Thursday 8 August 2013

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - NIKKI RAE


What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
My name is Nikki Rae Colligan, and I was born in New Jersey, where I currently live.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
I didn’t always want to be a writer. I wanted to be a veterinarian, a paleontologist, a therapist, and an artist. I was always a story teller, but it wasn’t until high school that I started writing my stories down.  When I got to college, a lot of people reached out to me and asked if I ever thought of sharing my stories. That’s probably when I started to consider myself a writer.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
Yes. I work at my local Petsmart, where I get to play with/sell/love animals part time. I also go to college full time.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
The name of my latest book is Sun Poisoned. It’s the second book in The Sunshine Series and when it comes down to it, it’s about a severely damaged girl trying to love again. With vampires, sun block, and lots of music.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It took me over five years to write my first book. That being said, it now takes me about six to eight months from the initial idea to the fully fleshed out, edited version.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
I love all of my characters for different reasons. I created them. I put a lot into them. I feel like I have a dysfunctional family sometimes, and as their mother, I have no choice but to love all of my children, no matter what they do.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
It varies, depending on if I’m in school or on summer/winter break. Mostly, I write whenever I HAVE to. Which is every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s on the computer, in a notebook, on a napkin, on a bathroom stall…you get the point. Sometimes there’s music, sometimes there’s silence. Sometimes there’s people talking to me and they don’t know I’m writing and ignoring them. It all depends on the day.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Yes. Always. Anything I write, I have my best writer friend, Sara look at first. Then I give it to my other writing buddies. Once I’ve addressed the issues they point out, I hand it off to some Beta readers.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Yes. I read every single one. Good and bad. I like getting feedback on my work and hearing what people have to say about it.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
Usually, my main character will come to me themselves. Some part of my sub-concious mind knows who they are and what has happened to them in their lives. Once I know their history, their traits come out easily. Then the characters around them mold into either people who compliment or clash with those traits.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
I do a mixture of both. I scribble down some notes in the beginning, but the characters take the story where it needs to go most of the time.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?
Once in a while, I’ll get “writer’s block”, and I’ve found that the times I cannot write are the times I’m simply not paying attention to the things around me. Life is full of inspiration and sometimes I forget that. All I need to do is go to a place where there are people, take a walk, read a book, and usually I’ll be able to get over it pretty easily.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
No. I believe that ebooks are becoming more popular, definitely. It’s cheaper to buy, there’s little cost for the writer/publisher, and it’s very accessible and instant. But there is nothing like opening a book you just bought, smelling it, and feeling the pages between your fingers as you turn them. There’s room for everybody. It doesn’t matter to me as long as people are reading.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Write. Write often and show people the stuff you’re proud of/stuck on/in love with. Read a lot. Read things that you know you’ll like and things you would never be caught dead reading. Then make friends who like to read and write too. Join a workshop. Have fun. You learn so much about yourself when you write, and it’s unlike anything else. : )

Where can readers follow you?
Readers can follow me on pretty much everything:

Your Website?
Your Facebook Page?
Your Goodreads Author Page?
Your Twitter Details?

And any other information you wish to supply?
I am also on Instagram: @nikkiraexx
 And You can follow me on Tumblr, which I use as an inspiration board for my stories:

Also, I’m really friendly, so don’t be shy! You can talk to me and ask questions!

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