Today I'm pleased to welcome Angela Addams to the blog. Although she's a busy lady, with not only a new release, "Ghost Bride", but also a new baby, she took some time to sit down and answer some questions for me.
Angela, if you aren't familiar with her books, writes paranormal romance/erotica. Her other stories, "Assassin" and "The Temptress", are about vampires while her new is a ghostly love story. On her website you can find her blog, her book list and links to her recommended sites; she's also on twitter as @AngelaAddams. She lives in Ontario Canada with her husband and children, has been fascinated with the[paranormal since she was little, and believes that the written word is an amazing tool for crafting the most erotic of scenarios. She is also another wonderful author to come out of the Online Writers Group at the Kelley Armstrong Board.
Bea: First, thanks for taking the time to do this. Not only are you busy writing but you just had a baby about a month ago. Congratulations on your son.
Angela: I actually got the idea for Ghost Bride on my way to work one morning when the radio station personality I was listening to started talking about the mythology behind ghost brides. I found the story intriguing, did a little research and discovered that there was a belief in Chinese culture that centered around being wedded after death in order to avoid generations of bad luck. I took the idea and put my own spin on it, created a ceremony and story, and Ghost Bride was born.
Angela: My favorite part is when I first get an idea and start brainstorming plot points – it’s always a rush and so exciting. When I’m in that zone I even get ideas while I’m sleeping and have to jot down notes when I wake up so that I don’t forget them.
My least favorite part is editing – it gets very tedious and I lose patience quickly so sometimes I rush through it when it’s really a stage in writing that needs the most time.
Bea: According to your site, you’ve been fascinated by the paranormal from a young age. What is the attraction for you?
Angela: I just love all things black and orange – you know, Halloween stuff. I get so excited when I see anything to do with paranormal anything – my kitchen is permanently decorated with jack-o-lanterns and I have Wicked Witch of the West collector dolls adorning my china cabinet in my dining room! I just love everything from the blood suckers to the spell casters and all the creatures in between.
Bea: Do you think that the paranormal is waning in publishing, changing, or holding strong?
Angela: I think that the genre is probably glutted right now with so many paranormal writers out there. At the moment, according to my agent, the focus is on cross-genre stories but I don’t think that paranormal will ever be totally out. I’m not the only one out there who loves supernatural creatures – we just need an infusion of different worlds, characters and mythologies to keep it fresh and interesting.
Bea: Currently your stories are paranormal romance, do you see yourself writing straight up paranormal stories? Do you think you might try a different genre sometime?
Angela: The manuscript I’m working on with my agent is actually more straight up paranormal with a very limited romance thread. I like writing about paranormal stuff but I have also written historical fiction.
Bea: Who are some of your influences? Some of your favorite writers?
Angela: Oh gosh, there are many, many writers who inspire me. Some of my favorites are Kelley Armstrong, D.B. Reynolds, Kresley Cole, Veronica Wolff, Rhyannon Byrd and Jennifer Armintrout.
Bea: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?
Angela: This is going to sound strange I’m sure but one of the most inspirational people in my life was a high school English teacher I had who really believed in my writing ability and encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming a published author. (Bea here - as the daughter of an English teacher, I think this is AWESOME!) His unwavering cheerleading came at a time when I needed support and an ego boost the most so I count his influence as being particularly important in driving me toward my writing goals. Another person who I consider a mentor of sorts is Kelley Armstrong. She has given me some great advice and I will forever be grateful for her support.
Bea: What genres do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favorite authors?
Angela: I am addicted to paranormal romance. The authors I listed above are ones that I am devoted to reading. I am also an avid Victorian literature fan – one of my favorite authors in that genre is Wilkie Collins.
Bea: You have an account Twitter and a blog. Do you think that social media is important for an author to be involved in? Do you see yourself getting more involved?
Angela: I enjoy using my blog and Twitter to connect with other writers and readers. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t use it. I think that your heart and interest has to be in it for it to work for you. At the moment I’m using it to get my thoughts out there and to promote my books but it does stretch me to the limit where time is concerned. If I do find myself in the position of leaving my day job and becoming a full time writer I will probably expand my social networking to include other mediums.
Bea: Does your family read your books? What do they think?
Angela: I don’t allow my family (as in my mom and dad) to read my work– it’s too graphic for them but I do have a close cousin and quite a few friends who read my stuff both pre and post published. My parents know about my work of course and are very supportive, I just don’t want them to read the sex scenes – I think it would be very awkward! My husband has read some of my work – he’s not a big reader but is always very encouraging and supports the time I need to get work done.
Bea: Currently, your books are only available as e-books ( or that’s all I could find). Will they be available in print? Do you want a book in print someday or do you prefer digital?
Angela: The three shorts I have published through Cobblestone Press are all e-books only – no plans for print versions. I do aspire to be “in print” someday and am working on that aspect of my writing career with my agent.
Bea: Do you prefer to read paper books or ebooks? Why
Angela: I like both actually. I have an e-reader and love the convenience and portability of e-books but I also collect leather bound books and hard covers for some of my favorite authors.
Bea: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)
Angela: Great question but also a tough one! I think I would be the kick-a## heroine who knows how to get the job done and save the world!
Bea: Anything that you want to add or say to your readers?
Angela, if you aren't familiar with her books, writes paranormal romance/erotica. Her other stories, "Assassin" and "The Temptress", are about vampires while her new is a ghostly love story. On her website you can find her blog, her book list and links to her recommended sites; she's also on twitter as @AngelaAddams. She lives in Ontario Canada with her husband and children, has been fascinated with the[paranormal since she was little, and believes that the written word is an amazing tool for crafting the most erotic of scenarios. She is also another wonderful author to come out of the Online Writers Group at the Kelley Armstrong Board.
Bea: First, thanks for taking the time to do this. Not only are you busy writing but you just had a baby about a month ago. Congratulations on your son.
Angela: Thanks for hosting me on your blog Bea!
Bea: Can you please tell me a bit about yourself?
Angela: I write under the pen name Angela Addams and currently have three short pieces published at Cobblestone Press and am agented by Sarah Heller of the Helen Heller Agency. I’m the mother of two, a girl and boy, as well as the proud owner of four very naughty cats. I love chocolate and steak, but not chocolate covered steak and can’t live without my iPhone. I have an unhealthy obsession with paranormal romance and love watching the Dog Whisperer.
Bea: What’s a typical day of writing for you? Are you a planner or do you wing it?
Angela: A typical day of writing? Well, that’s a tough one to answer these days because the baby takes up a lot of my time and isn’t really on a set schedule. I try to get some writing done in the morning when he’s sleeping but I also manage to steal an hour or two at various points in the day when I can convince my daughter to keep him occupied. I tend to do a little bit of both planning and winging it. I always start with a general outline and fill in the holes, or finer details, as I go along.
Bea: Is “Ghost Bride” part of a series or a stand alone? What is next on your schedule?
Angela: I do have plans to build a series out of Ghost Bride but right now I’m totally fixated on working on rewrites for my agent which I find all consuming at the moment.
Angela: I do have plans to build a series out of Ghost Bride but right now I’m totally fixated on working on rewrites for my agent which I find all consuming at the moment.
Bea: Did you draw on any particular mythology for “Ghost Bride” or is it all original?
Angela: I actually got the idea for Ghost Bride on my way to work one morning when the radio station personality I was listening to started talking about the mythology behind ghost brides. I found the story intriguing, did a little research and discovered that there was a belief in Chinese culture that centered around being wedded after death in order to avoid generations of bad luck. I took the idea and put my own spin on it, created a ceremony and story, and Ghost Bride was born.
Bea: What prompted you to start writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?
Angela: I’ve been writing since I was a little kid (I still have my first “novel” that I wrote when I was six called The Fuzzy Wuzzels – it has pictures and everything!) So being published or not would not stop me from writing – it’s been a compulsion from childhood. However, it is nice to be encouraged by both my publisher and my agent – writing is such a solitary pursuit and it’s hard to know if what you’re producing is any good without some kind of external validation.
Angela: I’ve been writing since I was a little kid (I still have my first “novel” that I wrote when I was six called The Fuzzy Wuzzels – it has pictures and everything!) So being published or not would not stop me from writing – it’s been a compulsion from childhood. However, it is nice to be encouraged by both my publisher and my agent – writing is such a solitary pursuit and it’s hard to know if what you’re producing is any good without some kind of external validation.
Bea: What is your favorite part of writing? What is your least favorite part?
Angela: My favorite part is when I first get an idea and start brainstorming plot points – it’s always a rush and so exciting. When I’m in that zone I even get ideas while I’m sleeping and have to jot down notes when I wake up so that I don’t forget them.
My least favorite part is editing – it gets very tedious and I lose patience quickly so sometimes I rush through it when it’s really a stage in writing that needs the most time.
Bea: According to your site, you’ve been fascinated by the paranormal from a young age. What is the attraction for you?
Angela: I just love all things black and orange – you know, Halloween stuff. I get so excited when I see anything to do with paranormal anything – my kitchen is permanently decorated with jack-o-lanterns and I have Wicked Witch of the West collector dolls adorning my china cabinet in my dining room! I just love everything from the blood suckers to the spell casters and all the creatures in between.
Bea: Do you think that the paranormal is waning in publishing, changing, or holding strong?
Angela: I think that the genre is probably glutted right now with so many paranormal writers out there. At the moment, according to my agent, the focus is on cross-genre stories but I don’t think that paranormal will ever be totally out. I’m not the only one out there who loves supernatural creatures – we just need an infusion of different worlds, characters and mythologies to keep it fresh and interesting.
Bea: Currently your stories are paranormal romance, do you see yourself writing straight up paranormal stories? Do you think you might try a different genre sometime?
Angela: The manuscript I’m working on with my agent is actually more straight up paranormal with a very limited romance thread. I like writing about paranormal stuff but I have also written historical fiction.
Bea: Who are some of your influences? Some of your favorite writers?
Angela: Oh gosh, there are many, many writers who inspire me. Some of my favorites are Kelley Armstrong, D.B. Reynolds, Kresley Cole, Veronica Wolff, Rhyannon Byrd and Jennifer Armintrout.
Bea: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?
Angela: This is going to sound strange I’m sure but one of the most inspirational people in my life was a high school English teacher I had who really believed in my writing ability and encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming a published author. (Bea here - as the daughter of an English teacher, I think this is AWESOME!) His unwavering cheerleading came at a time when I needed support and an ego boost the most so I count his influence as being particularly important in driving me toward my writing goals. Another person who I consider a mentor of sorts is Kelley Armstrong. She has given me some great advice and I will forever be grateful for her support.
Bea: What genres do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favorite authors?
Angela: I am addicted to paranormal romance. The authors I listed above are ones that I am devoted to reading. I am also an avid Victorian literature fan – one of my favorite authors in that genre is Wilkie Collins.
Bea: You have an account Twitter and a blog. Do you think that social media is important for an author to be involved in? Do you see yourself getting more involved?
Angela: I enjoy using my blog and Twitter to connect with other writers and readers. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t use it. I think that your heart and interest has to be in it for it to work for you. At the moment I’m using it to get my thoughts out there and to promote my books but it does stretch me to the limit where time is concerned. If I do find myself in the position of leaving my day job and becoming a full time writer I will probably expand my social networking to include other mediums.
Bea: Does your family read your books? What do they think?
Angela: I don’t allow my family (as in my mom and dad) to read my work– it’s too graphic for them but I do have a close cousin and quite a few friends who read my stuff both pre and post published. My parents know about my work of course and are very supportive, I just don’t want them to read the sex scenes – I think it would be very awkward! My husband has read some of my work – he’s not a big reader but is always very encouraging and supports the time I need to get work done.
Bea: Currently, your books are only available as e-books ( or that’s all I could find). Will they be available in print? Do you want a book in print someday or do you prefer digital?
Angela: The three shorts I have published through Cobblestone Press are all e-books only – no plans for print versions. I do aspire to be “in print” someday and am working on that aspect of my writing career with my agent.
Bea: Do you prefer to read paper books or ebooks? Why
Angela: I like both actually. I have an e-reader and love the convenience and portability of e-books but I also collect leather bound books and hard covers for some of my favorite authors.
Bea: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)
Angela: Great question but also a tough one! I think I would be the kick-a## heroine who knows how to get the job done and save the world!
Bea: Anything that you want to add or say to your readers?
Angela: Come and visit me at my website www.angelaaddams.com and comment on my blog or follow me on Twitter @angelaaddams
Angela, thanks so much for stopping by today. :)
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