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Guest Post: Skylar M. Cates.
My guest today is the delightful Skylar M. Cates. Please welcome her to my blog and learn more about her and her writing!
What are you proudest of in your life?
Having my three wonderful kids after going through an infertility battle
One of my favourite questions to ask and to answer - fantasy casting! You've sold the movie rights to your latest novel and have total creative control on casting. Who do you cast as your leading characters?
Here is a list for some contenders, in no particular order, a mix of eye candy and character actors:
Daniel Feuerriegel, Shahid Kapoor, Clive Standen, Ian Somerhalder, Stephen Amell, Ryan Gossling, Joseph Gordan-Levitt, Paul Rudd, Gael Garcia Bernal, John Malkovitch, Hugh Lurie, Karl Urban, Jensen Ackles, Zachary Quinto, Giles Marinini, Gael Harold, Don Cheadle, Jared Leto, Paul Giamatti, Mathew Mcconaughey, Alexander Skarsgard, Colin Firth, Ben Barnes, and Michal Shannon…
I don’t picture actors in my head when I write the characters (I know some authors do), so this was a tough question for me. I’d like to meet them all. They might not all be leading men, but I’d find roles for them.
So what are you working on at the moment?
The third book in my Guy series—Henry’s story.
What are you proudest of in your writing?
The way love can be a catalyst in my stories for finding a character’s true place in the world
What genre would you like to try writing that you haven't yet?
A Multigenerational Family Saga
Is there anything that you've always wanted to do but haven't?
Sure! Lots of things! Be in the Olympics, be a rock star, be a neurosurgeon …Luckily, my characters can do it for me! I always loved to travel and explore other cultures. I’d love for my kids to travel with me. I’d also like to help animals more and foster some, but I need my husband on board with that idea.
What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?
Wow! I can’t answer this one…There are so many quotes that I love.
When and why did you begin writing?
I have always written stories. My earliest memories are of writing letters to my grandmother or writing poems.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
Lots of wine and chocolate, lol
I don’t seek them out. If I agree with the criticism, it will frustrate me that I can’t go back to that novel and fix the issues. If I don’t agree with them, it simply hurts.
What's one piece of advice you'd give to a new author?
Don’t rush to submission! Wait until the novel feels really “cooked.” Editors don’t want sloppy, undercooked, rushed work.
And maybe one more thing? Be kind to others and be kind to yourself.
How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
I gut it like a fish. First I open up the characters and see who they are…I might have a trope in mind—redemption, best friends, enemies to lovers, second chance love. I don’t outline, but I obsessively think about the plot. It’s like a puzzle turning in my mind. I also turn the knife on myself. I’ve scrapped huge scenes; I’ve gone through tons of drafts…I’ll cut and revise until it feels right.
How do you come up with titles?
The title usually comes to me fairly early. I usually don’t struggle with them. However, the exception to this was The Guy From Glamour. I submitted it with a different title—Better than Candy. But within a few weeks of my submission, another DSP book with a “Better Than” title was published. Worse, the author was planning a “Better Than” series and so was I! Yikes. I told DSP that I wanted to change my title. I had to think fast! The Guy From Glamour and The Guy series were born.
What have you learned along the way of your journey as an author?
That I have a great deal to still learn!
I’ve also learned to truly appreciate the awesome readers and reviewers out there.
The old adage "write what you know" is something that is touted a lot - do you feel that it's true for your work? Why/why not?
…I think you’d better research what you don’t know. However, I don’t really support that old adage. It limits the imagination! Nobody could write about talking dragons or serial killers without “knowing one” then… I’m never in favor of that! Women, especially, get criticism on this for writing male characters. There is an undercurrent of misogyny to the comments at times. That is why writers-- from George Eliot to A.S Byatt to J.K. Rowling--- struggled with this. The world would be a sadder place without their lovely books, wouldn’t it? I think you can’t go wrong if you write from the heart, research what you need to, and listen to your characters.
Finally, the question I ask everyone I interview - if you were a plant in the next life, what would you be, and why?
A wild blackberry bush. I like the idea of growing fruit. My sister had one, and her kids used to pick the berries. The dogs even managed to chew some right off the bush. We made blackberry pancakes with real maple syrup= heavenly! I also love Plath’s poem: “Nobody in the lane, and nothing, nothing but blackberries”
Exposed by Skylar M. Cates.
After years of running from a traumatic secret, young journalist Rafe Quintero is making his way in the world alone. Now that he’s landed a job at a Miami newspaper, he’s hungry for success. His goal? A blistering exposé on closeted PGA golfer Daniel Andrews. Rafe will stop at nothing to get the scoop—even if it means going undercover on Daniel’s private yacht.
Daniel is used to being in the spotlight, but his reputation for being cold and unfriendly hasn’t made him very popular. Still reeling from his mother’s death and his ex-boyfriend’s engagement, he hides out on his yacht to escape the press hounding his every step. His instant attraction to Rafe, his new crew member, is a problem he can't ignore.
When Rafe and Daniel begin a steamy affair, Rafe knows it’s only a matter of time before Daniel discovers his betrayal. Now he has to choose: confess and hope Daniel can swallow his pride and forgive him, or put his ambition ahead of his heart and follow the story.
Buy: Ebook http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3605&cPath=55_771
Paperback http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3606
Skylar's other books: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_771
Bio:
Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance. She is quite happy to drink some coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Most days, however, Skylar is chasing after her husband, her kids, and her giant dog, Wasabi. Skylar dreams about spending her days writing her novels, walking along the beach, and making more time for her good friends. On a shoestring budget, Skylar has traveled all over in her early years. Although, lately, the laundry room is the farthest place she has visited, Skylar still loves to chat with people from all around the globe.
skylarmcates@yahoo.com
http://skylarmcates.wordpress.com
Skylar can also be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/skylar.cates
What are you proudest of in your life?
Having my three wonderful kids after going through an infertility battle
One of my favourite questions to ask and to answer - fantasy casting! You've sold the movie rights to your latest novel and have total creative control on casting. Who do you cast as your leading characters?
Here is a list for some contenders, in no particular order, a mix of eye candy and character actors:
Daniel Feuerriegel, Shahid Kapoor, Clive Standen, Ian Somerhalder, Stephen Amell, Ryan Gossling, Joseph Gordan-Levitt, Paul Rudd, Gael Garcia Bernal, John Malkovitch, Hugh Lurie, Karl Urban, Jensen Ackles, Zachary Quinto, Giles Marinini, Gael Harold, Don Cheadle, Jared Leto, Paul Giamatti, Mathew Mcconaughey, Alexander Skarsgard, Colin Firth, Ben Barnes, and Michal Shannon…
I don’t picture actors in my head when I write the characters (I know some authors do), so this was a tough question for me. I’d like to meet them all. They might not all be leading men, but I’d find roles for them.
So what are you working on at the moment?
The third book in my Guy series—Henry’s story.
What are you proudest of in your writing?
The way love can be a catalyst in my stories for finding a character’s true place in the world
What genre would you like to try writing that you haven't yet?
A Multigenerational Family Saga
Is there anything that you've always wanted to do but haven't?
Sure! Lots of things! Be in the Olympics, be a rock star, be a neurosurgeon …Luckily, my characters can do it for me! I always loved to travel and explore other cultures. I’d love for my kids to travel with me. I’d also like to help animals more and foster some, but I need my husband on board with that idea.
What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?
Wow! I can’t answer this one…There are so many quotes that I love.
When and why did you begin writing?
I have always written stories. My earliest memories are of writing letters to my grandmother or writing poems.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
Lots of wine and chocolate, lol
I don’t seek them out. If I agree with the criticism, it will frustrate me that I can’t go back to that novel and fix the issues. If I don’t agree with them, it simply hurts.
What's one piece of advice you'd give to a new author?
Don’t rush to submission! Wait until the novel feels really “cooked.” Editors don’t want sloppy, undercooked, rushed work.
And maybe one more thing? Be kind to others and be kind to yourself.
How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
I gut it like a fish. First I open up the characters and see who they are…I might have a trope in mind—redemption, best friends, enemies to lovers, second chance love. I don’t outline, but I obsessively think about the plot. It’s like a puzzle turning in my mind. I also turn the knife on myself. I’ve scrapped huge scenes; I’ve gone through tons of drafts…I’ll cut and revise until it feels right.
How do you come up with titles?
The title usually comes to me fairly early. I usually don’t struggle with them. However, the exception to this was The Guy From Glamour. I submitted it with a different title—Better than Candy. But within a few weeks of my submission, another DSP book with a “Better Than” title was published. Worse, the author was planning a “Better Than” series and so was I! Yikes. I told DSP that I wanted to change my title. I had to think fast! The Guy From Glamour and The Guy series were born.
What have you learned along the way of your journey as an author?
That I have a great deal to still learn!
I’ve also learned to truly appreciate the awesome readers and reviewers out there.
The old adage "write what you know" is something that is touted a lot - do you feel that it's true for your work? Why/why not?
…I think you’d better research what you don’t know. However, I don’t really support that old adage. It limits the imagination! Nobody could write about talking dragons or serial killers without “knowing one” then… I’m never in favor of that! Women, especially, get criticism on this for writing male characters. There is an undercurrent of misogyny to the comments at times. That is why writers-- from George Eliot to A.S Byatt to J.K. Rowling--- struggled with this. The world would be a sadder place without their lovely books, wouldn’t it? I think you can’t go wrong if you write from the heart, research what you need to, and listen to your characters.
Finally, the question I ask everyone I interview - if you were a plant in the next life, what would you be, and why?
A wild blackberry bush. I like the idea of growing fruit. My sister had one, and her kids used to pick the berries. The dogs even managed to chew some right off the bush. We made blackberry pancakes with real maple syrup= heavenly! I also love Plath’s poem: “Nobody in the lane, and nothing, nothing but blackberries”
Exposed by Skylar M. Cates.
After years of running from a traumatic secret, young journalist Rafe Quintero is making his way in the world alone. Now that he’s landed a job at a Miami newspaper, he’s hungry for success. His goal? A blistering exposé on closeted PGA golfer Daniel Andrews. Rafe will stop at nothing to get the scoop—even if it means going undercover on Daniel’s private yacht.
Daniel is used to being in the spotlight, but his reputation for being cold and unfriendly hasn’t made him very popular. Still reeling from his mother’s death and his ex-boyfriend’s engagement, he hides out on his yacht to escape the press hounding his every step. His instant attraction to Rafe, his new crew member, is a problem he can't ignore.
When Rafe and Daniel begin a steamy affair, Rafe knows it’s only a matter of time before Daniel discovers his betrayal. Now he has to choose: confess and hope Daniel can swallow his pride and forgive him, or put his ambition ahead of his heart and follow the story.
Buy: Ebook http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3605&cPath=55_771
Paperback http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3606
Skylar's other books: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_771
Bio:
Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance. She is quite happy to drink some coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Most days, however, Skylar is chasing after her husband, her kids, and her giant dog, Wasabi. Skylar dreams about spending her days writing her novels, walking along the beach, and making more time for her good friends. On a shoestring budget, Skylar has traveled all over in her early years. Although, lately, the laundry room is the farthest place she has visited, Skylar still loves to chat with people from all around the globe.
skylarmcates@yahoo.com
http://skylarmcates.wordpress.com
Skylar can also be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/skylar.cates