Author Interview on Kathryn Elizabeth Jones' site!

This posted here originally.

Monday, December 9, 2013

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Marie Lavender

Find out when Marie gets her best ideas, and what a beginning writer should never forget to improve his/her writing...

Tell me about yourself. What got you started in writing?

I’m not really sure what prompted me.  I guess I always had a vivid imagination.  When I played as a child, I would make up these stories in my head.  Eventually, I started writing them down.  The ideas never stopped coming, and I never stopped writing!

How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or do you prefer writing freehand?

I do both.  It just depends on my mood.  Most of the time, I do write by hand and type it up later.  But sometimes, if I know I need to work on a project, I will look through the document and start composing on the computer.

What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about writing?

I love when I’m in the moment and the words just flow naturally.  I can see the scene and the characters clearly.  My least favorite is probably research.  Though I learn a lot of things and it can be very interesting, it is a definite challenge to find what I need to find.  So I have a love/hate relationship with research.

How do you come up with your characters? Why would readers want to get to know them?

I guess they just come to me out of the blue.  Usually, I get a scene or a piece of dialogue in my head and go from there.  I fill out all the details of the character as I go along (likes/dislikes, background).  I think a lot of my characters have a lot of hard life experiences behind them and that’s what makes them stronger.  I only hope that appeals to readers. 

What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?

I mainly do social networking.  I promote on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+.  I can’t really afford to do more than that just now.  I also try to list my books in as many places as possible (i.e. Goodreads, Shelfari, LibraryThing, etc.).  I have done a couple of book cover ads here and there.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

I don’t exactly schedule it.  I write when I can in between my side job and real life.  I try to write as often as possible.  When I know I need to work on something, I focus more on that project.  A lot of my ideas come to me at night, just before I go to sleep, which can make me really tired!

What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?

My current release is Leather and Lace, a romantic suspense.  It just came out in November.  Before that, I released Upon Your Return, a historical romance.  It came out in February.  It is set in Victorian France.  I am currently polishing the sequel to Upon Your Return.  I am also working on a romantic suspense with another writer, and I am planning on re-releasing all of my self-published books under the same name.

Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.

I have so many of them!  Specifically, I do have a time travel romance in mind.  It starts out in modern day New York City and when the heroine comes across a “special” necklace, she is transported to France in the Middle Ages.  Needless to say, she gets the surprise of her life.

What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?

Read, read, read.  And then write just as much.  Take some classes just to get your feet under you.  There are plenty of free ones online or at least very affordable ones.  Do anything you can to improve your writing.  You will gain the confidence as you go along.  Oh…and never give up.  The quickest way to kill your confidence in your writing is to give up your dream.
***
Thanks Marie!

Learn more about Marie:

Websites:
http://www.marielavender.webs.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender


 
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/marielavender1

LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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