❤ Interviewing Writers ❤

angelapoppe

1) Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a story? How do you manage it all and organize yourself?

"The answer is simple — outlining. It might take a while, but it spares the author the troubles of plot holes, inconsistencies, and writer's block. I have an unusual outlining process. I write my stories with pen and paper first. So I write the story down as if telling it to a friend (no descriptions, only action). Then I split the text into chapters and then develop each chapter. So yes, I have quite some piles of notebooks all around my house."

2) Which of your books were the most enjoyable to write?

"I think each book is enjoyable to write in its own way. I can't write several books simultaneously, so I'm taking each book at a time. Hence, when I have a story idea, I only concentrate on that particular story. But the most fun to write was The Moonlight Boy because it's a children's book, and I had the opportunity to visit my childhood again when writing it."

3) For your most current novel does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

"I'm currently writing the sequel of The Moonlight Boy which is pretty popular on Wattpad at this moment. And although I love all my children, I'm having a particular joy in writing the villain of the story. *spoilers* I guess I'm trying to show that there are good parts even in a villain just as there are not so kind parts in the good characters. No one is entirely evil, nor entirely good."

4) What was the inspiration for your current story? And what do you hope your readers take away from this book?

"Considering my WIP is a sequel, I need to talk about what inspired the first book in this series. And that was to show that being different doesn't have to be a burden; it's actually good sometimes to swim against the tide and stay true to yourself. I hope my message has reached the readers of this book."

5) How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?

"Quite a few, actually. The one that allures me the most is about time slipping, a strange phenomenon that occurs more often than you might think. It's about a woman who appears out of nowhere and claims she comes from our recent future. I've written a quarter of that novel almost seven years ago, then abandoned it. But I'm thinking about going back to it at some point."

6) If you could ask one successful author three questions about their writing, writing process, or books, what would they be?

"I would ask Kate Morton, the Australian bestseller author who writes historical fiction, what is her process of researching, does she visits the places she writes about before beginning writing, and if she ever had a paranormal experience because all of her books are suggesting it."

7) What was your dream job when you were younger?

"I guess I've always wanted to be a writer, or have a job related to writing. I dreamed of being a journalist because I have a degree in Journalism. It turned out I liked to be a copywriter more which eventually became my career. But I've always dreamed of being a full-time writer."

8) What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

"I've always been attracted to mystery novels, and I loved the ones with twists and turns the most. I was most influenced by "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie, and "The forbidden forest" by Mircea Eliade, a famous Romanian author."

9) If you could choose three people to invite for a dinner party, who would they be and why?

"Oh, that's a hard one. I guess that would be Daphne du Maurier because her books inspired me to be a writer, Gary Barlow because I was a Take That fan in my teenage years and he's also a great musician, and The Man from Taured (you can find his extraordinary story on the Internet), just to check the truth behind his story (and yes, the paranormal stories are my guilty pleasure and a source of inspiration)."

10) What's your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

"I'm a native Romanian, so there are a lot of wonderful places to visit in Romania. But I love the mountains most, so I guess the Bran Castle area is my favorite. It's also Dracula's Castle, and that adds more mystery and mysticism to the place."