Writing Inside Scoop with Nicole Flockton

I have yet another fun author interview today, with my friend Nicole Flockton! She's a dear friend and fellow "Bookworm"!  #pickedbyAngie :)  Today she releases her book Masquarade, so everyone give a big hurray for Nicole's Book Release Day!!!!

JMP: Tell me a little bit about yourself?  

NF: Well I’m from Australia but I live in Houston, Tx where everyone drives big trucks and the roads are really scary. After five years I’m still not used to traffic. I’m married to a  wonderful man and have two kids plus a fluffy cat and the cutest Pomeranian dog. I work remotely for the job I have in Australia before we moved to Houston and then I fit in writing all around that.

JMP: What inspires you to create the stories you do? 

NF: Hmm sometimes it could be a passing comment someone says that triggers and idea. A couple of times I’ve had a scene hit me or a character pops in my head. I’ve not usually used pictures or music but the last book I wrote I found a picture while I was looking at a stock photo site and it just screamed at me that it was this particular character. With that same story I actually created a playlist of about 10 songs and listened to it over and over. I’ve now decided that’s going to be my writing playlist. I thought music would distract me but it actually made me focus.

JMP: Any real life inspiration for any of your characters - protagonists or antagonists? 

NF: Yes and no. Elements of some people who have crossed my path have made their way into some of my characters. I’m now really careful with names too. I don’t want people to think I’ve named a character after them. It’s lucky I don’t write suspense when characters get killed off. In my current WIP I have named a character after a good friend and told my friend about it. She thought it was pretty cool.

JMP: How do you balance motherhood, a full-time job, and being an author? 

NF: I don’t balance it very well. You’d think after all this time I would have worked out the secret to balance it all but I haven’t. Some days I think I’ve got it all sorted other days I’m all over the show and get nothing done.

JMP: What writing and/or publishing advice would you give to any author (small press, indie, etc.)? 

NF: Take that leap, whether it be submitting to an agent or publisher for the first time. Entering a contest or deciding to self-publish. But also listen and learn. If you get a rejection and man it stings, but if it’s a detailed rejection, read it over a couple of times. Take the advice that rings with you. Be open to everything, no matter what.

JMP: What have you published so far and what's coming up next? 

NF: I’ve published five full length novels and 2 short stories. I also had a novella in an independent project which is now off Amazon but I’m planning to add more words and put it back up early next year. I have my first book “Masquerade” in the ‘Sexy in the City’ boxed set which goes on sale 22nd September and it’s only 99c so great value for 9 books. Then on 22nd October 2014 I have “Bound by His Desire” releasing. This is the follow up to my book “Bound by Her Ring”. I’m excited about this book. Nick is broody and sexy and totally alpha. But he is thrown for a loop when Pam steps into his life. They head off to New York so I used my experience of visiting NYC when I wrote Pam’s reactions. 

JMP: At the end of these interviews, I'd like to give my readers a writing prompt (readers: you can submit your story to be on the blog if you wish!)  So, help me finish this prompt: A mischievous little girl and her stubborn brother decide to go on an adventure... 

NF: ...to visit their grandma. She lived a on the other side of town but the little girl was desperate for a piece of Grandma’s chocolate cake.  

Here are Nicole's links:

Facebook.com/NicoleFlockton

Goodreads.com/NicoleFlockton

Amazon.com/Nicole-Flockton/e/B009MQPJNG

@NicoleFlockton

Writing Inside Scoop: Author Interview with Laura Gibson

Today I have such a fun interview lined up.  My dear friend, and fellow author, Laura Gibson is with me for today’s blog post Writing Inside Scoop!

JMP: So, Laura, how many years have you walked around with voices… I mean characters in your head?

LG: Well, I was a huge fan of escapism as a child and always found myself making up stories that seemed more interesting than my regular every day life. So, I guess I could say that I've been writing ever since I could... write. haha

JMP: Tell me a little bit about your first release, And Then There Was David.

LG: David was a very personal story for me to write. It was started in 2007 and then finally completed in 2013. It deals with depression and not feeling adequate, which are two things that I've struggled with most of my life. I poured most of my soul into the two characters of David and Caroline and I really let them tell their own story of healing and moving forward. It was quite the experience.

JMP: You just released your second book, Kelly Hill.  What gave you the inspiration for that?

LG: A show! lol No really, I was at a show for The Dear Hunter and Naive Thieves was the opening band. There was something about the feeling of the music that I wanted to bring to life in a story and so the characters of Kelly and Rachel were born. It took me a while to really figure out what they were supposed to do, but once I did it turned into a pretty fun story.

JMP: What would be some advice you’d give aspiring authors?  Where do you get your writing mojo?

LG: Advice I'd give aspiring writers... don't force it. And where do I get my writing mojo? Ummm well. My over active imagination?

JMP: I know that you work full-time.  How do you find time to follow your passion to write?

LG: I have to make time for it. It's as simple as that. I look at what's more important in my life and what I want to spend time doing and then I schedule accordingly.

JMP: What’s your next project, and how soon can we expect to see it?

LG: Well, my next project is the sequel to Kelly Hill, titled 'Alice'. It should be out later this fall.

JMP: At the end of these interviews, I’d like to give my readers a writing prompt.  So, Laura, help me provide a set-up for them.  If you read a story about a guy who could cliff jump into anywhere in space, where would you want him to go and why? (Readers – you get to finish this story!  If you feel so inclined, send it my way and I’ll post it on my blog!)

LG: That's a toughy! It all depends on the guy, I suppose. Like, what's his motivation for jumping off the cliff in the first place? Is he an explorer or an adventurer? A wayward teenager looking for an escape?

Too many options for me to pick just one! haha