· What is your book about?
Two Romantic, Two Suspenseful has four very different short stories. Each story takes you on a different journey. The first story, The Former Student, follows a girl who had a crush on a teacher. She comes back to the school she used to attend to find him still there. She then makes her move on him. The second story, The Stolen Child, follows a single mother and her child. When they meet an old woman on the boardwalk, they are warned of danger. Ignoring the woman’s warning, the mother soon finds out just what she meant. It then becomes a race against time to find her daughter. The third story, My Death, follows one woman’s fight to stay alive after she has been taken. She does everything she can to fight for her own life. The fourth story, Dancing the Night Away, follows two people who meet in a nightclub. Both of these individuals have been hurt numerous times and are bit skeptical when it comes to love.
· What inspired you to write this particular story (and/or series)?
Different things inspired me to write each story. The first story was inspired by a scene in a movie. The second one was inspired by a news story. The third story was inspired by real life events. The fourth story was inspired by a place I used to go to.
· Describe your writing in three words.
Quirky, fun, eccentric
· Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?
No, I do not use any sort of technique. I just write. Once inspiration hits, I just sit down and write. When the writing is done, then I will go through “fix” what does not fit.
· Are your characters in the book based on anyone you know?
All of my characters come from people I know. There is not one specific person for each character. There are certain elements of different people that go into each character.
· Was there any research involved in your work?
Not with this book. These are short stories that came to me from different things going on at the time of their composition.
· What authors inspire or influence your work?
There are many authors that I enjoy reading, but there are certain ones that I inspire to be like. Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton and Robert E. Bailey are just a few.
· Do you need visual media to describe people or places? (Some authors use pics. out of magazines)
I do not need visuals to describe people or places. I do, however, love entering contests that have a writing prompt, such as a picture of a place or person. Those are so much fun to do, because you can take the story in so many different directions.
· Favorite snack when writing.
I am not a big snacker when writing. It tends to interrupt my flow.
· Do you have a Muse?
I cannot say that I do. I develop stories from what floats around in my head.
· Once a character is fully developed do you set them free or do they still dance around your mind?
It depends on the character and their story. If I feel there is more to tell about the character, then they will still dance around. If I do not feel like I can develop them further, then they will be set free.
· Is the Thesaurus one of your best writing friends?
Isn't it everyone’s? As a writer, I think we all have one some where near us at all times.
· Who gets to read your drafts before they're published?
My mother gets to read everything before it is published. She is the most brutally honest person I know. She will tell me what is good and bad about the story without hesitation.
· Share with us your biggest hurdles in the writing process?
Letting the story go is always a huge hurdle. There are always questions once it is sent into the publisher. Is it good enough? Will people like it? What will they say? Is there something more I could have done to the story? These questions eat at me until I make my first sale and get that first review.
· Share the biggest hurdles in the marketing process.
The marketing process is always hard in itself. You have to learn which social media sites are best suited to promote your book. You also have to find blogs, like this one, to help promote your book. It takes a lot of time to promote your book. The majority of your time after writing and publishing the book is spent marketing.
· What project(s) are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on two books. The first one is a romance story titled The Stable Boy. At the time of this interview, it stands at just over 31,000 words after 3 weeks of writing. The second book is a murder mystery novel titled The Payne’s Prairie Murders. At the time of this interview, the manuscript is just over 2,000 words.
· Is there anything else you would like to say to your readers?
I hope that they enjoy reading this book as much as I did writing these stories. Each of these stories are unique and will stir something different in you.
· Thank you!!!
Thank you to Catalina for conducting this interview. Thank you to those who may decide on picking up the book and giving it a read.
· Where can readers find you and your book(s) online?
Connect with me:
Twitter: @writer247
Harmony Stalter (1976-Present)was born in Newburgh, New York. She currently makes her home in Ocala Florida, and is a freelance writer. She was an architectural drafter for three years before pursuing her career in writing, her first love. Employee Body Language Revealed: How to Predict Behavior in the Workplace by Reading and Understanding Body Language was her first book. Since completing this book, she has written Dancing the Night Away (A short story single), Bulk Cooking: Everything You Need to Know, and The Great Wolf Lodge 2011 Travel Guide, Rhyme Tyme: A Book of Poetry, and her current release, Two Romanctic, Two Suspenseful: A Short Story Compilation. Look for these, and more upcoming titles from this writer on the rise, and make sure to visit her website at http://www.harmonysfreelancewritingworld.com
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