Brandon is a successful billionaire bachelor. He is single and looking for love after a horrible break up with his ex, Lizzy. Lizzy already comes from wealth so she is not after Brandon’s money, but she does take him for granted. He finds out that Lizzy cheated on him after dating for years and they break up. However, Lizzy doesn’t take the breakup well and she becomes dangerously obsessed with Brandon. Brandon has already moved on though. He meets a sweet girl Francesca online who quickly becomes the love of his life, and they get married after just a few months. Can they live a happy life together or will Lizzy continue to interfere with their relationship?
Dangerous obsession, jealousy and love define the relationship between Brandon and his ex Lizzy. How will their relationship play out through the pages of ‘Obsessive Romance’? I’ve been joined by author Mish Moore to examine these emotions and more. Mish, thanks for chatting with me today. Can you kick off today’s our examination by taking us back to where this book started for you?
I usually get ideas of new stories to write about in my head and then just start jotting notes on a piece of paper to develop a story. This was one of the earlier ideas I had and the story just unfolded as I started to write.
So you didn’t have a strong idea of where this emotional relationship would end before you started?
I generally have an idea how the book will end but not how the ending will come to being. Once the story starts developing and the writing unfolds, I am able to get to the end of the story, sort of like filling in the blanks.
How did you go about filling in the blanks when you start writing?
I usually get the idea for stories in my head like a movie.
That’s neat! Did you find that any aspects of your personal life appeared in the movie in your mind?
I think we can all identify with some of the situations in the book. The character Brandon is like a lot of men who focus on their career before anything else and end up being successful, however, still find that love is missing in their life and they don’t have anyone to enjoy the fruits of their successes with. Another character, Jane shows how a woman can be beautiful and successful but still has a hard time finding the right man and start to feel like something is wrong with her.
After working with these characters so closely with these characters with different destinies, dispositions and drives, what central dynamic do you hope the readers are left with?
At first, the story seems like a typical romance story, however, the more you read on, the more you realize that it shows how life is not perfect, and even if you seem to have it all: money, looks etc., you can have all of that and still not be truly fulfilled. I also love how one of the main characters, Jane, develops in the story. She shows how we as women don’t always feel as strong as we may seem, but when the time is right, our strength does shine through.
Upon reflection what did you find was the most satisfying aspect about writing this book? Was it showing the strengths of your characters, or were you struck by something else?
It was rewarding to transform an idea into a story. Most people say they would like to write a book but have no idea where to start. The characters and story came into my idea like a movie and I was determined to develop a short story till the end, so I wrote and edited it until it was a full story.
This was your first foray into writing wasn’t it?
Yes! I’m a new author still learning the ins and outs of writing and self-publishing but with more ideas and books coming soon! I love to write about romantic thrillers.
Can you tempt us a little about some of those ideas you’re working on?
I have a handful of other ideas for stories that I am working on. They all are romantic thrillers with a twist in the end. Those are the kinds of stories that I like to read and, hence, write about.
What have you found you enjoy about the process of writing after completing your first book?
I have always had a passion for writing, and written many articles in the past, but had no idea that I could write a book until I actually sat down to write a book.
And how did you go about sitting down to write ‘Obsessive Romance’? Do you use any techniques or tricks?
I don’t think there is a specific ‘right’ answer as everyone’s writing style is different. For me, I write when I feel inspiration to write. That way, I don’t forget any ideas or twists and turns that I feel compelled to write about, and that frequency or location can vary.
Do use any particular music to fire that inspiration up?
I just put on Pandora for background music. In my opinion that’s the best way to write!
If it works for you then it’s a great way to write! Do you ever find that you sometimes run out of steam and hit a mental roadblock? Are there any techniques that you use to get past these blocks?
Just go with your ideas and write them on a piece of paper as a draft. The focus should not be on writing perfectly but rather getting ideas down and then fixing the writing later. Most people get engrossed in the ‘writing perfectly’ part in the beginning.
How does the process of fixing your writing work for you? Are you doing much of the initial grunt work yourself?
Yes, I am a perfectionist so I proofread and check over the material multiple times. I do get it proofread from another set of fresh eyes, but ultimately I never want to change the words or ideas that I have put on paper, as I want the unique story to essentially be my own work.
Striking that balance between being true to the story on paper and making sure that it works well is tricky, but as the perfectionist in you has allowed for this book to be published I think it’s clear to see that you have successfully managed to walk that fine line. And what have you learn from walking that line and then seeing those words in print? Do you have any advice for other authors looking for tips on how to improve their self-publishing process?
Take the steps to start writing about what you are passionate about, and then educate yourself on the process of self-publishing by seeing what resources are out there, whether it’s a class on how to self-publish or just doing some Internet research. That can go a long way, as marketing is just as important as writing the book itself.
Marketing is huge in today’s world of self-publishing, but you’ve taken the first steps so you’re well on your way! Before you continue upon your way into the world of authorship, I was hoping you might take a few minutes to entertain some slightly eccentric questioning in our quick fire round. Let’s go with: What is your favourite quote?
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” from the book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ which is in my opinion, the best book ever written.
It is certainly up there with those top books ever. And it’s so true that you just can’t see those points of view of others as clearly as you would when you jump into their skin. What is your zodiac sign?
Gemini
Ahh, the twins. I hope that you are able to prevent yourself from splitting into two! Are you introvert or extrovert?
I can be an introvert or extrovert when I want to be. It’s part of the beauty of being a Gemini! We know how to get attention when we need to, or tone it down when needed as well.
I think those dual personality aspects serve you well within the challenges of the world of the self-publishing author where one must take their energies down towards their books and simultaneous shout to the world. Mish, thanks for giving us a little of your attention today and I wish you the best of luck bringing ‘Obsessive Romance’ to the world.