As we gear up for this amazing event, I’ll be bringing you author interviews so you can get to know the attending authors in more detail! There are lots and lots of authors for you to discover, not to mention, hundreds if not thousands of books! Why not grab a cuppa and sit back and relax! All while hearing more about our writers and their writing lives, inspirations – and maybe even a secret or two!
What is the first thing people should know about you?
I’m obsessed with my dog, coffee and dancing.
Tell me which genre or trope you are most well-known for writing.
Romance and especially friends to lovers. I love exploring that slow-burn chemistry between friends and how they push the boundaries a little more with every chapter. I’m also known for having dance/ballet themes in my book.
What is one thing people don’t know about you?
English is not my native language. It does say in my bio and I never hide it, but most people are still caught by surprise by this fact.
Name a book you’ve written that you wish more people had read, and why.
Journey of a Butterfly. It was my debut and even though it’s a coming-of-age book with very little romance it was based on personal experience and it’s the book closest to my heart. I used that story to let out all the frustration stuck in me and as a way of dealing with common teenage issues such as frenemies and first loves. It’s not my best novel by far, but it’s the most personal one.
What is your favourite book (not your own), and why?
There are way too many to choose from. I don’t really have a favourite one – I have comfort books – the ones I like to re-read whenever I’m feeling down. These include Confess by Colleen Hoover and Stay with Me by Nicole Fiorina, the Dark Artifices by Cassandra Claire and the Lux and Origin series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. They all transport me out of my sad, miserable state and take me on an adventure or on an emotional rollercoaster which is what I need to forget reality.
Was there a book you wrote that broke you and made you feel like you’d never write again?
High Roller, the first book in my new series Elites of Eastview High. That story stuck in me for such a long time, the characters of Essie and Axel danced in my head for years before I dared to write them. It’s darker than my usual books, it deals with some heavy topics and is a real emotional rollercoaster. I wrote the book in less than 2 months and felt empty after it. It took me months to be able to write again.
Are you one of those authors for whom music is EVERYTHING and without it you’d never write?
It depends on the book – for some books I re-listen to the same song over and over while writing a scene or chapter. When I was writing an emotional part of The Sky Between Us, I re-listened to the same song for at least thousand times until it made me cry. Needless to say, it was my most listened song when I received my Spotify Wrapped… funny enough I never listened to it after.
Is your desk/writing space tidy or messy?
I don’t have a desk or a writing space. I write in coffee shops, on my bed, on the sofa, very rarely by a table. I like to be comfortable.
Who or what inspires you as a writer?
It was my mother who encouraged me to ‘write it out of myself’ whenever I was dealing with something. And it became a habit to keep writing, coming up with new stories and characters – giving a part of me to them.
Are you an introvert or extrovert? Or something else…?
It depends on the people I am around. I’m introverted, but around the right people I can be the most annoying extrovert.
The literary world moves fast, but what’s the one thing that never changes?
Hot guys on covers. Alternative covers are getting big, but hot, half-naked guys will always stay.
What is your advice to authors just starting out?
Just be yourself and stay true to yourself. I heard from many people that they try to write what’s popular and what’s selling, but in my opinion, if you don’t write what you enjoy and you just do it to please everyone else you will always be unsatisfied. Write the book you would want to read and you will find your readers.
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?
Home to visit my dog and the beach. But I do like exploring new cities and having an active holiday full of sightseeing. But if I had to choose – I’d pick my dog. (For context: My dog lives with my parents as he was my graduation present. Unfortunately, a month after graduating I moved to London for a job and I’ve been living in London for almost five years.)
Your favourite place to read and/or write?
In bed or on the sofa. I like to be comfortable and lay in weird positions since I’m a dancer.
Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, I went to their book signing – and various famous ballet dancers that probably can only be considered famous for me.
What did you always want to be when you were growing up?
First of all a princess, but then I settled for being a ballerina. I was always very girly and living in my own fairy-tale.
Who is your biggest cheerleader?
My family. My dad even read all my books and trust me when you write smutty romances the last thing you want is your father reading it… but he even tries to give me suggestions and improvements for the next one. Regarding the plot and characters… not the smutty scenes. 😉
BONUS QUESTION: Tell me a secret about one of your books that nobody else knows yet!
The daughter of the characters from The Sky Between Us will have her own story. She is the main character in Double or Nothing (Elites of Eastview High #3). Also, one of my characters was based on my dog. Both their name is Sky.
Thank you so much for your time, Mia! To find out more, scroll to the bottom!
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