Monday, April 7, 2014

Interview with Samantha March


Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and has three published novels – Destined to Fail, The Green Ticket and A Questionable Friendship. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Samantha lives in Iowa with her husband and Vizsla puppy.

Q. What inspired the plot for your novel, A Questionable Friendship?

I got into a teeny tiny fight with a girlfriend about six months before writing the book, and as I left her house upset, my writer mind went into overdrive, thinking a lot of “What If” questions about her and us. That created the story, and I had a great time creating the characters to go with it! (Side note – we are no longer fighting!)

Q. Would you say you're more like Brynne Ropert or Portland Dolish?

Good question! I think I’m more like Brynne in some ways because I’m kind of the quiet friend, the one that wants everything to be always be okay. But in other ways I’m more like Portland – I know life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and I accept that.

Q. Describe your writing ritual.

I prefer to write in the mornings, before the stress of my day has time to set in! I always give myself a daily word count when I first start writing, typically anywhere from 2-5 thousand words. I try to keep that schedule going until the first draft is written, because I don’t like having large gaps in my writing time, as I feel it affects my characters’ voice.

Q. What are your writing goals for 2014?

My goal would be to finish writing book 4 and get it published, and start plotting and hopefully even writing book 5!

Q. What is your favorite thing to munch on while writing?

Oh you know – ice cream, jelly beans, Skittles...anything not healthy!

Q. What book(s) are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline – quite a page turner!

Q. If A Questionable Friendship were a movie, who would you like to see play Brynne and Portland?

Ooh fun! Hmmm, for Brynne, I do love Ginnifer Goodwin. For Portland, I think Ashley Tisdale could do a good job, or even like Emma Roberts.

Q. Out of all of your novels, which novel was the hardest to write? The most fun? The longest to write?

The hardest one was probably the first one, because everything was so foreign and scary to me. It was also probably the longest! I really think A Questionable Friendship was the most fun to write, because I really let myself go. I let myself be creative and let my mind take me to where I wanted the story to go and who I wanted my characters to be.

Q. What can your fans expect next?

A new book about a girl getting married – I’m a newlywed ;)

Q. As always, what advice can you offer to aspiring authors? In the past, you've given great advice on writing and publishing. Have anymore advice?

I always say you have to write, because you can’t expect to be published if you don’t. Read a lot, take notes about the style of writing you like, even write down sentences you think sound so great. Join writing groups. Get on social media and find others like you and talk and bounce ideas off each other. I belong to several, and they really are so helpful.

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2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great interview! xx

Unknown said...

Great interview, ladies!