interwiev | Helle Gade

Please give a warm welcome to author

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m a desert dweller, born and bred in Southern California. Before becoming an author, I was a stay at home mom, and still manage to keep my kids alive even while writing.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I know this seems odd, but I didn’t. I’ve always written, but the idea of becoming an author didn’t occur to me until I was in my early twenties (after a few years of college where I thought go into every job possible and switched my major enough for my parents to needed to sit me down). This is funny, because when I looked back at my awards from school, I got compliments constantly on my writing. It seems I was headed that way even when I didn’t know it. Of course, the path to becoming a romance and erotica author is an even stranger one, since I went years thinking I could never write sex. I thought I’d never be good at it. It was fanfiction that enlightened me there, that taught me I was not only capable of it but good at it! Then, my interest in female sexuality, in wanting to portray a positive view of it, really pushed me into focusing on erotic romance!

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I don’t know if I have inspiration. I tend to play with what-ifs a lot, and when I’m driving, I enjoy thinking about storylines. This one spawned during one such time. I will share, at the end, a face claim for the characters! It helps to show readers how I view the characters, the images I used before writing so I could ‘see’ my characters. It’s always fun to have a face to put with the name.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the edits for Grave Concerns 3, Saving the World and Other Bad Ideas. It’s so much fun to get back into Ava’s world, but wrapping up the series has been a lot of work. This is my first ever trilogy, as opposed to stand alone stories, and tying up all the threads has proven to be a big undertaking. I am so excited to share it in September!

Do you have any quirks while working?

I have ADHD, which means focus is difficult for me. I really need routine to be successful (well, and Adderall). This means I’m very regimented. I also get up and work at 5am, so the house is quiet! Even with that, I love my noise cancelling headphones and my touchpoints to help keep me focused. I am a huge fan of lists, and I keep a bullet journal to keep myself on track. My favorite thing, though? My freewrite. It helps me to write, to stay focused and is much easier on my eyes for long hours than a regular screen.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to continue to grow as an author, to learn more about how to reach readers (marketing is hard and scary!), to get to branch out and try to write different types of stories that are outside of my happy little rut. I’ve enjoyed writing my Grave Concerns Series so much because it was such a departure from my Alphas series. I want to keep doing that, to not be satisfied with what I know so I can try out new things even when they’re scary.

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

It takes time. That’s my number one piece of advice. Too often, we writers are in love with our own work, and we go into publishing with this belief that our book will be the exception. We will write the next best thing, that it will only take that one masterpiece for the masses to recognize our brilliance. In my experience, reality is far more work and a much longer and rockier path. For most of us, success will come from the slog, from creating and putting out story after story. I don’t say this to be demoralizing, but to prepare authors, because I’ve seen (and been) an authors who puts out their first books and feels hopeless when it flounders. It is so easy to give up at that point, to feel like a failure and think writing isn’t for you. So, my advice is to stick with it, to go into it knowing your first book is just that–your first book. Keep at it to see the benefits!

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Thank you so much! I couldn’t do what I love so much if it wasn’t for my amazing readers who support me. Readers are precious creatures who deserve all the praise and love!

Please give a warm welcome to author Jade Thorn

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Well, I’m in my late 40’s (that’s kind of scary) and I’m married with three gorgeous children. We live in Sydney, Australia.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Yes, but I thought it wasn’t possible. It certainly wasn’t until the Amazon self publishing path became a possibility. Prior to that, I just wrote stories and ideas in notebooks and didn’t think about them again.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

Most of my stories start with a dream, I wake up with a story, a scene or two replaying in my head until I write it down. Sometimes the characters just start talking to me, usually in the shower, or when I’m hanging out the washing. Either way, not when I have my hands free to start taking notes, lol.

Jacinta’s story was a dream, but then I came across an image from NASA and things just started falling into place and I knew I had to write it. I wrote the first draft 18 months ago, and I’ve only just got around to rewriting it. (First one was absolute rubbish, lol. I like to think I’ve grown a bit as a writer since then.)

What are you working on now?

I’m working on Book 2 of Jacinta’s story. I’m rapid-releasing her trilogy. Then I’m going back to my Brotherhood series. There’s another five books to come for that. I’m also working on learning JavaScript to help my eldest son with his homework, lol.

Do you have any quirks while working?

I need silence. With three kids and a husband who works from home, that isn’t easy. I live for the three days a week when my youngest is at preschool. Next year – next year… Just watch this space. 😉

What are your hopes for the future?

Personally, I want to do this for a living. At the moment, I’m earning a part-time wage, and putting in full-time hours. I even go all night without sleep when necessary (deadlines looming). I want to prove to my husband that this is more than a hobby. I want to be able to upload all the stories in my head directly into a computer, then sit and edit. LMAO.

I’m starting up a blurb service, because I seem to be good at it. I write concepts for a cover designer (hi Tash! Shout out to DAZE-designs.com ), and doing blurbs is similar enough that I can do it with ease. (Easier to write for others than for me, lol). Anyway, I’d like for that to get off the ground.

For my family – my eldest has learning difficulties and has just started high school. He’s really struggling. I’d love for him to settle into a pattern and find his feet. I want my middle son to keep doing what he’s doing. He’s a sweet kid – when you can get him away from minecraft, lol. He wants to be an artist. And for my youngest, she’s struggling with speech. We’re making real progress this year, but it’s a hard slog.
Hubby – I want him to not work so hard, he never stops.

For the world – peace. I want peace, and more understanding, and less of the self-entitled attitude that seems to be spreading like a virus. It’s a sickness that’s destroying our planet as much as global warming is. Wow, this got dark fast!

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

Yes.
Treat it like a business from the start. I know that sounds harsh, but hear me out.

Protect yourself. I’ve seen authors taken for rides because of their lack of experience. Get contracts for everything. I mean it, everything. Non-disclosure, confidentiality, expectations of service (PA’s/editors etc), Have an agreement with any volunteers you work with, to protect them as much as you.

Be professional at all times. Have a laugh in private, in public – you’re a persona now. Everything you do is noted and weighed. I’ve seen books plagiarised, files held for ransom, and friendships destroyed, because people found out they weren’t on the same page. Have friends, but keep it separate from what you do.

I’m not saying become a corporate Karen. I’m saying, be sensible, prudent and most of all reliable. Have dignity, and give it to others.

Finally, reach out. The indie community, for all its flaws, can be an amazing resource. Reach out. There are very few authors who would not help you.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

You’re all nuts!

No, seriously, you’re all nuts. Ha ha ha.

Ok, this time. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You encourage me, keep me going and inspire me. I can’t believe that people like my books. I keep waiting for the critics to come along and say “yeah, she’s really rubbish, here’s why”. A few have, and it’s hard to keep going when I read what they say. So, for everyone who has reached out to me with a word, or a like, or anything positive – thank you. You are a life line and a godsend.