HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!
I can't think of a better way to celebrate today than feature an author who LOVES writing about LOVE as much as I do! I had the honor of chatting with Romance Author, Anastacia K. Check out our fun Q&A below, and pick up one of her wonderful novella's today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ever since Anastacia can remember, she always had a book in her hand, lost in her own little world. She writes short, contemporary romance books. Sometimes sweet, sometimes dark! BUT always with a happy ending.
Q&A WITH Anastacia K.
Q: We know you write romance but if you could write in another genre what would it be?
A: It would most probably be erotica, just to spice things up. I have written and deleted quite a few erotica stories over the years, too afraid to let them see the light of day.
Q: How did you come up with the ideas for your novella’s? Off the top of your head? Maybe a dream?
A: For me, writing is all about escaping mundane reality. My novelettes are all set in places that I would love to visit but have not yet been fortunate enough to do so. My debut novelette, Stranded is set in Lincoln, Nebraska, because I can only imagine the beauty of snow. "At the Sea" is set in picturesque Galway, Ireland, a dreamy location I hope to visit someday. I had a lot of fun researching about native Irish folk and dialect for this book and I think it shows in context.
Q: What is the most challenging part of being an author?
A: I love writing, it's so liberating. I only wish, much like any other indie author, that my books could find a greater audience, which I think is the greatest challenge. The competition is cutthroat and there is such a vast amount of stories out there, that sometimes you feel like your words are never going to be read by readers.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of being an author?
A: The freedom that comes from writing your own story. Creating your own characters, shaping them into existence on paper when they were only in your imagination. It is a liberating experience and the feeling of completing a manuscript and reading the final result is unlike any other.
Q: How many hours a day do you write?
A: I make time to sit down and write because life will always get in the way. Usually, it's three to four hours daily, plotting is some serious work. Sometimes it's hard because the words won't come, but when they do, I always have a pen and paper handy to jot them down.
Q: What age were you when you first started writing?
A: I never thought I could write a single coherent sentence in fictional romance, let's get that out of the way first. I always kept a journal since I was a little girl, and always found myself jotting down random things over the years. But a whole story? Never crossed my mind. I turned to writing more a short while after my father passed away. I needed the escape, the HEA. It was a challenging time in my adult life and has fundamentally changed who I am. One story turned to two, then three, then four but they were all collecting dust until I finally decided to take the plunge and publish them in 2020.
Q: How many unpublished and half finished manuscripts do you have?
A: I have published all of my work and I currently have three half-finished manuscripts waiting to take shape.
Q: Do you work with an outline or just let the creative mind go with it?
A: Me? Outline? That would be like walking out into the rain with an umbrella. Wise, but it doesn't work for me. I am a pantser, all the way. When I sit down to write, the only things on my mind are a rough idea of how the characters are going to be, what situation they are going to have to face and how they will come out of it in the end. I am a sucker for happy endings, so no story of mine is complete without one.
Q: As an author what would you choose as your mascot?
A: Is a mermaid considered a spirit animal? I would definitely choose a mermaid. If not, then a glorious white Pegasus. I just love them.
Q: Do you karaoke? If so, what is your go to song to sing?
A: No, I don't do karaoke but I love 80's music. And country music.
Q: Do you feel like if you wore sparkly socks/hat you would write better?
A: Ha! That's hilarious! And if I had wings, then I'd definitely fly!!! No, writer's block is nothing to joke about. The struggle is real.
Q: Will you be releasing a new novel in 2021? If so, can you give us a hint as to what it will be about?
A: I am working on finishing two stories at the moment, so hopefully, yes, there will be a new release in the months to come. Contemporary romance, maybe a little darker this time.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?
A: To write with an open heart and an open mind. Each one of us has our own unique stories to tell and writing is not easy. It takes courage to put your thoughts to paper and hit the publish button. You can never know what to expect but if your heart is in it, then you are a winner no matter what. Because you tried, you gave it your all and exposed yourself for the world to see. And that takes courage. At the end of the day, we write for ourselves. The rest will come.
Purchase one of Anastacia K.'s stories and check her out on social media!
BookBub: Anastacia K Books - BookBub
Amazon book page: Stranded - Kindle edition by K, Anastacia. Contemporary Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.