Q: How long have you been writing?
This would depend on when I start counting. In the summer of 2005 I started to play with the idea of writing a story. I wrote down stuff in a spiral that eventually turned into a mess of several spirals. The story was a historical romance that I have not looked at since I got stuck near the end. To be honest I am afraid to look at it, LOL. I have since in the time between learned a bunch about the No-No’s of writing. And I am pretty sure those spirals are filled with them. It wasn’t until the spring of 2009 that I decided to sit down and write seriously.
Q: Which country would you most like to visit and why?
It would be a tie between Scotland and Ireland. I am a big fan of historical romance and I have a big thing for accents LOL. Not to mention it is so pretty in both places.
Q: What books have most influenced your life most?
This is a very hard question. The Bible would be number one. As far as just reading a book that made me laugh or cry or get mad and throw it, a few stand out. My very first ever romance novel was This Time Forever by Constance O’Day Flannery. It made me laugh and cry and become addicted to romance. So that one will always stand out. Another is Virginia Henley’s Undone. I went through a range of emotions while reading that book. The most recent was Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy books. Shadow Kiss and Blood Promise really got to me. And then there is the only series of books that I have read more than once. Karen Marie Moning’s Fever Series. I could go on forever because I read a lot. The last one that stands out is IAD Kresley Cole. Love this series.
Q: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
As a mentor I would have to say LSB and their staff have done wonderful things in mentoring me. Also my wonderful CP Xakara.
Q: What inspired you to write “Secrets of Night?”
This is kind of a crazy story in itself. When any writer starts out they have their eyes trained on New York and the big time. I don’t know if they ever lose that dream. But I found out about Harlequin’s nocturne bites line. It was said to be a good in for new authors. So I needed a short story. In about ten minutes I came up with these two characters and could even see them interacting with each other in my head. I made sure they knew each other already because I didn’t have very many words to make them fall in love. LOL. But then I had to come up with the external plot/conflict. I came up with something for these two characters to deal with but in short time the plot had grown so big that there was no way I would be able to tell it all in a short story. Then secondary characters started talking to me (No I’m not crazy I promise. LOL) I stepped away from writing Secrets to play with the idea of a series. Turns out the idea needed to be a series. So long story short, I came up with Secrets as a quick in with a big place that never seen it. It grew into a series that would not fit the parameters of Nocturne Bites, but lucky me I had a place that I wanted to see publish it and they offered.
Q: How did you come up with the title?
Each title in this series will (hopefully) end in night. The series is based upon The Order of Night, a governing counsel of the paranormal beings in the world. This first book involves some secrets so that is where Secrets of Night comes from. Book two is titled Deceptions of Night and book three is Visions of Night. And I have no idea yet how many books will be in this series.
Q: Would you tell us your story of getting “the call?”
I actually got the “email”, LOL. This is a good thing since I don’t think I could speak coherently. My hubby had to ask me what I said twice. Once the jumping up and down near crying, laughing blubbering idiot inside me calmed down, I just felt really happy to know that someone else saw potential in my story.
Q: How did you deal with rejection letters, if you received any?
Secrets was my very first sub ever. The first time I got a revise resub. Which was great to me. Some people get down when they receive those. I didn’t. The next time I got a full request and then an offer. Winter’s Shadow was my second sub and I got an offer on it first round. So this kind of put me on cloud nine. Recently I chose to sub a proposal to a New York publisher. First three chapters and a synopsis. The email I received on it was a very kind rejection and the first time I read it I was very sad. But after I calmed down a little I went back and read it through a few more times. The editor who sent it gave me very good compliments on my writing. Such as competently written. Obvious research and knowing the genre. Good setting and liking the way my characters interacted and such. Their rejection had more to do with little things. So even though it was my first rejection all in all I feel good about it because I’m choosing to look at the positives and do my best to apply any feedback they gave me to my future writing. And once again I always fall back on some of the big writers out there have had their share of rejections.
Q: What do you feel is the most important aspect for all new authors to remember when writing or creating their own stories?
Don’t wear your feelings on your sleeve. In all manners. Rejections, critiques, etc. Look at the critiques you receive with an open mind and not like someone is attacking your writing. There is a difference. Most times when someone points out things it is to help better your writing.
Q: What is on tap for the rest of 2010?
I am working on Deceptions of Night right now. When it is finished I am seriously thinking about taking a stab at cyberpunk. Inside of me dwells an inner D and D geek who loved to play Shadowrun back in the day. Let’s just say it’s been a lil while, LOL. But I love the concept and I am a matrix fan and the like. My character in Shadowrun was a Decker. But I am just playing with that right now. I need to also do revisions to Don’t Panic, an erotic short I wrote at the start of summer. As far as anything else goes I have a drawer full of ideas form Historical to paranormal to otherworld/sci fi. I read everything and have been inspired to write several different stories in the different sub genres or romance.
Best Wishes,
Virginia Cavanaugh
Join me on Saturday when we read a Sexcerpt from Virginia’s “Secrets of Night”
Tina
The Clog Blog 