First Person: Though I don’t mind writing in first person, it’s not my favorite. I hate saying “I” all the time, and I don’t like to connect with my characters on that level. It feels too personal.
Second Person: I despise second person and I won’t write a book in this POV. Directions or written instructions, though? Sure thing. I like helping. (FYI, never ask me for directions or be your guide. I have no sense of direction.)
Why I hate it? I don’t like being told what to do in books or like telling people what to do. I feel like a pushy dominatrix when I write in second person. It’s uncomfortable for me. Sure, I’d look cute in the heels and dress, and it sounds kinky, but it’s not happening. I hate playing the dominant role, and writing second person sticks me there. And don’t imagine me as a dominatrix. Trust me, I would giggle through it, and ruin the fun.
I’m guessing publishers aren’t fond of second person, either. I was told by a few editors not to refer to the reader as “you” or ask too many questions in narration.
Third Person (limited): This is my favorite and what POV most of my books are written in. Why I love third person? It’s perfect. It has that distance I need and is the most comfortable for me to write. I’m not becoming a character or am limited to talking in their vernacular in narration.
Third Person Omniscient: I used to do this and WISHED someone told me it wasn’t well-liked. Head-hopping, like in omni POV, isn’t allowed by many of publishers. If I could go back and talk to younger H.N. when she started writing, I’d tell her NOT to do this. It screwed me up for years and is still a habit I slip into without realizing it.
I didn’t know I shouldn’t do this until I signed my first series, CK, and the editor told me I needed to rewrite it in third person limited POV. It was impossible without rewriting the entire book, and I was a cocky little brat in the beginning (I wish I could change her too), so they let it slide and nailed me on the next few books I signed with them.
A fault with newbie authors? They think everything they do is right. I grew out of that stage and am way more flexible now when working with editors and publishers. Though, I can still pitch a fit if they want to change too much of my storyline. But we all have limits in that realm.
What’s your favorite POV to write/read? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
While going through old posts and cleaning up the site, I realized I didn’t do an “official” author interview with S.L. Stacy here! I interviewed her on a radio show I co-hosted with Tricia Andersen about seven years ago, but that doesn’t count.
S.L’s written a stack of books. I’m proud of how far she’s come since I met her. I think we’ve been friends for about nine years, give or take a year, and I did the cover art for her Reborn Series. I’ve seen her go from working on her first draft of Reborn, to becoming a best-selling author. It’s fun to see your writer friends become big-time authors! I love it!
I’m excited to interview her and let you all meet her. I’ve featured her in a few of my posts, so maybe you know a little about her. And besides being a talented author, Dr. Stacy is a scientist. How cool is that?
If you like my books, I think you’ll like hers. Hop over to Amazon and check them out. Reborn is FREE to download on Amazon, so snag your copy HERE.
– H.N. Sieverding
Let’s Meet Author S.L. Stacy!
Author Bio: S.L. Stacy is the author of the Amazon bestselling Reborn series, including the novels Reborn, Relapse, and Reclaim, and two novellas, Revenge and Rectify. Her stories blend the allure of paranormal romance with the adventure of science fiction, but she prefers more nuanced endings over the straightforward HEA. She loves dark, tragic antiheroes, a la Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries) and Julian (The Forbidden Game). Her favorite authors include L.J. Smith, Karen Marie Moning, J.K. Rowling, Orson Scott Card, Kelly Creagh, Cassandra Clare, and Sarah J. Maas. She is currently hard at work on the next book in the Reborn series (when she isn’t watching Riverdale).
Interview Questions
What genre do you write and why? I write romantic fantasy and urban fantasy. I used to call it paranormal romance, but fans of that genre have certain expectations about the book formula and ending. Which is absolutely fine! I just don’t always like following those formulas, haha. I write in these genres because I enjoy mixing old myths with our modern world.
What is the best review you’ve ever gotten? This isn’t a specific review, but a few times I’ve had readers tell me they don’t normally read fantasy or paranormal books, but they like mine. I always enjoy hearing that!
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out? My advice is to just write—get that first draft down and don’t worry about how bad it is, lol. Keep writing, get the words down—you can fix it later.
Do you outline your stories? I usually write a basic outline. I often know the beginning, the middle, and how it ends, but not exactly how the characters will get there. And sometimes they surprise me! At the end of the day, though, the characters are in charge, and I’m just along for the ride. Maybe that sounds a bit weird, lol, but it’s true.
Are you working on any new books right now? I am writing the fourth (and final) installment of my Reborn series. It’s tentatively called Retribution. I’m not sure if that will change, but it might!
This is an excerpt from my WIP, Retribution (Reborn #4), so it might be a little rough. Most of the time, my main characters—Siobhan and Jasper—are involved in some pretty epic drama, but this is more of a silly moment between them.
S.L. Stacy
“Siobhan?” Jasper raps on the bathroom door, his tone hesitant. “You okay in there?”
“Yeah, sorry,” I tell him, toweling my hair dry. “Be out in a sec.”
“No worries. You’ve just been in there for a while. Thought you drowned or something.”
“Ha, ha.” Lowering the towel, I study myself in the mirror. My hair falls around my face in wet, dark clumps. Taking my comb, I start to gently pick apart the tangles.
Once the strands fall straight and smooth once again, I feel like I can properly assess the dye job. Yep. While Jasper was sleeping in, I spent the morning dying my blonde hair black.
It’s a drastic change, to say the least. When I bought the box of Onyx hair dye at the pharmacy yesterday, I hadn’t completely thought it through. I’m not sure how much effort I’m willing to put into maintenance once my roots start showing. And I don’t even want to think about what I’m going to have to do to get rid of it if I get sick of it. For now, though, I’m kind of liking it. Sure, with my pale skin I resemble a very washed out vampire, but it’s striking. Dramatic. Dark, like my mood.
I set the comb on the sink and emerge from Jasper’s bathroom.
He’s sitting on the bed, scrolling through something on his phone. “Finally,” he says, glancing up with a smile before his eyes return to the screen. “I’ve had to pee for hours.” I see him stiffen, his head slowly lifting to look at me again in that did-I-just-see-what-I-think-did way. For a few moments, he studies me silently, midnight blue eyes wide.
“Your hair,” he finally says after a while. “It’s…different.”
Smiling, I run a hand over the still damp strands. “Do you like it?”
“I…yes. Yes, I do.” He rubs his chin, seeming to choose his next words carefully. “I do, but it threw me off guard. I wasn’t expecting you to go into the bathroom a blonde and come out a Morticia Addams.”
I laugh, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. “You know about the Addams family?”
“I’m not as completely pop culture illiterate as you think I am.” Reaching over, he traces the side of my face, tucking a section of hair behind my ear. “I do like it. It’s hot.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Gathering me close to him, he captures my mouth in a gentle but urgent kiss. It pours all the way through me like a shot of espresso, warming me all the way to my toes. Too quickly, he pulls away.
“As much as I want to follow up on that kiss,” he says, getting up from the bed, “I’d better grab a shower while it’s still available. You might go back in and come out with a buzz cut.”
“I wouldn’t get a buzz cut,” I call after him. “I’d just shave it all off. Go full Britney 2007.”
Today, I’ve asked my panel of published authors the question, “What is your most effective social media platform?”
“WordPress is most effective for people to read samples of your work and get a real idea of what you write, why you write, and how you write. Twitter is most effective for getting quick attention and saying, “Hi. I have a book. Would you please read it? Thanks!”
Decker Schutt
“Facebook, with WordPress as a close second.”
S.L. Stacy
“WordPress. FB would be my second choice.”
H.N. Sieverding
“Facebook because I cheat. When I post on Facebook it also posts on Twitter. I kill two birds with one stone.”
Tricia Andersen
“I’ve found Facebook, don’t over post there otherwise you will drive perspective readers away, and Twitter to be the best. Also doing radio interviews and blogs.”
Lindsay Downs
“(facebook, twitter, wordpress, etc) Facebook, for allowing communication with readers and friends of course, although WordPress is a great tool for allowing you to improve your writing craft and connect with other writers who in some cases also become wonderfully dear friends.”
This is the first of my “Ask An Author” posts. Today, I’ve asked my panel of published authors the question, “How do you deal with bad reviews?”. If you’re an author and want to participate, too, feel free to leave your answer in the comment section. We’d love to hear it!
“Shrug my shoulders and continue to be a better writer. A review, even from a professional reviewer is an opinion. Everyone is entitled to theirs even if it disagrees with yours and other reviews.”
– Lindsay Downs
“I’ve come to realize the only way to deal with bad reviews is not to read them. (Something else that’s easier said than done). If that doesn’t work: ice cream or chocolate.”
– S.L. Stacy
“First, evaluate if the reviewer has a point. We’ve all read things we didn’t like. If that can be true for us, then it can be true for others who read what we’ve written. Learn from bad reviews, provided you have fairly evaluated if they are correct or at least logical. Also, keep in mind that in order for someone to give you a bad review, they must have read your work. That’s a positive. And don’t be afraid to reach out to that person and thank them for reading and reading carefully. Invite them to share any further reviews, positive or negative, with you personally. It’ll make it more likely they’ll read more of what you’ve written.”
– Decker Schutt
“I vent to friends, treat myself (usually a cupcake), then try to learn from it.”
– Tricia Andersen
“I used to read them, but now I’ve found its better just to NOT read them.”
– H.N. Sieverding
“I have been lucky so far in one way by not having bad public reviews, but then again it is hard to actually get any reviews these days without paying lol. I think you have to learn to ignore trolls, do not reply to them but take any constructive criticism on board and learn from it.”
La Contessa and the Marquis is the first book in Lindsay’s regency cozy mystery series, Rogues and Rakehells Mystery. The book is available for preorder and its official release date is January 19th. Head on over to Amazon and check it out. The beautiful cover is one of my designs by the way. 😉
Book Description: When Bianca Maria Ledford Goretti, La Contessa de Massa, flees back to her homeland and the safety of her godmother, The Duchess of Gorham, little does she realize who’s arms she lands in.
Lord Rainer Cross, Marquis of Hathaway, is a well-known and dangerous rakehell within the ton. Little does he suspect his godmother has set him up to halt his skirt chasing days.
Over time the reason for Bianca’s return comes to light which has Rainer deeply concerned. Not sure who he can trust Rainer turns to has several of his more interesting staff. He has them use their talents to ferret out the truth.
Everything get more complicated when they learn a friend might not be who he claims to be. Not sure who to trust, except Rainer and the duchess, Bianca learns several startling facts which could protect her from harm.
Once everything is revealed the duchess steps in with a surprise, something neither could have ever seen coming.
Excerpt:
Rainer Cross, Marquis of Hathaway, settled his shoulder against a pillar where he’d ensconced himself so he could overlook the ballroom. A warning glare to several want to be rakes was all that was needed to send them scurrying back to their mommas.
With a renewed resolve, to search down one particular individual, his piercing blue eyes studied the throng of ladies. Some too old but searching for a lover, even if for a brief tryst. Others on the hunt for a husband of which he had no interest, at least with them, as he already had his sights set on one person in particular.
Granted, he’d not seen her, except from a distance, but if the reports were to be believed she was, without a doubt the most beautiful lady, the truest diamond, to ever grace the ton.
Then, as if Venus rising from the ocean, she appeared at the top of the grand ballroom vestibule. He could feel the air rush from his lungs, something he’d never experienced before, as he fixed his gaze on her.
Seeing her in the flesh, as it were, he knew all the whispers circulating about had been true. Without a doubt she was the most beautifully, enchanting and mysterious woman he ever set his eyes upon.
He was pleased to see she was conversing animatedly with an elderly, heavily bejewelled woman. From where he was standing and the angle of the matron, Rainer wasn’t able to see her face.
“As long as she’s not my godmother, then I most assuredly will gain an introduction to the Contessa,” he mumbled to himself.
Due to the loud voices, so everyone could be heard over the musicians, he didn’t hear their presentation. His only concern was the woman accompanying the contessa as he already knew her name- Bianca Maria Ledford Goretti, La Contessa de Massa. Levering himself off the pillar he started toward them, still unable to see who her chaperone was when a friend, another fellow rake, stopped him.
“Rain, I do hope you’re not going after that delicate morsel, as I’ve it on excellent authority she’s eaten up and spit out several lords,” Tony, or more precisely Anthony Fuller, Earl of Wyatt, his friend from their days at Eton then university, informed him.
“My dear friend if she does, then I’ll die a happy man for la Contessa is a gem whom I wish to possess.”
“Ah, and that’s the rub. After she dismisses you she’ll then tread over your heart leaving nothing but a shell of a man. Trust me on this for I’m sure you’ve heard the rumour her first husband died mysteriously.”
“Tony, the only lady I fear is my godmother. If you’ll excuse me I’m going to attempt an introduction,” Rainer told him. With a pat on Tony’s shoulder he stepped around his friend and started for the divan where both ladies had settled.
As he made his way forward he wasn’t surprised to see both women had already collected a small group of young ladies around them. What he found amusing were several swains on the outskirts, all trying to be noticed by either lady.
Upon seeing a frontal assault was out of the question Rainer selected to attack from the rear. Stepping into an adjourning, but linked, alcove he easily approached them and came to a halt within feet of his object.
“Damn. I thought she wasn’t in town,” he mumbled on spying his nemesis, best known as his godmother, The Duchess of Gorham.
Seditious, the fourth book in the Light-Bearer Series, is out for pre-sale!So, hop over to Amazon and check it out HERE. Also, check out details about a giveaway for the blog hop at the end of the post! Prizes and giveaways? Yes, please! It’s definitely a party, so come celebrate with us!
The Light-Bearer Series is a Young Adult, Paranormal Romance. It’s got all the cool stuff. Vampires and angels, as well as adventure and action that will keep you turning the pages. I’m a fan of the angel/vampire thing, and it’s also something I’ve used in one of my own series as well.
So, learn more about Seditious by reading it’s book description,and an excerpt from the book. Be sure to check out the other participating blogs at the end of this post.
Book Description: Life at the Castle Charmeine is blissful until reality of the ruling the Elder Council of the Blood-Hunters causes dissent. An unexpected depth to both Tabbruis and Dmitri’s personalities humanizes both men.
This novel shows a side to Tabbruis and Charmeine’s relationship which will throw any reader of The Light-Bearer Series off kilter. Seditious is the continuation of their romantic and turbulent love story and mission on Earth to battle Lucifer’s minions!
Lord Cromwell is a lethal Blood-Hunter who has escaped the Elder Council Prison. He sends his beautiful agent to cause destruction to those who live at the Castle Charmeine.
Bathsheba is a deadly, sexy, and vicious siren who threatens Charmeine and Baby Hunter. Not just with her present actions, but, with the past she shares with Tabbruis and Dmitri. However, the family works together to unravel Bathsheba’s deadly secrets.
Just when you think they are in the clear, a more heinous and ominous villain waits in the wings to tear apart our ill-fated lovers, Charmeine and Tabbruis.
Seditious is a heart wrenching and exciting story of passion, betrayal, and redemption you will not want to miss!
Excerpt:
Charmeine knew this beautiful woman was a very powerful Blood-Hunter. She felt Baby Hunter kicking and fought to control her anxiety.
“Ah, yes, very good gentlemen. We have her now.” The mysterious woman told the men in a thick, French accent. She gazed with wide spellbinding eyes at Charmeine. She looked like a cat ready to pounce on her prey.
The man who held Charmeine pushed her to go out the terrace doors.
She knew this was a kidnapping and worried for Baby Hunter. Charmeine struggled to gain some kind of fighting advantage.
The Light-Bearers practiced their self-defense skills with her daughter, Sandra, and worked on how to get out these hand-binding holds. After Charmeine’s encounters with Pascal, she never wanted to feel helpless again.
With speed and accuracy, Charmeine used her power to fly up backwards over the head of the Blood-Hunter. She broke out of his grip. Immediately, she leveled him with a powerful and fierce bolt of white electricity which stunned him into a stupor.
Percival took this opportunity to sweep the legs of the man who held him. He stunned his assailant, and made him fall down in pain with a green charge which ran through his body.
“Use your light for Athena!” Charmeine yelled to Percival.
Percival threw a green lightning bolt at the man who held Athena.
Within a second, the Blood-Hunter was on the ground. A green current cursed through him.
“Halt!” the Blood-Hunter woman demanded.
Charmeine looked up and a hand gun was aimed at her belly.
The woman widened her indigo eyes with her fangs exposed. She threatened, “You really never know where a bullet will go? Do you?” she laughed.
Her maniacal giggles curdled Charmeine’s blood. She could tell the Blood-Hunter woman was telling the truth.
“Yes, the bullet could just land somewhere very unhealthy for your unborn spawn.” She circled Charmeine like a shark swimming around its prey. “Not that hurting spawn of this Light-Bearer scum would matter,” she quipped in a matter-of-fact way.
Charmeine began to feel waves of nausea and fought the urge to be sick.
“The offspring is just a by-product.” With a sinister laugh the woman scoffed, “Yes, a by-product which should be tossed aside and thrown away like the trash it is . . . as soon as we cut it out of you!”
She began to laugh with a vicious tone and stuck the gun in Charmeine’s belly ready to pull the trigger.
I’m originally from the US where I grew up in your typical small town in middle America. Now in my late 20’s I live in France with my two lovers, Renard and Monique. We share a lovely apartment in Paris where I study interior design and my roomies are enrolled in art school.
I don’t know what the normal erotic author looks like but to set your mind at ease I have waist length red hair, long toned legs and a body most women would kill for. To that end several times clothing designers pleaded, on their knees, for me to model their clothes. I refused them as I found them lacking in many area, one in particular.
About a year ago I took up writing at the encouragement of Monique. She thought the world should know how in love the three of us are. When I stared to put pen to paper, so to speak, I didn’t want your typical erotic stories so I searched for the best way to express our emotions. It was Renard who suggested shapeshifters as he’d just finished a series of paintings on the subject.
I’ve found that I love writing so much I plan to cut back on my classes so I can devote more time to giving you hot, steamy erotic romance.
On learning they have new shapeshifter powers, Tatiana and Rich return to his log house in the woods. No sooner do they arrive than the Spirit materializes to give them amazing news. Wishing to stay safe from harm, Tatiana, at Rich’s urging, decides to go into hiding at his lakeside home.
As days slowly turn into weeks they settle into a comfortable life, each looking after the other both emotionally and in the bedroom.
Finally, the big day comes when they get to see what the Spirit told them.
How this revelation will change their lives, they can only guess.
This will get both of your brains into what I want, she thought as she started to come, not realizing he was standing in the doorway.
“That’s not going to work except get you to come again. Look Tatiana, I’ve got a feeling we could be in real trouble and we need to figure out how to handle it.”
Not even getting caught made her blush, but she knew he was right. Against her baser needs she stopped and covered herself.
“Sorry. I guess I’m wanting to hide from what I learned, which is the same as you.”
“I understand, darling, but we have to deal with it before it gets out of hand. I can tell you this, though, I’m not leaving you. As we learned at my house, we are meant to be together and bring a new generation of shifters into the world.”
“I’m glad you want to stay with me because I can’t ever see leaving you. I’d rather die first,” Tatiana said, taking the offered wine glass then taking a sip.
“What did your mistress tell you?”
“Like the Spirit told us, there’s a new shifter coming which will change our lives forever. Fortunately she didn’t seem to focus on me but everyone in the conclave. That’s what has me worried though,” she started.
“I don’t understand. If she didn’t target you, why would that make you nervous? I’d think you’d be relieved.”
“She seemed to be concentrating on one of the older clan members, which makes me wonder if, besides us, something or someone else might be coming.”
“You mean to endanger us?”
“Yes. What if another type of shifter is coming which can hurt or kill one or both of us? Then everything would be lost.”
“I find this interesting because my master led us to believe what was coming would be the dawning of a new age. Either one or both are lying to get us to come out into the open.”
“Rich, what did he mean by new age, since it’s similar to what my mistress told us?”
“That’s something I’m not sure about. Like with your mistress, he didn’t set his sights on one shifter in particular, but all of us.”
Tatiana took another sip of her wine, enjoying the fruity taste of it, and settled back against the thick pillows. Between what she’d learned at her clan meeting and what Rich now told her, she knew, or at least suspected, someone was lying. What she did know was it wasn’t him as she’d learned if he was while staying at his log house.
Was it possible both clan heads knew they were part of the new change, which threatened their leadership and power over everyone? Studying Rich, she could tell he was having the same thoughts, which was good as it would put them both on the offensive if necessary.
Book Description: When Bianca Maria Ledford Goretti, La Contessa de Massa, flees back to her homeland and the safety of her godmother, The Duchess of Gorham, little does she realize who’s arms she lands in.
H.N. Sieverding 