Author Spotlight: Soraya Lane

We're always excited to welcome back Minxy friends to the blog! Today we have Soraya Lane, Harlequin, and now debut Young Adult writer with us. Thanks so much for being here today, Soraya. Take it away...

What is your writing process?

I’d like to say that I’m a meticulous plotter, but I’d be lying! I do start with a rough outline of the story, but I generally focus on my characters – their conflicts and motivations – and as soon as I have that nutted out I just start writing and figure the story out along the way!

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?

I’m a great one for being distracted… when I don’t want to write I suddenly want to do things like clean the house, and anyone who knows me would tell you that’s completely out of character! To be honest, I just make myself sit down and write something, even if it’s just a paragraph. I have two fantastic author friends and we email/phone each other all the time, so I can moan about my story or do a quick brainstorm if I’m really stuck!

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

I have a 19-month old son, so I don’t have as much time to myself anymore, and that means less exercise right now. Although he does keep me on the run after him all the time! Up until I was 6 months pregnant I was still horseback riding at least twice a week, and prior to that I was riding as often as I could. We still have our horses, and as soon as the weather warms up here I’m going to be back riding again. My young horse is being broken in next month, so I’ll just have to find time to ride her and at the same time get fit again.

Do you believe in writer's block?

I haven’t personally experienced it yet, but I do know what it’s like to be too tired/sick of the story/stuck on what happens next, and I think it’s okay to walk away for a couple of days and just think about the book. Being an author is a tough business, and I think the best thing is to try to believe in yourself and your work, and ignore bad reviews or comments that could negatively impact on your writing.

Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?

I think there are probably some similar incidents in my books that I’ve either experienced or heard about, but nothing to the point that it would ever get me in trouble.

What drew you to writing a Young Adult Novel?

I love reading YA, and I really wanted to write something different that was purely for fun. I’m so pleased I did, and I think that writing in different genres is a great way to keep my imagination fresh.

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?

I’m hopeless at updating my own blog, but I like to visit other blogs when I can. I love being on twitter because it’s a great way to stay in touch with other authors and readers – it makes me feel less isolated as a writer! I also do giveaways on goodreads, and I’ve just taken out a paid goodreads advert too.
What is your top promo tip for other authors?

I don’t know if I have a top tip! I guess I’d say that you need to write what you love, because then you can genuinely promote your work.

What did you learn while writing this book?

That it can be daunting writing in a different genre, but that it’s worth it to push yourself creatively.

What was the most fun part of writing a Young Adult novel?

I started writing this for fun, because I was loving reading YA stories and wanted to try it myself, so I found this book very liberating to work on. It’s a genre I love and I can’t wait to work on the next book!

Tell us about your book.

When her twin sister dies of a mysterious heart condition, Riley King is sent to her grandma’s ranch. But instead of the isolation she’s been aching for, she learns of a family secret that’s been deliberately kept from her, until now.

As if finding out she’s actually a leopard wasn't enough shock for one vacation, Riley meets Hunter Logan … the guy she’s promised to. For life. But Riley has no intention of being told what to do by anyone, certainly not some stubborn, dominant shifter. Even if he can make her purr, her claws are slicing out. Until Riley realizes that not fulfilling her destiny would commit her sister to a life on the other side without her.

And just for fun: what would your young heroine’s father say to your hero when he turns up to take her on a first date?

Oooh, that’s a tough one! If he found out that he was an alpha leopard shifter, he’d probably be speechless and have a heart attack on the spot! In the sequel to Change, we will meet Riley’s parents for the first time, and I think her dad will be polite yet suspicious of the gorgeous young guy who turns up on a motorcycle to collect his daughter for a date!

Thanks for having me here!

Soraya would love to give away a kindle ebook copy of Change to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment to go in the draw! Good luck!!