I did my first author interview years ago for the girls over at Will Read For Feels. The blog no longer exists, but I stumbled across the interview recently as I was going through my backlist.

The interview was part of my blog tour for the release of Second Time You. That readers would be interested in the process of me writing my books was still a bit foreign to me back then and I remember the nervously excited energy of being asked to answer questions.

I felt a lot like I was fumbling my way through. But it is amazing what you learn about yourself when you look back on your previous work.

Below I share the questions I was asked and the answer I have provided to give you a taste of what you can expect from an author interview and feel prepared when it is time to promote your finished work.

Always remember, it’s okay to make mistakes. That’s how we learn.

1) What inspired you to write Second Time You and the Pole Dance series?

First of all, I’d like to say thank you for having me today. This is my very first author interview and I’m super excited to answer your questions here at the Will Read For Feels blog.

The inspiration to write the Pole Dance series came after I wrote my debut novel, Gaze Into Me, a dark science fiction story about a girl who is struggling with a form of mental illness. Although I loved writing Gaze Into Me, I felt that I needed something more light-hearted as a follow-on series and pole dancing sounded like just the right topic.

2) In your book, Lexa takes pole dancing lessons to bring out her inner goddess. How did you do your research on these lessons? Did you try pole dancing as well?

I did. LoL. I had just moved to Australia and didn’t have a big social circle. Pole dancing ticked all the right boxes when it came to meeting other women, exercising, and getting my book research done all at the same time. It was great fun.

3) One thing that struck us about Lexa's love interest was his name, Jack Daniels. What's the story behind this? Did you intentionally name him after the popular brand of whiskey?

I’m so glad you asked. I really struggled to find the perfect name for Lexa’s love interest. It was only when I introduced Jack in the book and the way the scene was set up that the idea struck. From that moment forward, I couldn’t think of him as anyone else but Jack Daniels.

4) Did you have specific people in mind while writing Second Time You? If so, can you share your fantasy cast with us?

No fantasy cast, I’m afraid.

I really try not to get too fixated on a particular real life person for my hero/heroine. My characters usually don’t like being put into a box with some actor or singer. They all come with their own identity, their own strengths and weaknesses.

I’d love to hear the fantasy cast my readers are picturing though.

5) We loved how Lexa is so different from her roommate Molly. Who do you relate with more between the two of them?

As an author, I love all of my characters. Without them I wouldn’t have a story to tell. At the moment, Lexa and Angie are at the forefront of my mind simply because I have spent the most time with them, writing their books. (Lexa is the heroine in Second Time You; Angie will be the heroine in Big Sweet Love.)

That being said, I love Molly. She’s such a fun character and I can’t wait to see more sparks flying between her and Michael. There are some pretty interesting scenes in Big Sweet Love that I think readers will enjoy.

6) What's your favorite scene in Second Time You? Why?

Goodness, this is such a difficult question. Every scene in the book has its own purpose in driving the story and has a special place in my heart.

(Spoiler alert!!!) If I had to choose, I’d probably say the last dance scene where Lexa finally overcomes her insecurities and fights for Jack. I think it’s such a powerful turning point and it shows how much Jack really means to her.

7) We enjoyed your creative blurb for Second Time You, where you used letters A to L to describe your book. If you had to complete the alphabet (M to Z) to give readers a better idea of your book, what words would you use?

(Author Note: The blurb for the book has since changed. This refers to the original blurb.)

I’m thrilled that you are mentioning the blurb. I had a hard time convincing my sounding board that readers would appreciate the creativity. That being said, there is a reason why I stopped at L. There is only one word for ‘M’ and she will get her book at a later date. ;)

8) What can we expect from the second book in the series?

Big Sweet Love will be Angie and Edward’s story. Edward is Jack’s older brother. Angie is one of Lexa’s pole dancing colleagues. In the epilogue of Second Time You, Angie and Edward have a meet-cute in Edward’s coffee shop, the Ground Bean. Their connection is instant, but while Angie is determined to lose weight through pole dancing, Edward’s whole life revolves around food. And not just any food. Delicious desserts. Let the games begin!

Now I want to hear from you…

Could you do an author interview? Which book would you like to be interviewed about? Let me know in the comments below.