What motivates Cecilia Robert the author? Why do you write?
Thank you for having me here on you blog, Ella.
Thanks for joining us today.
I started writing for fun, and that was way back in my pre-teen years. Then I stopped. I picked up writing once again about seven years ago, but that was mainly to satisfy my over-imaginative mind and as an outlet and a way to relax. (Therapeautic). Now I’d like to share my passion with others
What is your favorite genre to write and why?
I enjoy writing Adult as well as YA (paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi, fantasy) because that’s the genre I mostly read.
How did you get into eBook publishing?
Last year I had published my dark fantasy short story Reaper’s Novice for like a month, then had some issues with the publisher. I withdrew my book and decided to work on the full length novel. Then I got this wonderful offer from my friend, Shilpa, who is also the owner of Inkspell Publishing. I jumped right in with my contemporary romance, Truly, Madly, Deeply, You the title which I am currently promoting.
How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?
Actually I write whenever I can. Working as an assistant nurse, and with two children along with other house-ly duties, I still haven’t got the writing routine as yet. Sometimes I write for about four hours straight, sometimes an hour.
Is there a certain aspect of the story you begin with? Do you create the characters first or do you come up with the plot?
Usually I create the characters first. That way I get to know about the characters and what factors would ‘unhinge’ her/him, get them out of their comfort zone.
Tell us about the most intriguing character you've created.
I’d go with my Reaper in Reaper’s Novice. I diverged from the usual Grim character a bit and gave him some quirks. For example: he prefers to be called Ernest, holds great dinner parties as well as matchmaking. According to him everyone deserves some love, even those otherworldly creatures. But he still remains the same guy in other Grim-ly qualities.
Do you have any words of inspiration to aspiring authors? What advice would you offer a writer trying to publish?
First, the usual. Read in many genres, and a lot as you can. It does help in finding your own writing style, discovering what you like and what you don’t.
Join a critique group. This helps both in your writing and for support purposes.
Research: It would be embarrassing to have a very well thought and written story, but the facts are all wrong. Do your homework, before submitting to the ‘teacher’.
Never let anyone tell you , you can’t make it as a writer. You can and you will. It’s difficult but others have been there and done that. Just needs a little bit of patience – well, a lot - and elbow grease to get that manuscript finished.
Get your work edited before publishing. Yes, it’s expensive, but worth it. Your story might be like the next best thing to chocolate, a trendsetter even, but if it isn’t polished, and keeps pulling the reader out of it, it can be disastrous.
Once you have all that in place, believe in your story. Your story might be contracted the first time you send your submission. If it doesn’t don’t give up. Keep trying over and over. There is the other alternative of self-publishing, and a lot of authors have done very well as self-published. But the main thing is, believe in your story. If you don’t, no one else will.
Tell us about your current release.
The story is about two people, two best friends who have known one another since they were kids. One is going through a difficult time in her life, while the other is hopelessly in love with his friend and will do anything to take away her pain. It’s a ‘Friends to lovers’ story, as well as second chance at love.
Blurb:
Four days before Valentine’s Day, Liese Hansfeld is determined to shut the door to her house, as well as her heart, for her annual four days of mourning her one true love. Little does she know her best friend Freytag Meier is just as determined to keep her from her ritual. He’s ready to pick the lock to her apartment door and camp in her living room if that’s what it takes.
What Freytag isn’t prepared for is the surge of deep-rooted emotions he feels for Liese, but two things stand in his way: the grief and guilt she still clutches close to her heart, and a man who threatens to snatch Liese from under Frey’s watchful eye. Frey is determined to distract her into forgetting her pain. But is that enough to ease her grief, or help her see he can be more than her best friend?
Buy Link:
Do you have any upcoming projects in the works?
Yes, I do. I have a project I am working on – A YA dark fantasy with Sci-fi elements, Reaper’s Novice. It’s about a girl who trades her soul for the four souls of her family in order to save them, and becomes the Reaper’s Novice. After two years of Novicehood, Grim (decides to test her. If she passes the test, then her family’s souls are off the proverbial hook. But then, you know how these things go.
The second one is a Middle Grade fantasy/Sci fi about a boy who, upon her sister’s insistence, visits a local fortune teller, and from there everything takes a whole new meaning to the word weird and dangerous. He is transported to different dimensions. The only way for him to come back home is by completing three tests, and two of those will test his love for his family and friends. It’s a fun story to write.
The third is called Love According to Luke – A teenager who thinks the world revolves around him, until he finds a girl who doesn’t even look at him. And the worse is, they have a connection which keeps pulling him to her. This one is a fun one as well.
See, I can’t even stick to one genre. :D But I guess that’s what makes writing fun.
Where can readers connect with you?
Twitter. https://twitter.com/#!/CeCeMR
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/cece26
Author Bio:
Cecilia Robert, assistant nurse and mother of two lives in Vienna, Austria. She is a dreamer, enjoys creating worlds using words and imagination , and loves escaping into them. Cecilia enjoys the play and weave of words that make up a good story. In the midst of those worlds, is always a prince, a princess, a pirate, a normal, just waiting to guide her through these fantastical lands.
Her novel, a contemporary romance ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply, You’ will be published by Inkspell Publishing in March 2012.
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Thanks so much for stopping by. Good luck with the release.
Hi Ella
ReplyDeleteOh what a fun interview! Thanks again for allowing me to hang out with you on your blog. :)
Thanks for the wishes.
Best
Cecilia
It was lovely having you here. Stop by anytime:)
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