Below is an interview and review done recently with The Reading Cafe of author Claire C Riley
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Claire and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your new novel LIMERENCE. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
Hi, and thanks for having me. I live in the UK with my husband, three young children and one scruffy springer spaniel!
LIMERENCE is your first published novel. Would you please tell us something about the premise?
With my writing, I have tried to take things back to their roots. There are so many new takes on different paranormal elements, that the original premise of things have gotten a little lost. For me, the original ideas were and are the best. I take a lot of influence from Bram Stokers Dracula, and Night of The Living Dead. These elements were scary and fascinating. Much less romanticised than they are now.
LIMERENCE is categorized as a dark romance tale (more urban fantasy than
paranormal romance) but it is not a romantic novel in the ‘ideal’ sense of
the word. How would you explain the ‘romance’ aspect of the storyline?
I like to think of Limerence as a love triangle with a difference. Instead of the typical he loves her and she loves him, it centres on more of the psychological differences between the main characters feelings and how far these feelings will push you.
How many books do you have planned for the series?
At the moment three. However, I do have thoughts for a fourth, but I’m still considering this. I don’t want the specific elements of Limerence to become tired like some do when the series is written past its sell by date.
Your heroine Mia endures some heart-breaking and painful moments yet she is a survivor until the end. Will we see Mia as a protector and guardian or, will Mia enact revenge for the many losses in her life?
Without giving too much away, there is going to be a little of both. Mia hasn’t lost her humanity as such, she just feels like she has nothing left to love, nothing left to lose. There is no reason for her to be ‘good’ anymore. She loves what she has become, but the route she has had to take to get there kind of ruins it for her. If Robert Breckt was given the opportunity to speak for himself, what would he have to say--About Mia? About himself?
At the start Robert doesn’t understand why she affects him so much. By the end though, he realises that it is his own narcissism that is his downfall. He loves her, but not for the traditional reasons. It’s because he ‘can’t’ have her that drives him to such despair and obsessiveness. The longer that she refutes him, the higher on the pedestal he puts her, until he couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to.
If you could virtually cast the lead characters in your novel LIMERENCE, which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?
A few months ago on my Facebook page, I asked people that had read the original version of Limerence to post pictures of ‘their’ celebrity cast. I was so surprised by some of them that I opened a poll on my blog for people to vote on the celebrities which had the most votes. I didn’t agree with all of them though, ha ha.
My celebrity cast would be, Mia- Evangeline Lilly. Oliver- Liam Hemsworth. Mr Breckt- Tom Hardy. Rachael- Emma Stone. Chris- Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
What are some of the challenges (research, logistics, literary) in bringing your ideas and storyline to life?
Again, without giving too much away, I wanted to break away from the typical clichés that are associated with the paranormal elements in Limerence, and go back to basics on some of it. I also wanted to try and give as accurate portrayal of the term Limerence as I could. So I researched both things profusely.
What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?
That I know what I’m doing! Ha ha. People have seemed quite surprised that this is my first novel. Up until less than a year ago I hadn’t written a thing since being a child. My time the past few years has been on being a good mother to my children.
Would you please tell us about the online site Breakwater Harbor Books and what is your connection?
Breakwater Harbor Books, Or BHB, is a group of amazing Indie writers who got together to help each other promote great Indie work. Some of the writers within the group have actually already have been traditionally published, but they wanted to try their hand at self-publishing. One of the authors is doing so well that they have already been able to give up their day job. So you see, there really are some extremely good writers within the group. It’s about uniting as one and working together to help one another succeed.
If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?
Professionally, I wish that I would have started writing again much sooner. When I was much younger I used to read and write constantly. Whilst the reading never left me, the writing took a back seat.
Personally, I wish I had more confidence and belief in myself.
Many author bounce ideas with friends and family, with whom do you bounce ideas?
If I want to know if an idea is too ‘out there’ I ask my husband, ha ha. He brings me back down to reality. Most of the time though I type what comes to me and then I have a couple of really good writer friends who I will send an excerpt too and gauge their reactions.
Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do youhandle the pressure and anxiety of writer’s block?
Urghhh, I hate writers block. I try to move on to a completely different scene. When your head is too focused on a particular scene, you can’t see past the problem, so it is best to move away from it and on to something else. If you don’t, then I have learnt the hard way that what you write is generally not very good at all anyway. It is best to leave it to another day, possibly even another week.
What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?
That’s a long time! Haha. I guess I would like to be able to give up my day job and write full time. I want to get the Limerence series completed, whether that be three or more books, and I am already started on my other series which starts with a book called- Odium.
On what are you currently working?
I’m consecutively working on the sequel to Limerence, and Odium.
I wanted to solely focus on Limerence II: Mia, however Odium won’t leave me alone. It was haunting my thoughts so I had to start it. I’ll be honest, I’m really excited by it from what I have written so far, and people’s reactions to the first couple of chapters.
It is a post-apocalyptic dystopian horror, with romantic elements to it and a bucketful of zombies. As with Limerence, I’m trying to get back to the basics of the premise. Survival.
Would you like to add anything else?
Just thank you to everyone who has already purchased, read, and reviewed Limerence. It’s really appreciated, more than you know. And please, when you have read it, let me know your thoughts. Plenty of readers have already posted pictures, sketches, fan art, poems, all sorts on to my Facebook page. I love to see what people take away from it.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food
Anything! I’m a total pig. Ha ha. Steak, noodles, salad, pizza, ice cream, chocolate. I don’t believe in diets, but in eating everything in proportion.
Favorite Dessert
Either chocolate fudge cake (warm) Or lemon meringue pie. Oh wait, and lemon drizzle cake! Thanks, now I want some cake!
Favorite TV Show
There’s a couple. I love True Blood, The Walking Dead, Being Human (UK) Dexter,
Last Movie You Saw
At the cinema- A Good Day to Die Hard (I love Bruce Willis)
At home- Men in Black III and Breaking Dawn (I had to bribe my husband into watching that one)
Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk! Nom nom
Last Vacation Destination
Ibiza.
Secret Crush
Please, there’s nothing secret about my crushes! Ha ha, I love Christian Slater- it’s the voice and accent, totally makes me drool. The same goes for Tom Hardy.
Thank you Claire for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of your novel. I am looking forward to the next instalment in the Limerence Series.
Thanks so much for the great questions. Really got me thinking.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author bio.
Claire C Riley, is a mother first, a wife second, but a writer at heart.
Claire likes to break boundaries with her writing, incorporating an old school style of horror and romance. Sexy and dark. (Think Bram Stokers Dracula, but for the 21st century!) She is trying to mix things up a bit by introducing more women into the horror genre and more men into the romance genre, and show people that you should never stick in your comfort zones.
Claire is a mother to three amazing little girls who hold her heart. She hopes to make them proud, and show them that if you work hard and believe in yourself... then, as Cinderella once said... dreams really do come true.
She is an avid book collector and has a great zombie apocalypse plan in place thanks to a questionnaire she asked her readers to fill in for her from her blog.
Claire is currently working on the sequel to Limerence, and also a dystopian post-apocalyptic zombie novel called- Odium. Think Thelma and Louise, but with zombies ;0)
She actively encourages reader participation on her blog and author Facebook page, with questionnaires, quizzes, and fan art. So get in touch!
She can be contacted at:
http://clairecriley.weebly.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ClaireCRileyLimerence?fref=ts
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17564467-limerence?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book
Purchase links.
PAPERBACK
http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUSA (USA)
http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUK (UK)
eBOOK
http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUSA (USA)
http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUK (UK)
It is also up for free loan for KDP Select members.
Book Trailer.
http://animoto.com/play/G1sasuzV1gWeclrmjhA5Zg
Book Blurb.
One man's obsession could destroy them all.
Despite her love for her fiancé, Mia Lawrence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Mr Breckt- the mysterious new owner of the Island. Her thoughts are constantly consumed with the handsome and powerful stranger. However, there is much more to him than she realises, something dangerous and supernatural.
Mr Breckt is used to getting what he wants, and now he wants Mia, at any cost! With his obsession spiralling out of control, he knows that time is running out. A war is coming. Blood will be shed, and lives will be lost, but he will have to rid himself of his obsession of Mia before it’s too late.
Mia and Oliver must now fight the very evil that threatens to come between them. If either of them fails, it will be more than their love for each other that will be lost.
Ultimately, all three will have to make a sacrifice that will change each other’s destiny forever… but will it be the right one?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Claire and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your new novel LIMERENCE. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
Hi, and thanks for having me. I live in the UK with my husband, three young children and one scruffy springer spaniel!
LIMERENCE is your first published novel. Would you please tell us something about the premise?
With my writing, I have tried to take things back to their roots. There are so many new takes on different paranormal elements, that the original premise of things have gotten a little lost. For me, the original ideas were and are the best. I take a lot of influence from Bram Stokers Dracula, and Night of The Living Dead. These elements were scary and fascinating. Much less romanticised than they are now.
LIMERENCE is categorized as a dark romance tale (more urban fantasy than
paranormal romance) but it is not a romantic novel in the ‘ideal’ sense of
the word. How would you explain the ‘romance’ aspect of the storyline?
I like to think of Limerence as a love triangle with a difference. Instead of the typical he loves her and she loves him, it centres on more of the psychological differences between the main characters feelings and how far these feelings will push you.
How many books do you have planned for the series?
At the moment three. However, I do have thoughts for a fourth, but I’m still considering this. I don’t want the specific elements of Limerence to become tired like some do when the series is written past its sell by date.
Your heroine Mia endures some heart-breaking and painful moments yet she is a survivor until the end. Will we see Mia as a protector and guardian or, will Mia enact revenge for the many losses in her life?
Without giving too much away, there is going to be a little of both. Mia hasn’t lost her humanity as such, she just feels like she has nothing left to love, nothing left to lose. There is no reason for her to be ‘good’ anymore. She loves what she has become, but the route she has had to take to get there kind of ruins it for her. If Robert Breckt was given the opportunity to speak for himself, what would he have to say--About Mia? About himself?
At the start Robert doesn’t understand why she affects him so much. By the end though, he realises that it is his own narcissism that is his downfall. He loves her, but not for the traditional reasons. It’s because he ‘can’t’ have her that drives him to such despair and obsessiveness. The longer that she refutes him, the higher on the pedestal he puts her, until he couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to.
If you could virtually cast the lead characters in your novel LIMERENCE, which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?
A few months ago on my Facebook page, I asked people that had read the original version of Limerence to post pictures of ‘their’ celebrity cast. I was so surprised by some of them that I opened a poll on my blog for people to vote on the celebrities which had the most votes. I didn’t agree with all of them though, ha ha.
My celebrity cast would be, Mia- Evangeline Lilly. Oliver- Liam Hemsworth. Mr Breckt- Tom Hardy. Rachael- Emma Stone. Chris- Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
What are some of the challenges (research, logistics, literary) in bringing your ideas and storyline to life?
Again, without giving too much away, I wanted to break away from the typical clichés that are associated with the paranormal elements in Limerence, and go back to basics on some of it. I also wanted to try and give as accurate portrayal of the term Limerence as I could. So I researched both things profusely.
What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?
That I know what I’m doing! Ha ha. People have seemed quite surprised that this is my first novel. Up until less than a year ago I hadn’t written a thing since being a child. My time the past few years has been on being a good mother to my children.
Would you please tell us about the online site Breakwater Harbor Books and what is your connection?
Breakwater Harbor Books, Or BHB, is a group of amazing Indie writers who got together to help each other promote great Indie work. Some of the writers within the group have actually already have been traditionally published, but they wanted to try their hand at self-publishing. One of the authors is doing so well that they have already been able to give up their day job. So you see, there really are some extremely good writers within the group. It’s about uniting as one and working together to help one another succeed.
If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?
Professionally, I wish that I would have started writing again much sooner. When I was much younger I used to read and write constantly. Whilst the reading never left me, the writing took a back seat.
Personally, I wish I had more confidence and belief in myself.
Many author bounce ideas with friends and family, with whom do you bounce ideas?
If I want to know if an idea is too ‘out there’ I ask my husband, ha ha. He brings me back down to reality. Most of the time though I type what comes to me and then I have a couple of really good writer friends who I will send an excerpt too and gauge their reactions.
Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do youhandle the pressure and anxiety of writer’s block?
Urghhh, I hate writers block. I try to move on to a completely different scene. When your head is too focused on a particular scene, you can’t see past the problem, so it is best to move away from it and on to something else. If you don’t, then I have learnt the hard way that what you write is generally not very good at all anyway. It is best to leave it to another day, possibly even another week.
What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?
That’s a long time! Haha. I guess I would like to be able to give up my day job and write full time. I want to get the Limerence series completed, whether that be three or more books, and I am already started on my other series which starts with a book called- Odium.
On what are you currently working?
I’m consecutively working on the sequel to Limerence, and Odium.
I wanted to solely focus on Limerence II: Mia, however Odium won’t leave me alone. It was haunting my thoughts so I had to start it. I’ll be honest, I’m really excited by it from what I have written so far, and people’s reactions to the first couple of chapters.
It is a post-apocalyptic dystopian horror, with romantic elements to it and a bucketful of zombies. As with Limerence, I’m trying to get back to the basics of the premise. Survival.
Would you like to add anything else?
Just thank you to everyone who has already purchased, read, and reviewed Limerence. It’s really appreciated, more than you know. And please, when you have read it, let me know your thoughts. Plenty of readers have already posted pictures, sketches, fan art, poems, all sorts on to my Facebook page. I love to see what people take away from it.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food
Anything! I’m a total pig. Ha ha. Steak, noodles, salad, pizza, ice cream, chocolate. I don’t believe in diets, but in eating everything in proportion.
Favorite Dessert
Either chocolate fudge cake (warm) Or lemon meringue pie. Oh wait, and lemon drizzle cake! Thanks, now I want some cake!
Favorite TV Show
There’s a couple. I love True Blood, The Walking Dead, Being Human (UK) Dexter,
Last Movie You Saw
At the cinema- A Good Day to Die Hard (I love Bruce Willis)
At home- Men in Black III and Breaking Dawn (I had to bribe my husband into watching that one)
Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk! Nom nom
Last Vacation Destination
Ibiza.
Secret Crush
Please, there’s nothing secret about my crushes! Ha ha, I love Christian Slater- it’s the voice and accent, totally makes me drool. The same goes for Tom Hardy.
Thank you Claire for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of your novel. I am looking forward to the next instalment in the Limerence Series.
Thanks so much for the great questions. Really got me thinking.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author bio.
Claire C Riley, is a mother first, a wife second, but a writer at heart.
Claire likes to break boundaries with her writing, incorporating an old school style of horror and romance. Sexy and dark. (Think Bram Stokers Dracula, but for the 21st century!) She is trying to mix things up a bit by introducing more women into the horror genre and more men into the romance genre, and show people that you should never stick in your comfort zones.
Claire is a mother to three amazing little girls who hold her heart. She hopes to make them proud, and show them that if you work hard and believe in yourself... then, as Cinderella once said... dreams really do come true.
She is an avid book collector and has a great zombie apocalypse plan in place thanks to a questionnaire she asked her readers to fill in for her from her blog.
Claire is currently working on the sequel to Limerence, and also a dystopian post-apocalyptic zombie novel called- Odium. Think Thelma and Louise, but with zombies ;0)
She actively encourages reader participation on her blog and author Facebook page, with questionnaires, quizzes, and fan art. So get in touch!
She can be contacted at:
http://clairecriley.weebly.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ClaireCRileyLimerence?fref=ts
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17564467-limerence?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book
Purchase links.
PAPERBACK
http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUSA (USA)
http://bit.ly/LimerencePBUK (UK)
eBOOK
http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUSA (USA)
http://bit.ly/LimerenceEBUK (UK)
It is also up for free loan for KDP Select members.
Book Trailer.
http://animoto.com/play/G1sasuzV1gWeclrmjhA5Zg
Book Blurb.
One man's obsession could destroy them all.
Despite her love for her fiancé, Mia Lawrence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Mr Breckt- the mysterious new owner of the Island. Her thoughts are constantly consumed with the handsome and powerful stranger. However, there is much more to him than she realises, something dangerous and supernatural.
Mr Breckt is used to getting what he wants, and now he wants Mia, at any cost! With his obsession spiralling out of control, he knows that time is running out. A war is coming. Blood will be shed, and lives will be lost, but he will have to rid himself of his obsession of Mia before it’s too late.
Mia and Oliver must now fight the very evil that threatens to come between them. If either of them fails, it will be more than their love for each other that will be lost.
Ultimately, all three will have to make a sacrifice that will change each other’s destiny forever… but will it be the right one?
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