|
|
|
|
Blogs by L.T. Suzuki
Erica Lucke Dean Interview
5/18/2013 10:20:51 PM
Debut author Erica Lucke Dean discusses her romance novel and the writing life!
LTS: One of the most interesting and engaging authors I’ve met so far on Twitter has been the lovely and talented Erica Lucke Dean. When she is not taking care of her busy family, dealing with a ghost in the 90-year-old farmhouse, or corralling a menagerie of domestic beasties both furred and feathered, Erica is a romance and paranormal romance writer. Her debut novel, To Katie With Love was just released this spring! I’d like to begin by having you share a little information about yourself with our readers, Erica. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing?
ELD: When I’m not chasing chickens out of the house or dodging runaway pigs, hell-bent on my destruction, I’m a total karaoke nut. I try to sneak off to sing at least once a week. In fact, if they didn’t pry the microphone out of my fingers, I’d probably do it more often.
LTS: You gave up a successful career in banking to pursue writing full-time. Was it always your dream to become a published author?
ELD: Oh definitely! As far back as I can remember, I’ve been writing with the goal of being published. In fact, in junior high, I was publishing in an anthology of poetry. It was also my first experience with editing. They edited some of my favorite parts out of the poems so I didn’t keep the book. Now I wish I had. I wouldn’t even know where to look for it.
LTS: I had a chance to read an excerpt from your debut novel, To Katie With Love and I enjoyed how I felt like I was eavesdropping on some girlfriends! What was the inspiration behind this story and can you tell us a little bit about your protagonist, Katie James?
ELD: As I said, I’m obsess…I mean, quite fond of doing karaoke. I was in a karaoke bar one night with my husband. He hates karaoke, so he was playing a game on his phone while I was people watching until it was my turn to sing. I found myself fascinated by the lack of hot guys in the room. Not that I was shopping, mind you, but I fully expected to see at least one guy with the ladies all around him. The odds say at least ONE guy in the room should be attractive, right? Well, nope. And it made me wonder what I would do if I was a single girl stuck in a room full of guys, none of which could catch my attention. So I grabbed a bar napkin and borrowed a pen from the waitress (ok, so maybe I stole it…but I gave it back before we left) and I started scribbling down chapter one. Once I got back to work on Monday, the story had faded off into the distance until something at the bank happened that made me realize my poor lonely girl at the bar would fit in perfectly with the nutty people I worked with at the bank. I wrote the book in three months. Often times writing at my desk while I was supposed to be working.
LTS: Without giving away too much, can you reveal what’s in store for the readers when they crack open To Katie With Love?
ELD: Readers can expect zany characters, humor, a lovely romance, and a few twists and turns. Our girl Katie is a shy banker obsessed with romance novels who falls head over heels in love with her rich, mysterious client, Cooper Maxwell. But Katie can’t seem to leave well enough alone and sets out to discover what Cooper’s hiding. And she might not like what she finds out.
LTS: The road to publication is difficult at the best of times. What advice do you have for an author struggling to be published by a traditional publishing house?
ELD: I would just tell them to keep writing. Perfect your craft. Keep querying. And don’t rule out the smaller publishers. I absolutely love my publisher. Red Adept may not be “big six”…yet…but they don’t skimp AT ALL on the final product. I’m very happy I trusted them with my “baby.”
LTS: Can you share that moment when you sold your story to Red Adept Publishing?
ELD: I queried Red Adept in November and had to wait while it went through at least three acquisitions editors before hearing back from the publisher. She called me two weeks before Christmas to tell me she was interested. It was the most amazing piece of news ever. I was delighted, to say the least. I think I did a little dance and asked my husband if he still thought I should hang up my keyboard and take up a more productive “hobby.” He decided I might make something of this writing thing after all.
LTS: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned on the road to publication?
ELD: I have learned that the road is long and arduous. The terrain is too often fraught with disappointment after disappointment, but the end of the journey truly makes it all worth it. I think a lot of people throw in the towel and take another (often easier) path, or just give up writing all together, and I can understand where they’re coming from, but for me, that moment when someone said, “your book is exactly what we’re looking for,” made it that much sweeter.
LTS: On the subject of writing styles, are you a plotter or pantser?
ELD: Well, I’m a pantser by nature, but I do try to at least go in with an idea of how to get back out. I’ve even been known to make a rough outline of what should happen the whole way through. But in the end, I let the characters guide me as we go. Sometimes that original idea gives way to something way better, and you have to be ready to grab onto that last minute inspiration and just go with it.
LTS: Some authors meditate, others need to fuel up on coffee or listen to music. Do you have any rituals, ones that can be shared with the readers, that you must do before you hunker down for a writing session?
ELD: I’m a spur of the moment person. I do what feels right when I write. Sometimes I listen to a playlist on repeat. Sometimes I disappear into the quiet solitude. Sometimes I like being in a bustling coffee shop where I can just soak up the ambience. It really depends on the mood I’m trying to create on the page. I’ve even been known to “talk” it out with a peer over the phone. Tossing ideas back and forth until something sticks. But it’s all good. As long as you’re making progress, right?
LTS: At one time or another, most writers hit the wall and their work stalls because of the dreaded writer’s block. What do you do to get around or over this mental wall to resume writing?
ELD: Sometimes I just put it down and focus on reading for a while. Reading a good book will inevitably restore those creative juices. If that doesn’t work, I pick up a new project and just play with it. Anything to get the brain working in that direction again. I don’t think there’s any one trick that works. Sometimes you just have to keep writing crap until you work through the cobwebs. Just don’t give up.
LTS: Who is your favourite author and how has he/she inspired you to write or influenced your writing style or choice of genre?
ELD: I get asked this a lot, and the answer is always the same. I can’t choose a favorite author any more than I can choose a favorite color, or favorite song. I like so many for so many different reasons. I read anything from Shakespeare to Stephen King to Stephanie Meyer. I love to read, and I’ve even been known to read fan fiction from time to time. Or the cereal box…the shampoo bottle.
LTS: What do you foresee in your future over the next five years and do you hope to branch out from romance into other genres? Can your fans expect a sequel to To Katie With Love in the near future?
ELD: I definitely see me writing more than just the romance/chick lit over the next five years, but for now, I have a paranormal romance coming out next year. I also have an angsty new YA project I’m collaborating on with a friend. Then the sequel to Katie. So I’m not sure what the future will bring after that, but that’s only because I haven’t written it yet.
Thank you for taking time out of your crazy busy schedule to share with us, Erica! I’ll catch you on Twitter!
For more information about Erica Lucke Dean and her stories, check out:
Website: www.ericaluckedean.com
Follow Erica on Twitter: .ericaluckedean
Facebook www.facebook.com/ericaluckedean
Where to buy the book: Amazon.com and BN.com
Post a Comment new!
More Blogs by L.T. Suzuki
• Erica Lucke Dean Interview - Saturday, May 18, 2013
• Amber Lea Easton Interview - Sunday, May 12, 2013
• Ruth Nestvold Interview - Saturday, May 04, 2013
• Rose Garcia Interview - Saturday, April 20, 2013
• Robert Pruneda Interview - Saturday, April 13, 2013
• Lance Burson Interview - Saturday, April 06, 2013
• Rachel Thompson Interview: - Saturday, March 23, 2013
• Samantha Martin Interview - Saturday, March 16, 2013
• Lisette Brodey Interview - Saturday, March 09, 2013
• Jack Whyte Interview Part Two - Saturday, March 02, 2013
• Jack Whyte Interview Part One - Saturday, February 23, 2013
• Molly Greene Interview - Saturday, February 16, 2013
• Dionne Lister Interview - Saturday, February 09, 2013
• Anita Reynolds MacArthur Interview: - Saturday, February 02, 2013
• Alicia Kat Dillman Interview - Saturday, January 26, 2013
• John Gregory Hancock Interview - Saturday, January 19, 2013
• Adriana Ryan Interview - Saturday, January 12, 2013
• Jennifer McConnel Interview - Friday, January 04, 2013
• S.M. Boyce Interview - Saturday, December 15, 2012
• James Tallett Interview - Saturday, December 08, 2012
• Melissa McPhail Interview - Saturday, December 01, 2012
• Roz Morris Interview - Sunday, November 18, 2012
• Tania Johansson Interview - Saturday, November 10, 2012
• Dale Ivan Smith Interview - Sunday, November 04, 2012
• Respect Your Readers - Sunday, October 28, 2012
• Greta van der Rol Interview - Sunday, October 21, 2012
• Justin Bog Interview - Saturday, October 13, 2012
• Thanksgiving Day: Gratitude - Saturday, October 06, 2012
• Steena Holmes Interview - Saturday, September 29, 2012
• Kenneth Hoss Interview - Saturday, September 22, 2012
• Patty Jansen Interview - Saturday, September 15, 2012
• Joshua E. Bigger Interview - Saturday, September 08, 2012
• Joyce Damask Interview - Saturday, September 01, 2012
• Marketing & Twitter - Saturday, August 25, 2012
• Henry Herz Interview - Saturday, August 18, 2012
• Kristin Bair O'Keeffe Interview - Sunday, August 12, 2012
• William Linde Interview - Saturday, August 04, 2012
• Micheal Rivers Interview - Saturday, July 21, 2012
• Robert James Russell Interview - Saturday, July 14, 2012
• Becka Sutton Interview - Saturday, July 07, 2012
• Canadian Authors Feature - Saturday, June 30, 2012
• Gini Koch Interview - Sunday, June 17, 2012
• M. Pax Interview - Saturday, June 09, 2012
• Karina Halle Interview - Saturday, June 02, 2012
• Novice Writing Mistakes - Sunday, May 27, 2012
• Pippa Jay Interview - Sunday, May 20, 2012
• Glenn Starkey Interview - Saturday, May 12, 2012
• Maurice G. Nicholson Interview - Saturday, May 05, 2012
• How I Select Followers on Twitter - Saturday, April 28, 2012
• Shaun Allan Interview - Sunday, April 22, 2012
• Darlene Foster Interview - Saturday, April 14, 2012
• Kim Aleksander Interview - Saturday, April 07, 2012
• Hope Collier Interview - Saturday, March 31, 2012
• John Kolson’s Writeado: A New Online Writing Tool - Saturday, March 24, 2012
• Jeff Shanley Interview - Saturday, March 17, 2012
• Stephen England Interview - Saturday, March 10, 2012
• Everett Powers Interview - Saturday, March 03, 2012
• The Kindle Prime Experiment - Saturday, February 25, 2012
• Edward Lazellari Interview - Saturday, February 18, 2012
• Connie J. Jasperson Interview - Saturday, February 11, 2012
• Sally Dubats - Saturday, February 04, 2012
• Selecting Writers For My Author Feature - Sunday, January 29, 2012
• Tarek Refaat Interview - Sunday, January 22, 2012
• Toby Neal Interview: - Saturday, January 14, 2012
• Thomas A. Knight Interview - Sunday, January 08, 2012
• Linda Poitevin Interview - Sunday, January 01, 2012
• 2011: A Year in Review - Monday, December 26, 2011
• Angeline Kace Interview - Sunday, December 18, 2011
• Eden Baylee Interview - Saturday, December 10, 2011
• Cyndi Tefft Interview - Saturday, December 03, 2011
• The Conference Experience - Sunday, November 27, 2011
• A.R. Silverberry Interview - Sunday, November 20, 2011
• Suzy Turner Interview - Sunday, November 13, 2011
• Patti Roberts Interview - Sunday, November 06, 2011
• Raine Thomas Interview - Sunday, October 23, 2011
• LK Gardner-Griffie Interview - Saturday, October 15, 2011
• Jonathan Gould Interview - Saturday, October 08, 2011
• Brian Rathbone Interview - Saturday, October 01, 2011
• Matthew Merrick Interview - Sunday, September 25, 2011
• Dean Lappi Interview - Saturday, September 17, 2011
• J.T. Ellison Interview - Sunday, September 11, 2011
• Carolyn Arnold Interview - Sunday, September 04, 2011
• John Kolson Interview - Sunday, August 21, 2011
• Megan Curd Interview - Saturday, August 06, 2011
• Elena Aitken - Sunday, July 31, 2011
• When Book Reviews are Misleading… - Sunday, July 24, 2011
• Deborah Riley-Magnus - Saturday, July 16, 2011
• Jessica Subject Interview - Sunday, July 10, 2011
• J. Alexander Greenwood Interview: - Sunday, July 03, 2011
• When Social Networking is no so social... - Monday, June 27, 2011
• Dannie C. Hill - Monday, June 20, 2011
• Shay Fabbro Interview - Tuesday, June 14, 2011
• Genevieve P. Ching Interview - Monday, June 06, 2011
• Al Boudreau Interview - Monday, May 30, 2011
• Jennifer Hudock Interview - Monday, May 23, 2011
• Paul Mansfield Keefe Interview - Monday, May 16, 2011
• Rusty Fischer Interview - Monday, May 09, 2011
• Jason McIntyre Interview - Monday, May 02, 2011
• Emlyn Chand & Novel Publicity - Monday, April 25, 2011
• Steve Umstead Interview - Monday, April 18, 2011
• John Betcher Interview - Monday, April 11, 2011
• Kimberly Kinrade Interview - Monday, April 04, 2011
• Inspiration & Where You Find It - Monday, March 28, 2011
• Christie Yant - Tuesday, March 22, 2011
• Amy J. Rose David Interview - Monday, March 14, 2011
• George H. Sirois Interview - Monday, March 07, 2011
• Linda Nagata Interview - Monday, February 28, 2011
• Adventures in Editing or... Is it Done Yet? - Monday, February 21, 2011
• Greg Messel Interview - Monday, February 14, 2011
• Jen Wylie Interview - Monday, February 07, 2011
• Katie M. John Interview - Monday, January 31, 2011
• How Do You Measure Success: - Tuesday, January 25, 2011
• Avery Tingle Interview - Monday, January 17, 2011
• Kristie Cook Interview - Tuesday, January 11, 2011
• Ren Cummins - Tuesday, January 04, 2011
• A Wish For the New Year - Tuesday, December 28, 2010
• Trish Wolfe Interview - Monday, December 20, 2010
• Jesi Lea Ryan Interview - Monday, December 13, 2010
• Cat Connor Interview - Monday, December 06, 2010
• How to Make a Story Ring True - Monday, November 29, 2010
• Sharon Bially Interview - Monday, November 22, 2010
• Donna Carrick Interview - Monday, November 15, 2010
• Brenda Sedore Interview - Tuesday, November 09, 2010
• Robert Feagan Interview - Monday, November 01, 2010
• Of Book Signings, Volunteering & Option Agreements… - Tuesday, October 26, 2010
• Daryl Sedore Interview - Monday, October 18, 2010
• Seven Day Blog Tour Begins October 17th - Tuesday, October 12, 2010
• Todd A. Ritter Interview - Monday, October 04, 2010
• Cheryl Kaye Tardif Interview - Monday, September 27, 2010
• Claude Bouchard Interview - Tuesday, September 21, 2010
• Dr. Peter Clement Interview - Tuesday, September 14, 2010
• Elizabeth Isaacs Interview - Monday, September 06, 2010
• Introducing a New YA Fantasy - Monday, August 30, 2010
• Interview with Author Gene Doucette - Monday, August 23, 2010
• It's All About the Books Part 2 - Monday, August 16, 2010
• It's All About the Books - Monday, August 09, 2010
• When to Abandon Your Manuscript - Monday, August 02, 2010
• 1st Anniversary Blog: A Celebration of Authors - Tuesday, July 27, 2010
• Kathy Chung & the SiWC Part Twp - Tuesday, July 20, 2010
• Kathy Chung & the Surrey International Writers Conference Part One - Tuesday, July 13, 2010
• Deanna Jewel Interview - Tuesday, July 06, 2010
• The Happiest Indie Author (me) in the World! - Tuesday, June 29, 2010
• The Author Effect - Tuesday, June 22, 2010
• Jacqueline Pearce Interview - Tuesday, June 15, 2010
• Peggy Richardson Interview - Tuesday, June 08, 2010
• Wendy Nelson Tokunaga Interview - Tuesday, June 01, 2010
• The Importance of a Critique Group - Saturday, May 29, 2010
• Zoe Winters Interview - Tuesday, May 18, 2010
• Zoe Winters Interview - Tuesday, May 11, 2010
• Tonya R. Moore Interview - Monday, May 03, 2010
• Write On Bowen! - Monday, April 26, 2010
• Dayna Hester Interview - Monday, April 19, 2010
• Luke Romyn Interview - Monday, April 12, 2010
• Rhonda Carpenter Interview - Monday, March 29, 2010
• Lacey Weatherford Interview - Monday, March 22, 2010
• K.M. Weiland Interview - Tuesday, March 16, 2010
• Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords Interview! - Tuesday, March 09, 2010
• Jo Lynne Valerie Interview - Tuesday, March 02, 2010
• Dan McNeil Interview - Tuesday, February 23, 2010
• Catherine McKenzie Interview - Tuesday, February 16, 2010
• 8 Years of Writing! 8 eBook Winners! - Sunday, February 07, 2010
• Birthday Blog (or an Ode to Aging Gracelessly) - Monday, January 18, 2010
• Interview with Paranormal Author Kate Austin - Monday, January 11, 2010
• Riley Carney Interview - Tuesday, January 05, 2010
• Ask an Editor - Monday, December 28, 2009
• Lee Edward Fodi Interview - Monday, December 21, 2009
• Interview with YA Author James McCann - Tuesday, December 15, 2009
• Researching Historical Fiction with Diana Gabaldon - Tuesday, December 08, 2009
• kc dyer Interview & Enter to Win an Autographed Novel! - Tuesday, December 01, 2009
• Bev Katz Rosenbaum Interview - Tuesday, November 24, 2009
• Writing Tips I Learned from Terry Brooks - Tuesday, November 17, 2009
• An Interview with Tamara Sheehan - Monday, November 09, 2009
• YA Author Loreena M. Lee Interview - Tuesday, November 03, 2009
• Why Do I Blog About Other Authors? - Thursday, October 29, 2009
• Critique by Author Jack Whyte - Tuesday, October 27, 2009
• BookCamp 2009 - Monday, October 19, 2009
• Participating at VCON 34 - Wednesday, October 14, 2009
• Therese Walsh Interview - Tuesday, October 06, 2009
• Interview with Debra Purdy Kong - Tuesday, September 29, 2009
• Twitter – The Power of the Tweet - Tuesday, September 22, 2009
• Part Two: Publishing in a Foreign Market - Tuesday, September 15, 2009
• An Interview with author Christopher Belton - Tuesday, September 08, 2009
• Part Two of the Caroline Leavitt Interview: - Thursday, September 03, 2009
• An Interview with Author & Book Reviewer Caroline Leavitt - Tuesday, September 01, 2009
• An Interview with Kathleen Bolton - Tuesday, August 25, 2009
• Interview with author/artist Scott Kessman: - Tuesday, August 18, 2009
• Interview with author/artist Scott Kessman: - Tuesday, August 18, 2009
• Part 2 of the Kim Falconer Interview - Thursday, August 13, 2009
• An Interview with Kim Falconer - Tuesday, August 11, 2009
• Part 2 An Interview with Alan Baxter - Thursday, August 06, 2009
• An Interview with Alan Baxter - Tuesday, August 04, 2009
• If You Write It, They Will Come (buy it)… Not! - Sunday, July 26, 2009
• Lori A. May: Author Extraordinaire - Tuesday, July 21, 2009
• Merits of a Writers Conference - Sunday, July 19, 2009
• Part 2 Publishing in the Digital Age - Thursday, July 16, 2009
• Publishing in the Digital Age - Monday, July 13, 2009
• Writing Tips for the Novice Novelist - Tuesday, July 07, 2009
• Flog the Blog - Tuesday, June 30, 2009
• Do's & Don't of a TV interview - Saturday, June 27, 2009
• Mortality & Writing - Friday, June 26, 2009
• The Art of Editing 101 - Tuesday, June 23, 2009
• How To Write When Suffering from Bad Memory Retention - Saturday, June 20, 2009
• Finding Inspiration from Others - Thursday, June 18, 2009
• To Blog or Twitter... - Tuesday, June 16, 2009
|
|
Bookmarks
