Reading by Deb: INTERVIEW with SHELBY GUNTER

I want to thank Shelby Gunter for taking the time for this interview!

BIO:

Shelby is a romantic suspense author who loves to write plot twists you'll never see coming.

She and her husband live in Kansas City with their fur baby and love to travel as far and as often as they can. She loves all things relating to coffee, wine, and books and it's rare you will see her without one of those items in hand.

When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was in second grade. I wrote a short story about a princess and a frog and I loved the feeling of bringing to life the stories in my head.

Since then the stories have never gone away and I love that I get to do this as my job.

Did you have any influencing writers growing up?

There’s been many, but a few who have impacted me the most over the years are Judy Blume, Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, and Nora Roberts.

Are any of your characters based on people in real life?

Oddly enough, no. Quinn and Cooper, the first characters I wrote, came to me in a dream and from there my characters have shown themselves to me over time.

Where do you draw your book inspirations from?

Everywhere. There are times I’ll be in a grocery store or coffee shop and I’ll see someone across the room and a story line will suddenly pop into my head. You should see my notes app in my phone.

Do you have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?

I use a combination of the two.

When I’m first starting, I’ll have a basic outline because my brain needs the direction to get me started.

Once I get to know the characters a bit more, they tend to start derailing whatever outline I originally had and I have to follow their lead.

When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?

A lot of times, yes. It helps me connect with them if I’m able to get a clear idea of what they look like.

Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?

I also love to read as a form of escape. I’ve been reading as my relaxation technique since I was old enough to hold a book.

Who are your favorite current authors to read?

Oh boy, that’s a tough question for me to answer. I love Christine Feehan, Tessa Hale, Lauren Rowe, Claire Kingsley, Nora Roberts, Max Monroe…the list could go on and on.

What are your favorite books by others?

I have many favorites but some of the series’ I read repeatedly are The Torpedo Ink series by Christine Feehan, The Club series by Lauren Rowe, The Cloverleigh Farms series by Melanie Harlow.

There are plenty of others but to name them all would take the entire day.

Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?

Not particularly. The small town in my Sonoma Series is loosely based on my home town, but only in it’s design. The people and shops are all completely made up.

Do you write in single or multiple POV?

I write multiple POVs. Usually dual, however I added a third POV from the villain in my Sonoma Series.

What do you find to be your best research tool?

Definitely Google.

And based on my search history I feel like I should have a label saying I’m an author not a serial killer. Ha!

Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?

I do not write under a pen name and this is the only name I’ll likely write under.

What genre do you write and why is this your preference?

I write romantic suspense because I love that heart pounding feeling of being in the middle of an action scene and having no idea what’s going to happen next.

Throw in a plot twist and it’s like my catnip.

Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?

I grew up on a cattle farm in the middle of nowhere, Missouri where we couldn’t go to the store around the corner to replace whatever was broken. Because of this I have this inflated sense of independence to the point that I believe I can complete any project as long as I have the right tools.

Usually, this inflated idea of competence ends in disappointment until I can figure out a better way of doing whatever it is I’m trying to do. And somehow I manage to make it work every time. Ha!

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

My advice is to finish the book. Just keep going until you write the words ‘The End’. It’s the hardest and most rewarding thing you will do.

Everything that comes after finishing the book can wait because you can’t publish an unfinished book. Then once your first one is done, start writing the next one.

How do you deal and process negative book reviews?

I have always subscribed to the idea that not every book is for every reader. There are some books I’ve been meh about that tons of people have loved. That’s okay. My books won’t be for everyone and those reviews allow others to better understand if my book will be for them.

What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

When I hit the quarter mark.

Because I write both romance and suspense, I have to start building on the suspense plot once the reader has been introduced to the characters.

Add in the fact that my characters usually derail all of my plans around this point and this section of the book is the hardest for me to move past.

What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?

Headphones, a water bottle, and my phone thrown across the room so it won’t distract me.

What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?

Alcohol. If I need a little push to get out of my head, I’ll snag a hard seltzer or a glass of wine to help me keep the story moving forward.

If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?

I would love to hang out with Lucy Score and or Max Monroe. I think the three of them would be an absolute blast to spend an afternoon with. And I guarantee my face and abs would be sore from laughing.

What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?

I usually write in the mornings for a couple of hours, take a little break, and then get back to it in the afternoon. Coffee all the way in the mornings and I love all things salty snacks so I’ll eat pretzels or crackers and cheese to get me through an afternoon session.

Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?

Absolutely. I have a wide taste in music so usually the book dictates what I listen to.

For The Shadow Series I listened to Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Death Punch on repeat, but for my newest series coming out in the fall I’ve been listening to this odd assortment of songs that help with focus. They range from pop songs to early 90’s hits.

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?

Oh, all the time. My dog Charlee loves to lay her head on my hands if I’m sitting on the couch with my laptop.

What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?

Not having a deadline. If I’ve got all the time in the world, I can’t focus on getting words on the page. It gives me this sense that I don’t need to be writing. It’s annoying.

Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?