Category: Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley

A Pick Six Interview with Author Vicki Crum

Pick Six Author Interviews are occasional features on A Slice of Orange. We send a bunch of questions to the author who then picks just six of the questions to answer.  This month we are featuring a Pick Six Author Interview with Vicki Crum.

Vicki writes contemporary and paranormal romance, creating tales full of love and laughter and discovering one’s soul mate in the most unlikely places. Her published works include Loving Luc, a contemporary romance with futuristic elements, and the first two books in her sexy, light-hearted werewolf series, Once in a Blue Moon and Moonspell.

Vicki resides with her husband in a charming seaside community in Southern California. She has two grown daughters and two adorable grandchildren who light up her world. She loves interacting with readers. Connect with her at vickicrum@homail.com, or visit her at http://vickicrum.wix.com/author and www.facebook.com/vickicrum.author

One: What kind of writer are you? A page a day or a burst writer?

I try to write for at least a couple of hours a day, especially on the weekdays, more if I can. It just depends on what’s going on. For instance, I have two young grandchildren, and if I get the opportunity to spend time with them for whatever reason, I pretty much drop everything and go for it! Sadly, I am too-easily distracted these days. A sale at Macy’s, lunch with a friend (or occasionally even my husband!) and I’ll take off and go. I like to be active, so keeping my butt in the chair can be an effort sometimes. Writing is the most fun and the most productive when I am in the middle of a particularly fun chapter or scene, and I’m really emotionally invested in the outcome. Those are my favorite writing times.

Two: How do you stay motivated? What keeps you writing?

Believe me, I’ve thought of quitting, more than once. Just before I found my current publisher in early 2014, I was seriously thinking about giving up on my writing aspirations. I’d been at it for a long time and had suffered my share of rejections over the years. My world had been expanded in the most joyous way by becoming a grandparent, and my priorities were realigning themselves in a lot of ways. Still, writing had become such a part of who I am that I couldn’t seem to give it up entirely. Sooner or later I’d end up right back at the computer with another new or intriguing idea for a story, or an interesting character rattling around in my brain. And I have to say that having a dedicated group of writer friends that I can engage with regularly is great for keeping me dialed in and moving forward. It’s fun to celebrate their various successes, and that helps keep me inspired.

Three: What are you working on now? Can you tell us about your next project?

I’m writing the third book in my “Moon” series. This is the first series I’ve ever written and also my first foray into paranormal romance. It’s been lots of fun. The first book in the series, Once in a Blue Moon, is a sexy romp about a werewolf who doesn’t know she’s a werewolf due to a stubborn case of latent genes. It takes the hero, a seriously hot, motorcycle-riding alpha hunk, to introduce the heroine to her true nature. The second book, Moonspell, was released in January, and I’m just getting underway with the third one, tentatively titled, Moonrise. Both Moonrise and Moonspell have the hero, or the male protagonist, as the dominant character in the book. The books are related through what I hope are a fun and endearing cast of characters. I like a little humor in my stories, and I’m trying to keep that sexy, light-hearted theme going as I write this series of books.

Four: What’s on your To-Be-Read-Pile?

My TBR pile, like so many other writers I know, is quite high. I’m currently reading two books, when I can find the time, Legend of Love (The Muse Chronicles) by Lisa Kessler and Rules of the Game by Lori Wilde. Next on my list is Kat Martin’s Into the Fury, Nora Roberts’ Tears of the Moon, and Frostline by Linda Howard and Linda Jones. There are so many books that I’m dying to read, but it may take me a bit of time to work my way through them since I very seldom allow myself the opportunity to curl up in the sun with a good book. I had a lot more time to do that before I started writing!

Five: In your books, who is your favorite character and why?

My favorite character of all the ones I’ve written is from my book, Loving Luc, published in 2014. Luc is the epitome of what I think a romantic hero should be. He’s strong and handsome, with plenty of those alpha-hero protective genes I love so much, but he is also thoughtful and gentle and caring. Did I mention brave and highly intelligent? Luc is one of a kind as far as my romantic heroes goes because he is not of this world. Luc is from a planet in a solar system far distant from Earth. He comes from a world, a race of people, so similar to ours that he can blend in here on Earth almost seamlessly—with a few minor adjustments, of course. His very existence is fated to be intertwined with that of my heroine, Maggie, in every way possible…spiritually, emotionally, and physically. They are, essentially, pioneers on the cusp of a brave new world, and it was so much fun creating them!

Six: If a spaceship landed in your backyard and the aliens on board offered to take you for a ride, would you go?

Absolutely! As long as I didn’t believe they posed a serious threat to my life. I’ve always loved astronomy, especially the study of the moon and stars. It’s fascinating to imagine what other life forms and worlds might exist in the universe. It’s a huge assumption to think we are all alone in the heavens. I refer back to my previous answer about my hero, Luc, who comes from a planet and life form that is parallel to ours on Earth in so many ways. I think it’s a very romantic notion to think of falling for a brave and daring, handsome and sexy alien who happens to be madly in love with you!

Thank you to Vicki for answering six questions for A Slice of Orange.

If you would like to read one or all of Vicki’s books, they are available in the Book Store.

If you would like to be featured in a  Pick Six Author Interview,  please send us your information through the Contact Form.