Thanks so much Dahlia for having me on your blog. It’s really appreciated!
Do you argue with your characters? If so, who wins most frequently?
Ha! I don’t. I’m not a fan of arguing, but I do act out scenes where there is conflict amongst characters. I do this mainly to flesh out the dialogue, visualize the plausibility of a situation, and to see the characters come to life. This way, I can write them more clearly.
What makes a story interesting to you to write? How about to read?
For writing, I like interesting characters. So long as they exist, I can weave them into a good story. It’s the same when reading. My thinking is I can have a great idea for a story, but if the characters are wooden and don’t elicit emotion (good or bad) from the reader, then the story will quickly lose its appeal.
How do you escape writer’s block?
Easy. I don’t believe in it. I write everyday though it’s not always toward my WIP. I have an active blog and at any time, a flash fiction piece or short story in my pocket. Steeping myself in writing daily avoids writer’s block.
As a caveat though, it’s not to say everything I write is good. Some days, it’s quite horrid, but the task of writing can only be accomplished by writing … and that means writing anything. No amount of thinking, whining, wishing, talking, or daydreaming will get the words on the page. It’s just important to DO IT.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice came from my friend and mentor, Kate Austin, a multi-published writer of erotica and women’s fiction. It was when I first left my job to start writing, more than four years ago. At the time, I was lamenting to her about the rejections I had received. Her response was “Sometimes persistence is even more important than talent and you’ve got both.”
I’ll never forget those words.
What’s your writing fuel?
It’s frenetic energy, which I have because I don’t sleep enough. I subsist on about five hours a night, then I crash after a couple of weeks. I don’t recommend it, but my body seems to handle it.
Once, while studying for exams in University, I did not sleep for seven days in a row, not even a catnap. After the exam period was over, I slept for three days straight.
The best joke you ever heard:
Oh god, I’m horrible with jokes, can’t remember them and can’t tell them without botching the punch line. It probably had to do with farting. Farts always make me laugh.
The Rapid Fire section:
Ink, Typewriter, Computer: Ink, pencil, highlighters, and laptop.
Coffee, Tea, or Hard Liquor: Chai or Earl Grey tea
Hot, Cold or Warm: Hot
Cat, Dog or Bird: Dog
NC17, R or PG13: R
Author Bio
Eden Baylee left a twenty-year banking career to become a full-time writer. She incorporates many of her favorite things into her writing such as: travel; humor; music; poetry; art; and much more.
Stranger at Sunset is her first mystery novel, on the heels of several books of erotic anthologies and short stories. She writes in multiple genres.
An introvert by nature and an extrovert by design, Eden is most comfortable at home with her laptop surrounded by books. She is an online Scrabble junkie and a social media enthusiast, but she really needs to get out more often!
To stay apprised of Eden’s book-related news, please add your name to her mailing list.
Author Links
Website | Blog | Amazon Author page US | Amazon Author page UK
Twitter @edenbaylee | Facebook | Goodreads | Youtube | Pinterest | Linkedin
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Stranger at Sunset (Book summary)
Vacation can be a killer.
Dr. Kate Hampton, a respected psychiatrist, gathers with a group of strangers at her favorite travel spot, Sunset Villa in Jamaica. Included in the mix are friends of the owners, a businessman with dubious credentials, and a couple who won the trip from a TV game show.
It is January 2013, following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The luxury resort is struggling, not from the storm, but due to a scathing review from caustic travel writer, Matthew Kane. The owners have invited him back with hopes he will pen a more favorable review to restore their reputation.
Even though she is haunted by her own demons, Kate feels compelled to help. She sets out to discover the motivation behind Kane’s vitriol. Used to getting what he wants, has the reviewer met his match in Kate? Or has she met hers?
Stranger at Sunset is a slow-burning mystery/thriller as seen through the eyes of different narrators, each with their own murky sense of justice. As Kate’s own psychological past begins to unravel, a mysterious stranger at Sunset may be the only one who can save her.
Buy Links: Ebook format
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon worldwide
Music playlist for Stranger at Sunset – sold via iTunes http://bit.ly/1kdQdDX
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