Interview with Terri Rochenski: Make Believe Blog Tour

Alright so, here it is, folks. I asked Terri if she would mind being interviewed on my blog and she even added me to the blog tour.

 

Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi's Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.

Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare 'me' moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.

So here you have it. All of Terri's deepest secrets revealed! Actually, I'm not really that dramatic, so just have a look. I'm sure you'll find what she has to say interesting. I certainly did. Especially the secret part.

1. Where and when are you most inspired? Where does the majority of your inspiration come from?

Honestly, inspiration comes from many things & at different times—while music is playing, while I’m sipping coffee early in the morning before the rest of the house wakes. More often than not I do need silence. It doesn’t always happen for me, but those moments where all I hear is the clock ticking … perfection for the muse.

2. How much of your past life reflects in your writing?

The 2-book series, Pool of Souls, I contracted earlier this month with J. Taylor Publishing, initially started as a project to share about a not-so-great time in my life, but it morphed way beyond what I ever expected.

Other than those books, I try to draw on universal emotions most everyone has experienced in one way or another.

3. Where does the depth of your characters come from? Are they based off of real people?

Nope. I just dictate what the voices in my head state about their selves. *wink*

4. Would you mind telling me a little about the Pool of Soul series and the extensive process you've gone through with it so far?  

Extensive is right. I started researching for the novel without a plot in mind over 5 years ago. Once the world was built and the characters settled in for a long stay with my muse, they finally started telling me their stories.

Countless hours of editing and clump of hair tugged out later, I took the plunge & hit the ‘send’ button.

5. I read the original version of Sacrificial Oath but have yet to read the new version. Could you tell me a little about your editing process and how much the story has changed from when you first wrote it?

I went through a few changes with smaller stuff—adding in better imagery and description to make the story come alive, but the biggest change since you read it is the ending. What I originally wrote didn’t go over well with the publisher. We hashed it out a bit, & I tweaked it to please them and me. Hopefully my readers as well.

6. Was there a specific experience in your life that made you want to write?

I’ve always been a reader & wanted to write like Laura Ingles Wilder, but the drive to actually do so didn’t happen until Anne Tyler told me to chase my dream.

7. What's your favourite part about the creative process?

The research!!! I love digging up tidbits to make a story have a more organic feel—something to make the scenes come alive.

8. So I notice that you write mostly fantasy. Do you read outside of your written genre? Do you have any books to recommend (in or outside of your genre)?

Romance!!! From sweet to steamy, it’s what I go to when I need a quickie read.

I needed a break from Pool of Souls over the summer, so I decided to dive into writing romance. I wrote a short historical romance & sent it in to Still Moments Publishing for their Christmas anthology call.

They accepted it, & Christmas Magic released on Dec. 4^th. I just finished up another short to submit to them. We’ll see what they have to say about that one! *fingers crossed*

9. What do you find are the biggest challenges of writing?

Editing. Nothing worse than needing to go back over every word you’ve written and war over changing it to something better. Or deleting it all together!

10. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Of course I do! The first being something I DON’T do but should … write every day. It’ll keep the creative juices flowing. And 2^nd, take critiques & reviews as a grain of salt. You can’t please every reader every time.

11. Do you have anything that you'd like to say to your readers?

Buy my books!  Ha!

Seriously, though, at least give them a look. Perhaps you’ll be one of those readers who will be pleased by my writing. I hope you will be.  J