books to live up to the complexity of this story. It made me a picky reader.
Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser? (From Jenn B.)
For those who don’t know the terms, plotter is exactly what you'd expect. An author creates an outline and basically follows the directions. A pantser is someone who writes by the seat of their pants, starting at the beginning and going straight on through to the end. Whatever happens happens. I’ve found over the years that I’m neither. I’m more of a quilter. When I dig into a story with the intent to finish, I already have over a dozen awesome quilt squares, or scenes. I read through them all, place them in sequence order, then sew them together as I fill in the gaps. I rarely have a beginning or an end planned out when I kick things off. Weird, right?
Any tattooed, badass women? (from Amy K.)
A couple heroines down the road do have tattoos. Baddass women? Only a few. In the world I’ve created, women do not take part in any sword swinging, gun toting, or law enforcement in general. I have to gradually introduce you to the ground-breakers so you can watch their world change. ;)
Ladies, you had some great questions! Thanks so much for participating.
Jen Colly
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