MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ALICE WILDE

 

 

What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

Alice Wilde. I mostly write fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary romances. So, I suppose plot/magic heavy romance.

 

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

To be honest, a lot of my ideas came from looking at inspiring artwork such as premade book covers (such as the first book in The Royal Shifters series). As soon as I saw that cover, I just knew that I had to write the characters’ stories. Other than that, I often get ideas through dreams or they’ll just smack me in the face as I’m going about random daily chores.

 

 

How did you get interested in writing this particular genre (historical novels, mysteries, sci-fi, children’s books, etc.)?

I’ve always loved reading and watching fantasy, but I never thought actually expected to write any of my own. I finally just decided to try after I was told over and over that I needed to write by the people in my life… I should have listened to them sooner. So far, writing stories has been highly rewarding!

 

What kind of research did you do for this book?

For the Royal Shifters, even though there’s a great deal of magic and a LOT of unrealistic things happening, it’s loosely based on medieval times. A magical fantasy alt-universe.

I used to read a lot of books based in medieval times, especially growing up…and my favorite shows are also, you guessed it, based on medieval living and fantasy. So, I actually did quite a lot of research into the times to add a bit of realism. You’d be surprised how many interesting and informative articles there are online, as well as video documentaries on YouTube.

 

Can you tell me about your Series?

The Royal Shifters is about a princess who has to learn who she truly is through a series of terrible events with the help of her shifter companions. There are some really difficult scenes later in the books, but the premise is about overcoming obstacles and not letting them define who you are or who you can be.

 

Do you have a favorite book out of this series?

This is actually a hard question. I have a love/hate relationship with every one of my books. I love each one of them until I write the next book in the series, and then I love that one the most. But I think this has a lot to do with growth as a writer. Her Betrothal was my first full-length book, and I’ve learned a lot since then. I think the books get far more interesting and surprising the further you get into the series.

 

 

Where did you get the inspiration/idea for your series?

The premade artwork for Her Betrothal’s book cover. 😊

 

Was it always meant to become a series?

No! Originally this book was not meant to be a series, but the story took on a life of its own…and now I’m in the process of writing the fifth book…along with several other new series haha!

 

What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

Oh dear. I don’t think there’s a typical writing day for me. I try to sit down and write as soon as possible after getting up and having breakfast. However, sometimes this consists of opening up my latest work and staring at it for hours until inspiration strikes. Usually I writing in my office or the living room. Recently it’s been the living room as my office doesn’t have AC and it’s too hot to sit in there.

 

Do you have a new book in the making and if so, what’s the name of your upcoming book?

 Yes! The fifth book for the Royal Shifters is planned to release sometime in September, but I’m actually working on another series, Hellfire Academy, in the meantime. I couldn’t stop the plot bunnies from overtaking my mind, and the second book is planned to come out next month!

 

 

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

 It depends on the book. For the Royal Shifters, some of the names are important, but mostly they’re just names I really liked saying and found attractive. However, for Hellfire Academy, the names are extremely significant and actually reveal a lot about the character’s personality, life and future.

 

Where do your ideas come from?

It probably sounds like a copout, but they literally can come from everything and anything. Sometimes something as simple as overhearing a stranger’s sentence can bring about a whole new series idea (I actually have a future series in the making just because of this exact situation). 

 

Is there a genre that you’ve been wanting to experiment with?

 Yes! I want to write more comedy/lighthearted series in the future. The plan is to balance my works so I write an equal number of dramatic series and comedic series. 

 

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Forcing myself to sit down and write consistently every day, instead of just daydreaming about it.

 

What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book?

 I love well done book trailers! I hope to someday have some for my own books, but that’ll probably be more down the road when I have money and time to plan for one.

 

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

Finishing a book, oh and getting so deep into a storyline that I wrote almost 100 pages in two days (that required a lot of editing later. I don’t intend to do ever do that again… I was practically catatonic for a week). I struggle a lot with ADD which affects starting/finishing projects, it often causes a lot of anxiety for me as well as self-worth issues. Now that I’ve actually finished several books, it’s boosted my confidence a lot! I can’t say it’s gotten rid of any of these struggles, but it’s helped me push through.

 

 

What’s the best thing about being an author?

 Readers. It’s an amazing feeling to know you’ve brought joy and entertainment to someone else, and even better when they tell you. I know not everyone will like my stories or writing style, but for those that do, it’s highly satisfying to know I’ve done something that affects someone else positively.

 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully still writing stories that people love even more than they do now! It’s a learning process, so I can’t wait to see what I’m writing in ten years compared to the stories I’m writing now.

 

Have you always liked to write?

Yes and no. I hated writing when I was told I had to, but I loved writing things for myself or for entertaining others. I’d often make essays for school more interesting by adding a story hook in some way.

 

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Sit down and write. Make it a habit and figure out what works for you. Honestly, the hardest part about writing is forcing yourself to do it every day. You will get better and faster, but it takes time and practice just like everything else in life. One of the things that works best for me is sprinting, short bursts (10-25 minutes) in which you focus entirely on getting words on the page no matter how many or how good. ❤ 

 

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

Actually, writing isn’t making a living for me yet. I still work as a graphic designer for my day job, and I used to work in gaming as a video game tester and story writer. 

 

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

 I do. I know we’re told not to, as one really bad review can sometimes crush us as writers, especially if the review was made intentionally to bring our writing down, or it’s obvious they didn’t read the whole story. However, I’ve been learning to take those as constructive criticism (when applicable) and make my future books better or just let it go knowing not everyone will love my books…and I still have so much to learn!

 

What is your least favorite part of the writing / publishing process?

 DEADLINES. This is the absolute worst part for me. I love writing, but it’s not my full-time job, yet. However, this is also the best part of writing for me because it forces me to finish things. Once something is up for preorder on Amazon, I can’t change it, so it really pushes me to fight ADD/anxiety and get things done.

 

 

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

Let’s just say things are getting far more twisted and shocking than I ever imagined, and I hope readers will enjoy the surprises! 

 

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

I just write what I like to read or what I’m inspired by. I try to balance my writing to keep me sane. So, if I write a really dark piece, I’ll often have a much more comedic or lighthearted piece I switch over to or incorporate into the story. It’s all about writing what inspires and excites you, if you don’t feel any emotion or draw to the story, it’s unlikely your readers will either.

 

Where did your love of books come from?

 My mom. She started reading to us when we were really little, and often from books that were far beyond our comprehension. She’d edit out words or scenes (I found this out later) that were inappropriate for children, and I loved it! She’d almost always have a book or story on hand wherever we were and story time was never limited to just before bed.

 

Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

Too many to name! Of course, there are the classics such as J.R.R. Tolkien (I often listen to his books before bed), as well as J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, Amanda Roberts, Patrick Rothfuss, Stephen King, and so many more.

 

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?

This is really hard. I think I grow to love all my characters over time, but I’m currently most in love with my cast from Fallen. They’re very difficult people, and readers will hate them and hopefully grow to love them as they see their personalities and character growth over the series.

 

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Both. I always feel energized once I fall into the story but by the end of the day, I am completely exhausted. Once a book is finished, you get a very nice story high that kicks you into the next book and you start the whole cycle over again.

 

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Someone interrupting me mid-scene, social media (I have blockers that I turn on during the day), and a bad mood. 

 

 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I always try to put my story first. It might sound strange, but once I’m in the story, the characters do all the work. I’m just along for the ride, so whatever they tell me their story is…that’s what it is!  

 

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

Amanda Roberts and Eden Beck, they’ve been huge inspirations to me! Whenever I’m feeling crappy, they always know how to help get me back on track and are willing to listen to my crazy ideas or let me vent until inspiration strikes again. They’ve also pushed me to write better, faster and more in-tune with myself and to stop worrying about other people’s expectations on my life.

 

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

I actually have one in the process, but it’s more of a fiction that’s based on my life than an auto-biography…so, this question will have to remain unanswered for now. 

 

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

I’ve actually never thought I’d be interviewed for anything, so I’m open to almost any questions…other than anything about my intimate life I suppose haha.

 

Where can your fans find you and follow??

I am pretty sucky when it comes to updating social media, but this is because I try to spend a majority of my time writing new stories. However, I do my best to get back to people and provide new updates as soon as possible. The best places to find updates or follow me in order of updates would be:

 

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alice-Wilde/e/B07JYQT4JP?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1563775036&sr=8-1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7577069.Alice_Wilde

Instagram: @alice_wilde_author

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alice-wilde

Newsletter/Website: www.alicewilde.com

I don’t have twitter.

 

Thank you for taking your time to do this interview ❤️