Bisset.
Interview answers
1) Links to website and list of books with purchase links. Contact:
Blog
Website
Books:
Vampire Dreams-available now at Smashwords
Coming to Amazon and Barnes and Noble on June 10
2) How long have you been writing? What got you in to writing?
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. For a long time, it was involving things like the school newspaper and then academic writing while I was in undergrad and grad school, and fiction writing in private. Then a few years ago, I found I had so many ideas in my head for stories that the fiction writing overtook everything else and I decided to move it from my private life to public life.
I got into writing for the same reason most other writers do, I think. There were all these characters and ideas in my head just dying to get out, so I began to write them down and before long, they'd grown from snippets to full stories.
3) What was your first published book? Looking back, is there anything you’d change about it?
My first published book is a novella entitled Vampire Dreams, which was released on June 10. Initially, it was something I wrote to submit to Harlequin Spice Briefs. In early April, I submitted the story, but I never heard back from them--not even an auto-generated email to tell me they received it. At the time, I didn't realize I should expect one, but then a friend told me that Harlequin's submission process always involves an email to tell the author they received it. So, in fact, I never truly submitted it, even though I thought I did. :) Silly, but true. So I thought about it and decided to publish it myself. That meant expanding on the story since Spice Briefs requires novellas to be 15,000 words or less. The story that came out of that is so much better than the one I meant to submit, so I guess it was just fate.
4) What or Who has influenced your writing?
I love Robin Schone and Charlotte Featherstone. Their writing is so wonderful, and they've definitely influenced me. I can get lost in one of their stories and never want to come back! They're so good at immersing the reader in the time period they've chosen.
5) Where do you get your ideas?
My ideas often come from dreams. My first novel, Stolen Destiny, which is scheduled for release from Siren Publishing on June 29, grew out of a dream. I woke up one morning last summer and an entire idea for a paranormal romance was in my head. Of course, I quickly wrote it down before the day stole it from me. Then Vampire Dreams came from a dream also. The first few pages of that story are exactly what I dreamed. My second novella, Love's Master, which will be released in mid-July, came from a column in the Times of London called the Agony Column. It ran during the 1800s, and I'd heard about it. How can a writer not take a look at something called the Agony Column? As soon as I began reading the entries, one jumped out at me and from that, an entire story grew about a young widow who becomes involved with a mystery man involved in the underground sex world of BDSM in Victorian England.
6) What hinders your writing? (distractions? noise?)
I think what hinders my writing most is me. Sometimes I let myself fall into the self-confidence trap. It's only when I sit myself down and give myself a stern talking to that I snap out of that. I have a fantastic family and group of friends who are incredibly supportive, so they do nothing but help my writing.
7) What genre are you most comfortable with? What would you like to explore?
I'm most comfortable with paranormal romance and historical erotic romance. They just fit for me, especially the historical because I have a degree in history. I think I'd like to explore the BDSM genre a bit more. I did venture into that realm with Love's Master, but that would be considered light BDSM. In the future, I can see myself getting more into it, perhaps with another novella.
8) Are you a by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of writer, or do you have to use an outline to put your collective thoughts into some semblance of common sense?
I'm definitely a plotter with my novella writing, but with my novels, I tend to be a bit of a panster through the first third or so of a book and then I plot out the rest. With the smaller size of novellas, I have to keep myself on an outline so the stories don't blow up into novel size.
9) Which of your books is your favorite? Why?
If I had to choose a favorite book of mine, it would be a toss up between Stolen Destiny and Vampire Dreams. I just love the characters in Stolen Destiny. Varek, Callia, and Amon will always have a special place in my heart because they were the first. And I truly love that story. It's the first story about the race of people I created, Aeveren, and from that book will come at least two more later this year and next year: Destiny Redeemed and Destiny Unbound. But Vampire Dreams was a labor of love about a subject I've adored for years: vampires.
10) Do you incorporate some of yourself into your characters? Personality traits? Likes? Dislikes?
One of my critique partners noticed that I never have a curly haired heroine, which is funny since I have naturally curly hair. I rectified that in Destiny Redeemed with Thea, a heroine who has long, blond curls. Other than that, I don't think I incorporate any of my traits into my characters, at least not consciously. Now for dislikes and likes, I think I can safely say that some of my characters' favorite things would be my favorite things. :)
11) What do you think is the perfect hero/heroine? Why?
The perfect hero is strong, smart, tough, slightly wicked, and flawed. Oh, and he has to be incredibly good looking. For heroines, I think the perfect one would also have to be strong and smart, but I like my heroines to be more together with their lives than many heroines out there. This might have to do with the idea of me incorporating my traits into characters, but I always have heroines who take care of business, whatever it may be. I can't respect sniveling and helpless characters. They just don't work for me.
12) Do you have any suggestions/comments for prospective authors?
I think the first thing I would tell a prospective author is to be a reader first, above all else. Then I'd tell them that good writing comes from attention to detail. This doesn't necessarily mean describing the green out of the grass, but it does mean the devil is in the details. That includes paying attention to grammar, spacial situations, chronology, and all the things that make up a good story. (Can you tell I've been an editor for a while?) Last, I'd tell them to listen to their heart. So much of writing is subjective. If you truly believe in your story, hone it well and present it with pride.
JUST FOR FUN:
1) If you had super powers, what would they be? Why?
If I could have superpowers, I'd want the ability to travel through and manipulate time. How incredible would it be to travel back to ancient Rome, the Renaissance, or any other time and see the people there firsthand? And manipulating it would just be wonderful in the most sinister way.
2) If you could be an immortal, what would you want to be? Why?
If I could be an immortal, I'd have to be a vampire. They're so deliciously sensual. I love that most about vampires.
3) Is there anywhere you’d like to visit? Why?
I'd love to visit Europe again. I lived in Germany for a while when I was in my early twenties, but I'd love to visit Italy, Spain, and Greece. I love the history of those areas, and the architecture is so incredible. And, of course, I'd like to visit Britain and Ireland, where my family hails from.
4) Do you have a crush on any actor/actress? Who?
I currently have a crush on the actor who plays Cesare Borgia in the Showtime series, The Borgias. I don't know his name (I'm not much of a stalker, am I?), but I can't see enough of that man. Thankfully, my cable company has On Demand so I can watch him whenever I want. Yummm.
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Be sure to keep an eye out for Gabrielle Bisset and her upcoming novels, Stolen Destiny and Love's Master. Coming soon!
1 comment:
Thanks so much for having me, Shannon! It was great!
Gabrielle
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