I couldn't decide on which of my two stories to use for the novel specific questions so I went with both.... Sorry if this is really long.
2) What motivates you to write?
Mostly the characters. When other people get excited about a character or something going on in my stories, I get excited to give them more to be excited about. Sometimes a specific scene or event will be inspired by something going on in my life, like one time I spent a whole week just thinking about (my characters) dancing until it finally motivated me to write a scene with the characters dancing.
3) The kind of atmosphere do you prefer to write in?
I like to be comfortable with some background noise that I can tune out. I can get inspired at any time or place though, so I’m not too picky when it happens. This means that on the flip side, I could have the “perfect” conditions and still have trouble writing. The most important thing is that I’m not interrupted once I get on a roll until I finish.
5) What are your favorite genres?
Fantasy, Romance. Though I’m not too picky as long as it’s interesting to me.
1) What inspired you to write your novel?
This little voice in my head that said “I can write those characters better” when talking to a fellow author who I beta read for… (you can decide if I really can as she also posts on Tapas. https://tapas.io/RavenRose124 ) Then I got a certain scene stuck in my head and knew I wanted to put it in a story. And that’s how, with a lot of other inspirations from all kinds of stories, RomaMates was born.
4) Who are your favorite characters from your novel and why?
I have a hard time picking favorites as it changes depending on what part I’m working on. Lucius is the older sibling/mother hen/role model every group of friends should have. His twin brother, Blake, seems like his mirror opposite in a way that explains Lucius’ caring nature. Just give the boy a hug. Satoshi seems boring, but that’s just because he hasn’t shown all his cards yet (and that’s all I’m going to say about that). And Dewi’s a playful diva that helps my precious Blake stay calm.
The most fun to write, though, might be Dewi, because, well, it’s Dewi. I don’t really know how to explain it…… there’s just so much potential for interesting things with him and he has this energy about him that doesn’t make me question for a second why he’s always being harassed by people wanting to get closer to him (jokes on them, the only people given that right are his roommates). And that’s all not even taking into account if I ever get into his lineage as that’s something I would like to tie in at some point.
The Black Robin is a lot more written than what I have currently posted. This is only relevant because I answered the questions based off of what is written, not posted... so spoiler warning?
1) What inspired you to write your novel?
I think the first concept was “what if Robin Hood was a girl?” The idea being that the “Robin Hood” that all the stories we hear about was really this rich guy impersonating a famous thief that no one realized was a female. I did a bunch of research into the Robin Hood myth, paying special attention to anything to do with his daughter (in some versions she exists, some she doesn’t. The Robin Hood tales are so inconsistent, there’s practically nothing all versions agree on.) in hopes it could help with inspiration. Tales of Robin Hood’s daughter following in her father’s footsteps, or even a female version of him in general, were hard to come by.
Obviously, the story ended up taking a different direction, but some elements stayed throughout the change. This includes Arai’s position as a bandit leader, her proficiency with not only her preferred bow but also other weapons, and her fondness for disguises. Looking back, some of the other characters are also similar to some common Robin Hood characters. For instance, Prince Zephaniah is like Arai’s Maiden Marian.
4) Who are your favorite characters from your novel and why?
Picking a favorite is kinda hard, so instead I’ll explain why each of the main six are my favorites.
Arai- Arai’s the one who escaped, she’s got her life all figured out, and yet Zeph makes her question herself and past decisions. She doesn’t stop being a competent character, but she struggles with what she most wants in life and what she’s willing to give up for it. I love writing her growth throughout the story, because she can’t have everything that she wants and, while it’s hard for her, she learns that’s okay.
Zephaniah- In contrast to Arai, Zeph is the one who stayed in his golden cage. While he sees himself as weak, his decision to not run from his problems actually shows how strong he can be. He doesn’t fit what he thinks a prince should be and I love showing him that he is already a perfectly fine prince. He just needs the confidence to be himself.
Fintan- What can I say? I have a soft spot for the devoted flirt archetype. He grew up in a very loving home and came to desire a romance like his parents have. He’s just very... passionate about wanting a relationship and not as good at being subtle about it. It makes it fun to see how over the top he can be at times.
Tara- She’s crazy. She knows she’s in a story, so there are actually two versions of some of her scenes because she does or says things that don’t fit in the world (like listening to music with headphones while waiting to be introduced to the readers….. Headphones won’t even exist for another hundreds of years, so don’t ask how she got them…)
Adrian- Everyone likes a good bad guy. Adrian is probably the most twisted character I’ve written up to their creation (excluding the reason they’re so messed up….. Adrian’s father deserves any torture inflicted on him.)
Victor- Evil takes many forms. This one is a dog; loyal and willing to destroy at his master’s command.