Here’s our author for today’s Six Question Saturday!
Erica is a writer of fairytale fantasy and romance. Currently she has three books out, and is working on edits for a fourth. Besides writing, she enjoys being with her family, and watching Korean dramas. She met her husband role playing online- he was an elven warrior mage, and she was an elven priestess. They decided to do the crazy thing and meet in person.
You can find her here.
http://soaringwithdragons.com
Now… on to the six questions! If you have any questions of your own, please leave them in the comments, and hopefully Erica will drop by and answer them.
Question 1: Is there another life experience you’ve had that you believe compares well to writing your first novel in terms of both the difficulty and sense of accomplishment? If not, what do you think might compare well?
I would say marriage. You start out believing you know what love it, just as you start out believing you know the story. You are excited and happy to start this journey together. As you travel, you experience ups and downs. There’s trials. There’s joys. A plot might now work. When you hit that first anniversary (or book) you’ve reached an important milestone. Each milestone (book or anniversary) that follows brings with it a greater sense of fulfillment. You look back and think, I thought I knew love then, but I barely knew it. It’s the same with those books you’ve written.
Question 2: Tell us about that moment you decided to actually complete a novel. Had writing been on your mind for years, or was it a sudden impulse? What did you do next?
I don’t remember a moment where I decided to complete a novel. I’d been writing since I was young, short stories to journal keeping. I’d come up with ideas for books, even write parts out. It was something I wanted to do someday.
When I was expecting my daughter, I ended up with insomnia. So at night I started to write a story letter to my cousin. It was fun, and lead to another one that eventually became Foxtails. My cousin suggested after that I try NaNoWriMo with her. We did a summer camp one, and the big one in November. For that November, I found a Korean folktale. I actually hit the 50k word count that month for that. It was a lot of fun.
Question 3: What’s your writing setup? How do you take notes? What’s your process to develop a first draft? Are any tools critical to your success?
My writing set up is a little folding table I can set up in my bedroom. I do have composition books for jotting down notes, and research.
Question 4: What book or series would you most love to see made into a movie or Netflix series? What would you fear the director or screenwriter would get wrong?
I’m going to answer this as if it was my books on the table, because it’s fun to dream. I don’t want a Netflix series or Hollywood movie. I am way more interested in it becoming a Korean drama. I’ve had readers write to tell me they hope it can become a drama, or that they want Lee Joon Gi to play Tae Kyung from Eun Na and the Phantom. (And he’d be awesome by the way.)
What I would be most afraid of them getting wrong, especially if it was a Hollywood/Netflix offer would be to westernize the setting and cast. I want my story to be told with Korean actors, speaking Korean, with subtitles. (I know, I’m weird.)
Question 5: Can you write some verse (any form) that describes your hopes as an author? Or the theme of one of your books?
Stories come, and stories go,
But there is only one thing to know.
I must reach for the stars,
Riding on a dragon’s back.
And when I’ve reached my goal.
Something of me will be left behind
Twinkling in the ebon sky.
Question 6: You step onto an elevator with three other people, all representatives of your core audience. The doors close. You have their attention until they get off 18 floors later. Buddy the elf is not on the elevator with you, so it’s going to be a quick trip. What do you say to convince them to read your novels?
I’d tell them it’s like a Korean drama in a book, with dragons and magic, and romance.
Hi. Thanks for having me. (I’ll just add the fourth book is out now. I’m sorry I forgot to update you for this. :) )
Thanks for participating!