I had the pleasure of Interviewing published author, Martha O'Sullivan. Check it out!
Martha: I’m still getting used to be called a writer! I
still think of myself as a stay-at-home mom, although my girls are teenagers
now. I’m the only child of older parents who grew up reading books and always
had writing her own close to her heart. I’m from Chicago, live in Florida and
love the West, especially Northern California and Nevada, which is why my
Chances trilogy is set there. I've been underestimated my entire life and
starting using it to my advantage. All my books feature traditional couples who
find themselves battling extraordinary circumstances and live
happily-ever-after.
Do you currently have any books out
for purchase? If so, what are the names, what’s it about and where can we find
them?
Martha: November marks the release of my third novel
and the conclusion of my Chances trilogy, Last
Chance. When I started writing five years ago, a trilogy was the farthest
thing from my mind. Moira and Paul's story was originally part of
that first novel. But as Lindsay and Brian's adventure evolved, I
realized there wasn't room in the book to do Moira and Paul justice, not to
mention the beauty of the Lake Tahoe winter. And since Delaney and Mike's Chance Encounter was dancing
relentlessly in my head, I put Moira and Paul on hold. Now it’s their turn. And
what better way to conclude the Chances trilogy than to come full circle.
Here’s the Chances
trilogy in a nutshell:
In Second Chance,
star-crossed lovers Lindsay Foster and Brian Rembrandt get a second chance at
love amid the brilliant blue waters of Lake Tahoe. In Chance Encounter, Delaney
Richards and Mike Savoy’s quest for love takes them from Tahoe’s fawn-colored
shores to the serpentine streets of San Francisco. But the heat in Last
Chance comes not from the blazing summer sun and rugged, white-hot sand, but
from the prurient fervor between lifelong friends Moira Brody and Paul
Webster. And even the single-digit temperatures of the Lake Tahoe winter
are no match for their long-bridled desire.
Second
Chance buy page links:
Chance
Encounter buy page links:
Last
Chance buy page links:
Are you currently working on
something? Tell us about it!
Martha: My work-in-progress is a Christmas book
set in Florida, but with having three books released in consecutive months and
a learning curve to boot, I haven’t gotten very far. Promoting is very time
consuming, but it’s a good problem to have!
If you were stranded on a deserted
island, what THREE things could you not live without?
Martha: My
husband, coffee, a book.
When is your most creative time of
the day?
Martha: 5:00 a.m. That’s something I never thought I’d
say.
What motivates you to write? Music,
movies, pictures?
Martha: The characters yammering in my head to get out!
And I’ve learned a lot from movies and t.v.
If you could have a conversation
with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Martha: Jesus
Christ. Because he surely has all the answers.
What authors inspire you? Why?
Martha: I
loved Danielle Steel books growing up, and of course Nora Roberts of late. I
love James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series partly because it’s set in
San Francisco. I love the way they immediately draw you into the story, make
you feel like you’re living it. And my stories are about love, like theirs, not
just lust. I prefer trilogies and series because I tend to miss the characters
after the book ends!
What started you on the journey to
write?
Martha: I don’t know what clicked that April night five
years ago. But ever since then, it’s all I want to do.
What are the biggest challenges
you’ve come across being an author or a writer?
Martha: Balancing
family, home, and sleep. It can be a slippery slope and sometimes I have to
remind myself to keep my eye on the right ball.
How has becoming a published author
(independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it
everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes
do you foresee?)
Martha: It’s
a whole new world of publishing than the one I left sixteen years ago. Learning
to promote via social media has been the biggest challenge.
How do you stay motivated and get
through writer’s block?
Martha: Write through it.
Sometimes I’ll take a break and swim some laps to clear my head. But that’s not
always feasible.
What keeps you focused and ‘in the
zone’ while writing your novels?
Martha: Self-discipline. I’m
focused to a fault.
Do you have a technique or style of
writing you prefer? Do you write in order or skip around and piece together
later?
Martha: I’m a pantser, so I just let myself go and revise
a lot.
When your dreams come true, what do
you do?
Martha: Mine did long before I wrote a book. So cherish
it and write about it. I did.
To all of us aspiring authors,
struggling, or newbies, what is the best advice you can give us?
Martha: Never, ever give up!
If the book is in your heart, it will eventually be in someone’s hands. And
join RWA and go to Nationals (http://www.rwa.org/).
Wanna follow along? Check out Martha's work here:
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