The Interview - Airmid

I had a character in my Raven and Hummingbird series called Dagda, the all-father Celtic god. He ended up being everything that I loved and hated about my father. He was all-powerful and pretty awful, but then again he also loved deeply and felt guilty about the bad things he did He ended up going to 'prison' in the world of the gods for what he did on Earth. If you like gods and mythology, I recommend that particular series. First book is Siobhan's Secret. 

I am a pantser. And that means I do not use an outline. I let the story unfold and just go with it. Sometimes I end up at a dead end and have to backtrack, but usually my characters take control  and run things. Even in school when I was asked to write an outline, I never could. 

I only hope they enjoy them and get something out of them. 

The most difficult critique, if you could call it that, was from my brother and sister-in-law. It changed my relationship with them. My book contained my father's journals while he was a POW in WW2. I used them because I knew he wanted them to be in the public eye. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was my fictionalized story about two people who have become estranged because of war. I used real life scenes that I witnessed as a child to embellish the story, and I think that my brother saw himself in what I wrote. But it had nothing to do with him. He could never give me an explanation of why he didn't like the book. And isn't family where you look for support? 

The best compliment has come from my husband's sister who is also a writer. And interestingly, the book I mentioned that my brother didn't like is the one she thinks is my best. 

That depends. Is this man realistic? Does he act like the ones you've met or is he a cardboard cut-out, sort of like Ken from the Barbie movie? Mine are part jerk, part sweet,  part confused and part manly and everything in between. In my latest book my hero is currently in hell for what he put his woman through--but he may be redeemed--who knows? 

Yes I have, and it is not fun. I wait it out--it seems the only way unless I find another project to work on. It usually happens when I'm stuck not knowing where to take the story. 

I am self-published, so yes. I decide everything, including the cover design. I have a wonderful designer on Fiverr who now does all my covers. If you want to reach her: https://www.fiverr.com/kozakura

At this moment I am reading a book called, The Girl with Ghost Eyes by MH Boroson. It's fantasy with Asian themes. Good so far. I tend to read mostly fantasy and have many authors to recommend. If you go to my BookBub page you can read my reviews. https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nikki-broadwell?list=reviews

I think that  am up to either 27 or 28 books written and published. I'm working on a sequel to the Library of Time. The cover is the image on my profile. It is time travel and moves from 2324 to 1300's and is a love story as well as a dystopian. 

I  wish!!! I have been told that my books are very cinematic but so far I have not been approached. Several of mine would be super movies...but I don't have the time or the money to write a screen play or try and solicit help to do so. *sigh* 

I have always loved writing, but I didn't begin seriously until I was in my 50's. I took Art and English in college--couldn't seem to make up my mind. Art was my profession for many years before I turned to writing. I did notecards from my drawings and paintings and then branched into silk painting.  I made scarves and camisoles and robes with designs of flowers and animals  and birds and went from that into wallhangings. I miss it but the chemicals can be toxic.  

The aforementioned book, Rosemary for Remembrance, took several years to complete. This was due to the fact that I had written 400 pages attempting to tell the story of my father and mothers life and trials. I finally realized that it was too emotional for me and I wasn't doing it justice. But it took a while to remake it with new characters, new plot-line and working in the journal entires in the best way in order to give it the depth I needed. 

I used to paint of silk, but once the writing bug struck I was all in and no longer had the time. I do yoga and garden and walk my dog. 

Oh my gosh yes! My characters appear on the page and tend to take over. I sometimes feel like an observer instead of the person pressing the keys on the keyboard! I think of them often and sometimes fall in love with the men I create. They are friends and if they are good friends I tend to write more than one book in the series.