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Q&A
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Q. What inspires your writing?
A. I am heavily inspired by music—all types, really, but rock music in particular. There’s a line in Amber Eyes: Emotions imprint on music, the same way music imprints on the soul. I think emotions and music truly do go hand-in-hand, and it can affect your entire mindset. I use music to capture the tone of a story, or the mood of a particular scene. For Amber Eyes, I have a playlist with a song for almost every major event in the book. For other books I’ve written, I have a playlist full of music that simply fits the tone throughout. I even wrote one novel that was wholly inspired and conceived of after listen to a single song in my car. (It was Framing Hanley’s “Photographs & Gasoline” that inspired A Modern Love Story.)
Q. What is your favorite thing about being an author?
A. I love living vicariously through my characters. I can make them bold—take risks or say things I never could. I can put them right smack dab in the middle of my daydreams and experience them from their perspective. I can manipulate and shape them, take them for a ride, and see where we end up. Ohhh, and the fun we have!! The other part I like is the research. There’s usually something I have to research for things to come across as authentic or believable. And since I LOVE learning new things, I enjoy the research part quite a bit. A lot of research went into Amber Eyes. It was great!
Q. What is the toughest part of being an author?
A. The research. LOL I know, I know…I just blathered on about how much I love it, and I do. But sometimes I want to skip that part and just write. Another thing I don’t like (at all) is the necessary and painful editing/revising. (I think that’s true of most authors, though.) Other than that, setting the scene. I’m a dialogue person—I just want to hit the ground running. I don’t want to have to describe it first. (Can’t you just read my mind?) ;)
Q. If you could not be author, what would you do/be?
A. If I could magically infuse myself with any and all knowledge, I’d say an archeologist. I love NatGeo and History channel (this goes back to the “love learning” comment from before). Can you imagine exploring ancient landmarks, digging up things that were a part of civilization a 1000 years ago, and holding them in your hand? I could be Josh Bernstein’s right-hand “man” (and who wouldn’t want to be??)! My love of history and ancient artifacts/structures is evident in Amber Eyes.
Q. What would the story of your life be entitled?
A. Organized Chaos, or maybe Chaos Walking. Oh, no, wait…I think that’s the name of a book series, isn’t it? Organized Chaos, then. Or maybe Crazy Woman Mumbling…that should paint a nice picture of what I’m like when I’m writing. ;)
Q. What is your favorite book of all time?
A. Lover Awakened and Father Mine. Both are part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and center around Zsadist, my favorite character. (That makes it hard to choose between the two.) I couldn’t get either one of these books out of my head—I’d think about them during the day, and dream about them at night. I’d say that makes them my favorites.
Q. Which character from ANY book are you most like?
A. I think this is the hardest question I’ve ever been asked. It might be easier to explain the theory of relativity. ;) Most readers can find at least one aspect to identify with in a character, I think. (Because people are complex that way.) After A LOT of thinking, I’d say I’m most like Dana in Key of Knowledge (Key Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts. Her natural defenses around Jordan remind me of how I used to be when I was dating—the whole “protecting your heart” attitude. Now I’m married, so I have an attitude ALL the time now. Kidding!
Q. What character from all of your book(s) are you most like?
A. Lexi in Amber Eyes. Most of her personality and ticks are based off me—both as I was in high school, and how I am now.
Q. What is your favorite season?
A. Fall—hands down, no question about it. I love the crispness of the air, the bite in your lungs. It’s refreshing and energizing after an oppressive, humid summer that always makes me feel like a slug in a skillet. (There’s some imagery for you, huh?) ;)
Q. Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book(s).
A. I’m always having fun and joking around with my readers and other writers. And I’m sure I’ve made a fool of myself on more than one occasion, but was too clueless to notice. No funny stories pop in my head, but a situation does come to mind that I have to snicker about now. When I was gearing up to publish Amber Eyes, I wanted to use a cover my friend had created for me. The problem was, she used a random picture she found on the internet and I didn’t have the royalty rights. So, I rolled up my sleeves and went to town on trying to find the artist. My first stop was DeviantART.com (one of my favorite sites), but no luck there. Then I spend hours trying to track the picture down through Google. I found the image quickly enough, but not the source—that took some deeper digging (and I am NOT internet-savvy). Eventually, I tracked it down to Giulia Manchi in Italy. And do you want to know WHERE I found her? Yup…DeviantART.com. Figures. LOL Guilia (AKA, JuLyFriDay on DeviantART) was gracious enough to give me permission to use the photo, AND assisted with my Italian translations in Amber Eyes. What a lady!
Q. Are you working on something new?
A. Oh, it seems I’ve always got some new idea brewing. Right now, I’m writing Twisted (Twists of Fate #2)—a paranormal romance. The Twists of Fate series revolves around two rock bands (most of which written from Fate’s point-of-view), and has been a blast to dig into. I’m also working on a rough draft of Crimson Eyes (Entwined Souls Trilogy—Book Two), the sequel to Amber Eyes.
Q. Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?
A. I want to thank you, Emily, for having me and challenging my mind with some of these questions. (Writing a novel should be a breeze now. Ha ha!) And I’ll like to thank everyone for stopping by and seeing what I have to say. Please, feel free to contact me at any time with any additional question you may have. You can find all my contact information on my website, www.jolynpalliata.com, or email me direct at info.jolynpalliata@gmail.com. I love the interaction with my readers! Thanks again!
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Guest Post
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The (Disastrous) First Kiss
The almighty disastrous first kiss. Is there any other kind? Please humor me, and say ‘no’. I don’t want to know differently—that it could have been a non-humiliating, non-horrifying experience. (I almost bit him. Really?!)
First kisses should come with an instruction manual that is well thought out and meticulously reviewed prior to any sort of attempt being made.
· Step 1: Tilt head—nose squishing is not so sexy
· Step 2: Watch the toes when you step closer—it could lead to abruptly looking down and smacking foreheads
· Step 3: Don’t lick your lips first—it’s wet, sloppy, and all around gross
· Step 4: Know where you’re going to put your hands ahead of time—wandering, fumbling digits can make for an awkward situation
· Step 5: Make sure he wants to kiss you, too!! (Oy vey.)
First kisses aren’t for novices, although by definition alone, you will be inexperienced. But you should go in with all the facts and knowledge you can acquire. This is a time for a fact finding mission! Ask your friends, watch a movie, pay attention in Health class (for certainly this had to have been covered, right?). Don’t go in blind thinking ‘I can do this’! Feel the fear, know the fear, be at one with the fear.
I did none of these things. And when it was over (oh, God…it took forever to be over), I didn’t feel like a woman, I didn’t feel pretty, and I didn’t want to yell it at the top of my lungs on the highest peak. I did, however, want to dig a hole, crawl inside, and asphyxiate on the dirt. Gladly.
Lexi (my main character) had a similar experience with Dez (her soul mate), although with far less disastrous repercussions. (I just couldn’t put her through that!) However, she should have paid attention to Step #5 (see the now-titled Mastermind Kissing Manual listed up above).
To be fair, Dez did have his reasons for denying her, and none of them were cruel in nature. But can you picture it? Imagine leaning in to kiss a guy, seeing the want and need in his eyes too, just to be rebuffed. What’s worse, is she comes to find out he remembers what it feels like. He knows, and she’s left in the dark! Can you imagine the frustration level? Who is he to decide when they should, or shouldn’t kiss? Who is he to make that choice, when he gets the luxury of remembering that tender touch…as well as far more intimate situations she hadn’t even begun contemplating yet? She eventually discovers the reason, and sees his point. Sort of. But it certainly doesn’t stop her resulting driving need to slam through his logic, and claim that almighty first kiss. (Was she not paying attention at all?!)
Okay…time to fess up. I laid it all out there for the world to read (Oh, man...what have I done?!), and now it’s your turn. What was your first kiss like? Disastrous? Or the stuff songs are written about?
Thanks for stopping by to chat!! And thank you, Emily, for having me!
To view my review of Amber Eyes and to enter a GIVEAWAY click HERE
