Felicity Heaton
Describe your books in 3 words?
Passionate. Action-packed. Twisty.
If you could be any character from one of your books who would it be?
I would love to be the heroine of the next book in the Eternal Mates series, because she gets to have Vail as her hero, and I've held a deep love of that dark elf ever since he careened into my head.
What is your greatest fear about being an author/publishing your book(s)?
Writing an epic failure. We can’t write amazing books every time. I don’t think that’s possible. Some books will be better than others. But the thought of writing something that everyone hates chills me to the bone.
Would the 10 year-old version of yourself kick your butt or praise you for what you've accomplished in life?
I think she would be proud of what I've accomplished. Back then, I wanted to be an astronaut, so I was shooting for the stars. I feel I've achieved that goal but in a different way. I shot for the stars as an author and I feel as if I reached them.
What do you do when you finish your book and turn it in to the editor?
Start the next one. I rarely have time to sit back and congratulate myself. It’s a brief nod of acknowledgement that I've done the first draft and I’m (probably) happy with it, and then I’m working on something else.
What is your favorite Genre and why?
Paranormal romance by far. Not just to write but to read too. Why? Because the possibilities are endless in paranormal romance and if you set your mind to it, you can create something unique that stands out from the other books out there. You can make whole worlds of your own and pull readers into those worlds. Plus, I find the characters in paranormal romance are often more detailed, more real, and ones who will stay with you and make you care about them.
What is one thing that would surprise us to know about you?
Probably nothing. I think I've bared my soul so much that I've left nothing of me hidden. I’m an open book.
Was there an Author who inspired you to write?
Paranormal romance by far. Not just to write but to read too. Why? Because the possibilities are endless in paranormal romance and if you set your mind to it, you can create something unique that stands out from the other books out there. You can make whole worlds of your own and pull readers into those worlds. Plus, I find the characters in paranormal romance are often more detailed, more real, and ones who will stay with you and make you care about them.
What is one thing that would surprise us to know about you?
Probably nothing. I think I've bared my soul so much that I've left nothing of me hidden. I’m an open book.
Was there an Author who inspired you to write?
No, no author. I was inspired to write because of a TV show. I started out by writing fanfiction for that TV show and my favourite couple in it. From there, I moved into writing my own characters and worlds.
How did you come up with the characters in your books?They normally come to me, and often it’s the hero who arrives first. It’s like a train station in my head. A constant flow of traffic. I have heroes milling around waiting their turn, some patiently and some not so much. I don’t tend to have to force characters to come to me, at least not the hero and heroine, and major characters. Once they've announced themselves to me, I write a profile for them and question them and we get to know each other in intimate detail. Sometimes it takes a little work to get them talking about themselves, but we get there in the end.
Do you prefer to write alone or do you like to collaborate with other authors?
I prefer to write alone. I can’t imagine what it would be like to collaborate with another author. I think it would be a strange experience. I’m not even sure how it would work.
Everyone uses computers, tablets, phones and no one uses handwritten form or typewriters, what do you prefer to use?I tend to write notes for books on paper in various notebooks. I have boxes filled with hand-written notes for scenes and entire chapters. I have tried to move myself over to writing notes on my tablet because it’s quicker for me then as I don’t have to write up the notes before I can make the outline for the book ahead of writing the first draft. I haven’t quite pulled it off yet though. I do write more notes on my tablet now, but I don’t carry it everywhere with me. I do carry a notebook though, so stuff still ends up written on paper. I do also write notes on my phone. Anything goes!
When it comes to writing the outline I use as my guide when writing the book, I do that on my computer. And for the first draft and editing, I definitely do all that on computer. It’s a digital world now. Writing on paper is outdated and a very slow process. I can type over 2300 words in an hour when writing a first draft. I would be much slower writing on paper and then I would still have to write it up on the computer.
Is there a ritual you do before you begin your book?I have to have a complete outline for the book. It’s a gathering of all my scenes I had written down ideas for placed in order and with the gaps filled in, and broken down into vague chapters. Sometimes my outlines are rather comprehensive and can end up at over twenty thousand words. Once I have my outline and my character profiles, and everything I need on the series world I’m writing about, I can knuckle down and hammer out the first draft.
How did you come up with the characters in your books?They normally come to me, and often it’s the hero who arrives first. It’s like a train station in my head. A constant flow of traffic. I have heroes milling around waiting their turn, some patiently and some not so much. I don’t tend to have to force characters to come to me, at least not the hero and heroine, and major characters. Once they've announced themselves to me, I write a profile for them and question them and we get to know each other in intimate detail. Sometimes it takes a little work to get them talking about themselves, but we get there in the end.
Do you prefer to write alone or do you like to collaborate with other authors?
I prefer to write alone. I can’t imagine what it would be like to collaborate with another author. I think it would be a strange experience. I’m not even sure how it would work.
Everyone uses computers, tablets, phones and no one uses handwritten form or typewriters, what do you prefer to use?I tend to write notes for books on paper in various notebooks. I have boxes filled with hand-written notes for scenes and entire chapters. I have tried to move myself over to writing notes on my tablet because it’s quicker for me then as I don’t have to write up the notes before I can make the outline for the book ahead of writing the first draft. I haven’t quite pulled it off yet though. I do write more notes on my tablet now, but I don’t carry it everywhere with me. I do carry a notebook though, so stuff still ends up written on paper. I do also write notes on my phone. Anything goes!
When it comes to writing the outline I use as my guide when writing the book, I do that on my computer. And for the first draft and editing, I definitely do all that on computer. It’s a digital world now. Writing on paper is outdated and a very slow process. I can type over 2300 words in an hour when writing a first draft. I would be much slower writing on paper and then I would still have to write it up on the computer.
Is there a ritual you do before you begin your book?I have to have a complete outline for the book. It’s a gathering of all my scenes I had written down ideas for placed in order and with the gaps filled in, and broken down into vague chapters. Sometimes my outlines are rather comprehensive and can end up at over twenty thousand words. Once I have my outline and my character profiles, and everything I need on the series world I’m writing about, I can knuckle down and hammer out the first draft.
Fast Fairy Questions
Apple or Windows? Windows
Dog or Cat? Cat
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
Summer or Winter? Winter
Fairies or Angels? Angels
Dark or Light Fae? Dark Fae
Vampires or Werewolves? Vampires
Amazon or Barnes and Noble? Amazon
Funny or Serious? Serious
Print or E-book? E-book
Eyes or Smile? Eyes
Dean or Sam (Supernatural)? Dean
Dream spot to visit? Maldives
Felicity Heaton is a USA Today and international best-selling author writing passionate
paranormal romance books. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting
plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with
leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and
wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!
If you're a fan of paranormal romance
authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine
Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.
If you love your angels a little dark and
wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong,
powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her
stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that
are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic
Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded
alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and
angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.
If you
want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at
the following places:
Comment (include email)
for your Chance to win a Swag Bag and E-Book of Felicity Heaton's book.
Great interview; I'd love to know who that tv couple was as I'm sure it wasn't Ward and June Cleaver rotfl :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your blog tour!
ilookfamous (at) yahoo (dot) com
Cool interview. My favorite genre is also paranormal romance. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletemythic021@gmail.com
I'm with you on the eyes thing but seriously, winter? ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway
Annaoj dot mortes at gmail dot com
Awesome interview with Felicia Heaton! I really enjoyed reading it :) Thank you for this awesome giveaway!! aphelps7377@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteLove the interview questions, what a way to get to know her!!! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteFrogseay25@yahoo.com
Great interview I love Felicity's books they are all amazing .Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteflanagan@mebtel.net
Twisty is always good. Love to hear about your writing process.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com