Hi, good people! Author Selena Haskins is dropping by again to open up to us. The first time she stopped by to share her novel, Yesterday Was A Long Time Ago. Today, she's opening up allowing us to get to know Selena the writer and Selena the woman. Don't miss this one on one chat that she and I shared. So grab your mug, curl up in your favorite chair, and take a peek... AUTHOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS_THE BEAUTIFULLY INSPIRED BLOG CHELLE: Selena, we have to know just how organized or chaotic you are. Plotter or Pantser? SELENA: Pantser CHELLE: You’re already dear to my heart. I love the fly by the seat of our pants mentality that allows even the author to be surprised at what happens next. Tell us a little about yourself? Who is Selena the woman? SELENA: I’m a woman who loves God, her family, and the craft of writing stories. I love to travel, listen to music, watch my Boston Celtics play, and spend quality time with my family. CHELLE: Another thing we have in common. I’m a basketball fan, too, and I love all of the other things that you just mentioned. It definitely makes life worth living. Tell the readers and our other writers who may struggle with this, how do you create work/life balance being an author? SELENA: It’s a juggling act. I’m always making adjustments so that my Heavenly Father and family comes first. CHELLE: Isn’t that truly the key? When those things are in place, everything else will fall into place. Describe a day around your house and in your ordinary life where writing is not key. SELENA: An ordinary day around my house consists of taking care of my family’s needs spiritually and physically. Preparing dinner, helping my son with his homework, preparing for work, and making our weekends fun. As a family, we will watch movies, play games, and attend a fun event or gathering. CHELLE: Most authors have a routine they settle into when they prepare to write. Yet, others toss routine out the window and go with the flow. Tell us about your writing routine. SELENA: I definitely go with the flow. I find that using outlines or anything structured disturbs my creativity. CHELLE: I have tried that in the past, and it didn’t work for me either. I believe everyone has their own special magic that they bring to their art. Now with that being said, I love music, and I love writing to music. Sooo…Pandora or Spotify? What would we find on your playlist? SELENA: I actually prefer iHeart Radio. My playlist includes a mix of old school R&B & new. Phyllis Hyman, Teena Marie, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Teddy P., Luther V., EWF, Prince, MJ, MJB, Bruno Mars, Drake, the list goes on. CHELLE: You’ve got some great ones on that list. I used to go back and forth between iHeart and Pandora, until I learned about Spotify. I think I’ll try them out again, since I haven’t tuned in for quite some time now. Did you keep a journal or diary as a child growing up? If so, what secret did you not want your parents to read? SELENA: I did keep a journal as a child. I never wanted my parents to know about the crushes I had on different boys in school. CHELLE: Oookay, the juicy stuff! LOL!! What genre do you write and why? What authors have influenced your writings? SELENA: I generally write family sagas, but my latest novel is a historical romance. Authors who influenced my writing would be Connie Briscoe, Carl Weber, Omar Tyree, Margaret Johnson-Hodge, and J. California Cooper. CHELLE: If you could pair up with another author to write, who would you choose and why? SELENA: I would love to pair up with Carl Weber. He includes a lot of twists and turns in his books that leaves the readers wanting more. I love the drama and suspense that he creates. CHELLE: That definitely sounds intriguing. If your latest release were turned into a movie, what actors would you select to play the starring roles, and what music would comprise the soundtrack? SELENA: Wow, I would be honored to see that happen! For Germaine Landry, I would select Monica Calhoun, and for Angelo Pearson, I would find a male model with beautiful eyes and a nice body or I would pick Christian Keyes and have him wear hazel contacts. LOL CHELLE: Hmmm, sounds like you’ve put quite a bit of thought into that one. Yes, that would be an honor for a writer to see something like that come to pass. Truly a writer’s dream come true. How do you handle writer’s block? SELENA: I normally step away from it for a while, sometimes weeks or months. CHELLE: Mountains or the beach? SELENA: Beach! CHELLE: I’m on my way to one this coming week! Provide one marketing tip for upcoming authors that has worked for you. SELENA: Social media does work as far as reaching people from all over the globe. However, direct sales still work best for me. There’s nothing like face-to-face contact, and you’ll be surprised how excited people react when they meet and author in-person. CHELLE: Thanks for that, Selena. If there was one thing you would want your readers to know after reading your works, what would it be? SELENA: Love with your whole heart, learn to forgive, and move on. Accept what you can change and change, and what you cannot, let it go. That’s the theme for all of my books. CHELLE: Good advice, people, please take note. Selena, writers often have to forsake time with friends and family when deadlines are looming, or the creative muse is flowing. What one person has been your greatest supporter on your publishing journey? SELENA: We do sacrifice time, even our personal time. My greatest supporter has been my husband who tends to our son when I have deadlines. CHELLE: Nothing like having an excellent support system in place. After all of the stress of daily living and writing, you need time to unwind. Describe your idea of the perfect “me-time.” SELENA: The perfect “me-time” is sitting on a beach under a shady umbrella while reading a good book. CHELLE: Kobe or LeBron? SELENA: Are you kidding me? NEITHER ONE! CHELLE: Really, Selena? I’m so disappointed. LOL! We live life beautifully inspired here, at The Beautifully Inspired Blog. Leave us with an inspirational post, comprised of three words. SELENA: Love, Forgive, Accept. CHELLE: People, those are words to live by. If we can graciously and humbly do those three things life will be so much better. One day, one step at a time. Selena, thanks so much for joining us today and giving us a peek into your life. People, please show her some love by leaving a comment below. Get her latest novel, Yesterday Was A Long Time Ago. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Yesterday-Was-Long-Time-Ago-ebook/dp/B07289W3Y7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496197447&sr=8-1&keywords=selena+haskins Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/yesterday-was-a-long-time-ago-selena-haskins/1126422994?ean=2940157283681 KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/yesterday-was-a-long-time-ago Please leave a comment below. Selena would love to hear from you!
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3 Comments
7/17/2017 04:26:36 pm
Thank you for this interview. As a new author, I love reading about established authors and their writing and marketing routines. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
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7/17/2017 10:52:39 pm
Hi Valarie,
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7/18/2017 09:53:45 am
You're welcome Valarie! I wish you the best in your future endeavors.
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June 2019
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