I’m so very happy to have Ms. Zoey Derrick, author of Finding Love’s Wings and Give Me Reason here today. Thank you so much Zoey for coming by today. I’m ecstatic to have you hear and for your jump into the Paranormal genre. So why don’t we get this interview started. Everyone’s here to learn more about you not to hear me gush about your work.
When did you start writing stories?
I started writing stories when I was in high school. Preferring to tell stories in my papers rather then honing in on the facts. I stopped writing stories all together until a college course last year when I was tasked with a creative writing project. That project was to be 4 pages long and before I knew it, it was 28 pages long and Finding Love’s Wings was born.
Why Erotica?
Why not? Just kidding – I love writing erotica because it gives me a chance to fulfill my own fantasies and even the fantasies that I never knew I had. Plus, writing about sex is just so much fun! Also, after reading Twilight (yeah I know, I’m a sekret Twihard at heart) I realized that to me Love and Sex are synonymous, you cannot have one without the other -in my mind.
Why did you decide to not go the erotica route for Give Me Reason?
Give Me Reason has no erotica in it (yet-as a series- is still to be determined) because Vivienne is such a strong character with a very devastating background that I needed her to be in a good headspace in order to allow for that passion to flow and grow.
Why did you choose to self-publish?
This is a tough question to answer. I decided that self=publishing would be best for me (for now) because it allows me the freedom and flexibility to write what I want, when I want it, and how I want it. It also gives me the ability to be able to work a full-time day job (again, for now) to make ends meet without being tied to publisher demands. There is also the freedom of writing. I cannot write if I am not in the mood, and stories come to me when they are ready to be written down and I cannot force them.
Lastly – I absolutely hate rejection! LOL!
* I understand the Muse demands attention when she demands it. She’ll leave if I can’t engage in her Muse.iness *
What’s next? What can we expect from you?
Wow, there is a big long list of what’s next. Give Me Reason is book 1 in a 4-part novella series that I’m working on as we speak. Give Me Hope – Book 2 has been written and is in the process of editing and development. The books will be released about 8 weeks apart from each other, concluding on Valentines Day 2014.
After GMR(Give Me Reason) I will be deep in the throws of Finding Love’s Wings 2 (I know – Finally right?)
I also have plans completing Devilish Desire as a counterpart to the Reason Series. If you haven’t read Devilish Desire – You can find it on www.deadlyeverafter.com
*Yay! I’m so excited for more of GMR and Devilish Desire is **faints** Finding Love’s Wings, well that was amazing too. I can’t wait for all the progress*
What’s your long-term writing goal?
To keep writing, and writing and writing some more. I have no plans in the near future to stop writing.
What’s your writing goal for this year?
See above about what to expect from me – but by December 31st 2013 I plan to have the entire Reason Series completed and begin writing Finding Love’s Wings 2 (Title to be determined)
What kind of author do you want to be remembered as?
A creative one. I want my stories to be unique in their characters. Plot lines are sometimes hard to be unique, but as in FLW, you see that though the story line may be similar to a lot of other stories out there, you have two amazing characters to bring you along for the ride.
Would you ever write a novel targeted just to men?
No, I can’t say that I will, though I have a mountain of short erotic stories that some day may make it onto the interwebs and those particular stories may have a larger male audience.
What’s your favorite genre to write?
At first, before-during-after Finding Love’s Wings I would have said Romance/Erotica. But the Reason Series is giving me new love for the Paranormal, Angels and Demons more specifically.
* Once you go Paranormal You never go back. ROTFLOL! Seriously 😀 *
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Oh Boy! This is hard to answer because I can’t say that I have a favorite genre – I love Romance, Mystery- Suspense, Erotica, Paranormal (Vampires more specifically)
* Oh, that last one hit my soft spot! Paranormal and VAMPIRES!! *
What’s your favorite novel?
Uhm, there isn’t just one, there are a mountain of them.. But the ones that I go back to again and again make this list.
J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Series. (Vampire)
Marata Eros’s Druid Breeders Series. (Vampire)
E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey, Darker, Freed (Romance/Erotica/BDSM)
Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster (New Adult/Romance)
Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno/Gabriel’s Rapture (Romance)
Anything by Nelson DeMille (Mystery-Suspense)
Sylvia Day’s Crossfire Series (Erotic Romance)
What’s your favorite Story?
Stems from my childhood – The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and every book after that! 🙂
What’s your favorite Poem?
Tell Tale Heart – By Edgar Allen Poe
What’s your favorite type of music?
Country – Love me some cowboys!
What’s your favorite band or group?
All time favorites include Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, and Creed/Scott Stapp are the ones I always return to.
What’s your favorite song?
This changes DAILY! But right now my favorites are “Just Give Me A Reason” by P!nk, “Stay” By Rhianna and Mikky Ekko and these are mainly because they are the two songs that have been driving The Reason Series.
Do you listen to music while you write?
All the time. Usually whatever playlist I’ve created for the book I’m writing.
Who is you hero?
My Mom. Her strength gives me strength and I hope to one day be more like her.
Who was your childhood hero?
Other than my Mom, I can’t say for sure that I had one.
What are you proudest moments?
I have a Son who is 8 – Do I need to say much more than that? 🙂
What one thing would you like to learn to do?
Drive a motorcycle.
List five things on you bucket list. If you have one.
Go to Europe – Ireland, England, France, Germany, Italy.
Drive the entire historic Route 66.
Go to Australia
Write a New York Times BestSeller
See one of my books on the big screen.
What message do you want your readers to get from your work?
This question is going to have a very specific answer in terms of Give Me Reason – I want everyone to know that there is help available to those who suffer from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and more importantly that the women who are victims of Domestic Violence know there is help out there.
What are your favorite things to do when you not writing?
Reading, reading, oh did I mention reading -though lately my TBR pile has grown to the size of a small mountain.
What do you like best about your hometown?
I don’t think I can pin point one thing specifically about my hometown that I like best – Where I live now is so far removed from what I grew up in that I think I love both equally. 🙂!
If you could trade places with a famous person for one day, who would it be?
I cannot think of anyone that wouldn’t get me into trouble – You know all those wives jealous over another woman spending time with the super sexy husband! :-P!
If you could spend the day with anyone, living or dead who would it be?
Oh my goodness – this is a tough question to answer because there are SO many on my list.
William Shakespeare is top of that list though.
What do you think is your best trait?
That I’m crazy enough to go out on a limb and do things, like write books.
What’s one of the most important things you learned from you characters?
To be honest, to stand up and fight for what you believe in and most of all that you can find love in the most unexpected places.
Do have any words to live by?
Carpe Diem – Seize the Day!
What song is the anthem of your life?
This requires and entire album and then some. I don’t have one particular song that fits me completely because of the close relationship I have with my mom is a song by Jamie O’Neal called Somebody’s Hero.
What would you take with you to a deserted island?
Books, lots and lots of books unless of course I could take the actual characters from those books, then that would be one hell of a party.
Do you consider yourself romantic?
I can be, when the moments are right or if they’re with the right person.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
See bucket list above. Any of those European Counties or Australia.
Whom, if any, would you like to work with?
I would LOVE to work with a list of Authors on a book or collaboration but the first one that comes to mind is Debra Anastasia (Author of Poughkeepsie, Bittersweet Seraphim and Crushed Seraphim). Her humor and overall attitude on life is inspiring.
Thank you so much Zoey, for stopping by and talking with us. I can’t wait for the sequels to these great works.
Here are Zoey’s links so you can follow her. I think we should all keep our eyes on this very talented woman.
Mari Wells 