Author Interview - Olivia Hardin ~ Pandora Poikilos

Sunday, 3 February 2013

Author Interview - Olivia Hardin

Tell us a bit about your family. Well I have a wonderful husband who’s a historian by profession. He’s a great source for research

We also have a little corgi mix pup named Bonnie. She’s something else and she knows it.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? I have lots of them, but I saw this recently: “How long should you try? Until.” - Jim Rohn I think it pretty much says it all. You should keep going until you get there. Period.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? It would be easy to say writing. I mean I love doing it and I’m proud of my work. But in order to get there, I had to take a huge leap of faith. I had to trust myself enough to “try” and that’s a very difficult thing to do sometimes. So I guess I’m most proud of myself for making the decision to write.

When and why did you begin writing? We went on a family vacation when I was probably 15 or so. I had a dream and the next morning I can remember gathering up the hotel stationary and hiding under the desk with pen and paper and jotting down the story I dreamed. From then on, I was rarely without spiral notebooks full of scribbled stories.

What inspires you to write and why? Everything influences me. My past, current happenings in my life, my friends, my society. Life is like a great big grab bag waiting for me to delve my hand inside and pick something up!

What genre are you most comfortable writing? I like romance of all kinds, but I’ve enjoyed writing paranormals. One day, when I feel qualified, I will write a historical romance.

Who or what influenced your writing once you began? I have a great group of writers who have helped mentor me. The first two who took me by the hand were Stephanie Nelson and Liz Schulte – they continue to inspire me.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? Time is always a problem. I mean, sometimes I wish I could just hide away in a closet and write. But if I isolate myself from the world, how will I connect with people when I write. It is a catch-22. Finding balance is tough, but definitely doable.

Do you intend to make writing a career? Absolutely. It will take some time, but I fully intend to be a full-time writer.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? I think that I emote through dialogue really well. I like to “listen” to my characters. Couple their words with just the write physical action descriptions and the reader can really get into their heads to feel them.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? Ah, writer’s block seems to be part of the game. I have it and I have it pretty regularly. Most of the time, I know I need to step back and breathe, then I make myself “get back on the horse.” I make myself sit down and write, even if I don’t connect with what I’m writing. I can toss out the bad stuff later, but the act of doing it gets the right words to the surface.

Can you tell us about your main character? Nicky’s a tough dhampir and only one woman has ever gotten to his soft side. Gerry’s a hard, shapeshifting witch who’s just a tad insecure. Their marriage is a secret to the rest of the world, but it’s the skeletons in Gerry’s closet that could tear them apart.

How did you develop your plot and characters? I have an idea of who my characters are and I run with it. They drive the plot forward. I don’t always know what they will do, but as long as I stay in their heads, they will keep things moving.

What was the hardest part about writing this book? In this book I had to confront some internal demons. If you read the chapter when Gerry is in the cathedral, wondering why she’s “ungood” you’ll understand what I mean. I think all of us on some level may have to confront that… the question of whether who we are deep down is worthy or not.

Will you write others in this same genre? Yes! I have another paranormal series MAUCs which will really pick up steam this Spring/Summer and then I will start the sister-series to Bend-Bite-Shift, the For Love of Fae Trilogy at the end of this year.

How important do you think villains are in a story? I think villains can be very important. I haven’t explored my villains in depth, but I recently had a discussion with another writer about the concept of villains. She and I went to see the recent James Bond movie, Skyfall and both of us loved the aspect of the villain and how his paradigm was created. Is it possible there is the potential for a villain in all of us? Facsinating…

Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor? Yes, I would have to say my fellow writers Stephanie Nelson and Liz Schulte. They have helped guide me in my writing journey and I still rely on their advice regularly.

Can we expect any more books from you in the future? I have at least three projects planned for this year. Right now I’m finishing up work on a contemporary romance called All for Hopeto be published through Hayson Publishing. After that I plan to put out the second book in my MAUCs Series, Tangled Up In Trouble. Then, by the end of this year I intend to put out the first book in the For Love of Fae Trilogy, Sweet Magic Song.

Have you started another book yet? I’m about 90% finished with my All for Hope, which will be my first contemporary romance. I’m really excited to get it into readers’ hands.

What are your current writing projects now? Right now I’m just about finished with my first contemporary romance, All For Hope which will be published through Hayson Publishing. After that I will jump back into the second in my paranormal MAUCs Series, Tangled Up in Trouble.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment? I am actually. I am about halfway finished with the second of a very intense erotica series called Seduced In the Dark. These books (The first being Captive in the Dark) contain very dark and uncomfortable subject matter, but they are hypnotizing in their intensity.

Do you have any advice for writers? Yes, find a support group. We all need constructive support. Those are folks (writers and non-writers) who will give it to you honest, will either prop up up or kick you in the rear when you need it.

Do you have any upcoming appearances that you would like to share with us? I’m planning to be at the Romantic Times Convention in Kansas City in May! I hope some of you will get the chance to meet me there.

When you wish to end your career, stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have? One of my favorite movies is Second Hand Lion. At the end when the two uncles are gone the nephew makes the very profound statement: “They really lived.” I want to be able to look back and say that. I really lived!