Sunday, January 8, 2012

Ten questions answered by Rebecca York!

I'm so pleased to post answers to my Ten Questions for Authors from my friend and mentor Rebecca York. She's a best selling author of romance and paranormal books that are a delight to her fans.

From Rebecca York

1) A short paragraph on what you write about and the genre, please?
I write mainly paranormal romantic suspense. I love plotting stories featuring men and women falling in love against a background of suspense and danger. My latest series is Decorah Security, about a detective agency where the agents have paranormal powers or take on paranormal cases. The first three are out on Amazon and B&N. Dark Moon has a werewolf hero. Chained is a novella with a hero who’s a ghost–or maybe he isn’t. Ambushed is a short story where the hero relies on his special instinct for danger.

2) What is a typical writing session like, in 300 characters or less?
I get up, check e-mail, tweet, finally get to writing and work until I’ve written ten pages. That might take three or four hours, or I might still be working at ten p. m. I start each session editing yesterday’s work. I write fast, knowing I will revise later.

3) Men: boxers or briefs? Women: underwire or banded?
Banded

4) If you use a pen name, why? If you don't, do you worry about stalkers?
I picked my pen name years ago when having one was the industry standard for romance writers.

5) What is the oddest thing about your writing or the way you write?
I never work at a desk. I always use a laptop. Either in bed or in a comfortable chair. I never write with a pen or pencil if I can avoid it.

6) Give us a glimpse into how you choose the names of your characters, please?
For first names, I look at the Social Security baby name data base and pick a name that’s either popular or one I like a lot.

7) Any thoughts on staying healthy while pursuing a sedentary career?
I try to exercise for at least a half hour to forty-five minutes every day. I get up and do work around the house to break up writing sessions. If I’m on a phone call I know will be long, I get up and walk while talking.

8) Dogs or cats, and why?
I like both dogs and cats, but I travel a lot and it’s easier to have someone come in and take care of a cat.

9) If you research, what's your method? If you don't, how do you get away with that?
I try to visit the location where I’m setting a story to pick up details unique to the area. These days, I do a lot of research on the internet.

10) What is the most interesting or outrageous comment made about your writing?
I once read an article I’d written to my critique group. When I’d finished, one of the women said, “That was discombobulated, unstructured and boring.” I think she was feeling hostile because she was having trouble organizing her work.

3 comments:

Rebecca York said...

I forgot to say that for ethnic names, I have a baby name book that lists names by ethnic origin.
There are also web sites which give ethnic first and last names
Rebecca

Eleni Konstantine said...

Great interview.

Rebecca, loved learning about you. I was thrown by that nasty comment regarding your writing. That would throw anyone, but I would imagine if you had a newbie, how tough that would have been.

Congratulations on your releases.

Rebecca York said...

I was early in my career. When I was writing newspaper and magazine articles. But I knew she had some kind of agenda, so I was able to roll with it.
Rebecca