Today, I’m delighted to share the words and wisdom of Kaira Rouda. . . I especially love her thoughts on reviews. . . enjoy.
1.Tell us about your book.
Thanks so much for having me here. Laguna Lights is my latest, and it is book three of the Laguna Beach contemporary romance series. I’m so excited for it to be out in the world. The entire series is written around the premise of what happens to reality TV stars after the show is over and follows the stories of a group of adults who were TV stars in high school. This story is about Laura, the “it girl” back on the show, who discovers that Hollywood isn’t all she dreamed it would be. I love writing contemporary romance, and it’s a blast writing stories based in my beautiful hometown.
2. What do you do when you’re not writing?
I hang out with my kids as often as they’ll let me as they are all now in college and beyond. For hobbies, I love photography, yoga, meditation, and hanging out with my friends. My puppies are my constant companions – oh, and my husband and I love to travel. Life is good.
3. What made you believe you could write a book? How did you dispel doubt as you wrote?
It’s funny. My first book was a nonfiction title, Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, I wrote while I was president of a national real estate firm and franchisor. I’d always dreamed of writing but never imagined my first book would be in the business/self-help/inspiration space. Everything happens for a reason, though, and I’m proud of the message of the book and that it has helped and continues to help, women entrepreneurs. A side benefit of that book was it gave me confidence as a public speaker, and as I went around the country encouraging women to put their passions into action, I realized it was time for me to do likewise. That’s how I finally got the courage to write my first novel.
4. How do you balance what will sell with what you want to say?
I really can’t worry about that. If you try to chase the market, you’re chasing dust.
5. Which is more difficult – drafting or revising? Why?
Revising. I am a pantser, I don’t outline, I just writer and watch my characters come to life. Therefore, my characters all believe they’ve had their final say by the end of the first draft. Of course, they’re wrong.
6. What is your favorite part about being a writer?
I love everything about being a writer. It is what I was born to do, and I knew it from at least third grade on, maybe sooner.
7. What is your least favorite part about being a writer?
I seriously love everything about my job.
8. How did you learn to write?
I want to say it was a gift, but I also know that I’ve spent a lot of time perfecting my craft. My parents instilled a love of words and reading early on, and I’m so grateful for that.
9. What are some things that get in the way of your writing? How do you move them out of the way?
The biggest obstacle to writing are my own, finely-honed procrastination skills. I may be a gifted procrastinator.
10. What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
When in doubt, just keep writing. Always. Write.
If you could inhabit the setting of one book, where would you live and why?
I’m doing just that! I am living the life of my dreams, living in Laguna Beach and writing about this beautiful setting for the Laguna Beach series: Laguna Nights, Laguna Heights and Laguna Lights.
11. What’s your philosophy and practice about reading reviews of your work?
Ha. I need a policy. It’s funny. I think the more you write, and publish, it lessens the sting of the bad review. Note I wrote lessens, but it doesn’t eliminate it. I suppose anyone who has been in this rejection-filled industry has to learn how to handle these things in her own way. In life, you are never going to be liked by everyone. It’s a lesson anyone in the creative class putting content on the public domain learns early on. Haters are out there. I think this is a long answer explain
ing that I don’t have a philosophy, but I do read all of my reviews and try to hold onto the positive ones in my heart.
Kaira Rouda is the author of contemporary women’s fiction and modern romance that sparkles with humor and heart. She lives in Southern California with her family, where she is busy writing her next novel. Join her sporadic newsletter at KairaRouda.com, her Facebook fan page, on Twitter and Instagram.