Elaine Breson interview

1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Honestly, enough, writing has never been my first passion. I'd always been so concerned with having a family, that a career choice sort of passed me by. I worked at a bookstore for nine years after leaving college, so I've definitely read my fair share of books to know what I like and don't like.

2. How long does it take you to write a book? Keep Me Safe started going down on paper in October. So I guess we'll see how long it takes me!

3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing? I have two young children, so I work around them. Basically I spend all day with them, clean my house during their nap time, and write after they go to bed. It doesn't give me a whole lot of time, but that's the way life goes when you have little kids!

4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I can't write out of order. I've tried, and I just don't get the full emotion or effect when I try to start somewhere else. I also have to have music. I turn it on so quietly I almost can't hear it, but I can't do it without it. I have songs that go with specific scenes, so I usually play the same song on repeat until I finish the scene.

5. How do books get published?

6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? One of my main characters is a police officer, so I've used what I've learned from my fiance. He's worked in law enforcement since before we started dating nine years ago. My other main character is a music teacher. I'm a through and through band geek. No extra info needed there ;)

7. When did you write your first book and how old were you? This is my first. When I was in college, a writing assignment in our English class was to write an entire outline for a story. So this has been something in the back of my mind for almost ten years. I dug it back out of a box one day and just started adding to my outline.

8. What do you like to do when you're not writing? I have a small craft business I do from home. Between that and my kids, there's not much time! My first love is crafting/DIY.

9. What does your family think of your writing? My fiance is the only one who knows about me writing. It was actually a secret  from him for a while. I wanted to make sure I could actually do it and finish it before I told them about it.

10. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? I never really understood when writers said their characters "spoke" to them. Mine don't necessarily do that, but I have had scenes in my head before, and they've played out completely different once I've started writing them out. Almost like I had no control.

11. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? This is it! Hopefully soon I can say I've finished it, and hopefully later down the line there is more than one so I can choose between them. But this has been a big feat for me, just getting this far. So it's already my favorite.

12. Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they? Don't worry about everyone else. There are so many Indie authors right now. You don't have to be the best, you don't have to sell the most books. If you have a story, tell it. And do it with class. There are too many people trying to tear down other authors. Just be supportive!

13. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say? I get messages every day asking when my book will be finished, and how excited they are to read it. That blows my mind. To think that anyone cares about my story amongst all the others is SO wonderful and I'm so thankful.

14. Do you like to create books for adults? When I started writing KMS, I knew that sex sells. Let's be realistic. But after starting it, it didn't really come out that way. So I can't say it won't be "adults only" by the end, but as of right now, it's not full of it.

15. What do you think makes a good story? A good plot. You could have oompa loompas in your story as long as it has a good story line haha

16. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? I was going to be a mom. It's really the only thing I've ever want to do :)