Saturday, February 23, 2013

Interview with Angela Scott, author of 'Desert Flower'


Today I would like to welcome author Angela Scott back to the blog. I have been a huge fan of hers since I first read 'Desert Rice.' I also really liked her Zombie West series. Now, she is back to talk about 'Desert Flower,' the sequel to 'Desert Rice.' Thank you so much for stopping by!

What was the inspiration behind 'Desert Rice' and 'Desert Flower'? 

I don't know that I was so much inspired to write either of these two stories as I was forced to write these stories. I know that sounds totally weird, but I don't know how else to explain it. The character of Sam sat on my shoulder and whispered her story into my ear. I had never planned to write this kind of story, it just happened, bit by bit as she told me about her life and her past. As soon as I finished writing Desert Rice, she took hold of me again and begged me to write more of her life. That's how Desert Flower came to be. But I'm so glad Sam chose me to write her stories.

Will there be more books in this series?

When I finished writing Desert Flower I swore that would be the last book. She's an emotionally hard character to write about and it's tough. But...I've had several ideas come to me lately for a third book. A few readers have begged for another one, so who knows. Maybe there will be.

Which character spoke to you the most during the writing process?

Sam! Oh my gosh! She took hold of me and wouldn't let me go. I'd be folding laundry and she'd be right there doing everything in her power to get me back to my computer and back to writing her story. I think both books were written in less than a years worth of time because she refused to fade into the background.

Did you have to do any research for this series?

I did. I had to do research about the time period which is set in the late 80's early 90's. The research that was fun to do was when I went to a veterinarian office and asked several questions to see if certain things were even possible. (Sorry for the vagueness, but I don't want to give anything away). My local vet was wonderful in answering my questions. 


What other works do you have in progress?

Right now I'm in the process of writing the 3rd book in The Zombie West Series. It will most likely come out this Fall unless I can manage to write it quickly in the next month or two and get it ready to publish this Summer. Most likely the Fall. 

What are the best and worst parts about being a writer?

The best part of being a writer is when someone reads my book, gets it, and then lets me know how much they enjoyed my work. That is the greatest feeling. The worst is when I'm right in the middle of writer's block. When the ideas just won't come and my story is sitting at a stand still. 

What is one of the greatest moments you have had with a fan?

One of the best moments I had was when a fan write to me to tell me she bought one of my books but didn't get a chance to read it yet since her elderly father took hold of it and wouldn't put it down. He loved it. This older man loved my zombie western book, which surprised me since the story is written more for teenage girls. Her letter was hilarious and totally made my day. Zombies aren't just for young adults, even grandpas love it! :) 

You love your social media. I enjoy reading your posts. How do you fight the temptation to sit on Facebook all day instead of writing?

What do you mean not sit and do Facebook all day? I feel as though that's all I do :) I love Facebook and connecting with other writers and my fans. But yes, it can pull me in and then before I know it, my day is gone. I have to keep reminding myself that I have deadlines and my books won't write themselves. Sometimes I even tell my social media peeps to chastise me if they see me goofing around and not writing. That works great.

What are some of your favorite books and authors?

I really enjoyed the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The next two books in her series, not as much, but they were still pretty good. I devoured them all. Some of my favorites have been Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and Molokai by Alan Brennert. I also LOVED The Sex Lives of Cannibals which is a true account by J. Maarten Troost. You want a good laugh? Then read that one. So funny. 


Zombie Apocalypse! What do you do? 

Me? Well, I would most likely cry a lot and rock myself while huddling in a fetal position. I won't make it longer than 10 minutes as a human in a zombie infested world. But on the bright side...I will make one kickass zombie. I'm pretty sure I'll be awesome at it :) 


What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

Hmm...I'm pretty much an open book (ha,ha...pun intended). I guess some might not be aware that I talk in my sleep ALL THE TIME. It drives my poor husband nuts, but it just goes to show that my mind refuses to shut down even for a moment. 

Anything else you wish to add?

I just want to let my readers know how much I adore and appreciate them. Writing is a hard and sometimes lonely road. But to get a message or an email from a reader who enjoyed what I wrote, it makes it all worth while. I love my readers and I truly hope they know that :)

Author Bio:

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

You can subscribe and follow me on my website, where I blog obsessively about my writing process and post updates on my current works. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook, but be forewarned, I tweet and post more than a normal person.

Website: www.angelascottauthor.com

Twitter: @whimsywriting

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

Check out 'Desert Flower' and all of Angela Scott's books on Amazon.

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