Virginia
Nosky
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Q: |
Where did your ideas come from for To a Certain Degree |
| A: | A news story caught my eye about a brilliant woman scientist was not given credit for her work because of a bias against females in science. I made my brilliant woman also gorgeous. |
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Q: |
What personal experiences are helpful to you in writing a novel? |
| A: | A writer draws on everything. Try any new experience. I promise you’ll use it sooner or later. |
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Q: |
Do you keep a file of ideas? |
| A: | I’m constantly filing stuff away. Finding it can be dicey. |
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Q: |
How do you name your characters? |
| A: | Some of them just pop up, some I worry over. All my friends and family appear, but I don’t match them to the character. I hate to get a name wrong because it’s almost impossible to change when you’ve got that name in your head. |
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Q: |
What’s the best time to write? |
| A: | Everyone is different. I like about 3 pm ‘til seven, when I have to fix dinner. |
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Do you think an outline is necessary? |
| A: | I don’t use them. Others always do. It’s a preference. |
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Q: |
Are re-writes a chore? |
| A: | I love to rewrite after the first draft is done. That’s when you can tweak details, broaden your characters. |
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Q: |
How do you develop a character? |
| A: | As you get into the book, characters begin to assert themselves. After the first draft you know them so well you can polish them up. |
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Q: |
What was your motivation for writing each of your books? |
| A: | Little things. In KACHINA, it was a news story about a museum director who had de-acquisitioned works of art on the sly. CHANCE ENCOUNTERS? There was an election going on at the time and the papers were full of stories. With PIMA ROAD, I saw a good looking Indian man running along Pima Road. In BLUE TURQUOISE, WHITE SHELL, I wanted to explore more deeply the ramifications of an interracial love story. |
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Q: |
How easy is it to get published today? |
| A: | It’s very hard. You’ve got to stop crying over every rejection and keep plugging away |
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Q: |
What do you think of self-publishing? |
| A: | It’s becoming an acceptable alternative to regular publishing. |
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Q: |
Why did you choose to write in the romance genre? |
| A: | I think it just chose me. Everything I wrote turned into a love story. I’m just a romantic. |
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Q: |
Are most of your settings in the Southwest? |
| A: | The central parts of the story always are. The Southwest’s climate and geography are inherently dramatic. A wild summer thunderstorm is too good to be passed up. It’s a gorgeous state with so many contrasts. |
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Q: |
What are you working on now? |
| A: | I’ve got several things going. My head is full of ideas and I’ve got to zero in pretty soon. I love them all, so I’m reluctant to put one away. And I really can’t work on more than one after I get into the one that I can’t stop thinking about.. |