Gina: What is your favorite thing about being an
Author?
Raina:
I love the power to create the world I want to live in and the
stories I want to read. Since age 5, I’ve been a writer. Only more recently I
became an Author. My favorite aspect of authorship is channeling my writing
into a format that others can connect with. If there’s something I want to
write about (and thus read about), I figure there are others in the world who
want the same. It’s satisfying to know that my words, voice, and style are
finally out there in published form.
Gina: What genre of books are you inspired most
to write about?
Raina:
I’m a bit eclectic with a fascination for the world around
me. I actually studied fine art in college with a focus on “Intermedia.” The
concept behind Intermedia is that something you have to say, a piece of art you
want to create, doesn’t have to be created any particular way. It should be
created in the way that will most convey what you want to express. So, I’m
curious about a lot of genres. Right now, I’m focused on romance and sci fi. I
have a literary background, so a lot of my work revolves around
character-driven plots and human desires. I also have a dirty mind...expect my
romance to have all those juicy sex scenes!
Gina: Do you plot your books or let them lead you?
Raina:
Plotting
is never set in stone. It’s fluid. When I get an idea for a story, I spend a
lot of time with worksheets. I love worksheets! Asking questions has been the
most useful way I found to get to the heart of the characters and their
stories. I go through worksheets and answer questions and spend time just lost
in thought. Once I have a good feel for what might happen, I sketch a rough
plot and think about what scenes to include. Then I write. New ideas inevitably
come up in the process of writing, so I’ll go back and revise my outline or
just make notes and keep moving forward. Sometimes, I have to scrap a story and
start from the beginning. It’s all part of the process.
Gina: What is something you do when writing that
keeps you going?
Raina:
I keep writing. Have you ever had to walk somewhere with no other
option? Like, your car is getting an oil change and you’re hungry and there’s a
restaurant just two blocks away. You walk one block and are feeling tired.
Well, now you’re halfway, so you can either keep going to your destination or
go back to where you started. Both ways are the same amount of effort. You have
no other option but to do SOMETHING. So you keep walking to the restaurant.
It’s the same with writing. There’s no option but to keep writing until I’m
done.
Gina: What is your inspiration for the current
book or series you are writing?
Raina:
I’ve
just started to dip my toes into romance, so I began with a few standalones. I
want to do a series next, so I spent time looking at other romance series and
thinking about what would hold my interest over the course of 4-6 books. I landed
on weddings. As someone who wants to someday get married, how can I not think
about weddings?? Even though I’m not an actual bride, I can write about them!
The current series I’m working on will revolve around a group of friends who
run a business together and all (or maybe just most) find their soulmates. I’m
envisioning each book will revolve around one character and their story, with
the last book in the series being their weddings. There’s a lot to play with,
so I’m currently having fun with research and notes (i.e. my excuses for
looking at wedding dresses and venues for hours).
Gina: Have you had any trial or errors that has
cost you in becoming an author?
Raina:
My road to authorship has been a long one. My main setback has
been my own beliefs. Though I grew up loving to write, I told myself I couldn’t
make a living as an author. I spent a lot of my youth trying (and failing) at
things that weren’t writing, growing as a person, and coming to terms with
trauma and mental illness. It was only within the last few years when I
experienced three near-death events (one car accident, a pulmonary embolism,
another car accident), that I stopped caring about what’s holding me back. Life
on Earth doesn’t last forever. I spent so much time not being an author. Now
that I’m trying, it doesn’t matter if I ultimately fail. It only matters that I
try.
Gina: What would you say to someone who wants to
become a writer?
Raina:
As others before me have said, being a writer means you write.
That’s it! If you are currently writing consistently (every day or at least
several times a week), you are already a writer. Writers aren’t tormented souls
and they also don’t sit around drinking tea (or something harder) all day, lost
in musings. They are simply people with similar life struggles, who have bills
and to-do lists and bad days, who sit down to write. Write anything and write
often. Become a writer is the easy part! Marketing yourself as a
writer...that’s another story.
Gina: What goals have you set for yourself for
the next year?
Raina:
Now that I have a taste for publishing, I’m ready to
ramp it up. My goal for 2020 is to publish 6 books, most of which will be books
from my wedding romance series. I’m also aiming to have a literary sci-fi book
published under my other pen name, Cassandra Vann.
Gina: What do you want readers to see or feel
most when it comes to your stories?
Raina:
For my romance books, I want them to feel all warm and fuzzy
inside. If my stories encourage
them to pursue what they want out of life and add some love to their
relationships, all the better.
Gina: What would you like to say to your readers
and anyone interested in reading your books?
Raina:
I think I reveal too much of myself when I write. If you
notice similar aspects in my stories, that’s why. There’s a part of me in every
female character - my independence, hopes, worries, longings. That’s what makes
me human. We all crave connection. If you’re going through something, know that
someone else in the world is going through it, too. I hope you can find a
connection with my romance characters (or their plight) and feel all the more
satisfied when they get their happily ever afters (even if it’s in an
unexpected way).
Gina: Thank you for your
interview today. I usually will add a little here and place a link below to your
book.
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