Romance author Clarissa Yip is joining us today for a chat. She leads a life of adventure and mischief. Constantly on the run, she’s always hanging out with her muse, plotting the next best story, and looking for anything that will fuel her imagination. Besides being an avid reader and writer, Clarissa enjoys scrapbooking, video games, immersing herself in addictive TV shows, and engaging in anything that will challenge her mind. A lover of food and languages, she also loves to try new things. Her dreams involve finding the ultimate way of sharing her world with yours. From the Hawaiian island of Oahu to the beautiful season-changing New York, you never know where she’ll be.
Please join her as she ventures to the unknown as she wields her stories, escape to exciting adventures across the country, and shares the view of the world through the eyes of a writer.
Bea: Clarissa, thank you for taking the time to chat with me today. What is your favorite part of being an author?
Clarissa: My favorite part of being an author is finding the time to hang out with my muse and characters and make their stories come alive. Well, besides lounging around in my pajamas all day long. Lol.
Bea: Are you a planner or do you wing it when you write?
Clarissa: I’m actually a little bit of both. I usually plot for a few days, to get to know my characters, and then when I have the whole first scene in my mind, I’ll start to write and I deter from outline and end up pantsing. It’s actually annoying when I think I know where I’m going but end up just going with the flow.
Bea: What genres do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favorite authors?
Clarissa: I actually love dappling in other genres. I find myself reading a mix of suspense, paranormal, and historical, depending on my mood. I’m a bit JR. Ward, Judith McNaught, and Jude Devereaux fan. I can reread their books over and over and never get sick of them.
Bea: What drew you to romance? Do you think might try a different genre one day?
Clarissa: I actually have my sister to blame. (It's ALWAYS the sister's fault, lol - Bea) She read so many romances and I was stealing her books when I was nine and just became addicted, almost as bad as her. I have old harlequins that are as old as me…and I’m pretty old! I’ve actually been toying around with the idea of suspense. Guess a story can never have too much conflict.
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)
Clarissa: Of course the romantic lead! If I had a hero like JR Ward’s Zsadist…OMG! (hee, ok, that was a silly question - Bea)
Bea: Social media has become prevalent these days. Do you believe that it's important for authors today?
Clarissa: I do believe social media is important for everyone, especially authors. Authors need to think of themselves as a company who produce products, and who else would they sell their product if they don’t brand or market themselves? Besides, apps like Twitter and Facebook are such great marketing tools for easy networking and reaching people.
Bea: Is there a specific element in your writing that you find most challenging?
Clarissa: Everything about it is challenging! I’ve been thinking about my “breakout novel” and brainstorming like crazy on projects I want to work on next. I find the whole layering and subplotting the hardest to figure out.
Bea: Why writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?
Clarissa: I think I’ve written since I was a kid. I remember carrying a journal with me and writing in it everywhere I went. Sometimes, I would take it out and laugh at some of the things I’ve said. I’ve handwritten many stories too…but none that should see the light of day. But truthfully, I didn’t really know that writing was what I really wanted to do until I got my first rejection. That spurned the stubbornness in me and I kept working at it to make things happen. And it did. I think I will always be writing whether or not if it’s for publication. I enjoy it—enjoy hanging out with my muse and just losing myself in another world.
Bea: On your site, you mention that you love to immerse yourself in addictive TV shows. What’s your current favorite? What is the appeal?
Clarissa: Actually, I’ve been watching Once Upon a Time. (I watch that too! - Bea) It’s so good! The whole fairy tale idea come to present time. I think the show is ingenious! And of course, I need my Castle fix too.
Bea: You also mention loving languages. What’s your favorite one? How many do you speak?
Clarissa: Well, I actually speak Cantonese at home with my parents. I’ve studied Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, and Spanish, and I actually know a little bit of Vietnamese. I used to be very eraptured in Asian culture, and learning more about my own heritage.
Bea: Thanks Clarissa!
Clarissa: Thank you so much for having me!
More Dates on Clarissa's Blog Tour:
20 – Interview @ From the TBR Pile
21 – Guest Blog @ From the TBR Pile
23 – Interview @ Books-n-Kisses
25 – Interview @ Romance in the Backseat
26 – Guest Blog @ Coffee Beans & love Scenes (One Chance)
27 – Interview @ Coffee Beans & Love Scenes
30 – Interview @ Me & Reading (Tempting a Prince)
February
1 – Excerpt @ Hesperia Loves Books
3 – Interview @ You Gotta Read
6 – Interview @ Everyday is an Adventure (Silent Night's Seduction)
8 – Guest Blog @ Coffee Beans & Love Scenes (Temping the Prince)
10 – Guest Blog @ Sarah Balance
13 – Guest Blog @ Aspiring Romance Writers *Topic must be about writing*
15 – Guest Blog @ Hesperia Loves Books
17 – Interview @ Reviews by Molly
20 – Guest Blog @ Dominique Eastwick
21 – Interview @ Reader Girls
22 – Interview @ Romancing the Book
24 – Guest Blog @ Reading Between the Wines
Thank you so much for having me!
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview Clarissa. I would agree that social media is important, but how do you find a balance between promotion and writing time?
ReplyDeleteGreat question! I would recommend to put away 45 minutes a day just to twitter and FB, and do emails! But I do find that it can be very time consuming at days depending on what I have going on.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I was always stealing my older sister's books as well, Clarissa - I had to hide behind the sofa to read them!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your break out novel - I'm sure it will be fabulous.
I can't see you hiding behind the sofa. LOL. Thanks for stopping by Nina!
DeleteWow, Clarissa! You're a busy lady.
ReplyDeleteDo you write Asian heroines/heroes? Do you think there's a market for that? What's the Asian publication market like?
Does your Muse like any particular tv shows? :)
Love your books, Clarissa!
LOL. That would be interesting, Cyn! We'll have to brainstorm one day together. And my muse is a total beach bum. I think she goes off to the beach more than I do. lol
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Old? Did you say you're old? I have sweatpants older than you! Fun interview. :o)
ReplyDelete*tackle hug* I don't believe you on the sweatpants! I'm sure I have you beat on something! lol
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Great interview, Clarissa and Bea. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a Once Upon a Time fan, as well.
Hi Clarissa and Bea,
ReplyDeleteIt's been nice, dropping in on your little chat... I enjoyed the interview, it had an easy, informal warmth to it. Best of luck with the book and the tour.
Thanks Tina and TJ. :)
ReplyDelete