Welcome to the third stop on Christina Moore's blog tour. Today I'm happy to share with you an interview with the author.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve wanted to write for a very long time. In fact, when I was about 20, I started writing a romantic suspense novel I’d titled The Princess Spy, and I think I got about seven or eight chapters into it before I stopped writing it. I don’t recall the reason why I stopped, but I would certainly love to find the notebook it’s written in so I can polish it up and finish it.
How did you come up with the titles of each book?
For the Shadow Chronicles, I wanted something thematic, so each of the books will have the word “shadows” in it. The same goes for my romantic suspense series, Firehouse 343—the first four books will have the word “fire” in it.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
None that I can think of. I just hope that readers enjoy it!
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Not in any of the books I’ve written so far, but I was in a car accident this past January that I’ll be writing into my next Firehouse 343 novel.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and mysteries/thrillers influence me. I know these are genres and not individual books, but I really couldn’t put a finger on any one particular book or books that have influenced me more than any other. I think any book that I read and really enjoy influences me in some small way.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I think I have two—Nora Roberts and Deborah Cooke. Both of them not only write sexy, irresistible male heroes, but strong, capable female heroines, and I really like it when the female characters start out strong and end strong.
What book are you reading now?
I actually read a book called The Marine’s Babies by Laura Altom on my recent birthday. It’s one of Harlequin’s American Romance line of stories.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Kristine Cayne, Shayne McClendon, and Mina J. Moore, to name a few. Their books are really entertaining reads that I’ve enjoyed quite a bit. I met these wonderful ladies through Facebook and we have become pretty good friends.
What are your current projects?
Right at the moment I’m planning a new book which may be a stand-alone, but has the potential to be the first in a series. It will depend on how it turns out. When I’ve finished it, I plan to write the next book in the Firehouse 343 series.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your books?
There’s nothing major, but if I were so inclined, I might re-word a few scenes to make them work differently.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I don’t really know how or when, except my earliest memory involving writing goes back to when I was in grade school, and I’d written some short story (just a few paragraphs, I imagine) that was apparently good enough to be brought to the principal’s attention. It involved dinosaurs. But ever since then, when I’ve had to do any creative writing, I’ve strived to make it interesting.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Naming characters can be a challenge. Sometimes I get an idea in my head of their personality and can’t find a name to fit. I also sometimes find it difficult to write action sequences, or to transition from one scene to the next.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Getting it finished, really, was the hardest part of From the Shadows. When I first started writing it, I had a pretty good flow, but unfortunately I go through these periods where I just can’t seem to get motivated. The writing still goes on in my head, but getting the work done is a struggle. A lot of that has to do with outside stress in my life that’s not related to my writing. Thankfully I’m in a really good place right now, so the creativity is flowing!
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Writing and editing and character development are hard work. Keeping the plot flowing and tying everything together really does take a lot of effort. Writing isn’t just sitting down and writing; there’s so much more involved than just typing or writing the words—especially if you’re an indie like me and you have to do most of the post-writing work yourself.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Go for it. If you have an idea rolling around in your head, sit yourself down and write it. Just get it all out and worry about making it presentable later.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you so very much for buying my book. I really hope you enjoyed it enough to come back for more!
What would you do in a zombie apocalypse should it occur on Black Friday?
I would be hoarding bottled water and canned goods, I ain’t gonna lie. I’d be getting my hands on some strong slicing weapons like swords or machetes, and I want a crossbow with as many arrows as I can get my hands on.
If you could interview one of your characters, who would it be and why?
Lochlan Mackenna from The Shadow Chronicles. He’s got a secret that he hasn’t told anyone, and I’d try to get him to tell. He’s also a flirt and he’s sarcastic, which I love. I’d also want to interview Logan Kilbride from Firehouse 343. Like Lochlan, he’s a sarcastic, flirtatious guy, and what woman wouldn’t want to get to know a sexy, single firefighter better?
Fave character(s) not your own?
In books it would be Sherlock Holmes and Eve Dallas. In the movies, James Bond and Aragorn. On TV, Dean Winchester and the Tenth Doctor.
Is there any musical group or singer that inspires your writing?
Oh, absolutely. When I’m writing, I like to think of songs that would make for a good soundtrack to certain scenes, just like in a movie. I often hear 3 Doors Down, Linkin Park, and Nickelback in my head, and I’ve also thought of Hunter Hayes, Kelly Clarkson, and Patty Loveless, among others. I’ve made lists of the songs that got me through my books and plan to get them up on my blog one of these days.
About the Book:
Shapeshifter Juliette Singleton left her home to escape the oppressive concern of her family...and the memory of being raped. She finds little solace, however, as her sleep is plagued with nightmares, forcing her to re-live the brutal assault over and over again.
Race Covington, a chimaera, thought he was the only one of his kind. Then he reunited with Juliette, whom he had known as a child, and discovered to his delight that he was not alone after all—and the both of them discovered that they were destined to be together.
Meeting her mate leads Juliette to open up about the attack and begin the healing process, while Race believes meeting his means it is definitely time to escape the employ of a dangerous and vindictive vampire. They decide it is time to start their lives over again—together—but going home proves to be harder than they expected when they are forced to confront a dangerous foe neither could have ever imagined.
About the Author
Christina Moore proved she had a talent for writing fiction
in grade school when a story about a dinosaur so interested her teacher that it
was brought to the principal’s attention, and she was highly praised for her
creativity. Although she doesn’t recall the details of that childhood tale, the
feeling of accomplishment stayed with her throughout her life. Deciding in her
teens to indulge in her passion for storytelling, Christina delved first into
fan fiction, which she has written off and on for several years. Her mother
said to her when she was just 14 that she “could write this stuff,” and a
long-time friend once told her she had the talent to be a professional writer;
so after procrastinating a lot longer than she should have, she put her mind to
writing something she could sell.
After working on her first novel during NaNoWriMo 2010 and
editing and revising the story throughout the next year, Christina made her
professional debut in January of 2012 with the paranormal romance Chasing Shadows, followed by an erotic
short story entitled The Beauty in the
Black Room and the romantic suspense novel Fire Born, both also published in 2012. Currently she resides in
Ohio, where she has lived all her life.
When not allowing the
characters in her imagination use her to tell their stories, she enjoys a great
movie, good times with family and friends, and being “hu-mom” to two Chihuahuas
and two Siberian Huskies. Christina always keeps a notebook handy to jot down
ideas for future stories and is currently working on her fourth novel.
