About the Author:
Lila Lacroix is a young writer who loves to write steamy new adult romance novels. She grew up in the big city with big dreams and is now living her life creating characters who get to live out their own happy endings.
Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?
A little bit from column A, a little bit from column B. I’ve usually got an outline and a general direction that I want the story to go, but as it writes itself, sometimes it takes on a life of its own and I let the story go wherever it wants to.
Do your characters ever want to take over the story?
Absolutely! I enjoy writing strong, forceful characters, and I often have to be careful that I’m writing a story, not a biography.
What is your favourite food?
Pizza, hands down. No contest!
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I’m definitely a morning person. There’s nothing like getting up at 6am, working, and then realizing by 10am that you’ve gotten so much stuff done and the day has barely started.
Where do you dream of travelling to and why?
I’d love to visit the Galapagos Islands one day. I love nature and wildlife, and the Galapagos are basically the holy grail of nature lovers everywhere. I haven’t had the opportunity to go to South America yet, but that’s definitely on my bucket list.
Do distant places feature in your books?
Absolutely! In A World Away, most of the book takes place in Paris. I love to travel, and have seen a number of countries. I love to translate my experiences into my books and let readers travel to foreign lands from their living rooms.
Do you listen to music while writing?
I do, although not necessarily the kind you might think! I listen to classical music when I write: Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky... the music is so calming, it helps me to focus.
Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A World Away is a beautiful New Adult romance which takes place in Paris. Sophie’s had her heart broken by her first true love, and decides to do a semester abroad to get over him. What she didn’t expect was to find herself courting the love of two men. The problem is: one is good for her, and the other isn’t. Can Philippe rescue her from Jacques before it’s too late?
What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?
I could write a thesis about this topic! There’s just so much! I’ve learned a ton about editing, writing a compelling story, connecting with fans, working with technology, everything. The thing with self publishing, which is what I do, is that you have to be a jack of all trades. There’s so much more involved than just writing. I spend maybe half my day writing, and the other half of the day doing everything else that goes with it: finding photos for covers, designing the covers, writing blurbs, updating Facebook and my website, that sort of thing.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Not a chance! I think everything I’ve done I’ve done for a reason, and it’s all brought me to where I am now. I’ve made mistakes, absolutely, but I’ve also learned from them, and that’s something that I wouldn’t change for the world.
Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?
Don’t give up! It’s very easy to want to give up after you hit your first roadblock. Maybe you’re not good with technology and can’t figure out the websites. Maybe you think your first book sucks. No matter what, the important thing is not to give up. Whatever your problems are, you can overcome them. You just need to work hard to get there.
What are three words that describe you?
Fun-loving, sensitive, dreamer
What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?
I absolutely love Jo Nesbo. He’s a Norwegian author who writes mysteries, and I find his writing to be absolutely compelling in a way I’ve never seen matched by any other author.
Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book
Here’s the blurb to A World Away, recently released:
College sophomore Sophie Burnette has just been dumped by her boyfriend, is losing touch with her high school friends and is generally tired of her life in her small Midwestern city. When she sees an ad for doing a semester abroad, she jumps on the opportunity.
Philippe Vaillancourt is a graduate student with a turbulent past who can’t help but immediately fall for Sophie when she walks past him in the park one day.
Sophie’s heart, however, has already been captured by local photographer Jacques Lafleur who shows her a Paris Sophie couldn’t have dreamed existed. But when circumstances throw Sophie and Philippe together, and she begins to realize she’s heading down a dark and dangerous path, will Philippe be able to bring her back, or is Sophie already in too deep?
Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.
Sure! I love to hear from my readers, so please feel free to check me out:
Website: http://www.lilalacroix.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lila-Lacroix/357244087711078?skip_nax_wizard=true&success=1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lila_Lacroix
My mailing list: http://eepurl.com/yVAp5
Can we get an excerpt from your latest book?
Sure! Here’s a little tidbit from A World Away, released just a couple of weeks ago:
Philippe and I met at the Louvre this time, since it was both our days off. We decided to make a morning of it, and I felt that familiar tingle down my spine as I saw him approach, as I’d gotten there first. I really need to start being the one who shows up later for things, this makes me seem desperate I thought to myself as he came up to me and kissed me on the cheek again.
“Hello, Sophie. I’m glad you’ve decided to explore the museum with me again. It certainly is more fun with company, especially company as sexy as yourself.”
“Well, I don’t even need to go into the museum to see art when it’s standing right here in front of me,” I replied, my eyes twinkling. If Philippe wanted to flirt with me, I sure as hell could flirt right back at him. Who knew, this was our day off. Maybe after the museum we would go back to his place, or mine, and then… well, the instant I started thinking about it I felt my panties moistening, my breath catching in my throat, my pulse racing. I hoped Philippe didn’t notice. More than that, I hoped he felt the same way.
“Shall we begin, my lady?” Philippe asked, leading me towards the entrance to the museum. We walked together in silence as we headed towards the French Paintings section. Philippe wanted to show me some of the best works of his homeland.
We were led through paintings so incredible, so realistic, I was amazed. Philippe explained to me that the heyday of French painting was after the Renaissance, in the classical period, and then impressionism.
“Most of the best impressionist works in Paris are at the Musée d’Orsay, not here, but the best Classical works of this country are in these rooms” Philippe told me.
When we arrived at the painting by Jean Louis David, The Consecration of Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Josephine, I was amazed. The name of the painting was a mouthful, but it was nothing compared to the actual artwork. I had seen the painting before, of course, printed in some of the books I’d read about Art History, but that was nothing compared to seeing it in real life.
I had expected the painting to be maybe two feet high by three feet wide. Instead, the painting absolutely filled the room. It was at least twenty feet high, and thirty feet wide. The painting was basically life size, with Napoleon in the center standing around six feet tall as he held high the crown he was about to place on the head of his wife, Josephine.
“That’s incredible,” I whispered to Philippe as we gazed at the painting.
“It is. The coronation took place in Notre Dame, so if you have been inside of the Cathedral, you have seen the spot where this very moment took place.”
“It’s funny to think that such an incredible event, such a monumentally important part of history happened in a building through which it is easy to walk through, and that we can see where Napoleon stood as he crowned his queen.”
“Yes, precisely. Napoleon in fact crowned himself as well, although the Pope was in attendance to make him emperor. I love this painting, when it was finished Napoleon exclaimed that one walks into the picture, that it is not a painting, and I agree with that sentiment completely. It is so realistic, it is one of my favourite examples of Classical French painting.”
We stayed for a while, absorbing the enormous impact of the painting together while sitting on one of the soft black benches offered throughout the Louvre. I rested my head on Philippe’s shoulder, and it felt right. It felt perfect, like I belonged here with him. I was so comfortable with Philippe, so happy, I had never felt like this about another man before, ever.
You can read the rest of A World Away on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Apple.
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