My First Author Interview

I’m so excited. I did my first author interview with Historical Romance Club. Below is the complete interview. Enjoy! (But I warn ya, it’s a long one. *grin*)

HRC: What made you decide to become an author, let alone decide to write romance?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Since I was a little girl I always wanted to be a writer. Of course I wanted to be a rock star, an actress, and a model as well, but those dreams quickly died when it was discovered I had no talent. *grin* Yet, at a very early age I was writing: poetry, short stories, and love songs (ugh). Whether I had talent for writing back then, I have no idea. But it wasn't until I was 19 years old that I finally found my passion for writing novels. I suffered a terrible tragedy when my closest friend died in a car accident on his 19th birthday - and I was never the same again. I was so filled with grief that I needed an outlet, so I turned to writing. I wrote a short story, which my father read. He was so impressed (and he is not easily impressed), that he encouraged me to turn it into a novel. Which I did, turning the story from a comic book to a fantasy adventure epic. And so was the beginning of my novel writing career."

"As can sometimes happen, my inspiration for the fantasy epic (consisting of two novels) petered out. I spent several years of my life aimlessly wandering (mentally, emotionally, etc.) looking for that something which would fill me with passion instead of boredom. (I'm a Gemini, so I need constant stimuli.) During this time I started reading historical romances again. (I read my first romance when I was 14, but then was ‘encouraged’ to stop during high school.) I was quite excited to discover the genre again. That is, until I picked up a new novel from an author who was an old favourite of mine. I was shocked at how lifeless it was. It was like she had lost all interest and was now writing only for the sake of making money. After reading this disappointing book, I thought to myself ‘I bet I can write a better story’. And the rest as they say is history. Did I write a story better than her? I haven't a clue. But one thing I did discover: it was much harder than I ever imagined."

HRC: What did you do before you took to writing? Do you have an interesting or humorous story you would like to share with us from any of your prior occupations?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Humorous? Actually my jobs were pretty boring and followed along the norm. Girl has to go get job, girl gets harassed by her employer, girl quits job. Girl gets new job, girl works for a year and a half for pion wages, girl finally leaves job. Girl gets another job, works for two years until she can’t take it anymore. Girl quits job, gets new job and loves it but almost has a nervous breakdown from all the stress, girl leaves job. Girl gets another job, etc., etc., add infinitum... I just thank the gods of inspiration that I finally got published. LOL "

HRC: How difficult would you say it was to have your work first published?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Very! Imagine you're climbing a steep mountain with one leg, hands tied behind your back, over loose rock and impassible boulders, and whenever anything goes wrong, you slide back to the bottom again. Okay, maybe that sounds a little harsh, but I think you get the picture. It took me seven gruelling years, nine manuscripts (A Knight of Passion is my 6th novel), and 128 rejections. So yes, it was difficult."

"Statistics say that at any given moment, there are at least one million people trying to get published in the USA. One million! And with the e-publishing industry on the rise, I would hazard to guess that it's doubled. So that means all these editors and agents are being inundated with manuscripts, much of which (according to various sources) are very bad, or in need of extensive rewriting. Your manuscript is sitting in this huge slush pile, no doubt stacked to the ceiling. How ever are you going to get your work noticed? Not easily. Now, don't get me wrong, I had many literary agents ask to see partials and even complete manuscripts, but never a one took me on. (Actually that's not entirely true, I did sign with an agent - but that's another story.) Luckily, no one told me to seek another career, either. So with each rejection I picked myself up, and started over again. And I certainly could not have succeeded without the unfailing support of my family."

HRC: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Tons. I think I could write a book on it. LOL"

"Read, Read, Read. Read the genre you want to write. Read the classics, read non-fiction, read whatever you can get you hands on. And while your reading, don't just get caught up in the story, but look at how the story is put together, the grammar, the punctuation. Examine the POV, the love scenes, how the words flow. Do the chapter endings leave you hanging? Are you compelled to turn the page? It is mostly through example that we learn."

"Write, Write, Write. As they say, practice makes perfect. Write as often as you can. Whenever you have a spare moment, you should be sitting at your computer or your desk, letting the story flow. Use your fertile imagination. Let the story fly! You can always edit it later. If the story doesn't inspire you, then start another until you find the one that does. And when you complete your first manuscript, celebrate! There's nothing like completing your very first novel. You have just taken a momentous step: instead of just thinking about becoming a writer, to actually being a writer."

"Make your move. I know it's scary, but there comes a time in a writer's life when you have to start sending out your baby. And when you get that first rejection, it will be crushing. But don't let it get you down. No matter how many you get (remember: I got 128, and Louis L'Amour is said to have been rejected 350 times!). On occasion, you'll be lucky enough to get some advice thrown in with that rejection. Don't just ignore the advice. There is a tendency for newbies to think their writing is perfect and 'who the hell do those people think they are anyway?' However, most of the time, their advice is on the money. Heed what you want, and ignore the rest. Your writing will be ever changing, evolving, so be flexible."

"Seek Support. Being a writer is a lonely occupation. Let's face it, writers need solitude to work their craft. Therefore, you need lots of support and encouragement to keep going. Where should that support come from? Your family. If this is your dream, your passion, they should be behind you 100%. It doesn't matter if its your mom or dad, your siblings, your spouse, or your kids. They need to stand behind you and believe in you. Only then can you believe in yourself. If it weren't for the love and support of my mom and dad, telling me not to give up when I was on the verge of quitting numerous times, I doubt I'd be published right now. "

"Another place to get support and put you in the 'know how' ishttp://www.rwanational.org Romance Writers of America. I know, I'd read it so many times from authors that I use to scoff

'What can a group of 9,000 members do for me?' Well, as it turns out, a lot. I was always sceptical, and yet part of me was also curious to find out. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to join. And it was only through the generous support of a very special lady, that I got a sponsored membership. (If you cannot afford the dues as they can be expensive, the RWA has organized a fund to help out. Which I did not learn about until after I was a member.) It is amazing how all of a sudden you discover things about the writing industry you could have never discovered on your own, even through in-depth web searches, and 'how to write' books. Their magazine, the RWR, is great, brimming with marketing info, articles on writing, and more. But the best thing about the RWA is joining a chapter. Or more than one if you can afford it. It is here, in the intimate environment of the chapters that you really find out what's going on in the publishing industry, and advice on how to improve your craft. I joined the RWA in October 2005, and was published in February 2006. Of course, it usually doesn't happen that fast, I already had many years and manuscripts under my belt."

"Be Persistent. If writing is your passion, your dream, if you feel absolutely driven to write, then DO IT! Don't ever give up, because one day, just when you've had about enough of rejection, just when you're contemplating quitting (yet again), just when you are at one of the lowest points in your life, a 'YES' could be waiting just around the corner."

HRC: What is the creative process for you behind writing a romance novel?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Often times a scene will come to me from out of nowhere, and usually while I’m busy doing something else, like vacuuming, washing dishes, having a shower, even dreaming. Several things happen when I get an idea for a new book. Often times the scene will be accompanied with information concerning the main characters."

"For example, when I first became inspired to write A Knight of Passion, it was because of a scenario which came to me. The hero (Reynard) had just escaped the dungeons and had slipped into the heroine’s (Rianna) bed chamber, becoming enthralled by the sleeping woman. Unable to help himself, he kisses her. She wakes up to find a stranger kissing her most passionately, only to soon discover he’s an escaped prisoner. Suddenly guards pound on her chamber door, and she makes the decision to hide him in her wardrobe instead of handing him over to them. (This scene was originally in the book, but has since been removed.)"

"When this idea came to me, I knew I was looking at the hero, who was an escaped prisoner and accused of murder. And the heroine was a shy sweet girl who immediately falls under his seductive spell. Other than that, I didn’t know who these people were or where their story might take them. So when it came time to write about them, I had to do a ton of research: Where and when does the story take place? Who are these people, what are their backgrounds, etc? While I do research for a book, several more scenes will usually come to me, until I have a beginning and ending firmly in mind, with a couple of ideas for the middle. But as I am a Pantser - - that is I write by the seat of my pants *grin* - - I actually don’t outline any of my stories. I simply write them as they come to me, letting the characters lead me along - after all it’s their story. But don’t get me wrong, before I sit down at the computer to write the first chapter, there are several things I must know beforehand: Who the characters are (names, titles, personalities, etc.), their history, the beginning and the ending of the story, and believe it or not, I MUST have a title for the novel to even begin writing. Strange huh?"

"Then I let the story flow and see where it takes me..."

HRC: With A Knight of Passion being your debut book, what has the experience been like for you? Has there been anything in the process that really surprised you?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Oh, I’ve definitely been surprised. LOL "

"When you’re an aspiring writer, all you think about is the "bottom line" - - getting published. It never even occurs to you what happens AFTER you sign the contract - - at least it didn’t occur to me. I had no idea that the moment I signed the contract, I would become busier than I’d ever been before in my life!"

"I’d heard other authors say you really don’t know anything about the writing industry until your first sale. I have to agree. I had no idea I would be promoting like crazy, let alone learning the ropes concerning edits, contracts, etc."

"It’s been a real eye opener."

HRC: I read that you participated in a couple of author chats recently. Tell us about it. How did it go?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Better than I expected."

"The problem with being a new author is it’s imperative you get your name out there - - how else are readers going to discover you and your books. I can tell you I was very nervous for my first live chat at Ecataromance, which I shared with several Samhain Authors. It was difficult for me to just jump in and introduce myself. But I had a little help from some friends who lent their support, making it a success (You know who you are. *wink*). Since my first chat on April 20th, I’ve done several more and have no problem introducing myself and chatting with readers now. I think I could even help out the newbies. LOL "

"Recently, I held my first Author Day Chat at FAR Chatters with a little help from fellow Samhellions (Samhain Authors). It was nearly a disaster. LOL Yahoo (or ‘Ya-hell’ as some have called it) decided to act up, and ate everyone’s posts. Some of my emails which I’d sent at 8:00 am did not arrive until after midnight. However, with much struggling, I was able to chat with readers, post excerpts and even hold a contest. Despite Yahoo bungling everything, I think a good time was had by all. I just hope my next Author Day at Love Romances Café (July 17th) will go much smoother."

HRC: You have quite a romantic book cover for A Knight of Passion. What was it like to see it for the first time?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "It was a real thrill."

"My whole family gathered around the computer screen to stare in awe at my first book cover. LOL"

"I think Scott Carpenter, the cover artist, did a fantastic job capturing not only the essence of the story, but the characters themselves with my KP cover. Already I’ve received compliments over the cover and the book hasn’t even come out yet. *grin*"

HRC: Your characters in A Knight of Passion seem very intriguing. How did you 'find' or create this endearing hero and heroine?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Like I mentioned above, Reynard and Rianna just came to me. I knew Reynard was the true Baron Rothwell, that he’d been imprisoned for murder, yet he was a knight, a man of honour. Just like I knew Rianna was an innocent who made the quick decision to help the escaped prisoner, even though she doesn’t really know who he is - - her betrothed. As I did research into who they were, i.e. their backgrounds, they really started to develop into complete and complex characters."

HRC: What era in history intrigues you most?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "I love the Middle Ages. Medieval England, Scotland, France, etc., is such a fascinating time because virtually anything can happen. An army might march upon a castle and lay siege, a Lady might be kidnapped, or "sold" by the king to the lord willing to pay the highest bride price. A noble knight might be wrongly declared a traitor, or might come to a distressed damsel’s rescue. And there are so many historical events to draw upon, the stories one could write for the Middle Ages are endless."

"Recently, I’ve come to love the Georgian Era of England as well (1700s). After doing much research, I realize it was truly a golden age. England was finally shedding it’s Medieval skin, yet they were on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. Women were considered to be intelligent, and openly discussed science, politics, etc. They even went on Grand Tours like the men. Men were strong yet elegant. The slightest insult could result in a duel. It was the Age of Reason, a very decadent time, which makes for some very exciting and sexy stories."

HRC: Which romance genre, historical or contemporary, do you like best and why? Do you write both? Have you ever considered writing an historical paranormal?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "I love history, and therefore historical romance. I love the fact you can escape into this other world so completely different from our present society. Where men were men, and women were women. Where chivalry, honour, and nobility were ideals people lived and died by - - instead of being merely quaint or outdated concepts (as they’re often viewed today)."

"I don’t see myself writing contemporary because I have little interest in it - - I’m living it everyday. Some authors have been inspired by it, but it’s not for me. Although, to be perfectly honest, I do read contemporary stories on occasion. There are some great ones out there."
"I have ideas to write a couple of vampire historical romances. I love vampires, so I really want to add my own ideas to the legend. Plus I recently had a great idea for a fantasy romance series which would take place in another time, on another world. I hope to bring these ideas to life in the next few years."

HRC: When you are not immersed in creating your own fantastic realms, are there romance writers whom you read? Which authors have inspired you in your own writing?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Oh, I have a HUGE list of Authors I read and those who’ve inspired me."

"I’ll try to name a few: Teresa Medeiros, Marsha Canham (her work inspired a couple of my stories), Virginia Henley, Bertrice Small, Jo Beverley (she inspired me to write my own Georgian series), Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (inspired me with her book The Wolf and the Dove), Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Johanna Lindsey, Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Karen Marie Moning, Sherilyn Kenyon, Liz Carlyle, Cheryl Holt, Nicole Jordan, Gaelen Foley, Anya Bast, Jaide Fox, Tielle St. Clare, etc. There’s probably a ton of authors I’ve forgotten - - sorry ladies."

"I’m always adding new authors to my To Buy List. LOL"

HRC: I've learned that your father is your manager. He must be quite proud of you. How was it telling him you're having your first book published? Are there other members of your family involved in your career?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Oh, my entire family is involved in my career. My dad is my manager, adviser, and at-home-editor. My mom is my cheerleader, local publicist (she takes great delight in telling everyone she meets I’m published *wink*), and at-home-editor. Even my faithful German Shepherd, Siega, is involved in her own way. She follows me as I move about the house, keeps me company, and doesn’t let me out of her sight. She forces me to take a break now and then, which I’d likely skip if it weren’t for her. Her noble and loyal spirit often inspires me, and one time she was even the inspiration for a dog who appeared in one of my stories. *grin* "

"Funny thing is, the day before I got ‘the Call’, I was so depressed, so down in the dumps, I was ready to quit writing - - again. On the morning of February 22, 2006, I dragged my butt out of bed, and decided to check my email (which I often do before breakfast). And there in the inbox shining like a beacon of hope, a ray of sunshine, was an email from my editor offering me a contract for A Knight of Passion. I was so thrilled I leapt out of my chair and bounced down the hallway. My dad thought the house was coming down at first, until I was able to stop grinning and shouting incoherently enough to tell him I’d finally gotten published. Yes, to say the least, my mom and dad are very proud of me."

HRC: What would you say is the most difficult thing about writing?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "If you’d asked me a few months ago, I would have said editing, without hesitation. But now I realize editing is an author’s best friend so to speak. It is through editing that our stories shine, though it’s still difficult. LOL "

"However, now I would have to say the waiting is the worst. Waiting for the contract, waiting for the edits, waiting for the book release, waiting for the reviews, waiting for reader feedback, waiting for... well you get the idea. Waiting is the most difficult part of writing, at least so far, that’s what I’ve discovered."

HRC: What would you say is the best thing about writing?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "I think the best thing is becoming immersed in the story, in a world of your own creation. You become so wrapped up in your writing, your characters, you feel every emotion, hate, anger, love, passion. I love getting lost in my stories. I love it when I can write a winter scene on a scorching summer day, and hot summer scene in the middle of winter, huddled beneath a pile of blankets while my breath frosts. That’s what writing is all about."

HRC: Is there anything more you would like to share with us?

Ingela F. Hyatt: "Yes. I would like to announce that my debut novel, A Knight of Passion (ISBN 1-59998-114-9), an Erotic historical romance, comes out on July 25th. And because of my debut release, I’m going to be very busy this month."

HRC: Thank you so much for sharing your new book and some insights into your world with us!

This interview was posted with permission from www.HistoricalRomanceClub.com