Thank you so much to author, Tjasa Gasparic, for taking the time to answer some questions for us. We appreciate it, and we know that your readers will as well!
1. What inspired you to write this book?
Answer: I just wanted to write a book about vampires.
2. Can you tell me about the book?
Answer: It is a romance between a vampire and college girl - Everdream
3. What is your writing process like?
Answer: Lay in the bed with cozy trousers and drinking ice coffee.
4. What did you learn when writing the book?
Answer: That every book has been written before, but not from me. My favorite quote.
5. What surprised you the most?
Answer: How many different plots and twist I can come up to.
6. What does the title mean?
Answer: The title of my book is Everdream – I just love this word.
7. Was the character inspired by a real person? If so, who?
Answer: No.
8. What do you think happened to the characters after the book ended?
Answer: They live happily forever.
9. What advice do you have for writers?
Answer: Just keep writing.
10. Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Answer: Energize. I feel something is missing if I don’t write every day.
11. What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Answer: To get stuck and don’t be motivated to finish a book.
12. What is your writing Kryptonite?
Answer: Freedom.
13. Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
Answer: Never.
14. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
Answer: None, I write what I want to and what I feel is right.
15. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Answer: It depends on what I am writing. Everdream will be a trilogy.
16. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Answer: One half-finished I started it when I was 16. One finished (Everdream) and Eberdream part 2 half-finished.
17. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
Answer: I use a lot of Google maps to find places for my book and then write a scene. It takes me around 2 days.
18. How long were you a part-time writer before you became a full-time one?
Answer: I’m still part-time. But hope to be full-time in future when I will find my publisher.
19. How many hours a day do you write?
Answer: Around 4 sometimes more.
20. What period of your life do you find you write about most often? (child, teenager, young adult)
Answer: Young adult.
21. What did you edit out of this book?
Answer: Nothing.
22. How do you select the names of your characters?
Answer: I decided on which letter they should start and then look for those names till any of them just pops out.
23. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
Answer: I am a student and I work as an accountant – but I don’t really like it.
24. What was your hardest scene to write?
Answer: The one when a main character was kidnapped.
25. What is your favorite childhood book?
Answer: Little Indian Falling snow by Géraldine Elschner
26. How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Answer: 8 months. (415 pages)
27. Do you believe in writer’s block?
Answer: Yes.
28. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand?
Answer: Computer.
29. When did it dawn upon you that you wanted to be a writer?
Answer: When I was writing my first book. It was that enjoying feeling that this is what I want to do.
30. How hard was it to sit down and actually start writing something?
Answer: That was the easiest thing to do, it was so natural.
31. Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day?
Answer: No, I don’t want to be under pressure. One day I write 8 pages and the other day just 3.
32. Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?
Answer: I usually get an idea.
33. Do you read much and, if so, who are your favorite authors?
Answer: Yes, I love reading. Don’t really have favorite authors. I love all romance books with happy endings.
34. What is the most important thing about a book in your opinion?
Answer: Happy ending.
35. How would you feel if no one showed up at your book signing?
Answer: Sad, but I would hold my head high. They will come next time.
36. Do you recall the first ever book/novel you read?
Answer: I think it was Twilight.
37. How much of yourself do you put into your books?
Answer: All of me.
38. Who are your books mostly dedicated to?
Answer: To everyone who love romance and vampires and twist and plots.
39. Who is the most supportive of your writing in your family?
Answer: My boyfriend.
40. Writers are often believed to have a Muse, your thoughts on that?
Answer: Everyone needs a little inspiration. My muse is melodic music.
41. Another misconception is that all writers are independently wealthy, how true is that?
Answer: I’ll tell you when I will be.
42. Is it true that authors write word-perfect first drafts?
Answer: No.
43. Did any of your books get rejected by publishers?
Answer: Yes, and I still am. It is though convincing them that your book can be a success, cause that is all they care about.
44. What is your view on co-authoring books; have you done any?
Answer: I haven’t done that, but it might be fun.
45. Is writing book series more challenging?
Answer: Yes, you must develop a big story.
46. Does it get frustrating if you are unable to recall an idea you had in your mind some time earlier?
Answer: Yup.
47. Have you ever destroyed any of your drafts?
Answer: Not yet.
48. Can you tell us about your current projects?
Answer: I am working on Everdream part 2. Already have 200 pages.
49. Had any of your literary teachers ever tell you growing up that you were going to become a published writer one day?
Answer: No.
50. Were your parents reading enthusiasts who gave you a push to be a reader as a kid?
Answer: No, I always wanted to read.
51. Do you enjoy discussing upcoming ideas with your partner? If yes, how much do you value their inputs?
Answer: I don’t tell him anything because then he will know how the story will end and won’t be excited at the end.
52. Have you ever turned a dream or a nightmare into a written piece?
Answer: My first book was from a dream – what if there was a school where vampires could learn to control their craving.
Want to be part of our blog as one of our guest author interviews? Email us at ridenourpublishing@gmail.com!