Author Interview featuring Elena Dillion

Elena Dillion

I would like to take a moment and thank Elena for her time. I'm very happy to have her stop by and lend us some of her very precious time. Below you will find some questions and answers to learn more about this author.

Thank you so much for the opportunity.  I really appreciate it!  

1.Please tell the readers a bit more about you.

I am a stay at home mom.  I have been writing most of my life but never let anyone see any of it. I have always loved books and reading. I'm kind of a nerd and used to get in trouble for staying up late reading. 

2. What types of books do you write?

I write Young Adult Romantic Suspense right now.

3. Who is your main audience?

Someone who enjoys a good romance with some edge of your seat suspense.  I write about love and sacrifice.  Love means loving someone more than your self and being willing to sacrifice yourself for that person.  If you like those kind of stories you are my audience.

4. When it comes to writing what are your strong points? What are your weaknesses?

I think my strong points are my characters. Making them memorable and empathetic.  My weakness is probably description.  I write really light and I like to move the action along.  I sometimes forget the reader doesn't know everything I know.

5.What do you think about the term Writer's Block? How do you overcome it?

I don't necessarily like that term. I think a blank page is intimidating.  If I don't know what to say I will just start writing it usually works out. Also think my muse gets stubborn or distracted sometimes.  I am trying to train the writing side of my brain to cooperate when I want it to. 

6. How many books have you written?

I have finished one and am a third of the way through the 2nd.  

7. How many are published?

I will be publishing my first book "Breathe" this summer and hopefully the second by Thanksgiving.

8. Are you self published or traditionally published?

I will be self publishing. 

9. What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

Ugh! The middle of the book.  It feels like you will never get done.  You question yourself a lot.  You don't always like where you are going and sometimes you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Can you tell that is where I am right now? 

10. What types of books do you enjoy reading?

I have pretty eclectic taste in books.  I like romance, suspense, thrillers, young adult, historical romance, some fantasy and I read a lot of nonfiction too!

11. Who is your favorite author?

Well I am going to be totally cliche here.  I love J.K. Rowling. I think the world she created is amazing.  I love that she never cheats and breaks her own rules even though there are so many. I love the characters and all the detail.  I also used to love Stephen King.  I don't read his books since I have had kids because they are just too darn scary.  They stay with me. I have just read his book "On Writing" and it was fabulous.  It was like visiting an old friend.  He has such a distinct writing voice that I felt like he was in the room when I read it.  He had some great points too, as you would expect from someone so prolific and successful.

12. What's your favorite all time book?

I would have to say the Harry Potter series.  I don't have one particular favorite but if I had to pick it would be Order of the Phoenix.  

13. How long does it take you to write a book?

Well the first one took 2 1/2 years because I wrote one day a month and had no idea I was ever going to even finish it.  This last one has only been a couple of months with breaks to edit and revise the first.  

14. Of all your characters, which is your favorite?

Well I have two.  Easton Ward is my main character, Jasmine's love interest in Breathe.  I have to say he is pretty amazing.  He has that Southern Charm. He's good looking and he loves Jasmine above all else.  He is the definition of hero which works since Jasmine needs one.  Caedan, Jasmine's little brother is also a favorite because he is just so much fun to write. He has a really loud voice in my head.  While I was trying to concentrate on writing the finale he would not shut up.  I ended up sticking him in a police car and leaving him there until I could deal with him again. He was less than thrilled.

15. What is one of the most surprising things you've learned as a writer?

I guess that I have so much to say and so many stories to tell.  Once I got 3/4 of the way through Breathe I realized I would finish and that I wanted to keep going. I love what I am doing now and there is no going back.

16. What does your family think of your writing?

Well none of them knew about it until I finished on Valentines Day this year.  I told them all and they were shocked but excited.  They seem to like the book so that is good.  My husband is my biggest fan and was sweet enough to read it even though he is not much for romance stories. He said he loved it and that it was really good.  What a good husband I have!

17. What does your writing schedule look like?

Well my kids are almost grown so I do try to write everyday during the week and sometime on the weekends I shoot for the times that they are in school or at work but beside taking care of my bulldog, who truthfully is a lot like a toddler, I have a lot of time to write!

18. Do you manage to write every day?

I do usually write every day.  Sometimes it is just a blog post for my website but I do write something!

19. What's the latest news you'd like to share?

Breathe won the Weta Nichols Writing Contest for the Young Adult Category and I am really excited! 

20. Do you have any advice for new writers?

Well since I am a pretty new writer I don't know how much it is worth but here goes: Don't let anything get in the way of the writing.  Write everyday even if it is a little bit and even if you don't know what to write.  Make it a priority. Also never stop learning.  Take a class on whatever is not your strength.  So far this year I am taking a writing class, a revising class, a series class and I have finished a class on how to put together your blog. Every little bit has helped and I have learned something valuable from each class.

My website is here :elenadillon.com