Angela Kay Austin, Writer of Women's fiction and Romance
REVEALS...

Firstly, welcome back, Angela.

From where do you get inspiration and what inspired you to write Sweet Victory?
For me, inspiration comes from life: news, the local mall, church, wherever there is something happening.  All of it can give me the answer to the question—what if. 
Sweet Victory was birthed from my own life and today’s economy.  Everyone I know can tell me a story about someone they know who has lost their job in the past two years.  But, what happens next?  What if, they lost their job, and then had to return to their hometown?  What if there, they had an estranged grandfather and an ex-love?  What if there was a ton of history which they wanted to forget?  But, what if the only person or people willing to help were the people they’d hurt or who’d hurt them?This basically becomes a story structure for me.

How do you relate to the heroine?

I relate to Victoria James, my heroine in Sweet Victory because we both had to face what do we do after we lose everything?  When you have your life planned to go in one direction, and you hit a wall...what happens next?

I love that Victoria never gave up.  Even when she was scared, and had absolutely no clue about what to do next.

Who controls the story – you or your characters?

My characters.  I’ve tried to force story ideas.  Outlined everything.  Character descriptions.  But, the stories wouldn’t flow.  They would get stuck in the middle, but when I let go of what my ideas were, and let the characters tell me their stories, the ideas are much clearer and stronger.

What do you enjoy about writing romance?

Contemporary Romance inspires me.  I don’t necessarily need fairy tales.  I need to know if I work hard, and don’t give up there is a reward.  That you gain ground, not lose it.  So often, fairy tales replace reality.  Or, worse yet, reality overtakes dreams.  There has to be a balance.  Why can’t life offer wonderful surprises or rewards for those who give it everything they’ve got: life, love, work, family, etc.

What do you like best and least about writing?

Not knowing what’s going to happen next.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

The best writers think their writing is no good J

 How do you like to spend your free time?
Living.  Doing anything that will allow me to have one more thing to write about.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions you wish to accomplish? What would you most like to accomplish this year?There are a million things I’d like to do.  I’ve crossed several off of my list: acting, writing, playing a musical instrument, travelling, etc.  What I’d like to do is to continue to add to each one of these “pots.”  More of all of it.  Is that too greedy.
An impressive list of achievements!
This year, I’d like to attend a conference.  I also want to achieve enough sales to be considered PRO by RWA.

You can find out more about Angela on her Website:http://www.angelakayaustin.com/ Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/angelakayaustin
and Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/angelakayaustin
Buy her books on Amazon/ Vanilla Heart Publishing/ Red Rose Publishing
Prize: Angela will award the first two people who post comments on all three days of the event a Sweet Victory magnet.
Posts must be made by the end of the third day.
Don't miss Angela's captivating excerpts tomorrow