Author Interview:
Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
Hi! My name is Alexa Piper, and I write paranormal romance books that have been known to make people laugh out loud in public. Some stories I write are downright dark though, and if those make you laugh, I compliment you on a singular sense of humor. I started writing fantasy and science fiction several years back and then later branched out into romance. With several series out now, it gives me room to let my characters grow and experience more, which is a lot of fun for me to write about.
What is something unique/quirky about you?
Orchids seem to like me. I've been known to get even the lost causes to bloom.
What are some of your pet peeves?
I am a terribly picky reader. If I don't like something about a book, if it's not well written, I can't go on. The more I write, the more critical I become of all media I consume, so I tend to spend time on only things that I really enjoy. Frees more time for making my own stories.
Where were you born/grew up at?
Aw, I love to let people guess, so I cannot give that away! A lot of the time, they guess wrong.
If you knew you'd die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?
Like I spend a relaxing Sunday: some reading, connecting with friends, take a day trip to a pretty city maybe.
Who is your hero and why?
Whichever person in a room full of people speaks out when they see something wrong happening.
What kind of world ruler would you be?
Benevolent Dictator Squid because squids are awesome, and they have many arms. (Being a squid isn't against the rules, is it?)
What are you passionate about these days?
Do not waste my time. No, really; don't.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
Sleep, have coffee, make pancakes (and eat them.) And I cannot do all of them at the same time, which is a shame.
Describe yourself in 5 words or less!
...Benevolent Dictator Squid?
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I sold a poem for actual money.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
All of them! And they would be R-rated and full of great acting and well-made special effects, because my Fae need to look shiney.
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
I went to the Whiskey Museum in Dublin. That counts, right?
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Benevolent Dictator Squid.
What inspired you to write this series?
The first book was the kind of story that just hits you over the head, nearly fully formed. I wrote it in ten days or so, that's how badly it wanted to be on the page. Even now, there are situations that I see playing out in my head like a movie, and they are usually these hilarious character moments. In the second book, when, uhm, in spoiler-free terms, when Heath puts his foot down before the big highlight event in that book, that was one of those scenes. There are just so many characters in this universe that I love to bits, even if I feel that as an author, it is my sacred responsibility to keep an open mind about possibly having very, very bad things happen to them. (Then I remember I am a Benevolent Dictator Squid, and I try being real nice, but as a result the goat had to die in book 2. Go read it, it'll make sense. Probably.)
What can we expect from you in the future?
More books. In my Fairview Chronicles series, I seem to have discovered the lovely niche of furniture porn since one of my characters is a desk who is very horny all the time, so more of that, but just more books in general. (Since I have not said the word squid in a while, I would like to point out that I have a book with a kraken demon in it, and he doesn't just use his tentacles for tickling, if you catch my drift. It's called Loved by a Kraken. Check it out!)
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in your Dusk & Dawn series?
Sure! There's Maxim, the bardic vampire hunter who loves a pun. Clement is a household guardian called a Lar who spent some time as a poltergeist and is a bit of a misanthrope. Gordon is a forensic pathologist, and one item on his bucket list is probably to dye his hair in all the colors of the rainbow, though I don't know if he has a bucket list. Oh, and if you are into really evil characters, Laurenzio dazzles in all the ways he is despicable. I'm sure there are also level-headed characters who simply have a plan and can handle stressful situations like unwrapping mummies and things, but it looks like I forgot all about them.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I want to know what happens next! I may have a somewhat better idea of that than the reader, but I only find out when I sit down and write it, and that is really the best part!
Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?
Obviously, they all want world peace. After all, I made them in my image, I, your Benevolent Dictator Squid.
Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
I write furniture porn, and there is no denying it, not since the desk had that wet dream about a foursome on top of it.
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
I know that whenever someone picks up a book from a new author, it's like an advance in trust. I'm grateful, and I'll do my best to earn it! To returning readers: thanks for buying another ticket! I hope you enjoy this ride as much as you did the last!
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
They invade my imagination, and a lot of the time, they don't ever leave.
Advice they would give new authors?
You must practice. Writing is like any craft; it can be learned, but it takes repetition and the strength to handle rejection--a lot of rejection--to improve. And let me stress again: you must practice, meaning, sit down and write.
What makes a good story?
Beginning, middle, end.
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first? What are common traps for aspiring writers?
I'm a pantser, aka discovery writer. This means I just sit down and write the story as it comes to me. It took me some time to realize this, because a lot of writing advice focuses on outlining. I think that advice is useful, but in my case, I had to give myself permission to just enjoy the process of telling the story, and outlining robbed me of that joy.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Write more!
$10
Amazon gift card,
ebook
of A Taste of Magic (Fairview Chronicles #1)
ebook
of The Hunter's Bride (Dusk & Dawn #1)
ebook
of Holiday Magic (Elvenswood Tales #1)
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1 winner each!
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