Ask the Author: Donna Alward
Answered Questions (13)
Donna Alward
I do? I can't think of any hero named Ian...but maybe secondary characters? This is an interesting question! :)
Donna Alward
What a great question! I've always had a "feeling" about the house I grew up in, which I ended up using in The House on Blackberry Hill. But I have never got to the bottom of who might be lingering in the house or WHY. I just know that there is something about the stairs and the end of the upstairs hall.
Donna Alward
Oooh! Most of my reading is in "real" places, and I'm not sure I'd want to live in, say, Westeros or 18th century Scotland. :) One place I can think of though is from an old series of Nora Roberts' - the Cordina's Royal Family trilogy. An island in the Mediterranean is a very good idea.
Donna Alward
Write Naked by Jennifer Probst
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
When the Saints by Sarah Mian
The Perfect Recipe for Love and Friendship by Shirley Jump
Approval Junkie by Faith Salie
Drums of Autumn - Diana Gabaldon
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
When the Saints by Sarah Mian
The Perfect Recipe for Love and Friendship by Shirley Jump
Approval Junkie by Faith Salie
Drums of Autumn - Diana Gabaldon
Donna Alward
Oh my gosh! This is SO hard! I mean... there's clearly Jamie and Claire (Outlander). But I've read some stellar books over the years...hundreds... how do you pick just one? I'll list a few and know I'll forget a bunch that I love...
Alexandra and Jordan from McNaught's SOMETHING WONDERFUL.
Elizabeth and Ian from McNaught's ALMOST HEAVEN (those two are my faves of hers!
Brenna and Shawn from Nora's TEARS OF THE MOON
Almost every couple from any of LaVyrle Spencer's historicals. Teddy and Linnea (Years), Will and Ellie (Morning Glory), Agatha and Scott (The Gamble), Tom and Emily (Vows - incidentally the first romance I ever read) , Jesse and Abigail (Hummingbird) and Sarah and Nate from Forgiving.
Alexandra and Jordan from McNaught's SOMETHING WONDERFUL.
Elizabeth and Ian from McNaught's ALMOST HEAVEN (those two are my faves of hers!
Brenna and Shawn from Nora's TEARS OF THE MOON
Almost every couple from any of LaVyrle Spencer's historicals. Teddy and Linnea (Years), Will and Ellie (Morning Glory), Agatha and Scott (The Gamble), Tom and Emily (Vows - incidentally the first romance I ever read) , Jesse and Abigail (Hummingbird) and Sarah and Nate from Forgiving.
Donna Alward
I read and knit, and I'm hooked on some TV series (which lends itself well to knitting!). On October 1 I'm launching a project called The Love Bugs which will be crafting for charity. :)
Donna Alward
We're into fall now, with warm days, cool nights and lovely colours!
Donna Alward
Hi Christine! Thanks for writing. I wrote my first book in 2001, and totally fell in love with the process. It took me nearly 5 years and 10 books to finally sell to a publisher, which happened in 2006. It's sometimes hard to believe I've been at it this long!
Donna Alward
Deadlines. :) That's actually a serious answer, because my schedule is really full and I can't futz around. LOL. But really, even if I didn't have deadlines, I don't really need the inspiration. It's part of who I am; it's what I do, and I love it. I love that I can say that about my job!
Donna Alward
The next book in my Jewell Cove series!
Donna Alward
Write. Write all the time. Realize that it's not a race and it takes time to learn the craft, and enjoy the ride. But the most important thing to do is write write write.
Donna Alward
Do I have to list just one? How about three?
1) no commute, working in yoga pants or (gasp!) PJs.
2) the ability to make my own schedule
3) I get to make up stuff and then finish with a happy ending. There's nothing better than that!
1) no commute, working in yoga pants or (gasp!) PJs.
2) the ability to make my own schedule
3) I get to make up stuff and then finish with a happy ending. There's nothing better than that!
Donna Alward
Writer's block is kind of a weird term for me, because I don't feel it's really a block, you know? But when the writing is slow, and I'm feeling like I'm spinning my wheels, it's usually because of one of two things. First, I've taken a wrong turn in the story, and I need to step back and see what I did wrong. There are a whole bunch of techniques I draw on to try to jumpstart a slow bit. The other thing that stalls me is usually an empty creative well. It really pays to take a few days to step back away from work and do something I love. Spend a few days outside, have a movie marathon, whatever. But time off is important so that I can fill up creatively again. A nearly empty well means the words come at a trickle, know what I mean?
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