Runaway Blog Tour (cont'd)
Another Great Author Interview with Elaine White
Even
though we live on different continents and have never actually met face to face,
Elaine White and I are colleagues and, I like to think, friends. We were both lucky
enough to have been signed by Write More Publications out of Kissimmee, FL.
Since then, we have developed an interesting virtual camaraderie and friendship.
I had the opportunity to really get to know Elaine back in January just before
her book came out.
Elaine
was graciously enough to touch base with me again, so we could catch up and find
out how things have been going six months after the release of her first book, “Runaway
Girl.”
Stephanie: The
premise of Runaway Girl is unique in its own right, but then there is a mixture
of so many great characters with so many different things happening. How did
you keep it all straight in your head while you were writing?
Elaine: To be
honest, I've never really had trouble with that. The only time I really focus
on how many people there are is when I've finished the book and I'm checking
the flow. I like to leave little cliffhangers in places, so I writer who is
involved when and see how often their name pops up. If they're a minor
character and appear too often, that's the only time I really take notice,
unless I'm deliberately avoiding returning to a characters situation for a
while to create suspense.
Stephanie: What
can we expect from the Avelina Story? Do all of the characters come back in the
next book? Can you share a teaser?
Elaine: Ooh, well...I
can tell you that Damian is in every single book. He's the real focus, although
he does drift into a slightly more 'background' area in some of the later books
;) To be honest, probably only around
four-five of the characters from Runaway Girl will reappear. Kaitlin, of
course, will be a constant and she will be very important to the next two
books. Book 2 will take us up close to her homeland, the Island, and then Book
3 will introduce some rather different supernatural creatures to the mix.
Stephanie: Now
that Runaway Girl is out. What have you been up to? Personally? Professionally?
Elaine: Personally,
not much. I have a lot of health issues, to that keeps me pretty busy.
Professionally, I've been trying to drum up notice for the book. I've got
involved in a few online communities, not just to advertise my book, but to get
to know other authors. I'm also trying to raise notice for my blog, which is
doing quite well just now. Other than that, I'm just writing all the time. At
the moment, I'm turning old notes into stories I can post on Wattpad, and
editing a crime series I've written. I'm working on the last book so I want to
make sure everything tallies up and there are no awful plot gaps I haven't
explained.
Stephanie: Your
blog has taken off like a runaway train. Tell us about it. What inspires you to
write blogs? Where do you get your ideas?
Elaine: Thanks :D To be honest, I just like getting feedback. I'm a
pretty random girl, so my blog shows that. Sometimes I'm obsessed with music,
so all you see on the blog for a few posts if lyrics and random chat about
music. Then sometimes I'm obsessed with reading/writing and that's all you hear
about. I usually have a dozen posts sitting by, ready to be posted for when
I've lost inspiration. I like to keep my audience on their toes, never knowing
what to expect. It's been really great getting books to review, for the blog,
as well. It's let me pay a little back for all the help other authors gave me
when I started out.
Stephanie: Aside
from blogs and the next in the Avelina Chronicles, what else are you working
on?
Elaine: I'm always
working on something so let's see. A romance for Wattpad, a crime series that
is nearly at an end. After the crime series, I'm not sure. I have four that I
could jump right into...a biological epidemic style story, one about a
supernatural creature, and one about a magical school for teens. All have good
potential.
Stephanie: It
sounds like you have several works in progress! As a writer, do you ever get writer’s
block? Where do you find inspiration?
Elaine: I wouldn't
call it writers block, it's more...distraction. I'm very easily distracted. But
when I do get stuck on a story, I tend to leave it and go do a different one,
or immerse myself in reading for a while. I find that if the story doesn't want
to come, then it's not ready. Sometimes you have to leave it to percolate a
little.
Stephanie: I love
to let my stuff percolate! I know while things are ‘simmering’, I also like to lose
myself in a book. I recently got a
Kindle. I never thought I would be an electronic reader, but I’m totally
addicted, plus I love that I can read in the dark. As a reader, what is your
preferred reading style…Ebook or hard copy?
Elaine: I love my
Kindle. I'm practically obsessed. I love books but the Kindle is just so
convenient for me. For one, the storage. I don't have to worry when I buy a
dozen free books from Amazon that I haven't got anywhere to put them. Of
course, there wouldn't be any free books from Amazon in paperback, so there's
another plus (I'm a free book junkie). Mostly, I can take my entire bookcase
with me no matter where I go. And it helps that it's light. I have nerve damage
in my hands, which makes holding heavy books quite painful, so the Kindle is a
god-send.
Stephanie: I saw
that you recently set up a place to share your short stories. Tell us more
about that.
Elaine: Yeah, I
was told on Goodreads about Wattpad and I was like...huh? What's that? Then I
had a look around, signed up and had a look. It's quite great actually. A bit
teen orientated, but since that's mostly my audience anyway, I like it. I won't
be posting anything that's to be published, unless I grow a set of fans who ask
for that. I'm just sharing some of my shorter stories or my teen-self
scribblings from years ago to an audience who appreciates it. And I don't have
to worry about mistyping/spelling etc, because no-one really cares. It's all
about the story. If you don't take yourself, or the mistakes other people may
make seriously, then you can enjoy the atmosphere. Plus, you get to see how
many people read your stories and they can vote for each chapter. So if you've
got one great chapter or one not so great, they tell you that with the votes.
It's also the place where Abigail Gibbs was discovered and offered a 6-figure
contract with Harper Collins. Can't be bad, can it?
Stephanie:
Goodness no! That may be something I need to look into. So now onto the more
serious stuff. What is your favorite pizza topping?
Elaine: I'm a
sucker for Hawaiian. Pineapple with ham and cheese and...hmmm...
Stephanie: Yum! Me,
too! And lastly, any special summer plans in the UK?
Elaine: Me and my
folks are heading off on holiday to Oban. Heard it's been sunny lately, so we
hope it stays that way. Not planning on anything exciting though, just a nice
chillaxing time.
Thank you so much for this second opportunity to
interview you, Elaine. I wish you a wonderful and pleasant vacation! How about
one last word for our readers?
Just...feel free to
have a nosy at my work and see what you think. I'm always happy to talk. :)
Please check out Elaine White in a variety of
outlets!
And
be sure to get your copy of Runaway Girl!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Runaway+Girl+by+Elaine+White&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ARunaway+Girl+by+Elaine+White&ajr=1
******Make
sure you visit the other blogs on the tour. The more you visit and comment, the
greater your chances are for winning. Interested in hosting a tour for Write
More Publications? Contact us at : theresaoliverauthor@gmail.com
or rboucher41@yahoo.com . Find
Write More Publications on the web at www.writemorepublications.com
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