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ROBYN PIERCE: I WORKED 8 YEARS ON MY LANISTTER SERIES

Robyn Pierce is one of the youngest indie authors around. She already wrote 5 books of her Lanistter Chronicles and now we would like to put on your attention the first one. You may enjoy her covers, as well. I said her, because she did them by herself. Ready, set, goooo, it’s time for an interview 🙂

– What is your new book Darkest Embrace about?
– Darkest Embrace is the first of a seven-book series depicting the tales of the royal vampire family. In this book, the main character, Elyssa, is running away from her father’s choice. She gets caught in a freak storm, causing her to seek shelter in the only nearby place: the Lanistter castle. Little does she know, the reason she’s running away is in the castle, waiting for her…

– How you decide to write the story?
– I have been working on this series for around eight years. It started out as a collaboration between myself and another aspiring writer, but he moved on to other ventures, granting me his blessing to continue with the story. It wasn’t until 2010 that I completed the first draft of Darkest Embrace, after discovering National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process
– Writing every day is the hardest part for me. In order to keep momentum and not lose focus, I have to write every day. But health problems get in the way of it, and it makes the process slow-going.
– Tell us something more about your main character? Is it close to someone from your real life?
– Elyssa Smith doesn’t take after anyone I know in person, but the other two main characters, Zeke and Reid Lanistter, both take after a couple of amazing friends. Every time I re-read or write a new scene with them in it, I can’t help but be reminded of them.
– How much time you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– I like to get my first drafts done within two months so I can set them aside for another month before beginning the editing process. Overall, I like to have a novel finished in six months. It doesn’t always go as planned, though, so I make room for the speed bumps life throws my way.
– Tell us about your other novels?
– Most of my other novels are from the same series as Darkest Embrace. Destructive Embrace starts right where Darkest Embrace left off, but Masquerade begins with an entirely new set of Lanistter characters (though there IS a special guest appearance made by Reid Lanistter).
– Who are you?
– I am a newly-married student who works from home. I enjoy the simple things in life, really. There isn’t much to say about me.
– What are your writing habits?
– Every day, I sit down to write. Some days I get a lot of writing done, and some I can hardly get 200 words out. On those days, I go back and edit stuff I’ve previously written. It’s also imperative to read every day, so if I’m not writing or editing, I’m reading.
Are you satisfied by the sales of the book and do you plan another one?
My sales could be better, but I’m quite satisfied with how well locals know me. I get messages all the time from my friends who take the bus and see others reading my works. It feels good.
– What are you doing to promote by the best possible way your book?
– I actually kind of suck at promotion! I don’t like to ‘spam-share’ my books, so I’m really just trying to work my way into readers’ hearts through interaction on social media. In addition, word of mouth is one of my favorite things.
How much time it takes for you to do such a great covers and what are you searching as final effect?
It takes me anywhere from a few hours to two days to make my covers. I try to convey the underlying feelings and issues my characters are dealing with, but the overall goal is to not give too much away.
– Everybody, who was in Las Vegas, has a story to tell. You are living there, so you have for sure at least one. Please tell us the most interesting one?
– I don’t go out very much because the whole club thing isn’t my ‘scene’ and a lot of my friends are too busy to go out (I know — SUCH a boring Vegas girl!) but the most exciting thing that’s happened to me was when my friend was hospitalized (he is doing much better now) and was reading my book. His nurse came in, instantly recognized it, and they had a long conversation about how he knows the author.