Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

About Shona
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back. Drawing on history and myth, she writes about heroes who are armed and dangerous but have a heart of gold—sometimes literally.

Website
http://www.shonahusk.com/

Social Media
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/shonahusk
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ShonaHusk

Books


Giveaway
Shona will be giving away two copies of The Outcast Prince in print to 2 lucky participants. This giveaway will be open to all members

Welcome Shona, it's a pleasure having you with us!

I hope you enjoy your time with our members; and good luck to you all!


GUIDELINES FOR AUTHOR AND PARTICIPANTS:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3...

Members, if you can please write the questions in bold; it would be easier for Shona to know that you have asked a question and less chance that it will be missed. Thanks!


In order to bold-

Place < b > before the question you have for Shona and < /b > after the question. Make sure there are no spaces.

Your books are all so different. Where do you get your ideas?

Did you happen to base your Shadowlands series off of Jim Henson's Labyrinth? That series reminds me so much of that movie!

Lura wrote: "Your books are all so different. Where do you get your ideas?"

From all over the place. From pictures I see, to a mythological creature that I've read about. Sometimes the idea just appears and I scribble it down and put it away for later because I have no idea what to do with it at the time. The idea for my Annwyn series came from a conversation about mazes with my kids :)

Victoria wrote: " Did you happen to base your Shadowlands series off of Jim Henson's Labyrinth? That series reminds me so much of that movie!"

No. I watched the film when I was a teen (20+yrs ago) and it was one of my favorites (along with The Dark Crystal), but I didn't actually watch it again until after I'd written The Goblin King and I'd bought the DVD my kids.

I had the idea for the opening scene (the heroine is drunk at her own party after an argument with her fiancé) but I didn't know who the hero was only that he was going to take the heroine to another world. I'd just written a Vampire story (unpublished) and I wanted something different that wasn't used much in paranormal stories. I've always loved Beauty and the Beast so I also wanted the hero to be hideous. Goblins was a 2am feeding the baby idea. I did a pile of research on goblins and went from there.

do you remember the first romance novel you ever read?

Dee wrote: "do you remember the first romance novel you ever read?"

I didn't discover romance novels until I was in my mid-twenties. One of the first I read was I Burn for You. I actually found erotica before romance with Behind Closed Doors

How did you start writing and what advice do you have for those aspiring to write a novel one day?

I have already have and read The Outcast Prince, so please don't enter me in the contest. I am looking forward to seeing more of Anwynn in Lord of the Hunt. I was really hoping that Felan's story was going to be next. I really want him to find his queen. Will Caspian ever take Lydia to Anwynn? Will he get to know his fairy father better?

Hi Shona, I haven't read any of your books, as yet, but I've certainly added them to my 'To Read' shelf. What is your writing schedule? Do you try to write every day, or do the novels just flow when you get the urge?

Milly wrote: "How did you start writing and what advice do you have for those aspiring to write a novel one day?"

I wrote as a child, but I didn't start writing as an adult until I was on maternity leave. At first it was just for myself for something to do, but then I was having to much fun I wanted to do more, so I joined RWA and got a crit group.

Advice for aspiring authors: read. Read lots and in lots of genres. Write lots until you find what you like writing (I love historical romance but I don't like writing it). My crit group has been essential in my journey from aspiring to published, not only because they read my work but because I have to read theirs with a critical eye.

Ora wrote: "I have already have and read The Outcast Prince, so please don't enter me in the contest. I am looking forward to seeing more of Anwynn in Lord of the Hunt. I was really hoping that Felan's story w..."

There will definitely be more of Annwyn in Lord of the Hunt. Most of the story happens there. There is a giveaway of 2 ARCs happening at the moment: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

Felan gets his story in To Love a King in October 2014. Caspian and Lydia make an appearance in that book (well they have at the moment, I haven't turned the book into my editor yet;) )

Chris wrote: "Hi Shona, I haven't read any of your books, as yet, but I've certainly added them to my 'To Read' shelf. What is your writing schedule? Do you try to write every day, or do the novels just flow w..."

I have deadlines I need to hit so I write everyday. But by write I mean work at the business so sometimes it's new words, other days re-writes and edits, synopsis and blurb writing or plotting.

Sometimes the words flow and it's easy, other times it can be really slow going.

That creative spark and the urge to write a particular story comes, and I don't ignore it, but all I usually do is capture the idea and do a little plotting around it. I might give myself a day to play with the concept before going back to work. I have 2 story ideas at the moment, neither of which are more than a couple of paragraphs but once I finish the edits on my desk I'm going to plot them out better. There is nothing better than playing a new idea after a pile of edits :)

Shona wrote: "Lura wrote: "Your books are all so different. Where do you get your ideas?"

From all over the place. From pictures I see, to a mythological creature that I've read about. Sometimes the idea just a..."

Awesome. Thanks for answering my question so quickly. I, too, find inspiration in almost everything. I just have trouble finishing my stories... ^_^

I apparently need to find a crit group. Other than my husband and mother-in-law. Yeah.

Lura wrote: "Shona wrote: "Lura wrote: "Your books are all so different. Where do you get your ideas?"

From all over the place. From pictures I see, to a mythological creature that I've read about. Sometimes t..."

I'm in Australia so my timezones are going to be totally different :)

Learning how to finish once that first rush of 'new idea' runs out is a skill. I always struggle through the 2nd quarter of a book. Once I cross the halfway mark I'm good. But people struggle with different parts so if you always stop at the same place maybe you just need to push through?

A crit group of other writes will help and there are plenty of online groups.

My hubby has never read any of my work, but I do bounce ideas off him.

Welcome Shona!

I really like your covers, especially .

Do you have input into your cover choices? Do you have a favorite cover?

Fran wrote: "Welcome Shona!

I really like your covers, especially .

Do you have input into your cover choices? Do you have a favorite cover? "

That's one of my favourite covers too :) however some people have told me it's a bit confronting.

Generally I fill out a cover art form and that's about it. I get shown a draft and can suggest tweaks and then it's finalized. By the time I see it concepts have already been reviewed and discarded and I am being shown the best.

When I got my rights back to I obviously had a lot more input as I self-published it.

Cover art is one of those things where I cross my finger and hope for awesome. I have been phenomenally lucky with all my publishers. I don't have an absolute favourite, but definitely a top 5.

Hi. I haven't read any of your work as yet, but I'm always looking for good material to read and add to my book lists. I am looking forward to start looking for your books. I have read Sarah McCarty but no others as yet. DO YOU FIND THAT YOUR FANS ARE EQUAL IN ENJOYING YOUR BOOKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, OR ARE SOME PLACES MORE ACCEPTING OF YOUR WRITTING THAN OTHERS? Thanks for taking the time to read my comment and question.
Janet from Social Circle,Ga. USA

Janet wrote: "Hi. I haven't read any of your work as yet, but I'm always looking for good material to read and add to my book lists. I am looking forward to start looking for your books. I have read Sarah McCart..."

I have fans from all around the world :) My Shadowlands series is partially set in Australia, while my Annwyn series is partially set in the USA. I like researching different places and I think people like to read about different places too (I know I do!).

Hi Shona, thanks for taking time to answer our questions!

Who are your must-read authors? Are there any authors whose work has influenced your writing, or who have acted as a mentor for you?

~KarenH~ wrote: "Hi Shona, thanks for taking time to answer our questions!

Who are your must-read authors? Are there any authors whose work has influenced your writing, or who have acted as a mentor for you?"

I love books by Denise Rossetti, Michelle Diener, Katharine Kerr and Jim Butcher. I didn't have a mentor, I joined RWA and a crit group and muddled along :)

I think all the fantasy I read as a child influenced my writing as I love creating new worlds.

I LOVE the Shadowlands series! Will there be any more books in the series?

Iris wrote: "I LOVE the Shadowlands series! Will there be any more books in the series?"

I'm so glad you love my goblins :) At this stage I have no other books planned for that series.

Shona wrote: "Iris wrote: "I LOVE the Shadowlands series! Will there be any more books in the series?"

I'm so glad you love my goblins :) At this stage I have no other books planned for that series."

Shoot. Guess that means I'll have to get attached to one of your other heroes. ;)

Thank you everyone for stopping by. The winners are: Karen H and Milly. Please contact me with your postal address :)