Q&A part 2: Gena Showalter on how she writes

As promised, here is the second part of my Q&A with Gena Showalter, author of those tortured immortal warriors of the LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD series. But she’s created interesting worlds and characters for other series, including her ALIEN HUNTRESS books and her ATLANTIS novels. In April, she’ll release INTO THE DARK, which contains two Lords of the Underworld stories previously published as ebooks, THE DARKEST FIRE and THE DARKEST PRISON, combined with the Atlantis ebook the AMAZON’S CURSE. And — she’ll offer up some other bonus info on the Lords of the Underworld! At end of this Q&A, find out about Gena’s contest to win a signed copy of INTO THE DARK. (Don’t forget — she also has TWICE AS HOT coming out Jan. 26!) OK — back to the Q&A and writing!

Gena Showalter

Q. How did you get started? How did you submit your first story and what was the experience like?
A. I just sat down and started writing.  I had no clear idea of story, just two characters who refused to shut up in my head.  (In a lot of ways, I was like Aden from Intertwined) At the time, I thought I was creating gold.  Now, having reread that story years later – shudder.   But after writing that book – Heaven’s Fury – I got online and researched agents and submission policies.  I struck out so many times I lost count.  So I wrote another book — and then another book, repeating the process six times.  Finally, I signed with agent Deidre Knight, and she later sold my seventh book to HQN.

Q. You write so many books and have so many different series.  Do the ideas come fairly easily? Do you just start writing — even when you might not have a clear idea?
A. Ideas are never a problem — I have more than I can ever write about.  All I need is the grain of an idea or a single character, and a story always sprouts from there.  Some stories are more stressful than others, but only because the characters are more stubborn than others (cough Gideon cough)

Q. Do you have a fave line from your books? (Or — a line you wish you could change!)
A. I constantly rewrite.  By the time a book is printed and hits the stores, I’ve thought of a thousand things I could have done differently.  So basically, I want to rewrite every book that has ever released.

Q. What’s your writing day like?
A. When working on a rough draft, I write a chapter a day.  When editing, I try to read through at least a hundred pages a day.

Q. Do you have a special place where you write?
A. My desk is not in a room, but is out in the open (meaning there are no doors) and the clutter is out of control.  But I’m not sure I could write without my piles of crap everywhere.  At least, that’s what I say on Showalter Cleaning Day.

Q. How do you handle your series writing? Do you work on several at a time or one project at a time?
A. Used to, I could juggle multiple series at once.  Now, I gotta do them one at a time or they bleed together.

Q. What do you do when you’re not writing!
A. I’m not sure I understand the question.  Not writing?

***

Now, to win a signed, advanced copy on INTO THE DARK, Gena’s asking folks to help promote another book, HEART OF DARKNESS. CLICK HERE to read Gena’s blog on what to do!

HEART OF DARKENSS is a trilogy of paranormal romance stories. According to the book description:

The Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter (A Lords of the Underworld tale): An iron-willed demon assassin, the angel Lysander has never known lust—until he meets Bianka. Spawned from the bloodline of Lucifer, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the pure-hearted Lysander into temptation….

Love Me to Death by Maggie Shayne: Twenty-two years ago four teenage boys were convicted of a young girl’s murder. Now, in the form of a beautiful woman, the “victim” is seeking vengeance. And only one man dares to dig into the past to uncover its secrets… and set her free.

Lady of the Nile by Susan Krinard: Lady Tameri believes herself to be the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian princess, and Leo Erskine has set out to prove her wrong … never dreaming that the two of them are about to discover a prophecy that will bind them together forever.

CLICK HERE to read the first part of the interview.

Here is a list of author interviews on the blog.

Keri Arthur – On her Riley Jenson series and why it must end!

Christine Feehan — Drake Sisters and Dark Slayer

Alyson Noel — Her Immortals Series

Charlaine Harris — Her latest Sookie book and HBO’s TRUE BLOOD

Jennifer Lyon: BLOOD MAGIC

Shana Abe: THE TREASURE KEEPER

Susan Squires: TIME FOR ETERNITY

Linda  O Johnston: ALPHA WOLF