AfterDark Team: So first, tell us a little bit more about yourself. We know our readers are curious to know about their favorite authors!
_Dark_Romantic: Okay! So I live in Scotland with my husband and two kids, and I just recently finished up my studies and am now a fully qualified specialist biomedical scientist! I'm an aerialist and a dancer, too.
AfterDark Team: Wow! Multi-talented, I see! Congrats on the graduation!
And when did you find your passion for writing in all of this?
_Dark_Romantic: To be honest, writing is an escape from my busy life, and I think it always will be. I've always been a reader, and when I heard about Wattpad a little over 2 years ago, I thought... why not give my own story a shot?
AfterDark Team: And you thought well! So since you're a reader and a writer, what are you favorite tropes to write and read about? In romance, I guess?
Since you're a '_Dark_Romantic' 😉
_Dark_Romantic: I love romance! Dark and dangerous characters who are misunderstood are my go-to! But I love it as a side plot as a reader. New adult Fantasy is by far my favourite genre to read.
Enemies to lovers wins every time, though.
AfterDark Team: Ooohh... A lot of our favorites here too! And what is your secret to write these dark and misunderstood characters, while still making them so relatable?
_Dark_Romantic: There's something about the bad guy falling in love that excites me. I love to create a character who is flawed and have them worship the ground their lover walks on while finding redemption.
That's something everyone can relate to in some way... love.
AfterDark Team: Aww, you're totally a dark romantic! And speaking of relating to characters... Which one is the most like you?
_Dark_Romantic: Probably Stacey from Insatiable. She likes to keep to herself but also knows what she wants and goes for it! All of my characters are Scottish like me, but I like to add parts of myself into each one.
AfterDark Team: We love that you're including your origins in your characters.
Also, we saw that you have the 'Wattpad Creator' badge. First, congrats! And can you tell us a little bit more about it? Does it change your writing journey? Any plan for the future? Tell us everything!
_Dark_Romantic: Thank you! Being in the programme has definitely given me more of a push to write with goals and ways to get motivated. I've never had a writing schedule so I'm trying to set that up for my Creator's WIP Satanic that will start soon. All the extra support from Wattpad has been great. In the future, I have more books planned from different genres, so I'm excited for that!
AfterDark Team: Ooh, more books... That's something we like to hear! Tell us a little bit more about your new story Satanic
_Dark_Romantic: Satanic is a genre I've never written in before. It's an adult Fantasy story with dark themes.
Seraphine is taken from her normal life and forced into an academy full of Supernatural creatures. She can't escape, and the only way to leave is to graduate. But the school bully is the love interest, Dane Dalton, and he's a shadow. They get partnered up for classes and get close (really close) There are secrets and truths to be told, until they figure out a way to destroy the spell that's keeping them all trapped there.
I've still got some planning to do since Insatiable is my current WIP, so there's still more to unravel with the storyline.
AfterDark Team: It sounds really interesting so far! We see you're combining all your favorite genres and themes, it must be exciting! Any advice for other writers who want to try a different, darker genre?
_Dark_Romantic: Go for it. Have fun with it and see what your mind can do!
AfterDark Team: That's a great advice! Writing should always be fun, speaking of it... What's your favorite part of the writing process? From the first spark of idea to the sharing button?
_Dark_Romantic: I love seeing the readers' reactions and how they connect with my characters. People from all over the world falling in love with someone you created is an incredible feeling.
AfterDark Team: Aww, we agree! That's the magic of Wattpad and seeing people's reactions directly in the story!
And among those awesome people, one of your readers Junie_Grey who has recommended you, has a question for you :
Do you get writer's block? If you do, how do you deal with it and create such amazing books? Most times I Know where I want the story to end, but the in between part stumps me.
_Dark_Romantic: I get writer's block often, but I find if I force words out, regardless of which book they're for, it usually kicks me back into writing. Music is a huge help too. My stories have Spotify playlists and I listen to them when I'm trying to get into the zone.
The in-between is the most fun for me. I know how the characters start and end their story, so I usually just type and see what happens to get from A to B.
AfterDark Team: Music is so inspiring indeed! We'll think about your great advice next time we're in a writing slump!
Before we wrap it up, do you have a little message for your readers and possible future readers? We know you'll get one more after this interview (the AfterDark team 😉)
_Dark_Romantic: Just a huge thank you and that we have a thousand journeys to go on through future books. A lot of readers are wanting a spin-off of a certain couple in Insatiable, and I might just have to give them it!
We think you'll make a lot of people happy 😉
Now, we have reached the end. Thank you so much for chatting with us!
And go check out @_Dark_Romantic to discover her unique world!
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