Rosalie Stanton's Link
REVIEW
Savannah is looking at entering college as a virgin. After getting her heart shattered by one of the high school’s notorious playboys, she turns to her best friend, Thorn, and implores him to help her solve the tiny problem of her virginity.
What she doesn’t know is Thorn has been in love with her since the second he laid eyes on her, and asking him to touch what he can’t have is nothing less than torture. After succumbing to her advances, Thorn makes it his mission to convey everything he hasn’t been able to put into words into touch, hoping Savannah will feel in his hands and mouth what she has never seen in his eyes.
How did you end up becoming a writer?
I don’t remember not being a writer, to be honest. I’ve written or drafted stories since I was a kid. At thirteen, I penned my first novel-length manuscript and never looked back. I wrote informally for several years, selected Creative Writing as a major in college, posted numerous stories online for feedback and criticism, and decided to try my hand at publication a little over a year ago. It’s been a great ride thus far; I can’t wait to see where else it takes me.
Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Aaron Sorkin wrote, “Good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright.” While I do not steal, I confess to finding motivation when reading my favorite authors. Certain authors affect me to the point where I reach for their material when feeling particularly uninspired; their style and use of language makes me want to write. From there, I dream up various scenarios and find further stimulation from something on the news or in a daily interaction.
When push comes to shove, though, I really develop stories around characters—a good character will drive a story forward, and often hijack it from the author and give it life of its own.
Who (or what) do you feel inspired your writing style the most?
I’ve already quoted Aaron Sorkin; I was always a dialogue writer, but he truly gave me a sense of how much dialogue can drive a scene. His dialogue is brilliant. If I need inspiration, I’ll pop in the early seasons of The West Wing or Sports Night and find a cadence to my characters’ speech patterns. It gets the ball rolling in a big ole way. Stephen King is also a big inspiration. I’d forgotten how much I love his style until recently rereading Bag of Bones. Love or hate his work, the man can certainly manipulate words.
What do you feel makes your stories stand apart from others in your genre(s)?
I do my best to infuse as much heart and emotion into my love scenes as possible, rather than only describing the physical. I know I’m not the only author who does this—far from it—but I have been told more than once that whatever I do in my love scenes works, so I plan to stick with it. As for what sets my stories apart in terms of storytelling and plot, I think it’s a matter of voice. Authors who can be identified based on the stories they write, the characters they breathe to life, the words they use and the style in which they use them are the ones I find memorable, and I do my best to stamp my voice into everything I write.
Do you like to read? If so, what are your favorite genres and authors?
I pretty much read anything I can get my hands on. I love paranormal, but I have started drifting toward contemporary and romantic suspense. My favorite authors are Lynsay Sands, Katie MacAlister, Shannon McKenna, Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, and J.A. Saare. I also love Stephen King, Jane Austen, and Daphne du Maurier. Any author who can infuse the story with believable characters, strong dialogue encased in equally strong prose has me from, “Hello.”
Are there any projects that you are currently working on?
I am about 10,000 words into a lengthy, paranormal manuscript, but I believe I will redirect my attention temporarily to lighter and shorter contemporary stories for the time being. Sometimes you need to let a story sit to find it again, and while I am excited about what I have on paper, I find it’s better not to argue with where the muse takes me. If I force myself to write something while my creativity is flowing in a different direction, I will ultimately be dissatisfied with the results. I already have a tendency to work things to death without cause or provocation, and I’d rather be happy with where I have my current WIP than look back and wish I had stopped when my muse took a sabbatical.
Do you have any new releases coming out soon?
Moving Target premiered at the beginning of July. At the moment, my release roster is empty. But check back! I’ll have something ready soon enough.
Thank you for the interview, Rosalie!
If you have any questions for Rosalie, you can either leave a comment here, or you can visit the Happily Ever After Reviews Yahoo Group and post a question or comment.
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