Interview with Author Malena Lott:
Hi Malena. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...
- Please tell us about your latest book.
Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott
Dating da Vinci is a story of love, longing and la dolce vita as a young widow searches for joy again with the help of a handsome immigrant named Leonardo da Vinci.
- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
I think authors are by nature sponges that soak up everything around us, including things from our own lives, our perspectives on life's moments and emotions we've felt ourselves. Then there are also the silly things we pick up that our loved ones do, such as my friend using her bra as her iPhone holder, which I have my main character in my current work in progress do!
- When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I thought about writing as soon as I began reading. I wrote in earnest in sixth grade, ghost stories and then after reading the entire series of Sweet Valley High books, I wrote How to Be Popular about two unpopular sixth grade girls. (I was second place for Elementary Miss Indian Princess - we were the Shattuck Indians - and yes, I'm still bitter.) No seriously, that's probably where I got any chick lit voice - from Sweet Valley High!
- What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?
What are you, a mind reader? Um, yeah, it's basically like trying to write during battle around my house. With three kids and their slew of friends and Wii games in one room and cartoons in another, I had to learn to write within chaos or it just wouldn't get done. I used to be able to stay up late and write wonderful prose, but now if I don't crank it out before 3 p.m. it just ain't happening typically.
- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Usually just dreaming about being relaxed relaxes me! My recent fantasy is to buy a tiny cabin in the mountains where I can just read and write and relax. I saw a small cabin at the State Fair -one bedroom and one living area with the kitchen in the hallway and I told the kids I wanted it. They said, "but there's no room for us in here," and I said, "Exactly!" I am very pro bubble bath/candlelight/Merlot to unwind, too.
- Do you feel humour is important in women's fiction and why?
YES! I love to laugh and often crack myself up, which is really the only way I know it might work with readers, too. I love heartfelt, dramatic fiction, too but I prefer at least a little humor to lighten things up every now and then.
- What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?
I'd say there's a big difference in romance and sex scenes. I'm all for the romance - the building of the tension I think is completely sexy. I personally don't go for the graphic stuff as a reader or writer. I like to leave some of it up to the reader.
- What kind of research do you do?
I do a lot of research. For DATING DA VINCI I researched the Renaissance period, Leonardo da Vinci, the grief process and the language of love and origin of words since my main character was doing her dissertation on the "language of love" as a linguist herself. I LOVE research and I believe readers like to learn a little something when they read a novel, too.
- Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?
I wouldn't want to get cornered into one genre, or especially sub-genre, because I believe writers ultimately are storytellers first and the way in which we need to tell a specific story could mean it belongs in a different genre and even to a different target. Besides, the publishing industry gets more worked up about genres than readers do. My voice really won't change, but the style of the story could. At the same time, you do have to build a brand which would be hard to do if you made complete jumps each time. I'd like to focus on women's fiction, though some stories may be lighter than others. The one I'm getting ready to write during NANOWRIMO is darker, but one character's voice still has a lighter touch. I also wrote a young adult fantasy that's with my agent now. My kids are begging me to write children's fiction and I have a series idea I'm excited about that I'll get around to someday.
- What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?
The hardest part of writing for me in the revision process. I usually completely go through a manuscript five to seven times and all the good twists and tightening come in those last two revision go-rounds, but wow it's painful to go through. Easiest part for me is probably dialogue. My background is as a creative director and copywriter so thinking in dialogue comes pretty natural to me.
- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
The Ego would say having something that outlives you, your name on a book, people purchasing your story. That works for me. But on a deeper level, it's gratifying to know I identified a passion and a gift at an early age and made that dream come true and baby, I'll never stop dreaming, or writing!
Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering some of our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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