16 July 2014

Kirsty Dallas Author Interview


This week please join me in welcoming the fabulous 
Kirsty Dallas to the blog!

1.     Have you always had a passion for writing?
Pretty much since I was 12 years old and saw The Never Ending Story at the movies. I have always wanted to invent other worlds, crawl inside and live in there.

2.     Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books?
Not really. I read mostly paranormal and dystopian romance, and I write (to-date) contemporary and comedy romance. I adore anything by Gena Showalter and Kresley Cole, but have stumbled across some amazing Indie Authors that I love to bits. Most recently was Stephanie Hudson’s Afterlife Saga. I’m bloody addicted to that series!

3.     What are your biggest inspirations?
I’m inspired by anyone who has a passion and actually grabs hold of it and gives it a go. Artists, musicians, writers, actors and film makers are all amongst my friends and each and every one of them are inspiring in some way. I have a girl friend who always wanted to be a mum. She has three beautiful boys and wonderful husband, and just seeing the happiness in her home is inspiring.

4.     Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings?
No. Characters just pop into my head, sometimes coming from something as simple as a song. The book I am working on now is about a Jazz singer and the character came to me while listening to an Ella Fitzgerald song. The locale usually forms around the characters and the story.

5.     Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces?
Always. I’m a bit of a music whore. I love all music. Jazz, R&B, Rock, Classical, since Decker’s Wood I’ve even got into country. Who woulda’ thought?

6.     What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?
Whenever the story hits a lull I grab a book and have a break. Giving my mind a little escape seems to help me refocus.

7.     How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?)
My perspective on life hasn’t really changed, but I definitely feel as though doors have opened, career wise and travel wise. I have been incredibly lucky and found myself surrounded by a massive support group consisting of bloggers, other authors and fans. I have come to realize that not everyone is so lucky, there are certainly nasty and sometimes ugly elements to writing and social media, but I am fortunate enough to have escaped all of that so far.

8.     What are your biggest challenges as an author?
Finding the balance between family and writing --- Maintaining confidence in myself --- Biting my tongue and ignoring negative remarks in reviews when all I want to do is defend my baby, LOL.

9.     Do you have any pets?
My daughter has a 5 year old English Staffordshire Terrier and also a rabbit. Since I am the one who feeds them, I guess you could say they are really mine.

10.     What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?
Being a mum to a beautiful 6 year old girl. I love taking her for lunch and just hanging out and reading books with her.

11.     Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world?
I haven’t done a great deal of travel, the furthest being NZ, but my favourite place in Aussie would have to be Magnetic Island in North Queensland. Warm tropical island, coconut palms, reef, pubs right on the beach. Yeah, that would have to be the best place in the world. I used to vacation there as a child and I go back usually once a year to just hang. I hope to one day buy a vacation cabin there. Fingers crossed.

12.      Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…
My most recent published book was Decker’s Wood which went to #5 on Amazon Romantic Comedy best sellers. It was a huge release weekend and the reviews have been mind-blowing. There is nothing like having authors you aspire to contacting you to tell you how much they loved your book.

My next book is called Violet Addiction, a romance about a jazz singer with a cocaine addiction. It’s definitely deeper than Decker and the research I’ve been doing is heart-breaking. Quite a change up from a porn star with “performance issues”.


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