I’m a New Adult Romance author who loves writing about what happens when love and dreams collide with the real world. I wrote my first novel, Dance for Me, in daily chunks in a very busy, very noisy coffee shop, which meant I had to order a black Americano every hour, on the hour, to keep my seat and wound up wired on caffeine most days. Unlike my characters, I can’t dance.
Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?
I plan—obsessively. I plan everything out scene by scene. Inevitably I change things when I write and then again when I edit and a third time after beta feedback, but I like to go in with a strong plan.
Do your characters ever want to take over the story?
Yes. Clarissa and Neil, two of my secondary characters, in particular.
What is your favourite food?
Anything Mexican.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Morning. I like to get some writing done absolutely first thing, before breakfast if possible, and then stop to eat.
Where do you dream of travelling to and why?
I’ve spent some time in New York, but not as much as I’d like. I love that city.
Do distant places feature in your books?
New York has only occasionally been home to me, so that’s distant, these days :)
Do you listen to music while writing?
No. I’d love to, but I find myself listening to it too much and the writing stalls. The exception is when I’m writing a dancing scene – then I go off and listen to the piece (fortunately I have a tame musician I can call on with music questions) until I can imagine the moves, and then I write it.
Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
Dance For Me is about two people trapped by their pasts, but in very different ways. Natasha is consumed by guilt. She’s twenty-one and a dance student at Fenbrook Academy in New York: she has her whole life ahead of her, but she’s on a dangerous, self-destructive path. Darrell, meanwhile, appears the picture of success—a multi-millionaire designer with a huge mansion and a penchant for fast motorcycles. But his drive comes from anger, and that’s gradually destroying him. Close to burnout, he goes looking for inspiration and finds Natasha. Reluctantly agreeing to be his muse, she isn’t ready for the feelings that develop...or where they take her.
What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?
I’ve been very lucky in that I know a few writers who’ve made it. Julia Kent, for example, is a friend who just made it into the Amazon top 100, which is awesome to see :) I’ve received all sorts of good advice from her and others. I’ve learned a lot more about cover design, about social media and about marketing since I first started, but I have plenty more to learn!
Is there anything you would do differently?
I think my main mistake, looking back, was being scared to show my stuff to anyone for a long time. Like a lot of writers, I’m not the most extrovert of people and find self marketing difficult. What really helps is finding a strong community of authors who all help each other and give honest feedback – and the indie community is just that. So: don’t do what I did. Show your stuff :)
Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?
Outside NA, I think Douglas Coupland and Elizabeth Wurtzel. Within NA, Nadia Simonenko, Joya Ryan and Denise Grover Swank. It’s also been hugely useful to talk to real-world dancers and musicians about their experiences.
Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?
Write. Everything else indie authors do – networking, marketing, social media...it’s all important, but none of it is worth anything if you don’t finish your novel so you can move onto editing, beta etc. Don’t let the business of writing distract you from being a writer.
What are three words that describe you?
Methodical, romantic, idealistic.
What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?
Right now, I’m loving Random Acts of Crazy by Julia Kent, but I’m biased because she’s a friend. It is a superb book, though – fun and breezy and perfect for summer.
Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book
by Helena Newbury
NA Romance
Buy links: amazon | amazon uk | amazon ca | kobo | bn | iTunes | allromance
Natasha is one of the most promising ballet dancers at the prestigious Fenbrook Academy of Performing Arts and she’s just landed a life-changing audition. But no one knows the guilt she carries...or the damage it makes her inflict on herself when she’s alone.
Darrell is a multi-millionaire designer at 25. But past traumas have pushed him into isolation and the intense pressure of his work has brought him to the edge of burnout. Seeking inspiration, he sees Natasha dance and hires her as his muse.
As she dances for him, the two become entwined in a passionate but troubled relationship. He starts to see the pain inside her and helps her gradually lower her defenses...but Darrell has demons of his own. Can two broken people save each other? Or will the darkness they’re hiding consume them both?
This New Adult Romance is recommended for 17+ due to mature themes, sexual situations and language.
List of previous books if any
This is my first book.
Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.
Blog: http://helenanewbury.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenaAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelenaNewburyAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/helenanewburyauthor
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Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/helenanewbury/
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