Author Eva Chase #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Eva Chase

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m Canadian but have traveled to lots of other countries. I love writing fantasy and paranormal stories because it’s so much fun imagining a world beyond the ordinary one we live in. And I have TONS of ideas, so no matter what I’m working on, I’ve always got a bunch more at various stages begging to be picked next. 🙂

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I’ve always loved telling stories. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started getting praise from teachers and friends for my writing, and I realized that maybe I was good enough to make a go of it as a career.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My current series (the first book, A Study In Seduction, coming at the end of March) started a few years back when I was watching the TV show Elementary. It’s a modern adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and they had a great twist where (spoilers if you haven’t watched the show) the villain Moriarty turns out to be a woman.

I loved the idea of a female criminal genius–it’s not a type of character I see much at all, even though there are tons of beloved male characters of questionable morality who are admired for their smarts and wit. I’ve been toying with the idea of either writing my own take on a female Moriarty or a different female villain for a while, and this past year, the other pieces finally started coming together.

What are you working on now?

I’m nearly finished with the second book in the Moriarty’s Men series. I haven’t yet decided whether I’m going to jump right into the third or alternate with another series to switch things up. Like I mentioned above, I have a lot of ideas yammering at me for attention. 😉

Do you have any quirks while writing?

I always write on my laptop. I do most of my other computer activity on my desktop computer (which is where I’m answering this interview right now), but I’ve had a laptop for writing since I was a teenager, and something about sitting down with one gets my head in the right mindset.

I also make up iTunes playlists for most of my books and use the music as inspiration when I’m brainstorming or gearing up to write.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’d just love to be able to continue making a living from my writing! It really is a dream come true, and I feel incredibly lucky that I’ve been able to tell stories so many readers are enjoying. I’m also looking forward to future travels with my family and sharing all my favorite books with my son as he gets older.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

I think the best advice I could give right now is to be patient. Take your time studying books you love to figure out what makes a good story. Take the time to get feedback from other people to improve your writing. Watch reader reactions to books and figure out what they’re most interested in seeing. Study the kinds of covers and blurbs that successful books have.

It can feel very urgent when you have a story you’re dying to tell–you want to get it out there ASAP. But you’ll have a much better chance of telling that story effectively and getting it to the most readers if you wait a little and learn the best approaches rather than jumping straight in.

Do you have anything to say to your fans?

So, so many thank yous! There’s very little in the world that makes me happier than seeing that I’ve made other people happy with my stories. I’m so grateful to every one of you who’s picked up my books and especially those who spread the word about them!