Extras!
Author Lara Ward Cosio - Interview
November 2020
Where do you get your ideas for your books from?
The Rogue Series came about through a few things. My grandmother is from Northern Ireland. I’ve been to both the North and South a couple of times and have been smitten with all things Irish (including U2) forever. When I was coming up with the idea for the first book in the Rogue Series (which was actually Playing At Love, oddly enough, before I then wrote Tangled and made that the first book), the central point of inspiration was the story of how Eric Clapton fell for his good friend’s wife. I was fascinated with the dynamics of that - and the songwriting that came out of it, including “Layla” and “Wonderful Tonight.” I was equally as fascinated by the fact that the lyrics that have always been the most impactful on me were the ones that seem to have been born by the artist’s inner demons. Somewhere out of all of this - my love of Ireland, the Clapton affair, and tortured artists - Rogue, Gavin, Sophie, and Conor were born.
How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?
FOREVER. Or at least it feels like forever. I think the quickest I’ve ever written a book was in about 5-6 months. But it usually takes longer because I have the horrible habit of questioning every single word I write. I wish I was one of those authors who could put out a book every couple of months but it’s just not my process - yet! Hoping to get into a faster gear in the new year!
Which one of your characters do you feel is most like you?
I’d love to say Sophie is modeled after me since she’s a tall, thin, gorgeous supermodel and the one all the guys want, but, of course, that is not true. I’d say I’m most like Felicity - with her complex relationship with her mother, her willful blindness in her first marriage, her building up walls, and her insecurities with being a mom. Also, Felicity ended up with the “perfect” man and so did I! At least, he’s perfect for me.
If you could hang out with one of your characters who would it be, not necessarily the one you think you are the most compatible with?
So hard to choose just one! I’d love to hang out with Gavin, Conor, and Danny Boy together because it would be so much fun to see them giving each other a hard time - and laughing. They’d be cutting each other down in the best way. At the same time, I'd love to be part of the "Mom Squad" that includes Sophie, Felicity, Amelia, Jessica, and Lainey. They've been through it all and their sisterhood is strong - and they enjoy a good glass of wine, too, so you can't go wrong with that group!
Are any of your characters based on people from real life?
I definitely have some versions of Danny Boy in my family, though their struggles do not appear to have a happy ending in sight. I know I’m not the only one to have this experience. Addiction, unfortunately, has touched far too many lives.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write and why?
I’d say it was the combo of Looking For Trouble and Problematic Love because I had to get Danny Boy to a better place without any sudden and unrealistic changes in who he was fundamentally as a person. He had years of willfully making the wrong choices and he couldn’t just change overnight. So, he had lots of setbacks in those books but I think he also had some genuine steps forward that allowed him to grow.
You write some about some very complicated subject matter, how much research goes into your books?
I do a lot of research and a lot of it never ends up on the pages but it may still inform the story/characters in some way. I really enjoy researching different spots around the world. My characters get to take trips to places I’d love to go to, including Greece, Australia, Mexico, and Switzerland. My imaginings of Dormition Day celebrations with the Syros locals, strolling through the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, swimming in a cenote in Tulum, and watching snow polo on a frozen lake in St. Moritz will have to do for now!
What are you currently reading?
I go back and forth between contemporary romance from authors like Karina Halle, Amy Daws, and Kandi Steiner and mystery/psychological thrillers from authors like Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, and Karin Slaughter.
Inevitably in interviews with writers they are asked who their favorite authors are but the question that begs to be asked since you write about rock stars is who are your favorite musician(s)/band(s)?
U2 (of course), The Killers, and Mumford and Sons are my top three. I am drawn to the music but the lyrics and the passion of the performance are just as important. It always mystifies me when people say they don’t pay attention to the lyrics!
Last year you stepped away from your rock star books and wrote a contemporary romance, Hula Girl. What motivated you to branch out and why contemporary romance?
All of my books before Hula Girl are not only angst-ridden but fairly unconventional in terms of story structure. With Hula Girl, I wanted to write something low-angst with a guaranteed happy ending just for the fun of it. I also wanted the challenge of trying to write something geared toward romance readers’ expectations to see if I could actually do it. I ended up really liking the characters and story, despite the lack of constant obstacles thrown in their way! I hope to write more contemporary romance books with a HEA.
Your writing style feels very personal, almost like your readers are witnessing the events playing out in person or to them. How does this approach affect you personally, is it the writer equivalent of when an actor goes into character for you?
Love this question! I definitely get into the mindset of “what would I do in this situation” as I write because I really try to keep the story as realistic as I can (excepting, of course, that my rock stars are incredibly wealthy and popular and have all kinds of resources at their disposal - lol!). But besides the “what would I do” aspect, I do tend to “see” things as I write. I try to use as many senses as possible to create that feeling that you’re right there “watching” the characters rather than just reading about them, if that makes sense?
With your Rogue Rockstar series coming to an end with Rock star on the Verge what does your writing future look like?
I wish I knew! I haven’t completely closed the door on doing more with Donal and his journey after Rock Star on the Verge. But I don’t have anything outlined at this time. I do want to keep writing more books like Hula Girl. But I could also see developing another rock star series. Unfortunately, I’m in that very uncomfortable position for a writer right now where I don’t have anything in the works. It’s so unsettling! Living in the “Time of Covid” has made it hard to focus, but I hope to use the rest of 2020 to create a plan for next year because I’m definitely not done writing!
Author BIO:
Lara Ward Cosio is the author of contemporary romances that are raw, realistic, sometimes funny, and always feature swoon-worthy men and strong-willed women.
Books by Lara Ward Cosio
The Rogue Series, an angsty rock star romance saga with interconnected stories, is now complete and all books are available with KindleUnlimited.
The Rogue Series is:
★ Tangled Up In You
★ Playing At Love
★ Hitting That Sweet Spot
★ Finding Rhythm
The Rogue Series continues with these "Extras":
★ Looking For Trouble
★ Felicity Found
★ Rogue Christmas Story
★ Problematic Love
★ Rock Star on the Verge
Hula Girl, by Lara Ward Cosio, is a steamy contemporary romance with a guaranteed happily ever after and is available on KindleUnlimited.
Social Media:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kUHwED
Website: http://www.larawardcosio.com/
Newsletter Signup: http://www.larawardcosio.com/contact/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaraWardCosioAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lara_ward_cosio/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14585080.Lara_Ward_Cosio
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lara-ward-cosio
Rogue Rockers: http://bit.ly/2DW92sh
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2qx0kgZ
Book+Main Bites: @LaraWardCosio
Author Lisa A. Olech – Interview
September 2017
When did you know you wanted to write?
I’m the proverbial “late bloomer.” I’m an artist first and foremost (which I believe helps me be a more visually inspired writer), but truly being an author was not on my radar. It’s a long tale of a fateful day where someone saw in me a potential I hadn’t seen in myself before. I regularly thank and curse this person! That was more than a dozen years ago, and I now can’t imagine not being a writer. There are days when I wish I had started this journey when I was younger, but I believe things come to us when they are needed and when we are ready for them. I’m just grateful I finally bloomed.
Where do you get your writing inspiration?
Everywhere! I’ve gotten a story idea from a smell! It can be an overheard conversation, a dream, an unusual setting, a name, a title that sparks a story. Anything. I think once you’re in the mode of creativity, you can find inspiration in a myriad of places. It’s just a matter of keeping your ears and your eyes…and I guess your nose open to new ideas.
You started off with a contemporary series, the Stoddard School of Art, why venture into historicals?
You’ve done your research! I did start off with a contemporary series. Actually the two series were created simultaneously. I love the versatility of working in two sub genres. I like the quicker pacing of a contemporary. I consider them something akin to that lovely dish of sherbet in the middle of a gourmet meal. They cleanse my palate, so to speak. As I said, I am an artist and you should “write what you know.” I know artists. I’ve worked and galleried with some amazingly talented, quirky, wonderful people. They gave me a wealth of knowledge in a variety of mediums and a deeper understanding of the creative mind. Remember the story idea from a smell? It was touring art colleges with my son that inspired the Stoddard School series. Art schools have a definite, unique smell. I found myself calling it the smell of creativity and I would pull it deep into my lungs whenever we’d step into a working studio. It would elicit a physical reaction, trigger a memory in me of art classes from my past. Add to that a certain life drawing class experience and… ‘Jagger Jones’ was born!
That being said, I love writing historical, as well. I’ve always been a huge historical reader. I wasn’t sure at first if I could write one. The research seemed quite daunting, but the more I got into it the more I loved it. The pace is a bit slower, the backdrops a bit richer, the characters a bit larger. I’m excited when I get to weave actual non-fiction events into my fiction. It makes my story all that more real to me. And what originally seemed daunting has become my favorite part in writing historicals. I can get lost for hours researching the clothing, the food, the lifestyles, and in my case the ships, and weaponry. Talk about inspiration!
What drew you to writing about pirates?
As I said, I’m a huge historical reader. I love pirate novels! Put a ship and a puffy shirt on a cover and I’m yours! There is just something about them. The sea, the danger, the ultimate “bad boy” heroes. And then, when I started researching them for my own stories, I discovered so much about the lifestyle that I had never known. How, for a lawless society, they were sticklers for rules and regulations. The strict laws aboard these ships, the democracy, and protection of their crews surprised me. Couple that with a variety of characters, and why they chose that life. Or how they were forced into that life. Fascinating! And then, throw in some of the toughest women ever to cross the pages of history, and I was hooked (pardon the pun!).
Who do you consider your most interesting character, not necessarily your favorite character?
I thought a lot about this question… I would have to say as a character based on an actual person, the character Jian Jun in Within A Captain’s Soul would be the most interesting. I based her on the true story of the most successful, most brutal pirate in history, Ching Shih. She ruled more than 1,500 ships and crews numbering over 80,000 men. Whole countries couldn’t stop her reign of piracy. Of course for my purposes, I had to use a bit of “artistic license” and predate her by about a hundred years and find a way to soften some of her honed edges. But I used her power and prowess in creating Jian Jun.
I also have to mention another character…Benedict Wolfsan. He played the villain in the first book in the Captain’s of the Scarlet Night series – Within A Captain’s Hold. I mention him because he was fascinating to me in another way. He was so dark and twisted. So evil. And yet, writing him came somewhat easy to me. After writing a quirky, fun contemporary romance about a nude model, here I was writing this horrible, vile character, and I didn’t know where the depth of his depravity was coming from. Evidently there is a very dark corner of my mind!
Who was your hardest character to write?
I have to say my most challenging character has to be William ‘Bump’ Quinn. Bump has been a character in four out of the five books in the Captains of the Scarlet Night series. He is the hero in the final Within A Captain’s Soul. I say he was the most challenging because when I introduced him, he was a mere child, a filthy street urchin who needed saving. I had no idea he would grow into such an amazing character. In Within A Captain’s Treasure, Gavin Quinn rescues this boy from a brutal horrible life only to lead him into another brutal life aboard ship. I created ‘Bump’ to somehow fill the hole in Gavin’s heart after the loss of his own son. To his crew, this was something totally out of Gavin’s character, but to me…it was absolutely something he would do. You see, Bump is deaf. Which only magnified the challenges not only to Gavin, but to Bump as well. And…to me! Writing a deaf character, who was also non-verbal became quite a test of my writing skills. Now fast forward four books and make him my hero! Communication through the use of signs and physical means were all I had to work with. Internal dialogue became essential. Developing a love story within those confines took some finesse, but he became such a strong character and the relationship between him and Jian Jun worked out quite well, I think.
Even though your Captains of the Scarlet Night series is set in the Golden Age of Piracy are any of the scenarios that take place based on personal or modern events?
Well, I’m not sure, but certainly writing about incredibly strong women in a time when women are honoring their individual and collective strength has had to have worked its way into my writing. “…and she persisted” is definitely an apt description for my heroines.
How much research goes into your work?
Quite a bit. It’s important that I know what I’m talking about and that I’m able to sprinkle that knowledge throughout the pages of my stories without giving my readers a history lesson. I marvel at the idea of the historical authors who wrote before the creation of the world-wide web! I don’t know what I would do without Google! I tend to research as I go. Sometimes I even write a scene and then do the research to make sure it was possible in 1700. As an example, I decided that the ship in my pirate series known as the Scarlet Night needed to blow red smoke from its cannons. So I had to find out how that could happen in 1685. I discovered that there is a mineral in a small glen in Scotland that when burned produced red smoke. So then I needed a Scottish pirate who knew the secret of the red smoke! Welcome aboard ‘McTavish!’
What authors do you read for pleasure?
Writing certainly has made me a different reader. A more critical reader. I love those writers who’s writing is so well done, and so smooth and effortless to read, that I am blessed for a few choice hours lost between the covers of their books to forget I’m a writer and become a reader again. I have quite an eclectic taste… I love Kristan Higgins, Anna Campbell, AJ Nuest, Jude Deveraux, Lisa Klepas, Sue Monk Kid, Alexis Hall… So many!
How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?
I cut my teeth as a NANOWRIMO writer, so I can messy draft a book in about six to eight weeks. Then ideally, I like to let it cool off, give me some time to marinate on the story, and then look at it again with fresh eyes. Give me another six to eight weeks to clean it up before I’m happy enough with it to send it off. Fortunately, I have been given some outstanding, brilliant editors to work with who help me put the finishing shine on it all.
What does Lisa Olech's writing future look like?
Another great question! I have lots of ideas. I’m thinking of following ‘McTavish’ for a while back to Scotland. He’s a great character, and I’d love to see what happens when I land lock a pirate! Who knows? All I do know is the characters in my head are all demanding to be heard. I’m planning to be busy telling their stories for a long, long time!
Author Bio:
Lisa A. Olech is an artist/writer living in her dream house nestled among the lakes in New England and is a lover of all things pirate. A Jolly Roger flies off the flagpole of her home!
She loves getting lost in a steamy book, finding the perfect pair of sexy shoes, and hearing the laughter of her men. Being an estrogen island in a sea of testosterone makes her queen. She believes in ghosts, silver linings, the power of a man in a tuxedo, and happy endings.
Author Links
Contact: lisa@lisaolech.com
Website
Twitter: @LisaOlech
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