I’m pleased to welcome writer Roshandra Simone, author of the recently released romantic adventure fantasy; Alchemy – The Gold Ring.
Thank you for joining us today at Scribbler’s Roshandra!
What would you most like your readers to know about you that they wouldn’t find in your bio?
That I am a deeply heart centered healer and I do impact energy through long distance Reiki Master healing, and see into other worlds. I am a ‘mother’ of a beautiful daughter that is out on her own now. I also speak to animals or rather communicate easily with them. I learned this when I was training two of my Old English Sheepdogs for AKC Shows and Traveled with them. It was a big surprise to me on their hearing my thoughts before I decided what ‘command’ to give them they responded by sitting.
Tell the Scribbler readers a bit about your book Alchemy?
The Story takes the two twin loves on this path of Alchemy, portals of energy, amd different angles on the same pathway.
He was sitting in the dark shadow under the café awning as she was darting across traffic at night leaving the Louvre’. She did not see him watching her till he spoke up as lightening from the storm hit.
Well, I loved how their paths crossed in the opening chapter of this book.
What inspired this story?
I was reading on two things almost at the same time. I am personally fascinated by Leda and the Swan art. The myth of Leda and the Swan as a divine feminine doorway of love between immortal deity and symbolism of the swan to the mortal woman draws me to it. The other thing I was exploring was Nicolas Flamel who was an alchemist that disappeared with his wife that some say he and she became immortals. I used those two inspirations to weave together for the story basis.
What genre do you consider this story to fall into?
Adventure and Romance.
What’s the first thing you know for certain about a new story concept? Plot? Character? Romance? The ending?
Ah this is a great question. Something will inspire me such as a myth I will day dream about or am researching. The other is beautiful art. I am most always brought to ‘write’ from that. I had a character begin speaking to me from another book I wrote previously that suddenly had a story he wanted me to write about. When a character gets into my head I just go with what they are saying to me and I ‘write’.
Do you develop a deep backstory for all your characters before ever sitting down to write or do you just have a general idea of who they are?
Never! I merely merge myself into a beginning or story that inspires me. It is a vision and then things unfold. I am simpy along on the ride. I do add grounding backdrops for my books though later through researching art, architecture, history, cities and timelines. I will create names for the characters that also have hidden meanings. Since most of my Books are fictional romance I like making them ‘real’ so I place them into beautiful surroundings the reader can identify with along with the locations history.
Which secondary character in Alchemy was your favorite to write and why?
I love the relationship between the male and female love soul mates. Asten and Alexia but the secondary person I would say is this bombshell Jacqueline.
Can we have an excerpt?
Yes of course.
Asten heard his cell go ‘off’ while he and Alexia had been sleeping after the evening of love. He got up to see who it was and she left 18 messages. He left the bedroom to answer her frantic calls so she would stop calling him. Then as he was conversing with her asking her to not call him at 3 in the morning he realized he was being watched. He turned to see Alexia standing in the doorway wearing the terry cloth robe looking like a deer in the headlight. Asten knew this was not what he wanted her to hear or see. He calmed his voice and resumed his conversation. He wanted to explain this other female meant nothing to him at all. She was a stalker that had gotten his cell number and wanted something more. Alexia went back to the bed and Asten completed his call agreeing to meet for concluding the connection. He looked at Alexia with an apology coming for disturbing their sleep. He said, ‘She means nothing Alexia, just a female I aided when I let her use my cell a month ago. Now she is stalking me.” Alexia said nothing but merely dropped the terry cloth robe walking back into the quiet of his bedroom. He knew she was not upset on this and would talk more to her about this so it was clear only Alexia was the one he wanted to be with.
Do you use a pen name/pseudo name to write under? If so, why? If not why did you decide to write under your own name.
Well, I change that off and on. I normally go by R.M.Simone’. This gives me a nice filter and some distance with privacy and a formal feeling. On fan fiction many writers hide their identity, I do not so I go by Roshandra. For now it feels fine either way. If I had crazy stuff I would use the filter of the web site or a personal assistant at some point. I do like personal exchanges though with my readers and fans. Provided they are not wanting me to be a ‘best friend’ or that men are not trying to project onto me their desires. But we shall see as at times I have had a few males to delete off face book or block.
Are you one of those writers born with a pen in your hand and story ideas flitting through your mind or did your interest develop later?
I am one of those ‘writers’ that in English Lit class while the ‘classics’ were being discussed my thoughts would drift out the window to a day dream. Since childhood I have loved fairy tales and day dreaming was my way of having my visions play through my head as I watched them unfold. Also in my dreams when I wake in the morning often they continue with a full movie like scenario. I day dream while I am awake.
How long did it take you to complete your first manuscript?
It went from November to the next May on my birthday. A full book of 400 pages and 3 more outlines to make a saga. I did not work on the other two but did work on book 2 which brought me this male Character that moved me so much. That launched me into BOOK V my fifth book and 750 pages and also Novella Alleandrea, his Beloved.
Do you have a particular daily writing schedule or process you stick to?
Yes. Everyday at 2 pm after my am work and and line posting is done. I exercise and have a light lunch then go to a group of huge fir trees to chill out. I detach from my half full day of life and business and I enter into ‘my time’. This is my writing 2 hours and then off to light dinner and I write while I am dinning out. I will write or edit or jot done new ideas that inspire me and do so till 8 pm ish or later…home and shower in bed by 10 pm. My day begins at 5 am sharp before sunrise to handle business. I follow this schedule because the second half of my day is all for my passion of writing.
What are you most proud of about your writing?
Two things. first every time a book sells I am so excited and thrilled that someone is ‘reading’ my words and story. Second when I get an email or comment regarding how the story was experienced or the characters from the reader. It is like receiving a love letter and sweet gift from the reader that enjoyed your labor, time, and thoughts. I love both these moments and often smile and dance. Just happy is how it makes me feel.
How do you balance the need for self-promotion vs your writing time?
I am a juggling multi tasking person to begin with. I am in and out of lofty day dreams and reality here in day life. I love the writing most of all but the PR is just as important and networking. The edit has been the toughest part but this too now is coming more easily as I balance that also.
Which fictional character would you like to be able to sit down to dinner with and why?
“VALLEN”, he is from my BOOK V which is not published yet. Everything about him I love, his story, his history, how he lives and this current life that he is part of an Immortal Royal bloodline mansion in this now time.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring writer?
WRITE ON. Keep writing. You will figure it out. There are phases to it. Sometimes it is such a strong passionate story you must just write it down. It has a process when you leave the hermit cave of this and then it is time to do something with it. Never think it is not good enough. Ask a friend to look at some of the work or get a support group critique. JUST WRITE it will ‘take you somewhere’.
What is your favorite book from both childhood and adulthood?
Alice in Wonderland and I go down the rabbit hole all the time too. I love it…
What is your favorite word?
Love is tied with Yes.
What is your least favorite word?
‘No’
Are you a dog or cat person?
Both. I was only a dog person for a long long time. Then cats entered my life. Right now it is cats only but when I move to England my household will expand.
What is one new thing you’d like to try?
To Act, which actually surprised me. I thought I would say, ballroom dancing, sky diving, playing the piano.
To purchase one of Roshandra’s romantic tales go to:
http://booksbyroshandra.blogspot.com/
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