When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always been an avid reader. Even at the tender age of 5, my mom was confiscating flashlights I snuck up to bed to read under the covers. It wasn’t until COVID hit, and life slowed to a stop, that I was able to set pen to page. I was 48 when my first book came out.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
Judy Blume was my favourite author when I was quite young.
Later on I discovered Nora Roberts, Jude Devereaux, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Julie Garwood, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and much later, Kristen Ashley, Maya Banks, Lauren Dane, and Rebecca Zanetti became much-loved favourites.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
None are based on people I know in real life, but there are a lot of bits and pieces from my own life, and my own hero, that make their way in here and there.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
Much of my inspiration for stories comes from music.
Characters seem to walk into my head fully formed. Not sure where they come from!
Do you have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
Most times the story erupts in my brain very quickly. I write down the scenes that play in my head and then I do fit them into the framework that works for me.
I’m flexible with the outline as I expect that the characters will change it as they develop.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
Not usually! Because I have such a clear picture of them in my head, I find it difficult to find a real life model to match.
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
I definitely read to relax and escape. It’s what I’ve always done, and it’s still me favourite go-to.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
Rebecca Zanetti, Kristen Ashley, Lauren Dane, Maya Banks, Marley Valentine, Juliette Banks, and I’ve been devouring Amanda Richardson and Hazel Mack.
What are your favorite books by others?
Butterfly in Frost by Maya Banks.
The Will, Fast Lane, and After the Climb by Kristen Ashley
Our Way by TL Swan
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
The locations in my books are fictitious but loosely based on the small town where I live as well as other places I’ve visited.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
Most of my series are in dual POV, but my most recent is in single POV.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
Basic internet searches.
Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
Devin Sloane is my pen name.
What genre do you write and why is this your preference?
I write romantic women’s fiction and contemporary romance. All my books are steamy.
Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?
Here’s a quirky trait: I dance in my seat when I’m eating something I really love. Lol.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
There’s a lot to do, and a lot to learn, but the most important thing to do is to keep writing.
How do you deal and process negative book reviews?
I avoid them like the plaque. One negative review, especially one that is critical rather than constructive, can send me into a doubt spiral. Over time I’ve come to understand I’m not going to be everyone’s cup of tea and that is to be expected.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Getting started is by far the most difficult part for me.
What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?
Headphones!
What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?
I drink a lot of tea and carbonated waters, light candles, and play music.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?
This is a tough decision. The truth is, I wouldn’t want to meet any of my favourites because I’d probably embarrass myself.
If pressed to choose, I would pick Kristen Ashley because it was her book, The Will, that inspired me to write down the story in my head.
What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?
Tea, candles, headphones, go!
Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?
I make a different playlist for every book.
Here is my spotify account: http://tinyurl.com/DevinSloaneSpotify
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
ALL THE TIME.
I have a 17 pound feline fluffball who is determined to come between me and my laptop at every opportunity.
My 70 pound black lab, Brooklyn, is moderately less demanding. She mostly cuddles up beside me on the couch.
What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?
Negative reviews. Oh, Lord. Or thinking too much about marketing.
Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?
In my very first book there was a character who had already passed who readers fell in love with.
How do you celebrate after typing THE END?
I don’t. It’s my fatal flaw. My toxic trait. I never feel like I’ve done enough. While I’m happy, so happy that I finished the book, I don’t take time to revel in it.
I hope you enjoyed this interview!
Check out all my interviews/reviews for Devin Sloane!
https://readingbydeb.blogspot.com/2024/02/author-at-glance-devin-sloane.html
Make sure to give Devin Sloane a shout out and FOLLOW her on social media!
Connect with Devin:
Thanks so much, Deb!
ReplyDeleteWelcome! Just finished spotlight ♥
Delete