Tuesday, October 6, 2015

INDIE AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: BIANCA SCARDONI




Q: Bianca...what made you become a writer?

A. I've always been fascinated with words and how powerful they could be when put together the right way. Since as far back as I can remember, I loved writing. I loved telling stories. I loved creating worlds. I loved everything about it, really. And I wrote all the timepoems, short-stories, screenplays, you name it... I even built an online community for writers and started sharing my writing there. Oddly enough, as much as I immersed myself in it, and surrounded myself with it, it never occurred to me that it was something I could actually do for a living until many years later. 

Q: What is your typical writing day like?

A. Scattered and messy. My days are filled with dirty diapers and spit-up so I usually spend most of the day thinking about writing but not actually getting anything done. Evenings are my favorite time to write. Everyone is asleep and the house is finally quiet enough to let my characters come out and play. 

Q: Do you outline? If so, how extensive are your outlines?

A. I usually do a quick and dirty outline so that I have a basic overview of where my story is going. Of course, it rarely ever stays on track but that's all part of the fun. 

Q: How many revisions will you typically do on a novel?

A. I'm a compulsive editor; almost to the point where it's crippling. I can stay fixated on a scene or even a paragraph for days. I try to set rules for myself (just keep writing, edit later) but I rarely ever follow them. 

Q: What is your best tip for editing a manuscript?

A. Pay someone to do it. 

Q: Which writing habits and/or tricks of the trade have made you a better writer?

A. Shutting everything off. Distractions are procrastination's best friend. When it's time to write, I unplug all my devices and turn off all my electronics so that I have no other option but to write. 

Q: Do you ever suffer through writer’s block? If so, how do you fight it?

A. Definitely. I think mine usually stems from the pressure I put on myself to get it just right—make it perfect. When I'm in that space, I try to step away from my work and find ways to decompress. Music, reading, going for long drives...whatever helps me lessen the tension.

Q: What drew you to write your preferred genre(s)?

A. YA fiction and paranormal romances have always been my favorite genres to read so I think it was only natural that I would gravitate towards those genres in my own writing. 

Q: Do you utilize beta readers?

A. Yes. They're hard to find but definitely worth the effort. They help spot any inconsistencies early on, and also give me the motivation I need to make that final push through the painstaking editing phase.

Q: In your most recently published novel, what’s one scene you really enjoyed writing—and why?

A. In Inception, probably the kissing scene between the two main characters, Jemma and Trace. There was so much build-up and tension between the two that it was almost a release to finally let them have their moment. However short-lived it was. 

Q: What makes the main character(s) of your most recent novel so special?

A. I think she's a down-to-earth girl with a good head on her shoulders. She doesn't sit back and watch things happen to her. She fights for what she wants, but doesn't go after it blindly or at the expense of others. 

Q: What is your best advice for author self-promotion?

A. Get it in as many hands as you can. Give it away for free. Get bloggers to review it. Promote it on social networking sites like Facebook or Goodreads. Do whatever you have to do to get people to read it. And then pray like hell that it spreads like wildfire. 

Q: How do you deal with negative reviews?

A. I remind myself that negative reviews are inevitable. Not everyone will like my book (or the writing style, or cover, or main character, etc....) and that's okay. It doesn't mean it isn't good or that the next person won't enjoy it. It just wasn't for that particular person. 

Q: What is your favorite aspect of being an indie author?

A. I like having control over my writing. 

Q: What is your least favorite aspect of being an indie author?

A. Promoting myself. It isn't very fun and I'm not very good at it. 

Q: What is your current writing project?

A. I'm currently working on the second book in my series, The Marked.

Q: What are three of your favorite novels?

A. Pride and Prejudice has always been my top. My contemporary favorites change quite often, but right now I'd say Angelfall by Susan Ee, and Easy by Tammara Webber.

Q: If you could have lunch with any novelist, living or dead, who would it be? What would talk to them about?

A. Although technically a playwright, I would choose William Shakespeare. I'd love to hear the real story behind his work and personal life. If I had to choose an actual novelist, Stephen King would definitely be at the top of my list. 

Q: What is your best piece of advice for budding authors?

A. Don't let anyone get in your way. We all face roadblocks at one point or another. Just remember that those roadblocks are there to stop the other guys from getting throughthe ones who didn't want it bad enough. The ones who didn't have what it took to persevere. They're not there for you so just push them aside and keep on going. 

Q: What is your favorite inspirational quote?

A. "You fail only if you stop writing." -Ray Bradbury

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